▁Phill ips ▁said ▁despite ▁the ▁Liber als ▁holding ▁C anning ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁election , ▁it ▁would ▁still ▁be ▁a ▁" hot ly ▁cont ested ▁seat ". ▁ ▁C andid ates ▁ ▁How - to - vote ▁cards ▁How - to - vote ▁cards ▁are ▁distributed ▁to ▁vot ers ▁at ▁pol ling ▁stations ▁to ▁provide ▁information ▁with ▁how ▁the ▁candidate ▁suggests ▁prefer ences ▁be ▁allocated . ▁C andid ates ▁and ▁parties ▁which ▁suggested ▁prefer ences ▁are ▁shown ▁in ▁each ▁column ▁of ▁the ▁table ▁below . ▁The ▁S ust ain able ▁Population ▁Party ▁ran ▁an ▁open ▁card ▁at ▁this ▁by - e lection . ▁ ▁Tim eline ▁of ▁political ▁issues ▁▁ 1 5 ▁September ▁– ▁Mal col m ▁Turn b ull ▁became ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Australia . ▁▁ 1 4 ▁September ▁– ▁Le ad ership ▁sp ill : ▁Mal col m ▁Turn b ull ▁became ▁prime ▁minister - design ate ▁after ▁rolling ▁Tony ▁Abb ott ▁as ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party . ▁▁ 9 ▁September ▁– ▁Sy rian ▁air ▁strik es ▁& ▁refuge es : ▁Abb ott ▁Government ▁agreed ▁to ▁extend ▁air ▁strik es ▁from ▁Ira q ▁into ▁Sy ria , ▁and ▁to ▁accept ▁an ▁extra ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁refuge es ▁from ▁both ▁countries . ▁▁ 2 ▁September ▁– ▁Econom ic ▁growth : ▁G DP ▁for ▁the ▁June ▁quarter ▁was ▁ 0 . 2 % ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁Australian ▁doll ar ▁fell ▁below ▁US 7 0 c . ▁▁ 3 1 ▁August ▁– ▁Royal ▁Commission