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FACTBOX-Australia's Rudd after 1 year in power
21 Nov 2008 07:19:41 GMT
 Source: Reuters
CANBERRA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will mark one year in office on Nov. 24, with the global financial crisis set to dominate the remainder of his term.

Following are a summary of the key achievements of Rudd's first year, and the challenges and risks he faces for the remainder of the three-year term of government. The next election is due in the second half of 2010.

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ANALYSIS-Global crisis poses problems for Australia's Rudd

Double-click on [nSYD354872]

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ECONOMY

* Rudd won office promising conservative economic management and tight control on spending, but the global crisis has forced the government to spend A$10.4 in a stimulus package in order to head off recession. The surplus and economic growth have both been downgraded, as the central bank has slashed rates to try to protect Australia from the global downturn.

INDIGENOUS

* Rudd used the first parliamentary sitting day of his new government to make an historic apology to Aborigines for past injustices, honouring a key election promise and heralding a new era in race relations in Australia. He has also promised to end a 17-year gap in life expectancy between Aborigines and other Australians, but has been criticised for the slow pace of improvements.

ENVIRONMENT

* Rudd's first act as prime minister was to sign documents to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, meeting a core election promise. But the government now plans to introduce carbon trading by mid 2010, with green groups wanting tough carbon targets and business warning of closures and job losses.

FOREIGN POLICY

* Rudd has withdrawn about 500 frontline troops from Iraq, in line with his election promise. But the Mandarin-speaking former diplomat has faced criticism at home for his regular overseas trips. He wants to reposition Australia as a middle power, but his plan for a new East Asia community has stalled, with little or no interest in the region.

($1=A$1.57)

(Editing by Jeremy Laurence)


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