Any choice between partisan pollitical parties is a choice between rotten pears and rotten apples, but at least a leftist party is the lesser of two evils. Right wing stooges of big business are nothing but robber barons and crooks, and you guys should be glad to see the back of GW Bush's shameless crony in mass murder and corporate crime.

Andy, ruakaka, new zealand

Thank God the Australian people have voted Howard out, I am once again fully happy to say Australia is my home country.

A great new beginning! And next for Bush..... our planet will be in good hands once again (or at least not barbaric hands).

Mark Dervin, Hurleyville, USA / NY

Hurrah !! At last we are returning to normality in Australia. Now the world waits for Bush to finish too.

Mark Dervin, Hurleyville, NY

John Howard: war mongerer and climate change cynic, presided over an industrial relations policy which crushed the rights of the 'battlers' he claimed to be championing. The Liberals ripped the heart out of Australia. Long live Labour. I may just get on that plane and go home.

Floo K, London,

I am now proud to be Australian once more. Howard and his right wing, racist and intolerant policies made me feel ashamed to be Australian. During his tenure the Australian flag evolved into a symbol of racism. "Aussie pride" was no longer associated with excellence in sport and the performing arts but with ignorant racist goons due to Howard's policies.
During Howard's reign we saw the lies of the baby overboard affair and the rise of Pauline Hanson and her racist rants. One of the most shameful episodes was the wrongful detention of individuals that the government claimed had invalid visas. Some of these individuals were interned for 5 or more years and some were expelled from the country. The real reason was the fact that there were not white, Christian and of anglo-saxon heritage despite the fact that they had valid visas or were even Australian citizens. Under Howard Australia became the 51st state of the USA complete with its abhorrent foreign policy agenda. Dignity is back now.

John Larkin, Wollongong NSW, Australia

Kevin Rudd's Labor party victory will hopefully mean Australians can live in a SOCIETY not an ECONOMY.

Phil Hyde, Sydney, Australia

For Heavens sake. Listen to you all. No matter which "government" is in, it is us who make or break this country. Stop hiding behind the myth that it matters. Get out and help some-one else. If We all thought as much about what our neighbour needed as ourselves it wouldn't matter who was in. and yes before start, I do have a degree in economics and am well aware of "how the system works" I still maintain I want to live in a community not an economy. So come on Australia, lets just get on with it...

Adrienne, Sunshine Coast, Australia

John Howard shot himself in the foot.
He should have stepped down as leader 12 months ago and gone out on top.
Now he has been humiliated by losing the election and his seat in parliament.
Four terms in government is too long for any party as they run out of ideas and become "corrupt" with power.
Australia has been in election mode for the past year , wondering when the PM will call the election.
We should have fixed terms and date for elections. Only changing if the government is defeated on the floor or for some extraordinary reason.
Howard's erosion of worker's rights was his down fall.
In Melbourne in 1856 the eight hour day was won for the first time in the world by the Stonemason's Union.
Remember, if it wasn't for the unions we would all be working 60 plus hours per week , children included.
The Australian people have spoken.

Peter McLean, Melbourne, Australia

Most journalists were completely wrong in assessing the mood of the electorate in this country. Over time, an increasing arrogant John Howard became the Liberal Party's Albatross and senior Liberals didn't have the courage to risk change.
Australia is once again " The Lucky Country " in that Kevin Rudd is so right for the times, and now a deeply indebted Labor Party will need to follow his modern, energetic and intelligent lead if it is to deliver as promised. People such as myself who have not voted for Labor for 32 years are delighted with the people's choice and did what we could to assist where possible. No Party should ever assume it owns one's vote. Advance Australia Fair.
John J Hay
Founder of Australian Federation of Employers 1986
Former National Chairman of The Australian Free Enterprise Foundation 1986 - 1989

John J Hay, Brisbane , Queensland Australia

I feel sick, with labour in power our future in australia is looking very bleak. Rudd will only stay for one term before everyone will be regreting their decision of voting him in.

