- Adults in Australia are split on which person should command the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), according to a Newspoll published in The Australian. 30 per cent of respondents think current leader Kim Beazley would be the best choice.
- Adults in Australia are split on which person should command the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), according to a Newspoll published in The Australian. 30 per cent of respondents think current leader Kim Beazley would be the best choice.
Shadow health minister Julia Gillard is second with 28 per cent, followed by foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd with 22 per cent.
In the October 2004 election, Australian prime minister John Howard was rewarded with a fourth term in office, as his Coalition of Liberals and Nationals secured 87 seats in the House of Representatives. The ALP—led by Mark Latham—elected 60 lawmakers. In January 2005, Beazley took over as opposition leader. Beazley commanded the ALP from March 1996 to November 2001.
The ALP is in opposition at the federal level, but holds office in all states and territories. Yesterday, South Australian premier Mike Rahn criticized the attitude of some party members, saying, “I am concerned that too many political commentators and even some party members believe a 4.8 per cent swing next year is too big an ask so soon after the Latham campaigning and policy disasters of 2004. This negative mindset is dangerous and risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, a continuing alibi for inaction.”
Polling Data
Which one of the following do you think would be the best choice to lead the federal Labor party?
Kim Beazley | 30% |
Julia Gillard | 28% |
Kevin Rudd | 22% |
Uncommitted | 16% |
Source: Newspoll / The Australian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,142 Australian voters, conducted from Aug. 25 to Aug. 27, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
