A perspective from France - Australia's election

France Soir highlighted the continuing shift away from the racism of the Howard years. Its Sunday lead article was headed “An Aboriginal and a Moslem for the first time in the Australian Parliament”.

Australia electing Ken Wyatt (Liberal, WA) and Ed Husic (Labor, NSW) resonates strongly here where race and religion continue to be divisive. [Note: Mr Wyatt is the first Indigenous member of the lower house only].

“Mr Wyatt indicated he would pay homage in his first speech to members of the Labor Party and former leader, Kevin Rudd,” France Soir reported. “Ousted in June as Labor leader, Mr. Rudd had presented in Parliament in 2008 an apology to Aboriginals for the injustices undergone during two centuries.”

Third, that an incumbent party would admit failure by changing leaders in an election year. Metro described la façon muscle - the muscular way - in which “Ms Gillard, then deputy Prime Minister ousted Mr Rudd who had seized power from the conservatives three years ago.” It then quoted defeated ALP member Maxine McKew: “One cannot unload a Prime Minister and two months later have an election and expect to win.”

Fourth, that a new leader would go to the polls early while her popularity was in decline. Le Nouvel Observateur said “although charismatic, Julia Gillard faced resentment from certain Labor voters after having pushed out Kevin Rudd”.

L’Express quoted a July opinion poll which gave Labor 55 per cent support. “But a series of volte-faces and unpopular decisions on sensitive topics like immigration, the carbon tax and the mining super-profits tax alienated part of the electorate.”

Fifth, why is Australia still a monarchy? Le Figaro’s Pierre Prier raised this, as do Europeans frequently, when he reported that the election campaign last week “remains dismal”.

“Julia Gillard attempted to reignite it by wishing that Australia becomes a republic, but only after the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, still the symbolic head of state.” “The subject,” Prier added ruefully, “did not fascinate the voters”.

Australia will continue to fascinate France. Having attracted attention in 2007, its future remains of interest. Les Echos quoted Peter Costello - ancien ministre des Finances - suggesting “Australia could be back at the polls within a year”.

If so, winning this election may not be all good. Or, as Michel de Montaigne observed, “There are some defeats more triumphant than victories”.