President Bush’s staunch ally, John Howard, has been re-elected as Prime Minister. The election was widely seen as a referendum on Australia’s continuing committment to Iraq. Howard recently said: “If Australia were to cut and run from Iraq, it would send a very bad signal to the world.” His opponent, Labor leader Mark Latham, had promised to withdraw the troops.
(Cross posted Dean’s World)
Comment by Gary B.
10/9/2004 @ 8:34 am
WTG Howard. Good job Australia.
Comment by goldie
10/9/2004 @ 6:29 pm
Actually, it’s my suspicion (being Aussie and all) that Iraq really had nothing to do with it, sorry. It had more to do with Howard’s (slightly misleading) campaigning that a left-of-centre government would somehow be detrimental to interest rates and therefore housing prices. It’s the Australian dream to Own Property, you see. Cultural thing.
Us Aussies keep our hearts a little more close to home, especially since it’s compulsory that all of us vote. Mr and Mrs Joe Bloggs who earn less than AU$30000 p/a couldn’t give a rat’s ass about Iraq or troops.
Comment by Jane
10/9/2004 @ 6:37 pm
Well thanks for the education Goldie. Compulsory voting? I didn’t know that. I can understand the whole housing/interest thing in the right vs left way. Well, I’m still really glad he was re-elected.
Comment by goldie
10/9/2004 @ 8:01 pm
hehehe… economic policy always a good one to try! hit people in their hip pocket.
Sorry if I sounded confrontational at all BTW, didn’t mean to :). You guys only have what you read to go by, and that article certainly inferred that Iraq was huge on the agenda. Even though I’m non-political (the classic swinging voter), I keep an eye on these things.
it’s so interesting to watch american politics though, seeing as it’s not compulsory to vote. you guys are so much more voracious! fascinating stuff 
Comment by Jane
10/9/2004 @ 8:06 pm
No not at all. I was glad you stopped by and gave me a bit of info. It is hard to judge what’s happening, and I have a tendency to interpet things the way I’d like them to be.
Comment by goldie
10/9/2004 @ 8:23 pm
that’s fair enough - you only have your own culture and media to compare things against, especially if you don’t know any aussies personally. some people would have most definitely based their vote on the Iraq situation and the war on terror. but the majority are more concerned with the economy, health and education. yes, compulsory voting is interesting to say the least.
Trackback by Diggers Realm
10/9/2004 @ 8:53 pm
John Howard Wins In Australia
John Howard won a 4th term in Australia. This is great news for the coalition and for any rational minded peoples of the world. Unlike Spain and the Philippines, Australia has shown that a true friend doesn’t fold like a…
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