War leaves Howard basking in poll glory

2.45pm - By BELINDA GOLDSMITH

CANBERRA - John Howard has strengthened his grip on Australia's voters following apparent victory in the Iraq war, leaving opposition Labour struggling to be heard, according to polls and analysts.

The Prime Minister's decision to commit 2000 military personnel to the US-led war despite initial public opposition proved a winner, with no Australian soldiers killed and 57 per cent of Australians now backing his stance.

"Although no weapons of mass destruction have yet been found, a lot of voters now believe the war was justified because it has overthrown Saddam Hussein," political analyst Jim Jupp from the Australian National University told Reuters.

The victory has given further momentum to Howard and his seven-year-old coalition government in opinion polls.

A Newspoll survey, published in The Australian newspaper today, showed 62 per cent of 1135 people questioned last weekend believed Howard was the best prime minister for Australia, while only 16 per cent opted for Labour leader Simon Crean.

Howard's Liberal/National Party government was ahead with 46 per cent support compared to Labour's 33 per cent -- versus 42 per cent and 37 per cent respectively before the invasion began.

Bob McMullan, spokesman for centre-left Labor, played down the poll, saying world factors like the war and last October's Bali bombings had overshadowed Crean's attempts to sell himself.

He said Labour just needed a chance to turn the spotlight back on domestic issues, adding that the 2003/04 federal budget due to be delivered on May 13 could prove the perfect opportunity.

Labour is already calling for tax cuts and increased health spending, while insisting the budget be kept in surplus.

"This'll be an important time to turn the focus to domestic issues and to articulate some of our alternative positions and I'm very confident we can do it," McMullan told reporters.

Political analysts were not so sure. Labor went to the last general election in November 2001 on a domestic platform -- and was roundly defeated for a third straight time as Howard focused on keeping boatpeople away from Australian shores.

Crean, a former trade unionist, has not endeared himself to voters since taking over as Labour leader after the 2001 defeat.

A separate Newspoll survey of 1200 people, also published today, found only one in 10 Australians wanted Crean to lead Labour's next election campaign -- while support for the previous leader, Kim Beazley, was almost four times higher at 36 per cent.

With Labour in disarray, analysts said Howard could bring forward the next election, due by early 2005 -- and he was not expected to step down as the nation's leader.

Howard sparked speculation about retiring three years ago, when, lagging in polls, he said he would review his career on his 64th birthday in July this year. He has since watered this down.

He has had a dream run since 2001, with the focus firmly on national security, winning strong support for turning away boats carrying asylum seekers, praise for handling the Bali bomb attacks which killed 89 Australians, and now Iraq.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq war