Redstate

Rudd has said he will allow the independence of the reserve bank, so he can't directly change interest rates. Interest rates are expected to go up further next year.

He himself would be reasonably economically literate, it will be keeping the left of his party under control that may be a problem.

He has said he will withdraw combat troops from Iraq (although has left wiggle room on troops for training), but possibly increase commitment to Afghanistan.

As an FYI - the Canadian government, although it ratified Kyoto under the then Liberal government, has said for all intents and purposes that it will not abide by it.

of environmentalist extremists. By the AGW promoter's own reckoning, Kyoto fully implemented does nothing. What Kyoto is, is a training excercise to get societies of free people used to giving up technologically, economically and in freedom for the great scam of managing the climate.
Aussies are tough minded people and do not like being taken for fools. The political hacks using Kyoto as some sort of positive will, as the climate scam becomes plain to see, not be kind to the hacks forcing it down our throats.

reminds me of the Kellogg-Briand Treaty of the 1920's; it outlawed war. Then, of the forty something nations that signed it, almost all of them ended up fighting WWII. But hey, treaties make us feel better don't they!

Pam

I live here in the land down under and being a bit of a polical junkie I have had many conversations with australian voters ( who btw have mandatory voting) The main reasons I was given for voting Labor were 1. Howard has been there too long. (11 1/2 years) 2. Labor will "fix" the schools and health system. 3. Work Choices program. 4 It's Labor turn. Not one person told me they were voting labor because of Iraq. But I know people with jobs. Students are another matter.

Both my daughter and I work here in australia. Should the Labor goverment inact the changes proposed then we will be leaving as we will both be fired as soon as possible by the union bosses at our respective jobs. BTW both our jobs are currently non union. The union reps have toured my in October work site and informed me of my empending loss of work. Under the old work place rules hiring and firing are union responsibilities. I work software and my daughter in the hospitality industry. I have been told that we will not be replaced.

It is a given among australians that Labor will trash the economy. The last Labor economy had 17% interest rates and high unemployment. Basicly the Carter administration econ record. Almost everyone in my office voted for Howard in 2004 and switched Rudd in 2007.

Just watch the Australain dollar. It lost 10% of it's value in the two weeks leading up to the election in antispiation of a labor victory