A Rudd defeat for John Howard
Australians write a new page in Australian history. The centre-left Opposition has taken over the government in Australia.
There has been a 4.5% national swing against John Howard's coalition -- coming from New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
SOURCE: The Australian Nov 25, 2007
SOURCE: The Age Nov 24, 2007
After 11-and-a-half-years in office, Howard lost the government, the premiership, and probably his own Bennelong parliamentary constituency which he has won in 13 straight elections since 1974.
Should Howard lose, his slayer would be former journalist Maxine McKew.
Watch the video of Howard's speech conceding a defeat.
When the Parliament convenes to elect the new prime minister, it will be Opposition leader, former diplomat Kevin Rudd, of the Labour party (ALP).
Already, Rudd promised changes in environmental, education and workplace policies as Australia's new prime minister. Watch the AP video on CNN. Quote:
"I will be a prime minister for all Australians," he told the cheering crowd. "Let us be the generation that seizes the opportunity of today to invest in the Australia of tomorrow. That's the mission statement we have as the next government of this country."He added, "I want to do it with all of us working together."
Australia may also get its first female deputy Prime Minister in Julia Gillard, 46.
Read how Labour Party crawls back to power after 11 long years in the doldrum.
Too much arrogance, a little too much self-satisfaction
In an early analysis, The Age suggests that when an increasing number of voters looked at John Howard and his senior colleagues during their fourth term, they saw too much arrogance and a little too much self-satisfaction.
Significantly, many of Howard's ministers have lost their seats.
SOURCE; Australian Financial Review, Nov 24-25
Food for thought for Malaysia. It's more than Dubya losing his sheriff.
Comments
Where have i heard the lines before?
i have no doubt this Mr. Rudd will deliver what he promises whereas someone we gave an overwhelming majority has yet to deliver - even after 4 years. *sigh*
Posted by: ewoon![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 25, 2007 12:26 AM
Will Rudd come to be known as a reformist? Plenty of water has to flow under the bridge before we will know the answer to that. But he has already notched up one momentous achievement: he vanquished the man who sits behind only Sir Robert Menzies as the longest-serving prime minister in Australian history.
He persuaded a majority of his fellow citizens to make John Howard see something that he refused to see: it was over.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/24/1195753377752.html
I wonder when can I see this statement in Malaysia :
"BA persuaded a majority of their fellow citizens to make UMNO/BN see something that they refused to see: it was over."
May god bless our country.
Posted by: Kean![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 25, 2007 05:22 AM
Michael Backman summed up my sentiment succinctly in the first few paragraphs of his latest column:
"THE Government of Australia will probably change hands this weekend. There will be no arrests, no tear gas and no water cannons. The Government of John Howard will leave office, the Opposition will form a government and everyone will accept the verdict.
For this, every Australian can feel justifiably proud. This playing by the rules is what has made Australia rich and a good place in which to invest. It is a country to which people want to migrate; not leave.
Now consider Malaysia. The weekend before last, up to 40,000 Malaysians took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur to protest peacefully against the judiciary's lack of independence, electoral fraud, corruption and a controlled media.
In response, they were threatened by the Prime Minister, called monkeys by his powerful son-in-law, and blasted with water cannons and tear gas. And yet the vast majority of Malaysians do not want a change of government. All they want is for their government to govern better.
Both Malaysia and Australia have a rule of law that's based on the English system. Both started out as colonies of Britain. So why is Malaysia getting it so wrong now?"
From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/11/20/1195321781628.html
Posted by: changyang1230![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 25, 2007 09:50 AM
US Marines airlift water to Bangladesh cyclone victims
Jeff,
Malaysia seems indifferent towards Bangladesh cyclone victim, let us do something, open an account to channel contribution.
Thanks Jeff
Posted by: Tan Sir Lord Toddie![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.my/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 25, 2007 09:50 AM