"Howard unfazed by talk of election loss
But with his big-spending budget falling flat with Aussie voters,the PM is unlikely to call early polls
SYDNEY - Prime Minister John Howard has dismissed an opinion poll showing his government faces election defeat this year after a big-spending budget failed to win over voters.
He said yesterday the poll was meaningless because it had been taken too soon after Tuesday's budget, which contained more than A$30 billion (S$36 billion) in election sweeteners in the form of tax cuts and handouts to families.
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'I think it takes a while for these things to have an influence,' he said in a TV interview.
'It's a gradual process. People don't suddenly change even when they receive benefits.'
Mr Howard, whose Liberal government is facing an unexpectedly strong challenge from rookie opposition Labor Party leader Mark Latham, has repeatedly warned his party faithful against complacency in the bid for a fourth term at an election due anytime between August and December.
The poll published in the Sun-Herald newspaper found the government's standing in the electorate had fallen after the budget, which represented a central plank of the Liberals' re-election strategy.
The telephone poll of 911 voters put the ruling Liberal-National coalition's primary vote at 40 per cent, trailing the main opposition Labor Party's 44 per cent.
It found 14 per cent of voters would switch to Labor because of the budget, while only 8 per cent would shift to voting for the government.
Analysts had expected Mr Howard to call an early August general election but if the budget has fallen flat among the swinging voters, he is likely to wait until October or November to try to chip away at Mr Latham's credibility.
Further surveys are expected to provide an accurate gauge of public opinion this week and will be intensely studied by government election strategists.
Mr Latham said the poll reflected public cynicism at the budget spending spree, which targeted middle- to high-income earners and gave nothing to the most needy.
'There are a lot of people who have got every reason to be disappointed with the budget on Tuesday, the four out of five taxpayers who missed out, the large number of families and singles who didn't receive any form of relief,' he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Mr Howard said he would not retire if his party won the election, saying he would have to get run over by a bus for his heir-apparent to get the top job, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
Finance Minister Peter Costello has hinted that he is reconsidering his political future.
He has been treasurer for eight years and his long-term hope that Mr Howard would eventually step aside and give him the premiership seems continually thwarted.
Mr Howard said Mr Costello might replace him 'if and when I went under a bus'. -- Reuters, AP, AFP"
Source:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,251350,00.html
