Australia Poll Rivals in TV Clash

As the election approaches, Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and his opponent, Labor leader Kevin Rudd, have faced each other in a TV debate. In the live, 90 minute clash, the two sparred over economic policy, climate change and troop levels in Iraq. Both politicians grew more irritable as the debate went on but neither was able to land a knockout blow. Opinion polls put Mr. Rudd ahead of the long-serving Mr. Howard at present.

Australia Pledges Climate Plan

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, has announced a shift in policy on climate change. He is promising to set up a carbon trading scheme to cut pollution. He would set a target next year for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and also pledged to putin place a carbon trading scheme by 2012. Per head of population in the world, Australia is one of the worst polluters. He has warned, however, that setting a cap on carbon emissions would hurt the economy. The opposition Labor party has a strong lead in the opinion polls in the upcoming national election later this year. They have portrayed the government as dithering and backward-looking on global warming. Labor has pledged to cut greenhouse emissions by 60% by 2050. Mr. Howard told an annual meeting of his Liberal Party that if they get this wrong, it will do enormous damage to the economy, to jobs and to the economic well-being of ordinary Australians, especially low-income households.

Australia Pledges Climate Plan

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, has announced a shift in policy on climate change. He is promising to set up a carbon trading scheme to cut pollution. He would set a target next year for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and also pledged to putin place a carbon trading scheme by 2012. Per head of population in the world, Australia is one of the worst polluters. He has warned, however, that setting a cap on carbon emissions would hurt the economy. The opposition Labor party has a strong lead in the opinion polls in the upcoming national election later this year. They have portrayed the government as dithering and backward-looking on global warming. Labor has pledged to cut greenhouse emissions by 60% by 2050. Mr. Howard told an annual meeting of his Liberal Party that if they get this wrong, it will do enormous damage to the economy, to jobs and to the economic well-being of ordinary Australians, especially low-income households.