Michelle, Camden, Aus

hopefully the end to mediocrity, sitting on the fence and a "vision" that has taken Australia backwards.

kathy king, sydney, australia

I'm not a Howard supporter, but Howard was a good leader... to a point. He lost the election when he lost touch with changing times and overstepped himself. Worker's rights are genuinely being eroded under Work Choice and his environmental policies were 20 years out of date. As a gay man, he unforgivably instituted legislation to deny me and my partner equal rights in society. I agree that Australia wasn't an ethnically tolerant paradise when he came in, but it has progressed while Howard hasn't: witness his proposed migration test. As for the comment that Labor will "spend, spend, spend", do a Search on Royal North Shore Hospital and tell me that some spending isn't necessary. Rudd isn't perfect, but he's an economic conservative with strong international ties; was a Beijing diplomat who speaks Mandarin - and our economy is strong due to Chinese demand for ore; he's progressive on climate change and is scaling back discriminatory laws. I wish him luck. Howard had it & he'll need it.

Andrew, Sydney, Australia

This election result is a triumph for reason and the concept of the fair go'.
The Australian electorate has indicated its rejection of Howard's 'Workchoices' as unsuited to the needs of a cohesive society and we now look forward to a period of reconciliation and genuine interaction between Business,Unions and Govt. to ensure that all Australians share in our unprecedented prosperity.

Eddie Keane, Brisbane, Qld Australia

THANK HEAVENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeannie, Sydney, NSW

Australians haven't voted for change... just the idiotic swinging voters. You know, the ones with the flip-flop brains!

Jack the Lad, Melbourne, Australia

My favourite part of the whole evening was Therese Rein's shimmy on stage as our new PM prepared to speak. She copped as big a hiding as anyone did from John Howard's dirt unit over the past year. But with a huge smile she busted a move in a small personal celebration of victory. She shimmied for all of us. Therese repudiated the 'Bomont years'. We can all dance again. It's official ... Therese Rein is the Kevin Bacon of Australian public life.

Nico, Brisbane, Australia

Only two dinosaurs left....
Bush and Harper...
We are working to defeat Harper.

So how much did Howard actually privatize? I'm wondering which of those millionaires made on the resources of the people will hire Howard in retirement?

Sue, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada

The good life in Australia is over - the unions will be allowed to take charge, jobs will be lost and inflation will rise - the naivety of Queenslanders in voting this self-centred, power hungry, insincere man to power is appalling.

Pat, Brisbane, Australia

Economically speaking, yes Howard may have given our country a great boost in the right direction. However, when you consider issues such as Climate Change, and Aboriginal Health. The picture is not so rosy. Everybody who believes that Australia is going to be in a worse state with Rudd in power than with John Howard, needs to look at things in a less selfish manner, the planet is in real trouble, and our Aboriginal people are dying from diseases that were eradicated from other developed nations years ago, thank god we finally have someone in power who actually plans to do something about the Environment. I only hope the same can be said for Aboriginal health.

Emma, Sydney, NSW

Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party are in thrall to the union movement and the Green Party. The Greens through their leader has, even on election night, made it very clear that Rudd has to change Labor policy over the pulp mill proposed for Tasmania. The union movement will be more subtle and their pressure will be exerted behind closed doors

Ian Ingram

Ian Ingram, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The 2007 Australian federal election result shows an upper house(UK Lords equivalent) not apparently controlled by Labour. This indicates the Rudd victory, which is similar in quantity to Howard's best in the House of Representatives(UK Commons equivalent), has not led to the totalitarian state which might have occurred, with all of the states of Australia also presently Labour governed, but with elections due after completion of their three year terms.

Australians tend not to vote in total government, yet Rudd has promised big things in the state/federal duplicated ministerial area of health, where efficiency is non-existent, and filling out of forms is outstripping tree replacement, due largely to the invention of the computer and the printer. "Everyone" is publishing in hard copy it seems. Rudd is promising quality computing with broadband at national level. It is not a good time to be a tree.

Phil Colquitt, New Farm, Australia/ Queensland

Good going Australia. Canadians can only hope that the same thing will happen here. The leaders that support Bush are dwindling in numbers. Soon Bush will be gone....then who will Canada's Steven Harper and the French Sarkozy follow?

