(sent by Judy Miriga)

11pm Saturday night in Australia, vote counting is nearly done

Sang wrote:
      Forwarded Message
           From Ogendi in Australia:

Wananchi,

It is 11pm Saturday night here in Australia and vote counting is nearly finishing showing a massive swing to the Australian Labour Party. They have already televised speeches made by both the out-going prime minister who conceded defeat and the prime minister-elect. The Labour Party has made history on several fronts and the incumbents have been greatly humbled.

1. Labour's massive win of this kind was last seen in 1974
2. This decisive win has been achieved by a new broom who has led the party for only 1yr and joined federal parliament when the outgoing had just started his first term as prime minister

3. The prime minister is certain to lose his parliamentary seat. A first in Australian history

The govt members huffed and puffed and in the process goofed this way and that way in a desperate attempt to retain their seats but for many the wind of change was far too strong.

Consequently, many among them powerful long-serving ministers have been felled. In fact, in some electorates it was akin to a 'massacre'.

Kevin Rudd is 50yrs old whereas outgoing prime minister John Howard is 68yrs old. It is not surprising that in his victory speech Kevin Rudd reaffirmed his promise of a generational change. More importantly he promised to be a prime minister for all Australians and counted them as follows:
1.The first Australians (Indigenous Australians)
2.Urban Australians
3.Rural Australians
4 Australians who were born here as well as those who came from faraway lands.

However, his acceptance speech was very dignified and he started off by honouring the outgoing prime minister for his many years of service to Australians. Said he: "Mr Howard and I are different in many ways but we have a common interest in the future of this great country..."

It was far from what we saw being meted to Moi in 2002. And, I'd urge Agwambo to treat Kibaki with dignity if ODM wins.

Desperate attempts by incumbents (aka last kicks of a dying horse) included:

Trying to get at Kevin Rudd by attacking his wife who has been running a very successful personnel recruitment company claiming she had committed offences for which she needed to be investigated. She promptly sorted them out and in fact sold the multi-million dollar business

They tried to scare mining businesses that a` Labour win will see an end to the resources boom that the country has had over the last several years. Industry & commentators told govt to its face that for as long as Chinese industry was craving mineral resources, which abound in Australia, the resource boom will continue regardless of who is in government.

Then they tried portraying Kevin Rudd and his team as inexperienced and not to be trusted to manage the country's affairs. Nothing doing.

They even tried to play the Labour party-Trade Union trump card. Trying to scare employers that a Labour win is a win for trade unions and hence chaos in workplaces. This too did not wash.

Opinion polls were extensively used but the wind of change was clearly upon this nation and now the results are there for all to see.

Lessons for the Kenya Elections