Coalition Ousts Labor Party in Australian Vote
Opposition leader John Howard swept to victory in Saturday’s parliamentary elections pitting his conservative coalition against the forces of Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating.
“I am very conscious of the enormous responsibility that has been placed upon me and upon my colleagues by the verdict of the Australian people today,” Howard told cheering supporters.
Howard’s coalition of the Liberal and National parties ended 13 years of Labor rule and gave them as much as a 40-seat majority in the 148-seat House of Representatives as voters decided it was time for a change.
Howard, who calls himself “an ordinary Australian bloke,” targeted his campaign at ordinary Australians, particularly families and small businesses.
Several Labor ministers were among the scores of members dumped by the electorate.
The party faced an uncertain future late Saturday night, with Keating’s most obvious successor, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Kim Beazley, struggling to hold his seat in Western Australia.
Electoral officials said it could take up to two weeks to conclude the counting of votes.
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