GINA COBB

Howard Out, Rudd In; Australia Begins a New Learning Curve

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has been denied a fifth term by Austrlian voters. Howard, who has been in office for 11 1/2 years, conceded to Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd. What does the election mean? The general consensus seems to be that it is about specific political changes Australian voters want:

Former diplomat Mr Rudd, 50, presented himself as a new generation leader compared with the 68-year-old Mr Howard. Voters warmed to his promise to pull Australian troops out of Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, further isolating the US, which had received strong backing from Mr Howard. The Labor victory marks only the sixth change of government in Australia since the Second World War. The election was fought mainly on domestic issues, with Labor exploiting widespread anger at workplace laws and rising interest rates.

Australian troops out of Iraq, Kyoto Protocol, workplace laws, interest rates. These may be issues that affected the election, but it's unlikely that voters who elected Rudd will be any more satisfied with the real-world results Rudd achieves in another 5 years. Rudd can pull Australian troops from Iraq, but the worldwide Islamic jihad will continue. Australia will remain a target for no reason other than the fact that every decent, successful, civilized democracy is a target. Australia can sign the Kyoto Protocal, and all it will do is to put a drag on its own economy. It will not save the world.

John Howard has been a staunch ally in the war against Islamic terrorism. Jules Crittenden comments here.

The leftist print media seem determined to depict Howard's defeat as "humiliating." Humiliation is in the eye of the beholder. I see Howard as a decent man who has been removed from office in due course by the ordinary democratic process. It had to happen sooner or later. There is no humiliation in serving one's country admirably and stepping down when voters make a different choice.

Now Australia will begin a new learning curve. This time, the leson will be how little Kevin Rudd can accomplish, and how the few things he does manage to achieve are either not helpful or downright unhelpful to Australia's economy, culture, and national security. Things will look very different to Australians after a few years of Rudd. It is unlikely that Australians as a whole will be any better off or any happier than they are today under Howard's leadership.

But we shall see. For Australia's sake, I hope Rudd rises to the occasion and demonstrates wisdom and common sense. For good or ill, he is Australia's leader for the time being, and for the sake of the Australian people and their allies around the world, it is wise to focus not on our differences, but on what we continue to have in common.

Update:  Times Online says don't blame Australians, for they know not what they do.  Eric at Tygrrrr Exprss says Godspeed Mr. Howard.

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Cross-posted at Right Wing News

Teen Hero Saves a Life

A brave 14-year-old Australian boy has saved a man's life:

Mark O'Dwyer owes his life to a 14-year-old punk rocker and an edgy television science program.

The 54-year-old was waiting at Lisarow train station on the Central Coast at 2.45pm on October 19 when he fainted and toppled two metres from the platform onto the tracks below, as a freight train bore down on the station.

Julian Shaw, who is 180 centimetres tall and weighs 70 kilograms, was travelling home from school with classmates when he saw Mr O'Dwyer,  who is 187 centimetres tall and weighs 110 kilograms, fall. Julian leapt into action.

"I jumped down on to the tracks, lifted him off the ground and put him on my shoulder - he was heavy but there was enough adrenaline rushing through to help me," said Julian, who is in year 9 at Lisarow High School and plays guitar in punk rock band Checkered Fist.

With the train "just a couple of metres away", Julian moved the North Gosford resident to the edge of the track and rolled him under the platform.

But danger was not totally averted.

"[As the train roared past] the noise pierced your ears and there was a suction that pulled us in," Julian said.

"I'd seen that on MythBusters, so I stayed right back and pulled Mark back towards me."

The train eventually passed safely, and the pair chatted until ambulance officers arrived.

"What an amazing young man," said Mr O'Dwyer, recovering at home with a back injury, three fractured ribs, a fractured shoulder, damaged knee and general bruising.

"What he did was amazing. He took it upon himself and saved my life.

"I was very emotional [afterwards], I gave him a hug and thanked him for saving my life."

Awesome.