Labour looks set to end Howard’s way

AUSTRALIAN prime minister John Howard made a last-ditch appeal to family voters yesterday as polls showed his conservative government facing near-certain election defeat on November 24 in the wake of interest rate hikes.

Howard, standing in front of an Australian flag and a “go for growth” slogan, formally launched his campaign with a promise of full employment despite gathering international “storm clouds” due to rocketing oil prices and the US subprime mortgage meltdown.

But storm clouds hung over Mr Howard’s campaign just a fortnight out from the election. The key Newspoll in the Australian newspaper showed the opposition Labour Party widening its year-long lead following last week’s central bank interest rate hike, the sixth in three years.