POLITICS: Australian Labor Party Leader Resigns

Citing failing health, Labor Party leader Mark Latham has tendered his resignation as both party leader and House Representative. Latham suffers from pancreatitis, which has worsened in recent months. He ran against incumbent PM John Howard in October where he was defeated by a wide margin.



His illness is not reported to be life-threatening, but it is apparently affecting his daily operations in the political arena. Latham released a statement about his departure in which he stated "...our conclusion is that I should look after my health and pursue normal life outside of politics."

Latham ran on a heavy anti-war platform last year and has been a staunch supporter of education and economic reform in Australia.

Anti-War position......Bush agenda affecting the economic/political agenda down under......

American Politics no doubt effect our Aussie pals, but probably not in this case.....he's a good guy and I hope is recovery is complete

Now, lets see who rises to the forefront.....

I am one happy camper to hear this news, I gotta tell ya. Leopards don't change their spots & the thought of Mark Latham leading our country was not something I was prepared to cope with. First he screws up the finances of a local council, but to have that happen on a country wide scale was more than most could bear. Not to mention that infamous taxi driver bashing, what a great potential leader of a country...............NOT! Goodbye Mark Latham, don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out!

Mark Latham had to go he was a looser any how had nothing going for him, his illness made it easy for him to go. Will never forget the hand shake he gave Prime Minister John Howard at election time. Nothing much between the ears, all piss and wind....Will have to wait and see how a recycled Beasley goes Labour have not got much else....

If Labor had been elected last year our Australian troops would have been home for Christmas, away from America's crusade.

With this good news however, now finally us labor supporters might have a strong leader.
Personally I say that Kevin Rudd should take the position, he is an strong intelligent speaker and is never at a loss for words, plus I believe he has the charisma and confidence to correct Australia's foreign policy, and make us less of a "yes man" country to the US.

No matter who takes the position though, I do hope they continue Labor's strong anti-war stance in regard to Iraq.

Mark Latham didn't come up with a decent policy in all the time he was the opposition leader. He lost an election and in doing so gave a greater majority to the Howard government, also lost labour seats in the senate giving the coalition full control to pass any laws they like. I may be a Howard supporter, but i don't think ANY party should be able to have full control of both Houses. Mark Latham also had a fanciful and idealistic plan to pull our troops from iraq, a decision which lost him the vote of the military establishment. (To this day, Aust has not had any of our forces in iraq killed) Oh, and Mark Latham had no comment on the Tsunami disaster either... yes that's right, said absolutely nothing, not even a press release.

It seems the race to fill the power vacuum is now on between Kevin Rudd, Latham's shadow Foreign Affairs minister. and Kim Beasly, shadow defence minister, and Former leader of the Labour party. No matter who wins, Australia's faith in the Labour party has been erroded over the reign of Crean and more recently Latham. I believe that the coallition will be a political force to be reckoned with for quite some time... at least until labour can win back the voters who deserted in hundreds of thousands at last October's election.

Reflector

Kevin Rudd / Charisma?? sounds like an oxymoron to me!!!


..........anyway, you've made my day, thanx for the laugh!!