Hah, Labor will still find it difficult to implement most of its key election promises (Kyoto protocol ratification, Iraq / Afganistan troops withrawl, Work Choices abolishment / reinvention) before July - when the Senate next reshuffles.
Even then we have to contend with non-Labor senators from the Greens, Family First and Democrats who have popped up / retained their positions.
Truly, Howard was correct in saying that his key promises would be implemented straight away (sooner) if the Liberals and Democrats had retained power, and a majority of seats. Afterall, Howard and Rudd were offering practically the same things (apart from the three aforementioned Rudd promises).
As an aside, I am terribly sorry to see John Howard leave. Left-wing-big-statist or not, I agreed with him on a lot of issues. He was a realist rather than an idealist, and at the end of the day, while we may all like to prance about and sing our idealistic praises, it is realists who keep our nation sustainable and our way of life alive.
He is a great man, and I will dearly miss his ever-gracings in our media.
Alcar...
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