Howard's popularity reaches new high

Howard's popularity reaches new high

AUSTRALIA: John Howard has reached a new peak in popularity a month after becoming Australia's second-longest-serving prime minister, an opinion poll showed on Monday.

Howard is enjoying a 67 percent approval rating, according to the AC Nielsen national telephone poll published in The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

The new peak followed Australia's 1 billion Australian dollar (US$770 million) tsunami aid package for Indonesia, which was widely applauded, and came as the opposition Labor Party still reeled from the sudden resignation of its leader.

It also marked a resounding rebound for a political leader who triggered the largest anti-war demonstrations in Australia since the Vietnam war when he committed 2,000 troops to support U.S. and British forces in the Iraq invasion.

The new rating exceeded his 66 percent high a month after the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks on the United States, and 64 percent in mid-1996 when he cracked down on the availability of firearms as newly elected prime minister.

The poll showed that Labor's popularity has slipped since its fourth successive election loss last October. Labor attracted 47 percent of votes on Oct. 9. But the poll showed that support has dwindled to 43 percent. -- AP