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Australia opposition shies off election trigger

22 Jun 2009 07:31:18 GMT
Source: Reuters

CANBERRA, June 22 (Reuters) - Australia's conservative opposition on Monday said it would not hand Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a constitutional trigger to call early elections and would back a controversial tax increase on alcoholic soft drinks.

Rudd had been facing an obstructive Senate and the alcoholic soft drinks tax legislation had already been rejected once by the upper house. A second rejection would have allowed Rudd to call a "double dissolution" election of both houses of parliament.

"In this dire budgetary context, the coalition has decided it will not oppose these bills." conservative spokesman Peter Dutton told reporters.

The Senate is expected to vote on the tax bill on Wednesday after passage through the government-controlled lower house.

Rudd's Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the so-called "alcopops" legislation was a key part of the centre-left government's strategy to tackle binge drinking in Australia.

First elected in November 2007, Rudd is not due to hold an election until late 2010 and has said he intends to serve his full three-year term, but is equally concerned about protecting the integrity of his government's May budget.

The Senate is still poised to reject laws underpinning a carbon emissions trading system later this week, with the government promising to bring the legislation back after a minimum three months and deliver a first election trigger. (Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Michael Perry)

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