The dominant political perception of Australia, that it unilaterally supports Bush’s US unilaterialism, may be in for a drastic change on November 25, the date of the next federal election.
After 11 years in office, conservative John Howard is tipped to be defeated by left-of-centre Labour’s Kevin Rudd. In fact, all the polls say it is a lock.
The two paramount issue are Howard’s continued support of the Iraq war and his refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol. Rudd would do a 180 on both, as the polls show the people want.
Howard is running on the economy which has a record-setting stock market and the lowest unemployment rate in 33 years.
The story is here: Australian PM announces election.
Carsons Post 
Thanks for blogging this, as an Aussie I’m interested in how our election is being covered overseas.
I’m going to have to disagree with that analysis you’ve put up: while climate change and the Iraq war are issues they aren’t the driving ones in this campaign.
What’s largely killed off Howard is his changes to industrial relations laws, which made it easier for employers to fire employees and drive down conditions. Not only divisive and unpopular they were cumbersome and bureaucratic to the point of alienating small business (regular Howard voters, whom the legislation was meant to appease).
That, coupled with a sense that Howard’s been in long enough and broken a promise too many is largely why key constituencies have turned away from the Coalition in favour of the fresh-faced, Tony Blair-ish Kevin Rudd.
By: Leinad on 15 October, 2007
at 3:39 am