Ozzie Rules

Back in Malta for a week of sun ... Here's something that's just come up on timesofmalta.com.

Breaking News

Australian PM takes election campaign to YouTube
[17/07/2007 - 12:56]
Australia's conservative leader John Howard took his re-election campaign to the Internet, targeting youth culture as he delivered new measures to fight climate change.

Howard, who turns 68 next week and has been prime minister for 11 years, is trying to counter political attacks that he is old and out of touch. Dressed in a suit and with the Australian flag in the background, Howard launched the environment policy on the popular video Web site YouTube in a speech lasting about two minutes.

Viewers gave him a decidedly mixed response. 'This is another Howard sham. Another knee jerk reaction from a dinosaure (sic) in it's political death throws,' wrote YouTube contributor robbamcrobot. Many responses were even more blunt and a number called for the prime minister to retire, although some were supportive of his first foray onto the Internet. 'You rock John!! The others are stuck in their sorry world where anything and anything anti-government is 'cool'... its scary to think they have the power to vote. your doing an awesome job! (all sic),' wrote contributor shallowblue.

Until now, Howard has always preferred talkback radio to reach voters.

His age has become a political issue in Australia in the lead up to elections due within five months. Climate change has also become a hot topic for voters after the worst drought onr ecord. His government's perceived lack of action in tackling global warming, such as failure to sign the Kyoto Protocol climate pact or reluctance to agree to targets to cut greenhouse emissions, has angered many voters.

The opposition Labor party stepped up its attack with its own YouTube and television ad showing Howard in bed and sleeping through four alarms warning of the dangers of global warming and his refusal to set greenhouse gas targets. 'But he won't set targets, until after the election. Howard's asleep on climate change. 11 years. Still asleep,' the narrator says as Howard sleeps on. Centre-left Labor has a strong lead in opinion polls and has attempted to portray Howard as a man who is stuck in the past compared to Labor leader Kevin Rudd, who is 18 years younger. Rudd turns 50 in September.

In the United States, presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have used the Internet to reach a new generation of supporters. Clinton used the Internet to post a send-up video of the final episode of the hit television series 'The Sopranos', announcing the winning anthem for her presidential campaign would be Celine Dion's 'You and I'. A video song 'Obama Girl' on YouTube, where women swoon for Clinton's rival Obama, has received more than one million hits.

Howard's performance was more conservative in style as he announced millions of dollars for schools to install solar hot water systems. 'Australia will more than play its part to address climate change, but we will do it in a practical and balanced way, in full knowledge of the economic consequences for our nation,' he says.

Hours after it was posted, Howard's YouTube message had received thousands of views and hundreds of comments, the vast number uncomplimentary.