(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Australia’s official opposition party is the strongest political organization ahead of a legislative ballot in the country, according to a poll by Galaxy released by News Ltd. 45 per cent of respondents would back the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in this month’s election to the House of Representatives, down two points since late August.

The governing Coalition of Liberals and Nationals is second with 42 per cent, followed by the Australian Greens with nine per cent. Australia’s preferential voting system—where electors indicate an order of predilection for each contender, and the ballots from smaller parties are re-distributed—gives the ALP an eight-point lead over the Coalition.

In the October 2004 election, Australian prime minister John Howard was rewarded with a fourth term in office, as the Coalition secured 87 seats in the House of Representatives. The ALP—led by Mark Latham—elected 60 lawmakers. In December 2006, foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd became the new leader of the ALP, defeating Kim Beazley in an internal caucus ballot.

Yesterday, as Australia’s Reserve Bank prepared to increase interest rates, Rudd said Howard’s credibility has been damaged after five successive hikes since the 2004 election, saying, "What the Australian people were sold at the last election is the big interest rate con. (...) On economic credibility and the fight against inflation, Mr. Howard has hauled up the white flag. I believe the nation deserves better than that."

A legislative election is scheduled for Nov. 24.

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