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The Australian federal election of 7 September 2013 resulted in a win in the House of Representatives for the right of centre Coalition led by Tony Abbott and a defeat for the outgoing minority Labor government led by Kevin Rudd, and before that Julia Gillard. The Coalition held its numbers in the Senate but will depend on support from right of centre independents and micro-parties to pass its legislation after the new Senate commences on 1 July 2014. The 2013 election provides a snapshot of the state of Australian politics not only in relation to the Coalition and Labor, but also in relation to the Greens, other minor parties and independents. Post-election Labor experienced some revival through a new method of choosing its federal parliamentary leader that provides caucus members and branch members with an equal share in the decision; Bill Shorten emerged narrowly as the winner. The formation of the new government was indicative of the political dynamics within the Coalition. There has been some shift of emphasis in terms of key policies receiving attention in the initial period of the Abbott government, most notably climate change, but there are also significant continuities with the previous Labor government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]