(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The number of Australians who are dissatisfied with the tenure of John Howard has slightly increased this month, according to a poll by Newspoll published in The Australian. 47 per cent of respondents feel this way, up two points in a week.

In the October 2004 election, Howard was rewarded with a fourth term in office, as the Coalition of Liberals and Nationals secured 87 seats in the House of Representatives. The Australian Labor Party (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. 62 per cent of respondents are satisfied with Rudd’s performance as leader of the opposition. In the preferred prime minister category, 48 per cent of respondents pick Rudd, while 40 per cent prefer Howard.

On Nov. 14, Rudd announced his plan to provide school computers to Australian students—regardless of whether they are enrolled in a public, independent or Catholic school—saying, "I want to provide every secondary school student with the foundations to move into the digital economy of the future. After 11 years, Mr. Howard has become stuck in the past. Mr. Howard seems to believe that providing our young people with computers is exotic. Mr. Howard just doesn’t get it. Around the rest of the world, providing young people with computers isn’t exotic, it’s mainstream."

A legislative election is scheduled for Nov. 24.

Polling Data

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way John Howard is doing his job as prime minister?

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Kevin Rudd is doing his job as leader of the opposition?

Who do you think would make the better prime minister?

Source: Newspoll / The Australian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,694 Australian voters, conducted from Nov. 9 to Nov. 11, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.