J. Sidebotham, mansfield, Canada

Actually Bob Hawke was a guest on Sky News's election panel when he spoke the words being quoted, not the ABC panel.

Bill Deeds, Hong Kong,

Mr Howard had 11 years in which to apply a radical economic agenda to Australia, more recently without the democratic checks and balances of a diversified Senate. He has contributed to some economic advances particularly to top end business - but cannot claim credit for the economic benefits from the resources boom or for the outcomes of policies set up by former Labor governments.

Unfortunately his legacy includes the steady deterioration of public education and health systems and of basic employment conditions. He precipitated involvement in a fruitless war against the wishes of the majority and has a poor comprehension of environmental issues.

As one of those who were already financially comfortable, I have been hugely advantaged through his unfair tax laws and policies, undoubtedly at the cost of others less well off. It will require time, patience and persistence to restore Australia to a fairer, more humane country following Howard's wake.

Chris, Sydney,

To those who are praising Howard's economic management - if you consider the record against Australia's peers over the last decade then the Conservative record is about middle table. John Howard has been the beneficiary of global growth, simple as that. He hasn't blown it completely, but look at measures like private sector debt, interest burdens, skills shortages, lack of infrastructure investment and housing affordability and you can see the shortfalls.

Taking a broader non economic view however, Howards legacy may not stack up so well. He's mastered wedge and fear politics, ignored climate change, lied and taken a country to an unnecessary war, dumbed down institutions, stripped workers of rights, waged class warfare, encouraged wasteful middle class welfare and encouraged self interest - that you can leave people behind "because there's always losers".

He and his party now leave us without effective political opposition for the next half decade. This is his legacy.

Russell, Melbourne, Australia

I understand the consternation that many of the posters express over the future state of the Australian economy and (I suspect) their own personal finances under a Labor government. I've witnessed many erosions of workers' rights and the watering down of social programs that make Australia infinitely "stronger" as a nation than the United States. Corporate welfare and the "American Dream" of personal wealth-building has left millions without health care and millions more working for pennies an hour with little to no power to change their conditions. Continue to be skeptical of your politicians in that uniquely Australian way, but do not be fooled into thinking that the private corporation will lead you to health and happiness. A vote for Labor is a vote for your own voices.

Elissa, Brisbane, Queensland/Australia

John Howard is the consummate politician. Australians believe that the Liberal Party was the basis for an Australian economic miracle.

This should be kept in context:
1. Australia is seeing real economic growth, as it going through a resources boom, based on the growth in Asian economies.
2. Tax revenue has increased due to the economic growth.
3. The federal government has in real terms reduced the amount of funding provided to the states and thereby reducing federal government debt, but increasing state government debt.

The Labour Party would be unlikely to reverse the funding to the states, and the economic boom from resources will finish when they run out or the Asian economies start to slow.

Howards achievements should be viewed in political terms by what Australians have considered to be the issues at the times of elections in the past. Howard has identified issues (refugees, terrorism, war, fiscal responsibility) and played these as the consummate politician.

Graeme, Ballaarat, Victoria

The fireworks of Labor's celebrations will be nothing compared to the fireworks of Labor's ditstress flares as they sink our country. The whole Labor campaign has been funded direct from Union coffers, what do you think they might want in returm?

Australians have forgotten Chris Corrigan offering to sell Patrick to the Transport Workers Union for $1 because Corrigan had had enough and Patrick was going under due to inflexible Union workers pressure. These same Union members are sitting in the new Labor government . The TWU didn't buy Patrick.

This will now apply to all Australian business.

Mass spending in the best Labor tradition (the money reserve to fund the ageing Baby Boomer support crisis we are having to face), we will have militant trade unionists (Gillard, Combet and Shorten - the last two who vowed the wouldn't cross the line into politics) making hard line worker's rights desicions in our fragile economy.

We can now look forward to disaster with a high interest

Jonathan, Melbourne, Australia

I think Australians have great reason to celebrate the ultimate defeat of Mr Howard and his right wing agenda mandate. The new Labor government will get onside Kyoto and pull Australian soldiers out of the US led war on Iraq.
And domestically Australians can look forward to more social programmes and better health reforms.
I only wish that a similar political scenario ensues in Canada during our next election, --the defeat of our own present Conservative government, and our Liberals here having a similar success to the Australian Labor party.

