Australia's Conservatives Returned to Power

[Monte Smith]

Australia Re-Elects Howard Prime Minister

Oct 9, 9:22 AM (ET)

By MIKE CORDER


SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Prime Minister John Howard scored a convincing victory in Australia's federal election Saturday, winning a historic fourth term in a vote ensuring the staunch U.S. ally keeps its troops in Iraq.

With more than 70 percent of votes tallied, Howard appeared likely to increase his government's majority in parliament - exceeding most analysts' predictions that the result would be very tight.

"My fellow Australians ... I am truly humbled by this extraordinary expression of confidence in the leadership of this great nation by the coalition," Howard told cheering supporters of his conservative alliance in Sydney.

"In accepting their charge to lead the nation I rededicate myself and all of my colleagues to the service of the Australian people."

Labor Party leader Mark Latham earlier conceded defeat before supporters in western Sydney, saying he called Howard to congratulate him.

"Tonight was not our night," Latham told the crowd.

The election was widely seen abroad as the first referendum for the three leaders who launched the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, with President Bush facing a ballot next month and British Prime Minister Tony Blair probably facing voters next year.

The Labor Party had vowed to bring the roughly 900 Australian troops deployed in and around Iraq home by Christmas, while Howard insisted they will stay until Iraqis ask them to leave. Australian troops have not suffered any casualties and none have combat roles.

Australians have focused more on the economy, health and education than on Howard's unpopular decision to join the Bush-led coalition in Iraq. Howard sent 2,000 troops to Iraq last year, prompting accusations he was Bush's lackey.


(AP) A lone protester holds a banner and chants slogans against the war in Iraq outside a polling booth.

Latham argued that the Iraq invasion was a distraction from the international fight against terrorism, and he wanted to focus Australia's security policy closer to home in Southeast Asia.

That was a clear nod to his country's fears of attacks after the Oct. 12, 2002, bombings on Bali Island that killed 202 people, many of them Australians, and the Sept. 9 bombing of the Australian Embassy that killed nine people.

With about 77 percent of votes counted, official figures showed Howard's coalition had 52.4 percent to Labor's 47.6 percent, giving the conservatives a clear lead in the race for a majority in parliament's 150-seat lower house, where government is formed.

"I think at this stage of the evening it's going to be almost impossible for Labor to win this election," Labor Sen. Robert Ray told Channel Nine television. "We are too far behind in too many seats at this stage for victory."

The campaign also hinged on personalities, with three-term incumbent Howard, 65, seen as a colorless but reliable steward of the economy, and Latham, 43, perceived as young and energetic but also inexperienced and sometimes undisciplined.

Australian voters chose candidates for all 150 seats in the federal parliament's lower house - the House of Representatives - and 40 of the 76 seats in the Senate. A total of 1,091 candidates were standing for the House of Representatives and 330 for the Senate.

The country has 13 million registered voters.

Howard voted Saturday at a school after taking a walk around Sydney Harbor, where he asked passers-by not to use their votes to punish his conservative coalition for unpopular policies.

"It's certainly not an occasion for anyone to think they can give us a protest kick and still re-elect us - if enough people do that we'll lose," he said.

At the polls, a man in line said to the prime minister: "Mr. Howard, if you win, I'm moving to Europe."

Another woman asked him when he was going to stop lying to the Australian public. Howard ignored the man and said "thank you" to the woman.

John Atkins, 59, voting in Sydney, said he did not approve of Latham's plan to withdraw from Iraq, even though he initially opposed the Iraq deployment.

"I was very concerned when the Labor Party said it would pull out the troops by Christmas," he said. "We should never have gone in, but once we had we need to stay."

Latham shook hands with well-wishers as he entered his Sydney polling site.

"We'll be seeking the support of the Australian people, particularly for a world-class health and education system, and taking the financial pressure off families," he said.

Howard's center-right government and the opposition both focused their campaigns on pledges to improve the education and health systems, and debated which party can best run the economy and maintain a boom fueled largely by rising property prices.

