28 December – Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto assassinated in Pakistan. Fears country will be torn apart. Members of her party implicate the Pakistan government in the assassination. Widespread protests in the streets.

23 December – Rudd visits Afghanistan and tells Australian troops Australia is in Afghanistan for the long haul.

22 December – Rudd visits Iraq and tells troops of Australian attle group there will be no further rotation of troops. Is questioned by troops on why Australian troops in Afghanistan are receiving higher pay. No reply made public.

21 December – announcement that Peter Hendy, CEO of the Australian chamber of commerce and Industry (ACCI) is to become chief-of-staff to Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson.

Federal Court rules against actions of former Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews in cancelling Dr. Mohamed Haneef’s Australian visa.

Japanese government announces it will not proceed with plans to kill humpback whales.

12 December – Federal Council of the Liberal Party meet. Despite speculation to the contrary, no move to try to force president, Chris McDiven, to retire before her term is up in 2008.

Rudd addresses Bali conference and gets ovation for signing Kyoto. Has a direct dig at US for not signing.

11 December – The Howards move out of Kirribilli.

9 December – Howard addresses annual conference of NSW Liberals in Sydney and assures them they can win the next state election. No apology for the loss of the election from the former PM who then departed to play golf before Brendan Nelson addressed the conference.

3 December – Rudd Ministry sworn in by Governor-General. First Cabinet meeting.

Nationals elect Warren Truss (Qld) and Leader, Senator Nigel Scullion (NT) as deputy Leader to Truss Leader and Leader in the Senate. Senator Ron Boswell (Qld) elected deputy Leader in the Senate.

29 November – Rudd announces Labor Govt’s ministry. Brendan Nelson defeats Malcolm Turnbull for Liberal Leadership by 45 votes to 42. Julie Bishop elected deputy Leader.

26 November – Mark Vaile announces he is standing down as Leader of the Nationals.

25 November – Costello announces he won’t be contesting the Leadership of the Liberals or deputy leadership.

24 November – Polling day. Newspoll says Labor two-party preferred shrunk 52-48.

Last Newspoll. Morgan close to result. Galaxy wrong and ACNielsen way out. An exit poll commissioned by Sky News accurately forecasts the winner and two-party preferred voting about half an hour before counting started.

Outcome was 53.41% Labor, 46.59% Coalition, resulting in a near landslide. Howard loses Bennelong and Turnbull wins handsomely in Wentworth.

23 November – Galaxy poll says Labor lead reduced two-party preferred 52-48.

20 November – Newspoll gives Labor two-party preferred lead of 54-46 on survey taken 17-

19 November – Peter Debnam, former NSW Liberal leader, attacks Howard’s failures on claimte change, dismisses clean coal and nuclear as options.

SEVEN network reveals Government refuses FOI application for details of 2005 submissions by PM&C on further Work Force changes.

18 November – United Nation’s International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) delivers final instalment of its global warming report, warning the world to adapt to ‘abrupt and irreversible’ climate change. The report calls for action and will be a key document for the UN Bali climate change meeting in December.

17 November – Auditor-General releases damning report on Coalition’s pork barrelling in advance of the 2004 election.

15 November – Auditor-General releases damning report on rorting of the $300 million Regional Partnerships Program by Howard Government Ministers. Mark Vaile retorts the attack was political and Parliament should consider stopping reports such as this being released in election campaign. He later recants and say he was sorry to have attacked the auditor.

Kevin Rudd’s campaign launch in Brisbane. Rudd’s additional promises only one quarter of Howard’s effort and Rudd paints himself as a responsible fiscal conservative.

ASIO watchdog, Inspector General of Intelligence an Security, Ian Carnell, to inquire into spy body after a NSW Supreme Court ruling that two of its agent had illegally and falsely kidnapped and imprisoned Izhar ul-Haque, who had terrorims charges against him thrown out. This followed the storm of criticism about the Federal Police actions in the Dr. Mohamed Haneef case.

13 November – Howard’s campaign launch in Brisbane and despite his claim in advance he would be ‘frugal’ he promises an additional $9 billion over four years.

7 November – Reserve Bank increases interest rates by 0.25%, the sixth rise since the 2004 election. It was also th first ever interest rate rise during an election campaign.

5 November – Galaxy poll taken at weekend has Labor two-party preferred on 54% (up 1%) on poll immediately after Howard launched his election campaign with a massive tax cut announcement.

