KEY POINTS:
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has clung on to the Liberal Party leadership, but at what cost?
Senior ministers tried to portray yesterday's party meeting, at which Howard's leadership remained unchallenged despite disastrous polls, as an end to the speculation.
But the sorry saga has wasted at least
two days for the Government, alerted voters to the panic in coalition ranks, and raised more questions about what it would take for Howard to retire.
Howard has always said that he will remain as leader for as long as his party wants him and it is in his party's best interests.
He says that last week he asked Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to sound out Cabinet colleagues - except his heir apparent Peter Costello - about their views on his leadership and the coalition's election chances.
The news back was not good.
Several Cabinet ministers thought the party might be better off under a new leader.
But against their advice, Howard decided that a leadership change would not be in the party's best interests. He's probably right - but he's made it clear that he will be the one to decide, not his colleagues.
Some of his colleagues are angry that Howard appears to prize the advice of his wife Janette and three adult children - Melanie, Tim and Richard - over their opinions. But Howard points out that his children were born into political life and often provide him with insight into issues biting among younger voters.
There's no doubt that a leadership change now would have thrown coalition planning into chaos - even just from an advertising point of view. Posters, advertisements, pamphlets and a whole host of election paraphernalia would have to be pulped.
But it would also scream of desperation and a feeling within that they could not win - an assertion Howard rejects.
He told yesterday's party room meeting that internal polling shows Special Minister of State Gary Nairn is slightly ahead in the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro, held by the party which forms government at every election since 1972. If Nairn can hang on, there's a chance the coalition will too.AAP
but at what cost to party?
by Maria Hawthorne
in CanberraAustralian Prime Minister John Howard has clung on to the Liberal Party leadership, but at what cost?
Senior ministers tried to portray yesterday's party meeting, at which Howard's leadership remained unchallenged despite disastrous polls, as an end to the speculation.
But the sorry saga has wasted at least two days for the Government, alerted voters to the panic in coalition ranks, and raised more questions about what it would take for Howard to retire.
Howard has always said that he will remain as leader for as long as his party wants him and it is in his party's best interests.
He says that last week he asked Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to sound out Cabinet colleagues - except his heir apparent Peter Costello - about their views on his leadership and the coalition's election chances.
The news back was not good.
Several Cabinet ministers thought the party might be better off under a new leader.
But against their advice, Howard decided that a leadership change would not be in the party's best interests. He's probably right - but he's made it clear that he will be the one to decide, not his colleagues.
Some of his colleagues are angry that Howard appears to prize the advice of his wife Janette and three adult children - Melanie, Tim and Richard - over their opinions. But Howard points out that his children were born into political life and often provide him with insight into issues biting among younger voters.
There's no doubt that a leadership change now would have thrown coalition planning into chaos - even just from an advertising point of view. Posters, advertisements, pamphlets and a whole host of election paraphernalia would have to be pulped.
But it would also scream of desperation and a feeling within that they could not win - an assertion Howard rejects.
He told yesterday's party room meeting that internal polling shows Special Minister of State Gary Nairn is slightly ahead in the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro, held by the party which forms government at every election since 1972. If Nairn can hang on, there's a chance the coalition will too.
- AAP