Howard delivers victory speech
October 9, 2004 - 11:18PM

Prime Minister John Howard has claimed victory in the federal election.

"My fellow Australians, can I say first of all that I am truly humbled by this extraordinary expression of confidence in the leadership of this great nation by the coalition,'' he said.

"In accepting their charge to lead the nation I rededicate myself and all of my colleagues to the service of the Australian people.''

Mr Howard greeted wellwishers as he made the long walk to the podium at Sydney's Wentworth Hotel.

With his wife Janette and his children by his side, Mr Howard had to ask the crowd to stop their cheering as he stepped up to claim victory.

He said the nation now stood on the threshold of a new era of great achievement.

"This nation, by reason of the circumstances of history and by reason of its great capacity and the great capacity and dedication of the Australian people, this nation stands on the threshold of a new era of great achievement,'' he said.

Mr Howard thanked Opposition Leader Mark Latham, whom he said had called him before his speech to concede defeat.

"I do warmly thank him for the gracious things that he said,'' Mr Howard said.

"Our's is a great democracy, there can only be one winner when an election is held.

"You face that great moment of electoral judgment and electoral truth.

"We are happy, we are joyful that the verdict has been given by the Australian people but never forget the fact that governments are elected to govern not only for the people who voted for them, but also for the people who voted against them.''

Mr Howard said the victory was a truly historic achievement for the two coalition parties.

"We have to look back for the 1960s to find an occasion when an incumbent government has increased its majority on two successive occasions,'' he said.

"That is an extraordinary achievement and when I look around the nation there is a wonderful story to be told of achievement in each of the different states of our nation.''

Mr Howard thanked all his colleagues for their loyalty.

"I express my thanks for their loyalty, their co-operation, and their support, particularly during the weeks of this election campaign.''

Mr Howard singled out Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Treasurer Peter Costello for praise.

"There is no finer human being in public life than John Anderson and the loyalty that he's displayed towards me, the leadership of his own party, the way in which he represents the interest of country Australians is a source of continued inspiration and help to me,'' he said.

"To John I say thank you for the friendship and the loyalty of these past years.

"And the deputy leader of my own party, Peter Costello, the treasurer, whose stewardship has given us one of the strongest economies in the western world and also the strongest economic conditions that this country arguably has experienced since the end of World War II.''

Mr Howard used his victory speech to remind the nation that on Australia's election day, Afghanistan also had had its first taste of democracy, thanks to the war against terrorism.

"We must remember that this very same day the people of Afghanistan have had an election,'' he said.

"That election has been made possible by reason of the fact that a number of countries including Australia were prepared to take a stand for democracy and to take a stand against terrorism.

"As the people of Afghanistan vote today, particularly the women of Afghanistan, they have been so brutally suppressed for so long.''
Mr Howard said Australians should be proud of the role they played in liberating Afghanistan, as well as the action it had taken in Iraq.

"We should be proud of the role that we have played in their liberation, just as we should be proud of the role that Australia has played in many other areas in standing for the values we believe in and the things we hold dear,'' he said.
 

--Thank God this guy won again, he has been so great to America with helping us in Iraq.  I may not live in Australia, but I think the people of that country made the correct choice.

PM Howard is our guy.  Firmly in the pocket of corporate America.  Thank God for the land down under.

PM Howard is our guy.  Firmly in the pocket of corporate America.  Thank God for the land down under.


I take it you're not a fan of John Howard.  He is such a great guy, his country along with Great Britain and Poland show America who our TRUE friends are.  And shows what total sh** France, Germany, and Russia are.  Majority rules, remember that, majority rules.

I take it you're not a fan of John Howard. He is such a great guy, his country along with Great Britain and Poland show America who our TRUE friends are. And shows what total sh** France, Germany, and Russia are. Majority rules, remember that, majority rules.



Hahah, I don't know about Poland, but the PEOPLE of Great Britain hate Bush, and they hate the war.

After the next Parliamentary elections, Blair will be gone, if he doesn't resign before. The Prime Minister isn't elected, the party that wins the most seats chooses the PM. I am sure Labour will win again, but they will replace him. Blair is now hated by about 90% of Labour, and I actually have some inside sources. A guy I know's father works for the British Foreign Ministry and is a Labour party member himself.

I take it you're not a fan of John Howard.  He is such a great guy, his country along with Great Britain and Poland show America who our TRUE friends are.  And shows what total sh** France, Germany, and Russia are.  Majority rules, remember that, majority rules.

When Bush visited Australia earlier this year, members of parliament had to be verbally restrained for interrupting proceedings.  Much of the Aussie government despises the Bush Administration, as does the sensible portion of the general population.  Ditto Great Britain, as the Dude just mentioned.  I suspect there's similar divisiveness in Poland, Latvia, Micronesia, and the other countries in his "coalition."
THE WORLD DOES NOT LIKE GEORGE W. BUSH AND GEORGE W. BUSH AND GEORGE W. BUSH'S LACKEYS SAY THE WORLD CAN GO TO H*LL!