Naveed Haque, Toronto, Canada

Congratulations Kevin and the ALP people forget sooo fast Howards treasureship- intrest rate 13.5% He attacked workers as prime minister, his money CAME From those workers he attacked with work cover. Well done Australian
-

Wayne- Registered Nurse, Wollongong, NSW

As a life long Labor supporter I know that today I have not woken up in a socialist Utopia but the socially derisive politics of greed, ignorance and fear as exemplified by the Howard government are behind us at long last. What your liberal comments have failed to state is that this government survived by exploiting the baser elements of human nature, witness the explosion of middle class welfare under Howard to serve the economic and social requirements of his apparitional class. Never mind that the economic reforms which Howard benefited from were instituted by the Hawke Keating Labor governments! And now that interest rates are rising we were told it was not Howard’s fault but global economic forces, strange that such logic never applies under Labor.

Howard was one to exploit the politics of fear post 9/11 for his own gain, ergo the Tampa affair, the children overboard incident and the Pacific solution. Honesty? Integrity? Ministerial accountability? ,Sadly all of these

Anthony , Canberra , Australia

I think that most of the overseas comments show that those people know nothing about the state of modern Australia. To suggest that Howard was voted out because of the war or the Kyoto treaty is ignorance in the extreme. While those issues are important they were not the main vote winners or losers by any stretch of the imagination.

Quite frankly people were more concerned with workers rights and the fact that Mr Howard was not going to serve a full term, thus giving Peter Costello the role of Prime Minister by default. Plus, it has to be said that Rudd appears "Prime Ministerial" whether you like him or not.

This is one of the most free, prosperous and damn enjoyable places to live in the world. I just hope that Labor does not take this magnificent country down the road of its British equivalent and that we end up with a heavily over taxed police state in the making.

Brackie, Melbourne,

John howard has effectively destroyed the Australian Liberal Party. He did this by filling it full of social climbers like himself and supporting the christian right, not to mention hoarding the talent away from the state Liberals. To reform, they have to embrace moderates and candidates with vision, they cannot let themselves be taken over by the the narrow minded.

jeremy parsons, beecroft, nsw

Barry Sargent, Doonside - England didn't go from Thatcher to Nu Labour. Major had already changed things. If you think Nu Labour is a good thing try living under it - it's Stalinism in disguise - wait till you see how your country is strangled by Political Correctness (oh yes, you have that in Oz already) and bureaucracy. Good luck! Whatever you do don't have 10 years of it.

Ian Burgess, Bristol,

Rudd is not the leader, merely the shopfront window that has seduced enough of the people to put the unions back into government.
The levers will all be pulled by the union heavies behind the scenes, Rudd will simply do as he is told. Interesting negotiations lie ahead with the need to convince the Greens to support all legislation in the upper house. Sadly this bunch of extremists have even greater potential to damage the national economy than labour and the unions.
I suppose we'll just have to wait for the economy to fall to bits and enough people to come to their senses to vote them all out again.

Paul, Newcastle, NSW Australia

Every leader has their good & bad points. John Howard's government did many admirable things - established a stable economy, low interest rates & created full employment. They liberated East Timor after 25 years. They moved quickly to assist victims of Bali (Balinese as well as expats) & have had victims of other disasters in S.E Asia flown in to our hospitals.

But he has also committed a litany of bad & repressive choices which are too long to go into - the worst being abolishing unions & workplace rights, invasion of Iraq, imprisoning refugees, stealing aboriginal land & his love affair with George Bush.

I am an "old Labourite". Kevin Rudd is an unknown quantity & has declared himself not to be a Socialist. I trust he will do the best for Oz & implement socially just & egalitarian legislation & full employment, with economic responsibily. Wish he was more left wing & trade union oriented (Labour was the party of the unions) but can only hope. We needed a change.

Alison, South Yarra, Vict, Australia

Having heard Rudd's victory speech - he sounds as vacuous as Blair did in 1997 - good luck Australia.

