In a very clever and disciplined campaign, Kevin Rudd
effectively articulated a vision for Australia. After
11 years of divisive and calculated political
manoeuvrings, John Howard was unable to find a
'Rovian' wedge to derail the ALP campaign.

Rudd's instinct was that Australians were beginning to
awake from 11 years of prosperity and question what it
all meant. He was correct. In calling for new
leadership, he minimised policy differences on issues
that were Howard's traditional strengths - national
security (including Australian deployments in Iraq and
Afghanistan), economic policy, government spending,
indigenous affairs and immigration. This strategy of
"me tooism" flustered Howard, who in past campaigns
had mercilessly picked apart ALP policy initiatives.

Facing a confused and hapless Howard campaign, Rudd
clinically stuck to his core themes of mortgage
stress, climate change, hospital bed shortages, and an
education revolution. Importantly, Rudd also
campaigned doggedly on rolling back unpopular work
place relations legislation that many saw as a further
erosion of the Australian gospel known as ‘the fair
go’. Economic growth and low unemployment are all well
and good, but many people's perception was that
Australia had evolved into a meaner and less
egalitarian society.

Another important element in Howard’s defeat was an
ongoing and combustible leadership debate within his
own political party. Having declined to gracefully
retire from politics a year before following an
unsuccessful challenge to his leadership, Howard
authored an unworkable transition arrangement with
Peter Costello. Despite being a competent and youthful
senior minister responsible for much of Australia’s
resource fuelled economic boom, Costello was a
divisive figure both within the Liberal Party and the
Australian public. The electorate was never able to
reconcile Howard’s announcement that if returned to
power he would retire and hand over the reins of power
to Costello.

Rudd exploited this indeterminate decision endlessly.
He goaded his opponent by asking how was it that
Howard was unveiling new policies about the future of
Australia, when he was publicly outlining succession
plans for the unpopular Costello. Howard never
successfully bridged this dilemma. The outcome was an
all too apparent contrast between a crisp almost
presidential style ALP campaign focussed on 'new
leadership', and a confused, negative, and ageing
Liberal message that shifted as the campaign
progressed.

Much and more will be written about this election. It
ushers in a new epoch in Australian politics. While
brilliant tactical campaigning by Rudd partly explains
the end result, an Australian Prime Minister does not
get thrown out of his own parliamentary seat (an event
that has only happened once before in 1929) unless
something deeper is at play. It is clear that the
Australian public wanted and sought political renewal.
A youthful and shrewd Rudd answered their call.