Rock credentials fail to cool protest anger

By GREG ANSLEY

BRISBANE - Even Peter Garrett, former rock star and one-time darling of Greens and the Left, could not escape the fury of demonstrators as he arrived for the official launch of Labor's election campaign in Brisbane yesterday.

As he climbed the stairs to hear Opposition Leader Mark Latham preach his message of youth, hope and vitality, the hard-core environmentalists and socialists gathered outside Griffith University's riverbank Conservatorium launched a tirade against the man Latham recruited to help secure the Green vote in the October 9 election.

"Shame, Garrett, shame," they yelled as the former Midnight Oil singer strode through the banners.

Defence Minister and former leader Kim Beazley ignored the demonstrators and their chants of "refugee rights" and "save the forests", while former Prime Minister Paul Keating was framed in front by a moving barrage of cameras and from behind by protest signs.

Inside, Latham appealed directly to middle Australia, emphasising his youth and focusing on health, education and policies costed to deflate Prime Minister John Howard's campaign theme of higher interest rates under Labor.

"Australia needs a Prime Minister with fire in his belly," the 43-year-old Latham said to thunderous applause, emphasising the 22-year age gap between the two leaders.

"We have a plan for the future. Howard has a plan for his retirement."

But while Labor has been leading in the polls for much of the campaign, Latham has a grim 10 days ahead.

Howard has been making up ground, reversing Labor's ascendancy in ACNielsen polling to pull into a clear and decisive lead, nudging ahead by a two-point margin in the Sydney Daily Telegraph's Galaxy poll, and pruning Labor's former hefty advantage to a 50-50 race.

Only the Australian's Newspoll continues to put Labor in front, by 4 percentage points.

Worse still for Latham is polling that suggests Howard is leading in the marginal seats that will be crucial in deciding who governs Australia for the next three years.

With this week's official launches of both parties clearly defining their agendas, a great deal will now depend on the way in which swinging voters perceive their policies and priorities.

With Labor likely to gain the Greens and other soft-left voters, the battle for the 10 per cent of voters who make up their minds on polling day will become even more crucial.