Morrison faces hung parliament after historic by-election defeat

Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison is under increasing pressure to call an early federal election following the humiliating loss of his government’s one-seat majority in the lower house of parliament.

Morrison’s government was punished by a backlash from Sydney voters in a weekend by-election that saw an unprecedented 20 per cent swing against the Liberal Party. It is the biggest swing against a sitting government in Australian history.

Sydney independent Kerryn Phelps (above) convincingly won the Wentworth by-election on 20 October and will take her seat as a crossbencher next month. She has told journalists that her priorities will include action on climate change and urgent medical aid for children in Australia’s offshore refugee detention camps.