BRISBANE (Reuters) - Incoming Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former diplomat, has pledged closer Australian ties with overseas allies and unity at home after ending 11 years of conservative rule under John Howard.

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Rudd, 50, presented himself as a new-generation leader by promising to pull about 500 frontline Australian troops out of Iraq and sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, further isolating Washington on both issues.
((((I heard him on the world news this morning say 550 troops out and leave twice that many there.))))

"To our friends and allies around the world, I look forward as the next Prime Minister of Australia to working with them in dealing with the great challenges which our world now faces," he told cheering supporters at a victory party late on Saturday.

The surge to Labor left Howard battling to win even his own parliamentary seat, which he has held since 1974. He was in danger of becoming the first prime minister since 1929 to lose his constituency.

As part of Rudd's promised "fresh thinking," he also teamed with a female deputy, former lawyer Julia Gillard, who will be Australia's first woman deputy prime minister.

"King Kevin the new conqueror," said the Sun-Herald newspaper in Howard's home town of Sydney on Sunday. "It's Labor in a Ruddslide," said the national newspaper the Australian.

Up to six government ministers, including Howard, looked likely to be ejected in only the sixth change of government since World War Two. Labor is set to hold up to 86 seats in the 150-seat parliament.

Rudd is expected to forge closer ties with China and other Asian nations and has said he wants a more independent voice in foreign policy, with past Labor governments more supportive of an energetic United Nations and global organizations.

U.S. TIES

But he has also promised to maintain Australia's close alliance with the United States as the cornerstone of Australia's foreign and strategic policy.

"Rudd will have to open negotiations soon with the United States about the withdrawal of Australia's combat troops from Iraq. This is a delicate operation because it will be Labor's first testing of the alliance," veteran political commentator Michelle Grattan wrote in the Sun-Herald.

President George W. Bush congratulated Rudd on his election victory, and praised Howard's leadership.

"The United States and Australia have long been strong partners and allies and the president looks forward to working with this new government to continue our historic relationship," the White House said in a statement.

Rudd promised to sign the Kyoto climate pact immediately and lead his country's delegation to next month's U.N. climate summit in Bali, which is expected to kick-start talks on a post-Kyoto deal to slash greenhouse gas emissions globally.

He also pledged unity at home, vowing to shut down controversial offshore detention of illegal immigrants and to take care of Aborigines in the wake of a conservative intervention to seize control of remote indigenous communities with troops and police.

"I will be a prime minister for all Australians, a prime minister for indigenous Australians, Australians who have been born here and Australians who have come here from afar," he said.

Family Minister Mal Brough, responsible for the Aboriginal intervention to stop rampant sexual abuse of children and "rivers of grog" in remote outback towns, was a high-profile casualty of the Labor win, losing his Queensland seat.

HOSTILE SENATE

But Labor could be frustrated by a hostile upper house. The conservatives will have a Senate majority until July next year, possibly delaying Rudd's agenda and his promise to dump unpopular labor laws which supercharged his victory.

Centre-left Labor will have to negotiate with diverse minor Senate parties including the left-leaning Australian Greens and the conservative, Christian values Family First party.

The election was fought mainly on domestic issues, with Labor cashing in on anger at labor laws and rising interest rates which put home owners under financial pressure at a time when Australia's economy is booming.

The result puts Labor in power nationally and in all of Australia's six states and two territories. The lord mayor of the northern city of Brisbane is now the senior-ranking elected official in Howard's Liberal Party.

Outgoing Foreign Minister Alexander Downer glumly said it had been hard for the conservative government to present itself as fresh and new after more than 11 years, despite 16 years of economic expansion and unemployment at 33-year lows.

"I think at the end of the day, people just thought it was time for a change," Downer told local television on Sunday.

Good luck all you Aussies. I hope this is a good thing for you.
Kat

"Outgoing Foreign Minister Alexander Downer glumly said it had been hard for the conservative government to present itself as fresh and new after more than 11 years, despite 16 years of economic expansion and unemployment at 33-year lows.

"I think at the end of the day, people just thought it was time for a change," Downer told local television on Sunday. "




Australia, and unemployment...interesting 33 year low...in the last 11 years, The Liberal government changed the titles, of those without employment...there are about 5 different subtitles, and labels for unemployed now, and the figures were fudged...to make them look good.

11 years of interesting lies, and interesting challenges, the reason Australia is in surplus, is because the Liberal Government didn't spend money on Health, Education, Families, or Community Services, or on anything really...

With constant restructuring, and portfolios flying around the Ministers, like hot potatoes, it's no wonder Australia looked good on the books..

Easy to make money, if you don't spend it..

Yes Mr Downing, it is time for a change, no more bending over for Trade Partners, and time to look at the people who generate the taxes to support your lifestyle.

hmmmmmmmm never knew that australia had such strong allies with the US!!!

John Howard was George's little Aussie mate...

And Jess is my lil Aussie mate...tho shes prolly taller than me

Politicians are all the %$!@$# same.

Hi Kat,

Gypsy,
Allen
Karma..


It's a bit like the Waltons..

I was reading some articles, and watched the former Prime Minister's conceding speech last night...

I nearly puked...yes sadly they do seem to be cast from the same die...

They are the most stupid people in the world, yet paid alot of money to B.S. around everything.

A rabid wombat would do a better job than then at this rate!

A rabid wombat is smart enough to not get into politics.

I seen a dead wombat in australia......no roos though!!!

Like all politicians, they use other countries for personal gain....hmmmmmm I wonder if Bush likes to surf???

Since when did you go to Aussie Land......AND WITHOUT ME!?

uhhhhhhhhhhh 4 years ago!!!

No roos??? Ok, next time you HAVE to come up here....

You can feed them, the wallabies in the afternoons, in my garden, or at dawn, and you can see heaps of roos.

We don't get wombats here, just rabid politicians..

George Bush surf??? I bloody hope not, that would be the end of the Great Barrier Reef, sure as sh*te..

He would invade us, cause he wants it for himself..

Oh sure she invites Gypsy, but leaves me in the outback to fend for myself And yes I know I've totally hijacked the thread

ya I travelled from melbourne to mulimbimby in a month and saw not one roo!!! Lots of koalas though and cockatiels

Ohhhhhh and bats in the trees in the daytime.....in sydney I think....

btw..... ozzy mossies love me!!!

Nimbim was a "trip"

Allen, you have been invited for over a year now..

Nimbin, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, all that area, is a 'trip'...

whoohoo! I'll be there tonight, or tomorrow, or maybe on monday, I dunno how the time shift works over there

You are in my yesterday..