Howard’s Win Down Under Steadies Nerves in D.C., London

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The New York Sun

SYDNEY, Australia – John Howard embarked on a surprise fourth term as Australia’s prime minister yesterday in defiance of polls that had predicted a general election win for the anti-war Labor opposition.


The government victory, by the margin of 52.5% to 47.5%, may also steady nerves in London and Washington.


Mr. Howard increased his majority despite overwhelming public hostility to Australia’s involvement in Iraq.


His success confirmed Australia’s place within the America-led coalition, which had been threatened by the opposition pledge to pull Australian troops out of Iraq if elected. Mr. Howard, whose strong-arm foreign policy has earned him the nickname of America’s “deputy sheriff” in the Pacific, outmaneuvered and outwitted a left-of-center opposition that has always underestimated him.


His Liberal-led coalition increased its share of the main chamber of Parliament, with forecasts that by the final count Mr. Howard will almost double his majority.


The coalition also appeared certain to take control of the Senate, which would increase Mr. Howard’s scope to introduce further free-market reforms.


Thus, a short, bald, famously uncharismatic figure with a hearing impairment is on course to become Australia’s second-longest-serving prime minister after his political hero, Robert Menzies.


Mark Latham, who became the Labor Party leader 10 months ago with a reputation for strident, often foulmouthed, anti-Americanism, may now pay the price for being out-thought by an opponent 22 years his senior.


Mr. Latham is not popular with all sections of the party. Though he was expected yesterday to soldier on to the next election, a leadership challenge cannot be ruled out.


Contrary to early expectations, Iraq scarcely featured in the campaign. When it did, Mr. Howard was entirely unapologetic for his decision to stand behind President Bush and Tony Blair. He has been fortunate that the 850-strong contingent of Australian soldiers and sailors has not suffered a single casualty.


“We are respected around the world because we are prepared to stand firm for what we believe in,” Mr. Howard declared to wild cheers at the victory party in a Sydney hotel ballroom.


“I am truly humbled by this extraordinary expression of confidence in the leadership of this great nation by the coalition.”


Mr. Latham’s reluctance to make much of the Iraq issue during the campaign, and his decision not to repeat the sort of remarks about Mr. Bush that drew official protests from Washington, suggest that Mr. Howard may actually speak for more Australians.


Private polling by the Labor Party showed widespread public concern that Mr. Latham’s anti-Americanism could threaten the alliance with Washington.


That was certainly the view of Liberal party activists celebrating the victory. “Mark Latham is foul-mouthed, and bagging [insulting] George Bush was crazy,” said Warwick Jones, 36, a Sydney businessman. “Much as we bag the Poms and the Yanks, we actually like [the British] and the Americans. The thing about John Howard is that he’s a regular guy.”


Mr. Howard’s image as a suburban everyman, as well as his brilliant grasp of political strategy, seems to account for his enduring success. He was born in 1939 to parents who owned a gas station in suburban Sydney and given the middle name of Winston. In the final days of the campaign, he took to referring to himself at election events as “John Winston Howard.”


He has always appeared more comfortable in his relations with Britain and America than with Australia’s Pacific neighbors, particularly Indonesia.


He has taken a hard line with asylum seekers, refusing to allow ships carrying them to land on the Australian mainland, which has enraged left-wingers, but quietly thrilled the silent majority.


But the main issue of the campaign was economic stewardship. Mr. Howard was rewarded by voters for low interest rates and eight successive years of growth since he became prime minister in 1996.


The New York Sun

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