The Australian Labor Party ousted PM John Howard's 11-year-old
government in the general election with the view for a change.
Kevin Rudd won the election as a new leader amongst the
long-heard voices for the change of government, when voters
complained on Howard's reforms in industrial relations and rising
interest rates.
Howard's reliance on the country's economic achievements did not
help his re-election campaign as before, as Rudd pointed to the
failure of transferring the benefits of a booming economy to the
families.
Rudd asked, "the economy is strong, but why life is hard?"
Rudd promised that when in power, he will, among other things,
scrap the unpopular Workplace Agreements, and to "get the balance
right between fairness and flexibility in the workplaces of the
nation."
He highlighted projects in education and health care, the two
areas where he has been long ahead of Howard in public opinion
polls.
Climate change has been in the focus of election debate as Rudd
vowed to rectify the Kyoto Protocol the Coalition has refused to
ink in fear of a possible impact on Australia's economy. A cut of
greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2050 is also on Labor's
agenda.
Although there is not much difference between Labor and
Coalition on foreign affairs, Rudd wants a staged withdrawal of
Australia's combat troops from Iraq by mid next year.
In contrast, Howard, as a closest ally of US President George W.
Bush, would keep the soldiers there "as long as they are
needed."
It is expected a Labor government will seek to promote
Australia's influence in the South Pacific, as Rudd has criticized
Howard's regional policy.
Labor plans to build a regional center of civil-military
cooperation and use it as a platform to train police and coordinate
regional assistance missions.
Earlier in the polling day, about 13.6 million voters across
Australia chose from 1,421 candidates for all the 150 seats in the
House of Representatives and 40 of the 76-member Senate.
As the count of votes still continues, the exact number of seats
Labor has won in the parliament remains unknown, but analysts of
local TV stations which broadcast at the national tally room put it
above 80.
(Xinhua News Agency November 25, 2007)
