Mark Latham

Mark William Latham (born February 28, 1961) is a former Australian politician who served as leader of the federal parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005. Latham captured national attention and high levels of public approval with his innovative policies and unconventional approach, but also attracted controversy surrounding his colourful past. In the October 2004 federal election, Latham was defeated by the incumbent Prime Minister John Howard. Ill health and deteriorating relations with his own party forced him to step down as Leader on 18 January, 2005. In September, Latham released a set of diaries in which he attacked many of his former colleagues and members of the media, as well as condemning the general state of political life in Australia.

Party leader

Latham was a vocal supporter of Beazley's successor Simon Crean, defending the beleaguered leader against his critics within the party. He attacked Crean's principal frontbench detractors, Stephen Smith, Stephen Conroy and Wayne Swan as "the three roosters". When Crean's position finally became untenable and he resigned, Latham contested the ballot for leader against Beazley. On 2 December 2003, less than ten years after entering Parliament, Latham won the vote for the leadership by 47 votes to 45 (Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard were early contenders for the leadership, but both withdrew in favour of Beazley and Latham respectively). At the age of 42, Latham became the youngest leader of the federal parliamentary Labor Party since its first leader Chris Watson, who became leader in 1901 aged 33.

Related Topics:
Simon Crean - Stephen Smith - Stephen Conroy - Wayne Swan - 2 December - 2003 - Kevin Rudd - Julia Gillard - Chris Watson - 1901

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The government organised quickly to attack Latham, believing that his brash personality and his colourful past made him a broad target. Howard characterised Latham as "Mr Flip-Flop", referring to a character in a children's book. The Treasurer, Peter Costello, attempted to damage Latham's economic credentials by referring to the experimental economic ideas that he had put forward as Shadow Treasurer, such as abolishing negative gearing and replacing the GST with a PET (Progressive Expenditure Tax). Frequent references were made to Latham's temper: he once broke a taxi-driver's arm in a scuffle arising from a fare dispute. However, Latham was uncharacteristically calm in the face of these attacks, surprising many members of the press.

Related Topics:
Peter Costello - GST

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On winning the leadership, Latham moved swiftly to heal the rifts in the Labor Party and to moderate his abrasive image. He appointed his predecessor, Crean, as Shadow Treasurer, and retained a number of Beazley's supporters in senior positions. In July 2004 Beazley himself was re-elected to the ALP front bench as Shadow Minister for Defence. Latham gave a promise not to use the kind of "crude" language he had employed in the past. He and the party's foreign affairs spokesperson, Kevin Rudd, met the United States Ambassador, Tom Schieffer, to stress Labor's continuing support for the Australian-American alliance.

Related Topics:
Crean - 2004 - Kevin Rudd - United States - Tom Schieffer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In February 2004 the Australian Labor Party national conference was held in Sydney. During the conference Latham received very positive media coverage and introduced his plans for early childhood literacy. He introduced an unusual campaign style, choosing to focus on "values" issues, such as reading to children. He also put forward plans to reform the Australian education and medical systems. In contrast to the intense stagecrafting of Latham's image by the conference, he boosted his profile by means of loosely organised "town hall" style direct meetings around the country. By March, Labor had taken the lead over the Coalition in the opinion polls, and Latham had a higher personal approval rating than any Opposition Leader since Bob Hawke in 1983. Commentators began to discuss the serious possibility that Latham could be Prime Minister by the end of the year.

Related Topics:
2004 - Bob Hawke - 1983

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In March, following the Spanish elections at which the pro-American government was defeated, Latham sparked a new controversy by committing a Labor government to withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq by Christmas. At that time, Australia had about 850 troops in Iraq, mostly involved in patrol work and in training members of the new Iraqi defence forces. Prime Minister Howard accused Latham of a "cut and run" approach and of taking an "un-Australian" position.

Related Topics:
Spanish elections - Iraq - Christmas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~