efq
24-11-2007, 10:44 AM
Australia's opposition Labor Party has claimed victory in the national elections, ending 11 years of John Howard's Conservative government, the party's deputy leader has said.
http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1603551.jpg Rudd (r) likely to succeed Howard
Julia Gillard told Australian television: "On the numbers we are seeing tonight Labor is going to form a government."
A Sky News Australia exit poll predicted that Prime Minister John Howard has lost his bid for a fifth successive term in power.
The Conservative leader was trailing in opinion polls behind opposition Labor leader Kevin Rudd.
The Sky exit poll of 31 marginal government seats forecast a 30-seat gain for Rudd, more than enough for him to form a Government.
The poll of 2,787 voters by Auspoll gave Labor 53% of the vote and the ruling Liberal party 47%.
"Its very likely that Labor has won this election. Something in the order of 30-odd seats," said Auspoll's John Armitage.
Auspoll said a sample of 950 voters in Howard's marginal Sydney electorate showed the veteran politician, who has held Bennelong since entering parliament in 1974, was also likely to lose his own seat.
If he has, he will be the first prime minister to suffer the indignity in an election for 78 years.
As Mr Rudd voted at his local church in Queensland, he said: "I have to say there is a strong mood for change in Australia. People want new leadership with a positive plan for the future."
Mr Howard is a staunch US ally and had committed to keeping Australian troops in Iraq.
But Mr Rudd has pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol, further isolating Washington on both issues.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1294164,00.html
http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1603551.jpg Rudd (r) likely to succeed Howard
Julia Gillard told Australian television: "On the numbers we are seeing tonight Labor is going to form a government."
A Sky News Australia exit poll predicted that Prime Minister John Howard has lost his bid for a fifth successive term in power.
The Conservative leader was trailing in opinion polls behind opposition Labor leader Kevin Rudd.
The Sky exit poll of 31 marginal government seats forecast a 30-seat gain for Rudd, more than enough for him to form a Government.
The poll of 2,787 voters by Auspoll gave Labor 53% of the vote and the ruling Liberal party 47%.
"Its very likely that Labor has won this election. Something in the order of 30-odd seats," said Auspoll's John Armitage.
Auspoll said a sample of 950 voters in Howard's marginal Sydney electorate showed the veteran politician, who has held Bennelong since entering parliament in 1974, was also likely to lose his own seat.
If he has, he will be the first prime minister to suffer the indignity in an election for 78 years.
As Mr Rudd voted at his local church in Queensland, he said: "I have to say there is a strong mood for change in Australia. People want new leadership with a positive plan for the future."
Mr Howard is a staunch US ally and had committed to keeping Australian troops in Iraq.
But Mr Rudd has pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol, further isolating Washington on both issues.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1294164,00.html