Howard repeatedly warned voters a Latham government would likely drive up interest rates - a sensitive issue for millions of homeowners.

Australia's economy has grown during every year of Howard's administration has been in office. Unemployment is close to all-time lows and inflation is just 2 percent.

Latham insisted he could fund his policies and keep interest rates low and the economy growing.

Howard is in his ninth year in office and is expected to retire before serving out his full three-year term.

Had Latham won, he would have become one of the country's youngest leaders.

[kenny weir]

Well, well. How ghastly. But the people have spoken - and emphatically so.

One of the opposition heavyweights, Kim Beazley, said last night that internal polling late last year showed they were on track for a walloping of 25-26 seats or more, so from that context last night's result doesn't seem so bad.

Some random thoughts:

*It seems the Australian electorate is a lot more conservative, and shares a lot more of the mindset of its US equivalent, than the likes of me and my jazz lovin', left-leaning, coffee-imbibing, inner-city dwelling ilk have realised.

*The Howard camp ran a masterly campaign, playing superbly on fears of interest rate rises and so on.

*Re the logging situation in Tasmania, Howard saw it as a regional situation there to be squeezed for votes. Latham saw it (rightly) as a national issue, tried for a principled approach - and lost. Badly.

*That just reaffirms my view that Howard is bereft of just about anything except the passionate desire of being second only to Bob Menzies as long-running Australian Prime Minister.

*The issues that got me steaming - honesty (and continual dishonesty), children behind barbwire, Iraq and so - were more a hindrance to Latham than an asset. Makes me feel a bit grubby and sad about this country.

*I'm not sure this result will have any bearing or resonance in the US or Britain, but I guarantee that Bush and Blair will be just about as gleeful as Howard nevertheless.

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Kenny…Australia - I waited up all night (Europe/World Service) for these results. All the polls on the BBC world service were running 50/50…So, what went wrong?

I appreciate that "you" (like the States) are a continent…so diverse opinions, but even so.

I live in Denmark – I am not Danish (My partner is) – So I get to vote in the European Elections, but more importantly in the UK elections next year. I am still a UK citizen.

The problem in the UK is that there is no effective opposition to Blair – there is plenty of opposition from the left and in his own party – but not channelled.

In the Bush/Kerry debate (2)…Bush said, “Ask the Brits”…and the mass of the “Brits” fell on the floor laughing… And are largely against this insanity. But have no party.

Christ, more of this? Scandinavia looks more promising!

Best. RC.

[Nathaniel Catchpole]

Richardo, there are a number of parties set up against Blair, RESPECT for example, and they're all shite. An effective opposition will have to come from outside the parliamentary system - the idea of the Tories as the official opposition still makes me cringe - just hope people have long enough memories to remember who Howard is. The Liberal Democrats are roughly where Labour was in 1997, hardly impressive - very happy to privatise council housing when they've got the choice for example.

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Nat - Totally agree with all you say - I think in the Uk, the "nationalist" parties (Plaid/SNP) will get some of the protest vote...but so what... Equally "Respect"....it's shadow boxing... Lib Dems have more shapes to shift than Startrek...The Tories are gut turning.

The point is that Labour will get back in...despite the lies, the spin, the destruction of a political tradition. Thatcher destroyed communities - I was born and grew up Wales which had a tradition ...then Blair et al destroyed "politics"...

So where outside the parliamentary system? I agree , two million on the street is impressive...I was there in London and in Copenhagen...but it needs to find a programme, a party and a channel...surely? Otherwise..the SOS! (Lester)


Very Best RC.

----------------------
I was going to post this elsewhere, but might as well be here...

WHAT DO WE TALK ABOUT – APREZ JAZZ?

Apologies to Raymond Carver…but I’ve noticed (from Europe) this site get more and more up tight as the US Elections approaches.

I have NO problem with this...It’s an NY site and it’s your (MAJOR) election….even though I think Bush is a moron run by others with a far more considered and insidious agenda…and even if “in Europe”, we can’t escape the implications. No desire to. Our fight too.

