CRI听力：Australian Labor Party Wins the 2007 Federal Elections

Kevin Rudd's Australian Labor Party has defeated Prime Minister John Howard's ruling Coalition of the Liberal Party and the National party in the country's federal elections held on Saturday.

The watershed result means the return of Labor to power after more than a decade in opposition, and puts an end to eleven and a half year of Coalition rule

It also saw - for only the second time in the country's history - a sitting Prime Minister failing to hold onto his own seat.

CRI's Australia correspondent Chen Feng has more details.

Reporter:

According to the latest results from most of the electoral regions across the country, the Australian Labor Party has won at least 76 seats in the House of Representatives, out of a total of 150. However a number of polling stations are still counting votes and the final tally is expected to give Labour a comfortable majority.

According to the Australian Constitution, the party which holds the majority of the House seats is eligible to form the cabinet and its party leader will become the prime minister of the country.

Late on Saturday night, Prime Minister John Howard publicly conceded defeat saying that he had called opposition leader Kevin Rudd, to extend to him his congratulations.

"And I want to say on behalf of the coalition that is governing this country for the last eleven and half years, we bequest to him a nation that is stronger and prouder and more prosperous than it was eleven and half years ago".

Howard also announced that the elections drew an end to his political career of more than 30 years and recommended his deputy, Party Treasurer Peter Costello, to become the new leader of the Liberal Party, which together with the National Party, formed the ruling Coalition.

Shortly after Howard's speech, Prime Minister Elect, Kevin Rudd, claimed victory at his campaign headquarters in the Queensland capital, Brisbane.

He once again promised that he would serve all Australians.

"That I will be a prime minister for all Australians. A prime minister for indigenous Australians, Australians who has been born here, Australians who have come here from a far. A prime minister for our cities and our towns, a prime minister for rural Australia. For our man and women in uniforms, for all our states and territories. I will be prime minister for all Australians."

Rudd also reiterated the key policies that had been raised during his campaign, including a "revolution in education", funding for public hospitals, coping with climate change and the abolishing of the controversial Workchoice legislation.

He added that Australia would cooperate with other countries to deal with the challenges that face the world today.

I extend our greetings tonight to our great friends and alliance in the United States, to our great friends and partners across Asia and the Pacific and to our great friends and partners in Europe and beyond, we look forward to working in partnership with all those nations."

The election results dealt another heavy blow to the Coalition, as John Howard lost his own seat in the North Sydney district of Bennelong, making him only the second sitting Prime Minister in Australian history to hold that dubious distinction.

Howard had served as the representative for Bennelong for the past 33 years. But this year, he faced a strong challenge from the rookie labor candidate, and former ABC journalist, Maxin Mckew.

An emotional Mckew had this to say on hearing the news of her victory in the marginal constituency:

"This has been an amazing night. A wonderful, a wonderful night for labor, a fabulous, I hope a transforming moment for the country. Bennelong will never, ever be taken for granted again."

As final results give a clearer picture of the overall outcome, analysts expect Labor to push forward with its stated goals of presenting a new image, promoting fresh policies and bringing change to the nation.

On the domestic side, the party says it will develop a strong economy; increase funding for public hospitals; launch an "education revolution"; abolish the Workchoices legislation; strengthen environmental protection, and soothe the sometimes tense relationship between the federal government and the States.

On the international front, Labor says it will reinforce ties with countries across Asia - particularly the ASEAN countries, China, Japan and South Korea - sign the Kyoto Protocol and maintain the traditional alliance with the United States, while phasing out Australian forces serving in Iraq.

Chen Feng, CRI news, Sydney.