  Howard won.  Sorry you all... 

  For those that did not want Howard to win, I can only say you should be a pessimist like me, that why the inevitable defeat will not seem bad: you saw it coming and you were ready for it without hope.  To me Howard’s victory is proof positive that Bush and Blair will win.  I have no doubt now....

   Howard won.  Sorry you all... 

   For those that did not want Howard to win, I can only say you should be a pessimist like me, that why the inevitable defeat will not seem bad: you saw it coming and you were ready for it without hope.  To me Howard’s victory is proof positive that Bush and Blair will win.  I have no doubt now....


When I said Australia, Britain, and Poland loved America, I meant their governments, not their people.  The people of the world have always hated America and been jealous of us.  As i've already posted, only the PEOPLE of Poland, Singapore, and Nigera like Americans.  Good for them.

This marks my ''triple crown'' list which I created in hopes to see my top 3 favorites reelected, they include (in order):

President George W. Bush from America
Prime Minister Tony Blair from the United Kingdom
Prime Minister John Howard from Australia

--So I can now write-off one, and hope that within the next month another one on the list wins reelection.  I'm worried about Blair, but a Zogby poll conducted in Britian shows 54% support him so there is hope.  Go leaders of the free world!

When I said Australia, Britain, and Poland loved America, I meant their governments, not their people. The people of the world have always hated America and been jealous of us. As i've already posted, only the PEOPLE of Poland, Singapore, and Nigera like Americans. Good for them.

This marks my ''triple crown'' list which I created in hopes to see my top 3 favorites reelected, they include (in order):

President George W. Bush from America
Prime Minister Tony Blair from the United Kingdom
Prime Minister John Howard from Australia

--So I can now write-off one, and hope that within the next month another one on the list wins reelection. I'm worried about Blair, but a Zogby poll conducted in Britian shows 54% support him so there is hope. Go leaders of the free world!




Yeah but the opinion of the general population doesn't matter, the ruling party chooses the PM. If he has 54% support, that means he probably has about 40% of people against him. I am sure Labour will win, and when they do, they will be getting rid of Blair. The general consensus within most corners of the party is that he has hurt them overall, and after the elections, they need to make a fresh start with a new PM.

And I think whether or not Bush or Kerry win the Nov.2nd election is up in the air right now.

Yeah but the opinion of the general population doesn't matter, the ruling party chooses the PM. If he has 54% support, that means he probably has about 40% of people against him. I am sure Labour will win, and when they do, they will be getting rid of Blair. The general consensus within most corners of the party is that he has hurt them overall, and after the elections, they need to make a fresh start with a new PM.

And I think whether or not Bush or Kerry win the Nov.2nd election is up in the air right now.


I know its still in the air, thats why I said I HOPE that in a month the second on the list can be written off.  The news of John Howard's win means the Aussies will continue to help the United States and Great Britian in Iraq.  I support pro-America candidate from around the world, but they are such a rare breed.  Even here in America *coughHollyWoodcough* we have America haters.  They are one the worst kind of liberals, above the tax-and-spend type of liberal, but below the blame-America-first-and-for-everything type of liberal.  God, I hope that idiot liberal from Massachusetts doesn't win, he cannot be trusted as far as you can throw him.

John Kerry: French tested, terrorist approved.

Why do you keep making comments about the French? It makes you seem shallow as a wading pool.

Anyway, as to the 'terrorist approved' comment, ha! It would be better for Al Qaeda to have Bush in the White House. Because the more America pisses off the Arab world, the more support Usamah bin Laden draws.

I had a saying I liked in the run-up to the war, 'Uncle O-sammy wants YOU to invade Iraq'.



I hope that idiot liberal from Massachusetts doesn't win, he cannot be trusted as far as you can throw him.




Well, clods usually don't trust nor do they like the intelligent.

When I said Australia, Britain, and Poland loved America, I meant their governments, not their people.  The people of the world have always hated America and been jealous of us.  As i've already posted, only the PEOPLE of Poland, Singapore, and Nigera like Americans.  Good for them.

This marks my ''triple crown'' list which I created in hopes to see my top 3 favorites reelected, they include (in order):

President George W. Bush from America
Prime Minister Tony Blair from the United Kingdom
Prime Minister John Howard from Australia

--So I can now write-off one, and hope that within the next month another one on the list wins reelection.  I'm worried about Blair, but a Zogby poll conducted in Britian shows 54% support him so there is hope.  Go leaders of the free world!

Right now it is NOT the American PEOPLE other nations hate.  It's not yankee ingenuity the other nations hte.  It is this incompetent, dangerous, contemptuous, and jingoistic government that we are about to foolishly re-elect.  Jealousy in not a healthy emotion.  It is also not healthy for the object of jealousy to bask in it as though it were a mark of superiority.  That's junior high school pathology.  Don't do it.

