[NYTr] Australia's Howard loses parliament seat

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

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AFP - Dec 1, 2007


Australia's Howard loses parliament seat

SYDNEY (AFP) - - The defeat of Australia's outgoing prime minister John 
Howard appeared complete Saturday when his opponent claimed victory in 
the parliamentary seat he had held for 33 years.

Howard's conservative government had already been tossed out by voters 
in elections last Saturday, but counting had continued for his own 
Sydney seat of Bennelong, which was too close to call.

With the tally of postal and other votes now almost complete, former 
television journalist Maxine McKew claimed the seat for the centre-left 
Labor Party led by prime minister-elect Kevin Rudd.

"One week after the polls opened I can now say that in Bennelong we are 
2,100 votes ahead, we have 51.25 per cent of the two-party vote, so we 
are comfortably ahead," McKew told reporters.

"I can formally say that Bennelong is now a Labor seat for the first time."

Howard, who had predicted he would lose the seat but has not yet 
formally conceded defeat, now faces the indignity of being the first 
prime minister in 78 years to lose in his own parliamentary electorate.

McKew said she was not disappointed that Howard had not formally 
relinquished the seat, noting that "Mr Howard and his family clearly had 
a huge amount to do this week" as they cleared out of their official 
residences.

"I would like to acknowledge John Howard's long years of public 
service," she added. "He gave 30 years to public life and that should be 
acknowledged."

                          ***

AAP - Dec 1, 2007

McKew claims victory in Bennelong

IT TOOK a week, but finally Labor newcomer Maxine McKew claimed 
Bennelong as her own. The political career of outgoing prime minister 
John Howard is officially over, with Ms McKew today making history by 
claiming victory in the northern Sydney seat.

Despite leading Mr Howard from the outset, Ms McKew had been reluctant 
to claim victory, repeatedly saying it was too close to call.

Even at her election function last Saturday in North Ryde, as her 
jubilant supporters screamed for her to call it, Ms McKew held back, 
saying Bennelong was on a knife edge.

But today at Gladesville Public School the former ABC journalist finally 
called Bennelong for Labor - the first time it has been out of Liberal 
hands since being established in 1949.

"One week after the polls opened I can now say that in Bennelong we are 
2,100 votes ahead, we have 51.25 per cent of the two party vote, so we 
are comfortably ahead,'' Ms McKew said.

"I can formally say that Bennelong is now a Labor seat for the first time.''

Her statement made official the end of Mr Howard's illustrious political 
career, which began in 1974 when he first won the seat.

It is only the second time in history that a sitting prime minister has 
lost his seat.

In a blot on his copybook, Mr Howard joins Stanley Melbourne Bruce, who 
was unceremoniously dumped in 1929.

Mr Howard has yet to officially concede the seat, however on election 
night last Saturday the outgoing PM admitted it was very likely he would 
lose his grip on Bennelong.

Ms McKew said she was not disappointed Mr Howard nor his office hadn't 
formally relinquished the electorate, instead paying tribute to his 33 
years in public office.

"Mr Howard and his family clearly had a huge amount to do this week,'' 
said Ms McKew, who on Thursday was named parliamentary secretary to the 
prime minister and cabinet.

"I would like to acknowledge John Howard's long years of public service 
- he gave 30 years to public life.''

Ms McKew said she had been swept into office by a uniform swing to Labor 
in Bennelong, which showed many people in the electorate had voted for 
the party for the first time.

"We saw swings in every single booth bar one (and) we had an overall 
swing of five per cent,'' she said.

"To give you some idea of the scale of what the Labor Party has achieved 
in Bennelong, the primary vote at the 2004 election was around 28 per 
cent, our primary vote this time was around 44 to 45 per cent.

"That is a huge increase in Labor's primary vote ... and for me to see 
swings in places like Carlingford, Epping, Lyon Park and Eastwood ... 
tells me people have voted Labor for the first time.''

Ms McKew said some voters may have felt neglected by Mr Howard in recent 
years, causing them to change allegiances.

"There was definitely a little bit of cynicism, I have to say, at the 
high level of visibility of Mr Howard in recent months,'' Ms McKew said.

"People saw that as something of a contrast to what had gone before.''

She declined to comment on claims made by former treasurer Peter 
Costello, who last night said the coalition would have performed better 
had Mr Howard handed over power.

"The fact is that didn't happen and the Liberal Party are doing a lot of 
soul searching, but I'll leave them to do that,'' she said.

Ms McKew was "thrilled to bits'' with her appointment as a parliamentary 
secretary, saying her swearing in on Monday would be a "spectacular 
honour''.

She promised the voters of Bennelong an energetic and visible member.

"As I campaigned in Bennelong (I said) I would be a strong voice for 
Bennelong,'' Ms McKew said.

"That strong voice will be right there in the prime minister's office.

"They have this assurance from me that I will serve them as 
energetically, as conscientiously as I can over the next three years.''

Comment is being sought from Mr Howard.