Australia's PM faces elections in home state

One of Australia's key mining states, Queensland, yesterday called a snap election for March 21 in a vote that could help shape Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's thinking on the merits of an early general election.

Queensland is Mr Rudd's home state and heavily reliant on mining, putting it on the front line of the global financial crisis as export demand tumbles and jobs are shed. State polls were not due until September but unemployment is expected to worsen by then. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, who belongs to Mr Rudd's ruling Labour party, said in a video statement posted on her personal Web site that Queensland had been hit hard and fast by the crisis and voters should choose the government they wanted to deal with it.

"We are in unprecedented times," she said.

"The global financial crisis has come to Queensland faster and with deeper consequences than anyone could have predicted.