Howard's End

After 11 years in office, Australian Prime Minister John Howard - a stalwart American ally, and a leader who really understands the Islamist threat - lost the general election and his own seat:

Prime Minister John Howard of Australia suffered a comprehensive defeat today, with a coalition led by his Liberal Party losing its majority in parliament.

After four terms in office, he will be replaced by Kevin Rudd, a Labor Party leader and former diplomat. Mr. Rudd, 50, campaigned on a platform of new leadership looking for new answers for new challenges. He has said his first acts as prime minister will include pushing for the ratification of the Kyoto climate agreement and to negotiate the withdrawal of Australian combat troops from Iraq.

The attempts by Mr. Howard’s coalition to stress their economic record failed to impress voters. The Australian economy has had 17 years of continuous growth, in latter years driven by Chinese demand for Australian iron ore and coal, and he had warned voters that a Labor victory would endanger the country’s future prosperity.

But despite the coalition campaign, there was little distance between the two parties on economic policy, and the defining characteristics came down to the personalities of the leaders and Labor’s promise to readdress broad concerns about the environment, health and education. Mr. Howard, 68, was running for a record fifth term in office, but many voters said they were ready for a change.

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Early estimates had the Labor party gaining some 20 seats, to gain a14-seat majority in the 150-seat lower house. Television prediction seven had John Howard suffering the indignity of losing his own seat in the Sydney suburb of Bennelong in parliament to a former television anchor and rookie politician, Maxine McKew. He would be the first sitting Prime Minister to lose his seat since 1929.

“It is very likely the case that I will no longer be the member for Bennelong,” he said. Mr. Howard had represented Bennelong since he first entered parliament 33 years ago.

An understandably disappointed Tim Blair live-blogged the election. The environment, Iraq, and a general desire for change may have contributed to Howard's defeat, but The Times says labour reforms were a major factor as well:

Members of Mr Howard's own Government conceded last night that 68-year-old Howard's controversial Work Choices laws, which also curtailed workers' rights, were a major factor in his loss of Government and of his Parliamentary seat of Bennelong in suburban Sydney which he held for 33 years.

Australia's long-serving former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, who left office in 1993, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) television election panel that it was ironic that Mr Howard's long political career had ended with the loss of his seat in Parliament.

He said that like Bruce, Mr Howard had been voted out because he had reduced workers' rights.

"It's a delicious irony and repetition of history," Mr Hawke told ABC television's election night panel.

The people have spoken, so there's no sense moping about it. I wish Mr. Rudd the best of luck, and I hope Australians appreciate the fine leader they had for the past decade.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at November 24, 2007 11:12 AM