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Australian Prime Minister
John Howard smiles during a press conference in Sydney, Monday, Oct. 11, 2004, following
his stunning, fourth straight election victory on Saturday.
(AP) |
Australia's conservative Prime Minister John Howard, handed the most
powerful mandate in a generation, got down to work on Monday with reform
of telecommunications, labour and media laws high on his agenda.
Howard's Liberal/National coalition crushed centre-left opposition
Labor in Saturday's election to win its fourth term and looks set to
control both houses of parliament.
"Howard's reform mandate," The Australian newspaper said in a
front-page headline.
The coalition government is likely to have 87 seats in the 150-seat
lower house of parliament, up from 82 after it 2001 election win. Labor
will likely drop back four to 60.
But the biggest surprise was the government's performance in the Senate
that could give it control of the upper house, the first time in more than
two decades, if it wins 39 seats.
"It was across the
board a stronger result than I had dared hope for
and I am very grateful and certainly very conscious of the enormous
opportunity that it presents to us, but we will be sensible -- we're not
going to do anything rash and provocative," Howard told Australian radio
on Monday.
"We clearly will have 38 (Senate seats). I'm not certain
that our prospects of getting 39 in our own right are all that great. I
think that is verging on wishful thinking. If we do have 38 then we will try
and talk to the others and see if we can't encourage at least one person
to support some of our measures."
The Senate has previously blocked key legislation such as the
government's planned privatisation of Australia's dominant phone company,
Telstra Corp. Ltd.
Telstra shares started at A$4.83 ($3.57), up from Friday's close of
A$4.71, when Australia's stock market opened on Monday.
"I wouldn't say (the sale of Telstra is) an urgent priority, but it's
something that will have to be resolved sooner or later," Treasurer Peter
Costello told Australian radio on Monday.
Significant reform of the labour market is also expected, with Costello
earmarking changes to unfair dismissal laws as one of the government's
most urgent priorities.
The government's strong new mandate could also help it push through
long-thwarted proposals to lift a ban on media groups owning more than one
newspaper, radio station or TV network in the same city and restrictions
on foreign ownership of media.
Howard said he does not plan to make any major
changes to his cabinet. His victory means Australian troops will remain in Iraq.
Defeated Labor leader Mark Latham had vowed to bring the 850 troops in
and around Iraq home by Christmas if he won the election. Howard is
adamant they will stay as long as they are needed.
The election attracted international attention because Australia's two
Iraq war allies also soon face elections, the United States on Nov. 2 and
Britain midway through next year.
The leaders of both countries were quick to congratulate Howard, with
U.S. President George W. Bush describing him as the right man to lead
Australia.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2004-10-11 11:16