Howard's next to fall after Aznar ...

[GregW]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/02/1078191326210.html

Mark Latham is now the most popular Opposition leader since Bob Hawke in 1983 and would have led Labor to a crushing win had an election been held last weekend, the latest Herald-ACNielsen poll reveals.

On a two-party preferred basis Labor leads at 54 per cent (up 6 points) to the Coalition's 46 per cent (down 6). If this swing was evenly distributed across the country, the ALP would have won a 28-seat majority in government - at an election.

In the three months since Mr Latham replaced Simon Crean as Labor leader, John Howard has dropped 11 points as preferred prime minister, to 47 per cent. Mr Latham is up nine, to 43 per cent.

[CO Liberal]

1. I Thought You Were Talking About Howard Stern and Ed Asner

:shrug:

[whistle]

5. Hahaha, so did I...

...well Mate, that bastard Howard was a Bush backer in the war on Iraq, so I'm not at all surprised if he goes down the toilet

[northofdenali]

2. Most of the Australian voters are anti-war.

And Howard has made some really BIG mistakes, just like *. I am not overly fond of Crean, and was glad to see him replaced - I really think the Opposition has a great chance.

Go, Australia! (The only other place I'd live than here in Alaska - and we LOVE our Aussie tourists, unlike 75% of the rest!)

[arcos]

3. when will elections in Australia be held? n/t

[Eureka]

7. Not announced yet

We don't have fixed terms, they have a 'window' around the third anniversary of taking power in which they can call the election.

This makes it very interesting, because Howard gets to choose the date of his own beheading. He has been holding the threat of a snap election over the oppositions head for a while, but now that the whole bogus war thing has gone to the crapper they aren't mentioning that as much.

He might go before the US elections, but maybe George* will stop him if it's percieved that his loss would be bad press. He might wait until after, but if Bush* goes, Howard is gone for sure.

The Spanish elections have thrown a very lovely, high quality spanner into the works.

(These sentiments are political only, and not meant to cheapen the tragic events in Spain in any way. Spain is cool, my 2nd favourite country so far, condolances to all in Spain)

[David Zephyr]

13. Good to Hear From You, Eureka! And Thanks to GregW for This Story!

Thank you, Eureka, for your update on the election situation there.

The Spanish people have shown the world what Democracy is all about!

And thanks to GregW for this encouraging story.

[kaitykaity]

4. Like little dominoes they fall.

Dare we hope that Tony Blair will be number three? Hee hee.

[daveskilt]

8. but who do you want replacing tony?

do the libdems have a shot or is it back to the rule of the conservative junta?

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Another Labour party figure would likely replace Tony --

probably Chancellor Gordon Brown -- not a LibDem or a Conservative.

[kaitykaity]

10. It's a global civics lesson every day in DU.

I don't know how it works in Great Britain, if after a vote of
no confidence how the Labour Party would choose a different
candidate in a new election.

[daveskilt]

16. oh, not a general election then ok. .. If only John Smith hadn't died

could have had a good scottish labour PM.

[Djinn]

17. A real LABOUR man

and also a thoroughly decent human being ... missed all the more since Tory Blair's ascension!

[AP]

6. Bush: uniting the left. Not dividing it.

[foreigncorrespondent]

11. Latham...

...has given us Aussies the voice we needed. Howard hasn't been listening to us for a long time.

Latham has the right ideas with his visions of medicare, denatal care etc. He most certainly will be our next PM.

GO LATHAM!!!!!

[GregW]

12. Get that drover's dog ready!

I smell another clean-sweep as Howard ONCE AGAIN gets booted from office (a la 1983).

[foreigncorrespondent]

14. Absolutely!

I was thinking about Fraser the other day. Don't hear much about the old coot anymore.

[Djinn]

15. I'd love to beleive that

but these figures aren't too different to what Little John was looking at last time - then he demonised a bunch of refugee women and children and as he is THE master of dog whistlew politics it worked.

I desperately want him out and will probably pack and leave if the Liberal Party (Big L not small L) win again (to watch what they have in mind for the Health service will be too too sad) but I'm not counting any chickens yet - I was too dissapointed and depressed last time.

Also the Labor Party here is about as left wing as Atilla the Hun these days and Latham has some pretty dodgy economic ideas as far as one can actually tell what they are...better than the myopic midget who longs for 1954 sure, but I'm getting a bit tired of voting for the lesser of two evils!