Ian Burgess, Bristol,

Good riddance to a retrograde old has-been, too old to care about the future of our planet- easier to blame China and India- DESPITE THE FACT AUSTRALIA SELLS OFF OUR PRECIOUS IRON ORE AND COAL TO THESE COUNTRIES!
We are wholly responsible for their pollution, and I am an Australian who wants action on global warming! A 68 year old conservative has never represented me! Finally, others have made the intelligent decision.

andrew, melbourne, australia

The only people unhappy about the election result are corporations and fat cats. The Times reporter, Lagan is right: Howard's AWAs treated article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with contempt. So the people of Australia stood up to be counted.

James Grover, Sydney, Australia / NSW

What a disaster for Australia. Wait and see: huge surplus to huge deficit, interest rates at 20%, strike on strike...

Meikle, Frankston, Victoria

I am just waiting on the Australian public to start telling the Governor General to sack the new Government. We better start saving now for when Pixie ratifies Kyoto, and scks thousands of non union workers.

Ben, Melbourne, Australia

Rudd in power. What a disaster. Australians have behaved like spoiled bratts. Howard did so much for this country.

Gene, Sydney,

Now Australia is in for it.... Labor will spend spend spend... this will push inflation up which will cause the Reserve Bank to pull them back into line by increasing the interest rates, which will cause homeowners that have borrowed HUGE mortgages to have to sell, businesses to close down, which will increase unemployment etc etc. This is what will happen with a socialist government let's see how long it will take before the country is crying 'why did we vote in this idiot government'

Karen, Country NSW, Australia

Now Australia is in for it.... Labor will spend spend spend... this will push inflation up which will cause the Reserve Bank to pull them back into line by increasing the interest rates, which will cause homeowners that have borrowed HUGE mortgages to have to sell, businesses to close down, which will increase unemployment etc etc. This is what will happen with a socialist government let's see how long it will take before the country is crying... WHY did we vote in this idiot government?

Karen, Country NSW, Australia

It's wonderful to see Labour back in Australia, and for Australia to rejoin the ranks of progressive countries instead of licking Bush's boots.

Robert Smits, Ladysmith, Canada / BC

We might as well kiss goodbye to democracy in Australia. Whilst Labor are in power all across the country, led by the 'two faced' Mr Rudd (AKA Dr Death- which was his first political nickname after he shut down a huge number of Hospital wards in Queensland!), The Labor Party will use its power over the media to keep them in government for a VERY long time.... ending democracy as we know it.... I'm not happy Australia, you've shown naivety beyond all measure.

Michael Febvre, Wangaratta, Australia

thank god sanity prevails,finally the little maggot has gone, work choices=bad choices little johnny

malcolm, sydney, nsw

John Howard's hubris (or perhaps Jeanette's?) meant he hung on too long. He brought in WorkChoices oppportunitistically when he won Senate control without having a mandate for such legislation and the unions took the fight to the government and won with people power.

Howard is too keen on keeping for himself (or herself?) teh privileges of office and he was never going any time while there was a chance another Liberal could win the election.

His political life has been a roller coaster since teh ALP won government in 1983. He became his party's leader, then lost the leadership, then regained it and and won 4 elections - an extraordinary achievement.

He did not see his use-by date arrive and stayed too long. The inevitable occurred and his roller coaster ride finished with a crash.

Bracks and Beattie were far smarter and got out while still on top. The best way to go surely.

Stan Rosenthal, Melbourne, Victoria

Traditionally Australians have prided themselves as a egalitarian people who give each other a "fair go." Howard tapped into this but demonised minorities, typically Muslims, indigenous Australians, asylum seekers, union members, civil rights activists and anti Iraq war advocates. Whilst doing this he was working the electorate using any means of fear inducement and tax cuts to get people onside. His promise to keep interest rates low was a desperate pitch to homebuyers. He could never realistically keep this irresponsible promised as rates are set by the Reserve Bank of Australia, and rates went up numerous times, including a rise a week ago. But his radical industrial relations laws were his demise. Failing to mention his ideological driven IR agenda and with an unexpected majority in the Senate after 2004, Howard rammed through draconian IR laws which saw young people joining the workforce with substantially fewer rights than their grand parents. His defeat is a vote for decency.

