I forgot to say that one of the major differences in the two parrties at present is troop deployment or withdrawal in Iraq. Prime Minister John Howard is a staunch ally of George Bush (to the point of subservience) whereas new Labor leader Mark Latham enjoys no such intimacy. He has vowed to bring Australian troops home in time for Christmas. This has got up the nose of Mr Bush and Colin Powell who both have publically censured Mr Latham and are now seen to be meddling in Australian domestic politics.