2 November – Story breaks that Peter Garrett had what he called a jocular conversation at Melbourne airport with Sydney shock-jock Steve Price. The radio personality introduced himself to Garrett and then alleged Garrett said Labor would “change everything” once it govt into office. Howard seizes on this as admission Labor while copying government policies, would change them in office.

31 October – Tony Abbott attacks dying asbestos victim Bernie Banton, saying he is pulling a stunt in presenting a petition on subsidies for essential drugs. Abbott apologises and then arrives over half an hour late for a health debate with Shadow Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, at the National Press Club.

28 October – Laurie Oakes on the Sunday show quotes to Howard his claim on radio prior to the last election that he would keep interest rates at record lows.

27 October – Financial Review breaks story that Malcolm Turnbull tried and failed to persuade Cabinet to sign the Kyoto protocol.

23 October – Newspoll tells entirely different story to ACNielsen and Galaxy of previous week and has Labor increasing its two-party preferred lead.
Peter Costello debates Wayne Swan at press club. Most in Press Gallery call it a draw.
Howard throws $4 billion to pensioners, self-funded retirees and carers. Spokespersons say not enough.

21 October – Debate between Howard and Rudd. Pundits give debate to Rudd and NINE’s ‘worm’ gives it to Rudd 65% to 29%.

19 October –Galaxy has the two-party preferred as 53% Labor (down 3% on 21/23 September), 47% Coalition (up 3%). The ALP has lost only 1% of its vital primary, now on 45%. The Liberal primary is still low at 39% (up 3%). ACNielsen has Labor’s primary up 1% to 48% (since 4-6 October). TPP its ALP 54% (down 2%), 46% Coalition (up 2%). Labor still wins easily.
Rudd unveils his own tax plan similar to Howard’s but delays cuts for those on $180,000 to pay for family school costs including cost of a computer.

15 October – Newspoll (taken October 12-14) unchanged two-party preferred Labor 56% - Coalition 44%.
Howard and Costello jointly announce $34 billion in tax cuts starting next July and going through to 2010-11.

14 October – Howard announces election for November 24. Costello not present.

12 October – Howard unveils his campaign theme Australia: Stronger, Prosperous and Secure. Costello not present.

10 October – Rudd gives Foreign Affairs spokesman Robert McClelland a dressing down for saying Labor policy was against death sentence for Bali bombers. Too close to fifth anniversary of bombing.
Howard reveals he will use funding to states to force history to be a compulsory subject.

9 October – Australian soldier, Trooper David Pearce, killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

4 October – Malcolm Turnbull announces the Tasmanian pulp to proceed on conditions. Labor supports his decision.

1 October –Newspoll (taken 28-30 September) has the Labor lead two-party preferred higher at 56% Labor (up 1% in two weeks) and Coalition 44% (down 1%). The on-line calculator of the ABC’s election analyst Antony Green gives the Labor swing from the last election at 8.7%. This would give Labor 96 seats in the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.

28 September – Morgan poll shows ALP primary vote at highest level since Rudd became Leader – 54% (up 4.5%) to the Coalition’s 36% (down 4%).

24 September – Howard unveils clean energy target of 15% of energy from clean sources (including nuclear and coal) by 2020.

20 September – Dirt flies at question time, which could be last day of sitting of the Parliament before an election. Heated debate over Labor raising question of whether Government leaked details of Rudd's medical record (including a heart valve operation) to the media.

18 September - Newspoll says Labor has a huge two-party preferred lead in NSW of 16%; in Vic an even bigger 20%; in SA 10% (where Rudd could win 5 seats); and Qld 4%. In WA, the Coalition leads by 2%. WA is the only state where Howard is the preferred PM, with a lead of 3% over Rudd.

12 September – Newspaper revelations in morning that Howard asked Downer to inquire of Cabinet ministers whether he should stand down. Downer tells ministers Howard is not sure whether he can win Bennelong or the election. All ministers present, except Abbott, agree Howard should go. Downer advises Howard of this, but Howard decides to stay on.

Liberal Party room meeting does not move against Howard’s leadership, despite much concern about the election outcome and ministers discussing Howard’s future.

Howard tells Kerry O’Brien on the 7.30 Report he will retire “well into” his term for Costello to take over. Howard’s move is seen as making his job far harder in Bennelong.

