In this Oct. 14, 2011 file photo, 黑料社 Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch delivers a keynote address at the National Summit on Education Reform in San Francisco. AP FILE PHOTO
SYDNEY, Australia鈥擬edia mogul Rupert Murdoch has urged 鈥渟nap鈥� elections in Australia, describing the country as 鈥渁lmost ungovernable鈥� due to the make-up of the Senate.
Murdoch said conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott remained by far the best choice of leader and criticized the center-left opposition Labor Party as damaged by corrupt unions.
鈥淐ountry almost ungovernable with any Senate majority impossible for either side to execute,鈥� Murdoch tweeted late Thursday.
鈥淓xtreme greenies, increasing in support hold balance. Against growth and subsequent jobs. Seem beyond reason.鈥�
Abbott鈥檚 Liberal/National coalition have a clear majority in the House of Representatives, but in the 76-seat Senate only hold 33 seats and need the support of others to pass legislation.
The last election in 2013 saw several fringe groups win seats, and the number of crossbenchers is now at a record high of 18, including 10 Greens Senators and eight from minor parties or independents.
鈥淕ovt must push on with reforms for sake of all sides or hold snap poll,鈥� said Murdoch without specifying which reforms.
鈥淥nly hope is new poll with govt of all the talents ready to work together with clear mandate for reform, bringing in new, young able people.鈥�
Abbott鈥檚 under-pressure government is battling with a slowing economy and lags behind Labor in opinion polls.
An election is expected in late 2016 but the government has until mid-January 2017 to hold polls for both the houses of parliament.
Murdoch said despite 鈥渟ome blind spots,鈥� on which he failed to elaborate, Abbott was 鈥渢he best alternative.鈥�
He added that the prime minister was 鈥減rincipled鈥� and 鈥渁 fighter.鈥�
Murdoch鈥檚 黑料社 Corp., which was founded in his homeland of Australia, was broken into two firms last year in a bid to insulate profitable entertainment assets from newspapers.
One firm retained the 黑料社 Corp. name and focuses on news and publishing while the other, 21st Century Fox, manages the television and film assets.
黑料社 Corp鈥檚 stable includes The Wall Street Journal and New York Post newspapers in the United States; The Times, Sunday Times and The Sun in Britain and The Australian in Murdoch鈥檚 homeland.