Australian PM calls elections
The Australian prime minister has called an election in the country on November 24th
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Sunday, 14, Oct 2007 08:12
Australian prime minister John Howard has announced that elections will be held in the country on November 24th.
The parliamentary elections will see the incumbent Liberal National party, led by Mr Howard, seek a fifth term in office.
Opinion polls and analysts do not portray a rosy picture about the current premier's chances as Kevin Rudd, from the opposition Labour party, is being tipped as the candidate to win the polls.
Mr Howard has appealed to voters to return a prime minister whose policies they are clear about and not to replace someone who has been ruling for the last 11 years.
Speaking at a press conference after calling the poll, he said: "By common agreement Australia is enjoying a remarkable level of national prosperity at the present time.
"But I believe very passionately that this country's best years can lie ahead of us, in the years immediately ahead."
Mr Howard stated: "This country does not need new leadership, it does not need old leadership, it needs the right leadership.
"The right leadership is the leadership that tells the Australian people where it stands on issues and what it believes in," he said.
"Can I say, love me or loathe me, the Australian people know where I stand on all the major issues of importance to their future," he added
Mr Howard's rival candidate Mr Rudd has vowed to withdraw troops from Iraq, sign the Kyoto Protocol on the environment and to change labour laws introduced by the current government that have proved to be unpopular among voters.
The opposition leader said: "To win this election we have to make history. We have only won twice from opposition since [the second world war]. I believe this is going to be the fight of our lives."
"The greatest risk for Australia's future is for the coalition to return and nothing changes, nothing changes on climate change and water, nothing changes for our hospitals, nothing changes for our schools," he added.