And I am old enough to remember the 60s, Vietnam, US, Algeria, UK/Ireland, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany etc. …When Musicians DID get involved – All power to them.

But the site is now becoming very personalised to people I greatly respect…to the detriment of opinions about Jazz. I used to think Jazz is life. It’s not, Life is…So I am taking a moratorium…I never knew what “Raincheck” meant until Sonny Rollins explained it to me!

Hell, and WE'VE still got to sort out Blair! BYE YA!

RC. Raincheckin’.

[Nathaniel Catchpole]

Don't want to sidetrack the thread too much, but I think the Independent Working Class Asssociation - although they're (I hope) not standing in national elections, has some potential - trying to get as close to direct democracy in local areas as possible, with limited electoralism to carry out decisions where local or state governments oppose popularly mandated decisions. Their electoralism is my least favourite part of their politics (and I'm concerned whether they the mean the economic or cultural working class in some of their literature), but better than many alternatives at the moment.

The fact that Labour will be able to win an election when they're incredibly unpopular, and have completely deserted any of their traditional electoral base, should be a sign that serious political activity should be rejecting parliamentary politics and political parties altogether. This shouldn't be diverted into mass protests, which in the same way as voting, reinforce the legitimacy of those in power to make decisions, since in the end they're trying to change the minds of those in charge, not question their authority to make decisions on behalf of the public in the first place. It needs to be long-term, concerted, largely positive political activity which increases the power of communities to take decisions outside national and local state politics - since that politics is increasingly divorced from the reality of both the everyday lives of the UK population, and from their political views (which those protests were to an extent perhaps an expression of, but failed to turn into concerted activity so far). Since very few decisions can now be taken via the electoral system, there needs to be an awareness that most decisions are being taken outside that system, and that any response to them needs to be co-ordinated on that basis.

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Nat - Again no problem (And again aware that this thread is about Australia)...BUT, the point is that comminuties in the UK have been wrecked, divided or centrally driven to a market agenda. Look at any of the 25 plus ? ODPM Regeneration Programmes? I used to advise on these.

They work to a central government agenda (be it Prescott or Brown)...those that do conform are resourced and move on..those that resist are marginalised. You mentioned off loading Council Housing? Excactly.

Communities do NOT self regenerate. Sorry, It is just romantic fantasy. The resources are with the STATE.
In the UK, the S.East economy is the driver The UK is the most distorted/unbalanced regional economy - without any effective regional policy - in W. Europe.

Until that is tackled, all else is piety.

And I fought for Welsh devolution!

Much wiser! Best RC.

[kenny weir]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel Catchpole

The fact that Labour will be able to win an election when they're incredibly unpopular, and have completely deserted any of their traditional electoral base, should be a sign that serious political activity should be rejecting parliamentary politics and political parties altogether.

In Australia, anyway, it isn't that Howard & Co are so unpopular - incredibly, they've just increased their majority - but that they are becoming so unaccountable. Yeah, yeah, I know there's an argument that could be easily made that the voters have just held them accountable, and have given them a big ol' rubber stamp. But that's not quite what I mean. And I have no doubt Labor would be just as brazen is in power. Maybe, as in the Patriot Act, Western leaders are having to get tough. Fine. But it's the unmitigated zeal with which they're acting that gives me the willies.

So, what went wrong?

Howard & Co outfoxed Latham. Latham was too new in the job and too young, and scaring voters off was a breeze.

But another 24 hours of reflection have made me think something else is going on here. Perhaps the great mass of Australians are empatically saying, "We will do anything to preserve our way of life, even if it means putting up with a leader who regularly lies. Aborigines, Iraq, refugee children incarcerated, the environment? Who gives a rat's arse - just as long as I've got me job, an affordable mortgage. Besides, all those Arabs are trying to kill us."

For make no mistake, this result is not just some flukey escape act by Howard & Co, but a major league affirmation of what they're about.

