Democracy was served

In primary school and church halls all over Australia today, the people voted. (And by the way, it's compulsory to vote - there are fines if you don't turn up and get your name marked off the roll).

Later: In light of gmg's comments (inside), I add that there were, if not fireworks, whoops and hollers of joy, and air punching delerium emanating from the Sydney Daily Photo household at the outcome, it must only have been because private fireworks are banned in NSW! !

What the people decided was that it's all over for the bloke below as Prime Minister. John Howard's coalition government was resoundingly defeated, and he looks like losing his own seat in parliament. He faced a very strong challenge from a former ABC journalist, Maxine McKew, of the Labor Party. At close of counting tonight she is just ahead. This would make him only the second Prime Minister in Australian history to lose his own seat.
And it's all beginning for Kevin Rudd, the leader of the Australian Labor Party, who will be the next Prime Minister. On many issues, there is not much difference between Rudd and Howard. But, there are also significant, election defining differences. Rudd has promised to ratify the Kyoto Treaty on climate change, withdraw combat troops from Iraq, and roll back the extremely unpopular Industrial Relations laws.