Australian Labor Party’s “fresh face” masks a pro-war, corporate agenda

Thus far Rudd and his running mate, Julia Gillard, have largely confined themselves to empty clichés and platitudes. In his first statement as Labor leader, Rudd repeatedly said Australia was at a “fork in the road” on a series of issues, including the economy, manufacturing policy, workplace laws, climate change, education, health and federal-state relations. But behind these pat phrases is a very right-wing agenda.

For all the hype about Rudd and Gillard offering voters “new ideas” and “new style of leadership,” their policies will not deviate one inch from Labor’s support for the bogus “war on terror” and commitment to servicing the requirements of the corporate elite. In his first television interview as ALP leader last night, Rudd emphasised the three pillars of his leadership: “rock solid” adherence to the US military alliance; a “hard-line” stance on national security; and life-long support for “mainstream” and “conservative” economics.

By restating his allegiance to the US alliance, Rudd is making it plain that he is no less prepared than Beazley, or Howard, to back Washington’s militarism as a means of furthering Australian strategic and economic interests. Like Beazley, he has cautiously called for the withdrawal of most Australian troops from Iraq. This is nothing but an attempt to exploit the deep popular opposition in Australia—as well as in the US and internationally—to the criminal invasion and the quagmire it has produced.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/dec2006/rudd-d05.shtml