ðə lˈɪbɚɹəl nˈæʃənəl kˌoʊəlˈɪʃən lˈɛd baɪ dʒˈɛf kˈɛnɪt ænd pˈæt mˌæknəmˈɑːɹɹə, wˌɪtʃ hæd hˈɛld mədʒˈɔːɹᵻɾi ɡˈʌvɚnmənt sˈɪns ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks ᵻlˈɛkʃən, lˈɔst fˈɪftiːn sˈiːts ænd ɪts mədʒˈɔːɹᵻɾi dˈuː mˈeɪnli tʊ ɐ swˈɪŋ ɐɡˈɛnst ɪɾ ɪn ɹˈʊɹɹəl ænd ɹˈiːdʒənəl vɪktˈoːɹiə.
The Liberal–National Coalition led by Jeff Kennett and Pat McNamara, which had held majority government since the 1996 election, lost 15 seats and its majority due mainly to a swing against it in rural and regional Victoria.