Keith Long, Melbourne, Australia

It appears that the way to obscurity for Leaders of US allies is to unflinchingly support George W. Bush

stanzler, ny, usa

What a fantastic result, now the rest of the world can start ridiculing Australia and leave us alone.

Terry , Radstock, England

National interest should always enjoy the priority, no matter who will be the President.

Helen, Shanghai, China

Its about time Austrailia booted out John Howard and his racist anti-immigrant administration, one of the most sparely poplulated countries in Asia with one of the most restrictive immigration policies (reference its draconian treatiment of refugees); and which also refused to acknowledge global warming, and the part all countries must play in combating this problem.

Simon Hicks, Burgess Hill, UK

Take careful note Gordon Brown. This defeated Australian politician wholeheartedly supported the Bush wars, and warmongering. Unless you stop trying to justify these wars, it appears you too are heading the same way.

Neil, Glucestershire, England

Thanks be to the Australian people!

We expats can now hold our heads high again.

No more licking the boots of Bush!

Well done Kevin and co.

Michael Piggott, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, U.K.

Too Bad Howard lost his place in this manner...but as The Age mentioned i quote
"11½ years of record economic growth, the lowest unemployment in 33 years, low interest rates and inflation boxed in between 2% and 3% will be Mr Howard's proudest achievements."

Hats off to him....i believe he deserves an equally loud applause.

Gaurav Gupta, Melbourne, Victoria

Hey Jodie....go back and check your history.

I don't know where you got the idea Australia was a 'decent, diverse and proud place' before Howard was elected and became 'xenophobic, small minded and fearful' afterward.

I have new for you. Before Howard was elected there was racism, discrimination, corruption and dishonesty and this was just as widespread in the Australian Labor movement as elsewhere. I recall bringing my English wife home to Oz for the first time and I met a friend and his girlfriend for drinks. The first thing this girlfriend said was "I hate the English" - and my wife had only got off the airliner 24 hrs before. Cue awkward moment, before my wife and I left. This girlfriend was a solicitor, a member of the Aust Labor Party and worked in the office of a State Labor Attorney General.

The idea that Australia was some haven for new age hippies before John Howard came along is a dishonest myth.

Hugh, London,

Wish we had a Labour government...sigh.

David H. Hawkes, Watchet, Somerset

Its great to see Kevin Rudd as the new Australian Prime Minister - at last we can hold our head high in the world and start to rebuild Australia.

Michael Barritt, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.

John Howard was a divisive leader who played the xenophobic wedge to his advantage and instilled a backward looking social agenda. In international terms his loss represents the end of the ascendancy of the neo-con agenda in Australian politics (and media) which was hidden behind the veil of economic management achieved on the back of a once in a life time resources boom. Good riddance

Brendan T, London, UK

The writer from Loughborough clearly is confusing Australia with a figment of her imagination. "Xenophobic" - hardly given that Howard presided over the largest immigration program in the history of Australia and the country on a per capita basis is now the most ethnically diverse in the world (and yes I'm one of those immigrants, having moved from India), And the attraction of Australia to new immigrants? The record economic growth of the last decade and a boom in jobs. Let's not forget when Howard took over in 1996 he inherited a unemployment rate in excess of 6% and record govt. deficits. On trips back to Australia I was struck by the level of optimism and aspiration (which some people falsely label "greed" of the general population - something politicans in the UK can only dream about. Howard will be remembered as one of the most influential & successful Australian politicans of the post war generation.

Mike Lovejoy, London, UK

Mr Howard was described by a leading political journo at the start of his Prime Ministership as "awesomely ordinary". He won by simply being in the right place at the right time and then got lucky everytime an election came around when he played on people's fears of everything from terrorists under the bed to the supposed terryfing scourge of legitimate refugees. As all repressive leaders have done, instead of fighting prejudice and unwarranted fears towards others, he shamelessly exploited it...the oldest and easiest trick in the book. After all, real leadership is abouting bring-out the best characteristics in people, not manipulating their worst! Thank goodness this blight on Australian political history has been obliterated in this landslide election...he even lost his own seat; a real sign of his unpopularity. As for the supposed financial prosperity he engineered, that was done by selling everything that wasn't bolted to the floor combined with a once-in-a-lifetime resource boom!