Geez, they're even going to have control of the Senate, thanks to a single dude from the loony Family First outfit getting elected. Howard made a preference deal with them before the election.

If there is an element of xenophobia, us and them, "fear of other" in all this, then Bush and Blair have every right to feel confident, I feel.

[Richardo Caerleoni]

"For make no mistake, this result is not just some flukey escape act by Howard & Co, but a major league affirmation of what they're about.

Geez, they're even going to have control of the Senate, thanks to a single dude from the loony Family First outfit getting elected. Howard made a preference deal with them before the election.

If there is an element of xenophobia, us and them, "fear of other" in all this, then Bush and Blair have every right to feel confident, I feel."

Kenny - I hate to say it...but I think you are on to something - as per the UK - God help us!

Best RC.

[john williams]

I agree it was a greed vote. I remember six months ago or so hearing a liberal spokesperson say that their party banks on people's greed at the polling booth. He was so right. Australians don't care about health, education, welfare or children locked up in detention centers.

Here come the religious right too. We're fucked!

I got sick of reading letters in the papers and hearing that the result of the Australian election wasn't important, only the US election mattered; I always thought that was silly. Let those folks eat their words now.

[Nathaniel Catchpole]

Nat - Again no problem (And again aware that this thread is about Australia)...BUT, the point is that comminuties in the UK have been wrecked, divided or centrally driven to a market agenda. Look at any of the 25 plus ? ODPM Regeneration Programmes? I used to advise on these.

Communities do NOT self regenerate. Sorry, It is just romantic fantasy. The resources are with the STATE.
In the UK, the S.East economy is the driver The UK is the most distorted/unbalanced regional economy - without any effective regional policy - in W. Europe.

The real source of wealth for the UK and any other western country is the labour of the people who make goods or supply services within that country, and those that supply goods which are imported in. In that sense, although the State and Capital controls resources, it doesn't create them, systems do no in themselves create resources, people do. I'm not talking about regional devolution in the sense of the Welsh Assembly or anything like that, I'm talking about directly democratic federated community bodies which would try to build a counter-power to the state, demanding and organising resources themselves, rather than electing people to whatever body in order to represent them. In that sense, local state politics is as moribund as national state politics, but neither of them are what I consider a legitimate agent for change.

[HenryMc]

Im in denial.

Im living in a world where Latham is Prime Minister and the gnomes at the bottom of my garden are co-existing peacefully with the pixies next door

[HenryMc]

Kenny

"We will do anything to preserve our way of life, even if it means putting up with a leader who regularly lies. Aborigines, Iraq, refugee children incarcerated, the environment? Who gives a rat's arse - just as long as I've got me job, an affordable mortgage. Besides, all those Arabs are trying to kill us."

The suburbs spoke

They dont care about:

(a) the Aborigines - just a bunch of lazy drunks as far as they are concerned , I mean look at a current affair, they 're ALL drunk in parks aren't they. We give ém everything and they still stuff up

(b) The War in Iraq - gees who gives a sh*t as long as we're on the winning side, right!

(c ) refugees -should stay where they are - trying to sneak in here through the back door - who do they think they are - besides they are probably terrorists

(d) terrorists - as long as the local Maccas doesn't get blown up who cares .....Bali? Hmmm just tells the kids to go to Phuket instead

(e) reffo kids in jail (note use of old 50's venacular) - well their parents shouldn't have come - serves ém right

(f) the environment - look ...they'v nothing against the environment - heck they need somewhere to drive the 4 wheel drive past pretending they are off roaders on the way to K Mart.

(g) Interest rates - gees mate if interest rates rise we'd be the proverbial ..They used the rising equity in their home to buy an ínvestment house', nicely negatively geared, and thats almost doubled in the last three years thank you...so get your priorities right ....

Relaxed and comfortable on a 24 perch block with a 4 wheel drive and foxtel on the telly - a fridge fulla piss - heaven mate heaven