Australians go to the polls on Saturday to elect the country's
42nd parliament, while the latest poll suggests a cliffhanger.
The Newspoll opinion survey published on Saturday showed
opposition Labor Party leads the ruling Coalition by a narrowing
gap of 52 to 48.
The election will be a test for voters to choose between Prime
Minister John Howard's strategy on economic terms and a new
leadership of Labor leader Kevin Rudd.
The Coalition has boasted the economic achievements during its
eleven-and-half years of ruling, which Howard described as "the
best years yet for this nation."
"If you change the government you will change the direction of
the country," Howard has said.
But the Coalition has trailed in opinion polls when Labor
criticizes Howard and his team of being outdated in ideas and calls
on voters to choose the new leadership of Rudd.
"After 11 years it's now time to turn the page on this
government. It's time for a new chapter in our nation's history to
begin," Rudd said during the election campaign.
Labor has attacked Howard and his team on economic matters like
their unpopular labor laws and rising interest rates, vowing new
measures in industry relations, climate change, education and
health.
In contrast to the Coalition, Rudd has promised withdrawal of
Australia's combat troops out of Iraq and ratification of the Kyoto
Protocol.
Howard also faces a tough contest against Labor's popular
journalist Maxine Mckew in his seat of Bennelong, as opinion survey
showed a narrow gap between the two, triggering a talk that he may
lose the seat.
About 13.6 million voters will choose from 1,421 candidates for
all the 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of the
76-member Senate.
A total of 7,723 polling booths will open between 8 a.m. and 6
p.m. local time gradually across the country.
Labor needs a swing of 16 additional seats in the House of
Representatives to beat the Liberal-National coalition and form a
majority government.
(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2007)