Margareth, Sydney, Australia

Mr. Howard was a lame duck leader who lost touch with the electorate and especially with the Australian workers through the odious Work Choices fiasco. Mr. Howard didn't learn from history and repeated the stripping of workers' rights which cost PM Stanley Bruce the 1929 election, including his own parliamentary seat. History repeats itself. I wish Mr. Rudd well and hope he maintains the current strong economy. As an Australian living abroad I applaud these changes.
About 2004, an Australian friend moved back 'home' to start a business, but was so hampered by government red tape, that he and his wife moved back to Colorado.
M.P., Breckenridge, Colorado.

M.Purnell, Breckernidge, Colorado, U.S.A.

What a great night it must be for ordinary working people in
Autralia i am sure, I hope the labour will do what they said,six
months ago:cllr Ken Tiwari(Oxford UK)

Cllr Ken Tiwari, Oxford, United Kingdom

How quickly all those dissenters are to forget the tragic state Labour left Australia in when Howard took over. Howard got rid of all Labours debt, has reduced unemployment to a level that is about as low as it will get and made Australia more prosperous than it has ever been. The base chippiness of Australians to punish such success is just saddening. Australia is the envy of most western democracies for its standard of living and booming economy, don't believe me? get off your sofa and travel the world, gain some perspective. Rudd and his Me too policies are just pathetic. Kyoto is all smoke and mirrors without China, India the USA etc Work place reforms are needed to ensure a competitive economy looking forward as we embrace and compete with Asia.
I shudder to think what is contained in the Faustian pact that has been done between Rudd and the Trade Union movement. Those apparatchiks aren't going to pour $30 million into Labour election coffers without some sort of pay off

Travis Vincent, London, UK

Good result. You can only stamp on the working class so much before they stamp on you.

John, Adelaide,

It is a sad sad day for Australia...

Michelle, Baemans Bay, NSW

Thats the price he had to pay for supporting Bush. I'm supprised that he hadn't learned the lessons of Mr Blair.

sid, Perth, Australia

And now Australia can discover what a Labor government can do for their country, as the British have since 1997.
The Aussies, like the Brits, have short memories. They got rid of Labor in 1996, and now they voted them back. Good luck to you, and I hope you do not regret it too much

P.Nobleza, Houston, USA

woooo hoooo, good onya Mr Rudd. Do Australia proud and start by getting rid if work choices. Please do the right thing by the workers especially the lower paid workers. We need a fairer deal. And good for you for having a female at your side. Ok, she was a lawyer. Not good but you gotta start somewhere.

Robyn, Adelaide, South Australia

At last we can move on from Howards flawed polices with regard to the enivironment , our too cosy relationship with the pathetic Bush administration and hopefully a more understanding approach to our indigenous community. I hope Prime Minister Rudd will make good his promise to finally ratify the Kyoto treaty say sorry for the lost generation and tell Bush where to go. I wish him well, but I suspect things from a personal perspective will remain the same. At least we won't have to deal with Howard anymore thats got to be a good thing.
Howards mistake was thinking he was the only person that could take the party to another election win. Have fun in retirement Johnny byeeeeeeeeeeee

phil, melbourne, australia

congratulate to the labor party .Australia is a great country. we as a nation should have great future.

morgan, melbourne, vic.

about bloody time, now ,hopefully the labour party can clean up all the mess left behind by the american loving libreals,and get the people of Australia back in front . I fled the country to escape the howard workers right, ( or lack of them ) policy, now with labour finally back in power Australia soon might be a place i can bring my familly back to live and embrace again..

craig gaul, chambly quebec, canada

The former Malaysian PM once call Howard America's "deputy sheriff" in the Asia Pacific region. Well, now he'll never make it to full sheriff. Another founder member of the "coalition of the willing" in Iraq bites the dust.

george, london, uk

Hello to my British friends. May I announce with great humility that Conservatism is dead. Gone.
It officially died today.

swing like a pendulum, sydney, new South Wales

finally, australia does not have an american puppet like britain and pakistan. watch the changes happen with immediate effect, will th US now attack australia considering we have voted for a left/socialist government instead of a christian fundamentalist party?

luke, perth, australia

Watch the union movement take control. Mr Rudd is merely a puppet.

