REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN

Tuesday August 1, 2006

FIVE weeks of political speculation ended with Prime Minister John Howard announcing he would contest a fifth consecutive election, thwarting Treasurer Peter Costello’s leadership ambitions.

Three weeks after Mr Costello demanded Mr Howard retire by Christmas, the Prime Minister faxed Liberal Party MPs with a single-page letter, telling them he intended to stay on as leader.

Mr Howard took his decision after consulting widely with his Liberal Party colleagues, who overwhelmingly wanted him to stay on.

Government MPs welcomed Mr Howard’s decision, while Mr Costello resigned himself to handing down yet another federal Budget in 2007.

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley declared the next election campaign open, saying it was the fight he wanted.

Mr Howard said Mr Costello, his party deputy for 13 years and Treasurer for a decade, was crucial to the Government’s chances of winning a tough election in 2007.

But he refused to commit himself to serving a full term if the Government was reelected, leaving a glimmer of hope for Mr Costello that he may have a shot at the top job within two to three years.

Mr Howard and Mr Costello remained in their positions going into the November 2007 election when the ageing Coalition government was defeated in a landslide by Labor, led by new Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd.

Mr Howard lost his own seat to Labor’s Maxine McKew while Mr Costello resigned from parliament in 2009.