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Australia gets it right..... - Printable Version

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Australia gets it right..... - The Hammer - 10-09-2004

Australian PM Howard Celebrates Fourth Poll Win

By Paul Tait

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a key U.S. ally and supporter of the Iraq (news - web sites) war, celebrated on Sunday his election win over opposition Labor after voters enjoying the fruits of a strong economy gave him another term.


Howard's ruling conservative coalition won a fourth consecutive term on Saturday with what appears certain to be an increased majority and in December he will become Australia's second-longest serving prime minister.


"This nation stands on the threshold of a new era of great achievement ... a nation which can achieve anything it wants, if its sets its mind to it," a beaming Howard told supporters at a downtown Sydney hotel late on Saturday.


Gleeful members of Howard's Liberal/National coalition said the government's strong economic record had clearly tipped the balance against Labor and its 43-year-old leader, Mark Latham.


Analysts said financial markets would welcome an end to any election uncertainty, but expected no immediate impact on stock prices or the Australian dollar. The resounding nature of Howard's win also removed the remote risk of a hung parliament.


"It'll be business as usual on Monday for financial markets," said Commonwealth Securities chief economist Craig James.


Further underlining the steady-as-she-goes message, no major reshuffle of Howard's cabinet is expected.


Howard's victory ensures that Australian troops will remain in Iraq. Latham wanted Australia's 850 troops serving in and around Iraq home by Christmas.


The election attracted international attention because Australia's two Iraq war allies also soon face elections, the United States on Nov. 2 and Britain in May or June.


Howard's closest ally, President Bush (news - web sites) called Howard early on Sunday to congratulate him. Elections were also held in Afghanistan (news - web sites) on Saturday, where Australia also sent troops to join the war on terror.


"The people of Australia voted today as well. And I want to congratulate my good friend Prime Minister John Howard, who won a great victory," Bush said in a campaign speech in St. Louis.


IT WAS THE ECONOMY


Australian voters focused more on domestic concerns such as interest rates during the six-week campaign rather than Howard's unstinting support for the United States or Labor's preference for closer ties with Asia.


Many Australian voters are sitting on comfortable gains from a hot housing market and are also enjoying strong employment, relatively low interest rates and a buoyant stock market.


Howard's coalition held 82 seats in the 150-seat parliament after the 2001 election, but Australian Broadcasting Corp. forecasts put the government's likely new majority as high as 87 seats, with Labor likely to drop back four to 60.


With almost three-quarters of the 13 million votes counted by late on Saturday, official Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) figures recorded a swing of almost two percent to the government.


The AEC gave the coalition 52.4 percent support to Labor's 47.6 percent support on a two-party preferred basis under which preference votes from minor parties are distributed to major parties and which ultimately determine the outcome of elections.





In 2001, the government's two-party preferred vote was 51 percent to Labor's 49 percent.

Latham took over Labor in December and had campaigned strongly over the past six weeks on reform of Australia's state health care system, education and the environment.

Voting is compulsory in Australia, and ballots were cast at more than 7,000 voting stations from the dusty outback to the Antarctic. Opinion polls had indicated a close result but bookmakers in sports-mad Australia heavily favored Howard.

The election pitted Howard, 65, a master politician seen by voters as bland but safe, against the fiery Latham, who has a colorful turn of phrase but is still perceived as a relatively unknown quantity after only 10 months in the job. (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols)

Australia gets it right..... - Velvet - 10-10-2004

You call that right . You should try living here . The mans a little gnome whos raping our country of anything good .

Australia gets it right..... - The Hammer - 10-10-2004

Quote:Originally posted by Velvet@Oct 9 2004, 10:27 PM
You call that right . You should try living here . The mans a little gnome whos raping our country of anything good .
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Yeah? Australia is currently having it's best economic run in decades, if not ever. You should be thankful to have leader like Howard

Australia gets it right..... - CodeWarrior - 10-10-2004

I think I would go with the opinion of the person who lives there over the person who hasn't changed his underwear in a few days.

Australia gets it right..... - ClayRock - 10-10-2004

Quote:Originally posted by CodeWarrior@Oct 9 2004, 10:32 PM
I think I would go with the opinion of the person who lives there over the person who hasn't changed his underwear in a few days.
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Mooo! (RACK)

Australia gets it right..... - Velvet - 10-10-2004

Biker you dont live here so you dont have a clue . You should be worried about the idiot running your country and trying to run ours as well . Sadly when you promise the people enough money your always going to get in but like every other time he will back out with some lame excuse . He lies just like your one does .

Australia gets it right..... - Undeadcannibal - 10-10-2004

Why do idiots always have power?

Australia gets it right..... - The Hammer - 10-10-2004

Quote:Originally posted by Velvet@Oct 10 2004, 06:38 AM
Biker you dont live here so you dont have a clue .  You should be worried about the idiot running your country and trying to run ours as well . Sadly when you promise the people enough money your always going to get in but like every other time he will back out with some lame excuse . He lies just like your one does .
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What's the prob vel? You have no problems telling us how our politics are fucked up. Why can't I comment about yours?

Australia gets it right..... - ClayRock - 10-11-2004

WOW...the Hammer is so bored that he studies up on Australia's current political races? You should get a job dawg.