Kevin Rudd's Labor Party has won a decisive victory in the Australian federal elections, bringing an end to 11 uninterrupted years of rule by the conservative Liberal coalition led by John Howard. Ennui explains this result as much as anger, since many Australians said they were tired of Mr Howard and that he was not capable of fresh political leadership any more. Mr Rudd promises much continuity in economic and domestic policy, alongside his headline undertakings to create a fairer society, shift Australian policy towards Asia, sign the Kyoto Protocol and take troops out of Iraq.
In his concession speech Mr Howard said he leaves a "prouder, stronger and more prosperous" country. Australia has enjoyed a prolonged period of economic growth for 17 years, averaging four-five per cent recently. National debt levels are miniscule, taxation is reduced, the jobless level is at its lowest for 33 years, and inflation and interest rates are also low. Exports are booming, led by coal, iron, cotton and wheat making their way to China. Mr Howard hitched Australian foreign policy closely to the US, saying notoriously it would be a "deputy sheriff" for Mr Bush in the region. Whether that made it stronger is doubtful. As for pride, Mr Howard refused to apologise for Australia's white, Anglo-centric past and celebrated the plebeian side of its culture.
Mr Rudd skillfully steered Labor through this campaign by emphasising his agreement with most of the economic policy framework laid down during the Howard years - with the notable exception of its recently proposed labour legislation. Proclaiming himself a fiscal conservative, Mr Rudd's Blairite approach took the edge off fears of an economic policy rupture. On that basis he found an appreciative audience for his plans to bring more fairness and effectiveness into health, education and environmental policy, to rebalance federalism and establish broadband throughout the country. Mr Rudd, a policy intellectual who rebranded himself and broadened his appeal by a shrewd use of media and networking over the last five years, will have quite a different political persona than Mr Howard.
At his first post-victory press conference yesterday Mr Rudd said he has been in touch already with President Bush, UK prime minister Gordon Brown, and with Indonesian President Yudhoyono about his plans to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on global warming at next month's Bali summit. He has also had a personal message from the Chinese premier, reflecting his fluency in Mandarin and conviction that Australia must play a more engaged and active role in Asian affairs.
Australia is bound up with the region economically, politically and increasingly in cultural terms. Immigration is once again flowing strongly, including from Asia. And Mr Rudd is pledged to deal less harshly with illegals and asylum seekers. So this is a positive shift and a necessary one for this vast and varied country as it comes to terms more maturely with its real geopolitical position.