I know its still in the air, thats why I said I HOPE that in a month the second on the list can be written off.  The news of John Howard's win means the Aussies will continue to help the United States and Great Britian in Iraq.  I support pro-America candidate from around the world, but they are such a rare breed.  Even here in America *coughHollyWoodcough* we have America haters.  They are one the worst kind of liberals, above the tax-and-spend type of liberal, but below the blame-America-first-and-for-everything type of liberal.  God, I hope that idiot liberal from Massachusetts doesn't win, he cannot be trusted as far as you can throw him.
How about the bigoted right-wing duckbilled platitude uttering Archie Bunker type that has re-emerged thanks to Limbuagh and friends?

John Kerry: French tested, terrorist approved.

I don't know whether that is more bigoted than silly or more silly than bigoted, but either way it's a toxic dose of both.  Sil vous plait, lay off the French.

Explain the LOGIC you use to conclude that liberals "hate" America. 
???

And shows what total sh** France, Germany, and Russia are.


That's the same exact way our current president George W. Bush makes friends.  :P

Howard won the election on the platform that he has efficiently managed the national economy. Unlike the US, the Liberal Government (which is actually conservative) here has kept the country out of a recession by creating a housing boom. Unfortunately this has caused housing prices to increase beyond that of most average wage earners, but those who have mortgages are enjoying record low interest rates (under 8% currently). And because home owners can't negative-gear their interest payments on their first house (only on subsequent ones they buy as investments), no one who owns a home can afford an interest rate rise. And because most people have little or no understanding of how the economy works, they can't know that interest rates aren't controlled by the Government. If the US recession worsens, or spreads worldwide, the value of the Australian dollar will fall and interest rates will sky-rocket, no matter what Howard does to stop it. Howard has kept interest rates low by eroding social programs, placing a stranglehold on wages, increasing taxes and privatising Government assets. The national debt thanks to so much lending is phenomonal. When the lenders decide they want their money back, people will be jumping in front of trains and out of windows all over the country. Not only that, but he devised a Free Trade Agreement with the United States that basically removes tariffs on some of our most preciously-guarded industries while maintaining protection for the Florida sugar industry from ours, effectively shutting out direct US trade for our third-biggest agricultural industry.

Howard won by scaring the electorate into believing that the Opposition would allow interest rates to rise to the levels of the mid-80s, when interest rates were at 17.5%. They forgot to mention that this happened during a worldwide recession, and that Howard, as Treasurer in 1982, allowed interest rates to be at 15% before his Government was annihilated in the 1983 election.

As for the war in Iraq, most Australians are opposed to it. It has demonised Islam, and with two countries on our own borders with vast Islamic populations, Indonesia and Malaysia, it has made relations with those countries quite tense. Not only that, but it's costing us a fortune. Australia doesn't have the defense budget of the US, and what we do have would and should be better spent on defending our coastline, not playing around in a country that is of no threat to us whatsoever, and never was.

Why do you keep making comments about the French? It makes you seem shallow as a wading pool.

Has to be said that the French position up to the point where Iraq was invaded was hypocritical as hell- they pretended a moral position, while trying to obscure the way they had a large financial interest in Saddam's continued leadership.  Not that this is anything most other governments wouldn't have tried, if they had billions in contracts both existing and planned, but the disingenuous moralizing made me feel sick.  Having said that, I think you'd be very hard pressed to find anyone (in power, or trying to get into power) who has set a position on Iraq out of principle and has stuck to it.

Has to be said that the French position up to the point where Iraq was invaded was hypocritical as hell- they pretended a moral position, while trying to obscure the way they had a large financial interest in Saddam's continued leadership. 

No more hypocritical than the Bush administration's own reasons for invading.

Did I suggest otherwise?  If two sides are arguing, just because one of them is a hypocrite, doesn't mean the other isn't.  Sigh.

No you didn't suggest otherwise. I was just pointing this out for the benefit of those who don't understand hypocrisy. :)

I take it you're not a fan of John Howard.  He is such a great guy, his country along with Great Britain and Poland show America who our TRUE friends are.  And shows what total sh** France, Germany, and Russia are.  Majority rules, remember that, majority rules.


The French and the Germans are our friends, and friends don't always have to agree. Tell that tripe to the German soldiers who died in Afghanistan! The Canadians didn't agree either, thankfully, and take a gander at their operations in Afghanistan.

The French and the Germans are our friends, and friends don't always have to agree. Tell that tripe to the German soldiers who died in Afghanistan! The Canadians didn't agree either, thankfully, and take a gander at their operations in Afghanistan.


Exactly. And before our resident Georgia boy has the oppurtunity to degrade Canada's military, I'd like to point out to everyone, Canadian troops were part of the first wave to invade Normandy beach on D-day. An often forgotten fact in history..

PM Howard is our guy.  Firmly in the pocket of corporate America.  Thank God for the land down under.


You said it!!  I'm sick of him p!ssing in Bush's pocket :P ::)