Election date soon says Mr Hawke

Press, 23 August 1984, Page 10

Election date soon says Mr Hawke

NZPA-AAP Canberra The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, said yesterday that he would announce the Federal election date soon. He indicated that it would be sometime between December and March. Mr Hawke, who turns 55 on Sunday, December 9, was asked on an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio programme “AM,” whether he would wake up that day with Labour re-elected for another term. His reply seems to have quashed speculation that the election date might be brought forward to November or October. “From the very beginning I have made it clear that we intend to bring an end to the itacertainty created by the decision of the Fraser ' Government in March of

1983, in taking the elections out of kilter," Mr Hawke said. It was clear that a half Senate election had to be held by April next year, he said. A House of Representatives election would be held at the.same time along with a referendum to ensure future elections were simultaneous “so there can be no more of this playing around that has been inflicted upon us by our conservative predecessors.” “Now as soon as is possible, having for a long time identified the election Eeriod as between Decemer or March of next year, I will make an announcement, and we can get on with the business.” Mr Hawke said. If an election had been jheld at the start of August, Khe Labour Party would wave been returned with an

increased majority, according to a Morgan Gallup Poll published in the “Bulletin” magazine yesterday. The poll found that support for the A.L.P. was 51 per cent, while the Opposition’s support was down 2 per cent to 42 per cent. Five per cent of those sampled supported the Australian Democrats and 2 per cent supported other parties. If a Senate election had been held this month, the A.L.P. would have won 46 per cent with the Democrats and independent candidates maintaining the balance of power, the poll found. Sixty-eight per cent of those polled approved of the way Mr Hawke was handling his job. Thirty-five per cent (down 2 per cent) approved of the Opposition Leaderjr Mr Andrew PeacocihA handling of his job. .*’■*'