Jet, Sydney, Australia

Mr. John Howard the decay of an icon

Terence Hale, zandvoort, Holland

Thank God for Mr Rudd my job is saved. The cats of Australia have made their choice. Mr Rudd and the voters of Australia have saved my wellbeing as the stresses of possibly losing my job under an enterprise agreement may have taken my life as well as my ability to provide for my family. The work Choices gave no choice. But the democratic choices were the winners in the end. Rudd Rocks.

Rob, Glendenning, NSW

what a fantastic night for Australia, the Australian trade union movement and Australians who have been concerned about climate change for the past 11 years.

Gerry Conley, Adelaide, SA Australia

Constancy in the war in common on Islamic terrorims will be an imporant factor for the new government to pursue.

George Singleton, USA

George Singleton, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Mr. Rudd deserves high praise for running an economic conservative campaign.

Mr Howard ran a spendthrift George Bush campaign thus discrediting conservatism to its core. He has earned a well deserved rest.

It is ironic that social conservatives in America and Australia have debased ecomic prudence.

Narasim Katary, Sudbury, Canada

Here's hoping for a brighter and more progressive future for all Australians. We don't know what we're in for with our new government, but then again, we never really knew what we were in for with Howard anyway. Let's hope this turns out to be more than just a breath of fresh air !!

Marty, Perth, WA

While I appeciate the importance of a prosperous enomomy, I believe Australia has made the right choice. Kevin Rudd is a man that has Australia's best interests at heart. It is the endless pursuit of economic granduer that has caused the coalition to lose sight of very important issues. Lately, issues such as worker's rights, war, and most importantly climate change, have been overshadowed by a burgeoning resource boom that has left our leaders drunk with a notion of economic success that eminates from private industry. WA has been a cash cow for the government. It is with a great sense of relief that I welcome a new government that chooses not to lean on industry in order to boost its own credibility. Thank you Australia for voting for change.

Jeff Cumpston, Canberra, ACT

With a Labor federal government and all state governments in Labor hands, who is going to provide a balance. Watch out.

G. Brewster, Brisbane, Queensland

All i can say is John Howard has done nothing but fix this country over the past 11 years after the labor government were last in power...

Kevin Rudd has won the battle to get himself as PM but will he be able to uphold Australia and become a better PM than Mr Howard? If he does, then we will surely see him in 11 years!!

Matt, Brisbane,

To explain the election result in UK terms we have moved from Thatcherisn to New Labour.

barry sargent, Doonside, NSW Australia

And good riddance to him. Howard played hard with wedge politics and turned Australia from a decent, diverse and proud place to a xenophobic, small minded and fearful little place. This is the end to a government driven increasingly by an odious ideology that mixed religion with greed and came up with something that was very nasty indeed. Let's hope that Rudd will put a quick end to Work Choices and also the blatant efforts by Howard to grab land from indigenous Australians.

Jodie Boyd, Loughborough, UK

it doenot matter who wins foreign policy on terrorism wihtout clear interpretation and backing other countries without reasonale should change.

Assies should be flexible to attract foreign investment and man power

control fanactical religious activities but allow peaceful exercise.

Ban all religious books that encourage violence likeother relious foloowers are treated not beliverrs while they believe in vioence

thevarajah, london, UK

Two of America's most faithful poodles would have been put down (Mr Blair and Mr Howard)...but a new third one from France has arisen (Sarkozy). I have the feeling that people around the world want to stay clear of America/their military misadventures and are voting accordingly. Polands new PM also seems to be against U.S. By supporting the U.S their head of states are risking their own Premiership. Canada watch out...All i can say is well done to Australians.

Mohammed, London, UK