6 September - Speaking Mardarin, Kevin Rudd welcomes Chinese President Hu Jintao.

4 September – Bush arrives for APEC in Sydney. A devastating Newspoll produced a two-party preferred lead by Labor of 14%, up 5% on a fortnight earlier.

28 August – Rudd announces a two year transition from Work Choices to Labor’s policy which will completely eliminate Australian Workplace Agreements on 1 January 2010.

21 August – Latest Newspoll shows Labor still with 10% two-party preferred lead.

20 August – Howard, in speech to Millennium Forum, unveils his policy of ‘aspirational nationalism’ in which the Federal Government would intervene if states are not doing their job. He said he was not interested in ‘states rights’.

19 August – Glenn Milne, in News Ltd papers, reports that Kevin Rudd went to a New York strip club four years ago. Rudd admits doing this and says it was a mistake. Polls in Sunday Telegraph shows only one quarter of respondents were against Rudd as a result.

14 August – Michael Brissenden, on 7.30 Report, reveals Peter Costello’s dinner with three journalists in 2005 when he talked about challenging Howard.

13 August – ACNielsen poll shows improvement for Coalition vote, but Labor still leads two-party preferred 55% (down 2% on a month earlier), to the coalition’s 45% (up 2%).

9 August – Kevin Harkins, Electrical Trades Union, withdraws as Labor candidate for Franklin after bitter campaign against him by retiring Labor MP for the seat, Harry Quick.

8 August – Reserve Bank increases interest rates by 0.25%, the fifth rise since the 2004 election.

7 August – Latest Newspoll shows Labor increasing lead.

6 August – News Ltd tabloids run story on damning report from Crosby-Textor, finding the PM is perceived as old and dishonest.

5 August – Liberal State Executive voted narrowly (11-9) to reverse pre-selection of Michael Towke for the seat of Cook.

3 August – Howard announces federal takeover of Mersey hospital in Devonport.

28 July – Haneef flies out of Australia to return to his family in Bangalore. Having said Haneef had to remove himself from Australia and still refusing to reverse his decision revoking Haneef’s visa, Andrews says the doctor’s sudden departure added to the suspicions about him.

30 July – John Brumby elected unopposed as Premier by Labor Caucus following the resignation of Steven Bracks.

27 July – Case against Haneef of assisting terror attacks in Glasgow collapses. Charges withdrawn. Immigration Minister Andrews says he should remove himself from the country.

26 July – Big slump on Wall St over the troubled US housing market.

25 July – Howard announces he will proceed with Murray-Darling basic plan despite Victoria refusing to sign up. Bracks says it was all ironed out when he met Malcolm Turnbull on 7 July implying Howard took a solo decision to create a crisis.

Inflation, according to the CPI, in the June quarter hits 1.2%

19 July – Fairfax press reveal savage criticism of Howard made by Costello in interview for new biography of Howard – 'John Winston Howard'.

17 July – Howard unveils plans for carbon trading, but no targets set till after the election. Howard appears on YouTube.

16 July – Indian doctor, Mohamed Haneef, granted bail but Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews revokes his visa and declares whatever the outcome of the court case, Haneef will be deported. Labor says it supports Andrews decision.

13 July – Howard defends himself from claims of extravagance in use of the VIP RAAF 737s which have an interior lined with expensive silk fabric. He denied suggestion he and his staff travelled in luxury and comfort and the accommodation was not as good as business class on a commercial jet.

12 July – Sydney Daily Telegraph (Howard’s favourite paper) runs page one story headed “Sydney walks away from the PM”.

11 July - The National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development (including representatives of BHP Billiton, Anglo Coal, Leighton Contractors and Macquarie Bank) declares the need for the government to set a greenhouse gas reduction target of cutting by 20% by 2020 and halving by 2050.

Rudd promises a Labor government will direct the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to inquire into supermarket grocery prices and monitor and publish prices. Costello dismisses this saying the Australian Bureau of Statistics monitors and publishes grocery prices (ignoring the fact that they are not supermarket prices. Downer sneers that Rudd wants to set the price of carrots. Farm groups urge Rudd to ensure farm products are monitored in Woolies and Coles.

Visiting Tasmania and interviewed on radio, Howard cannot remember the name of the Liberal candidate for Franklin, Vanessa Goodwin. Media immediately point out similar slips contributed to Kim Beazley’s downfall. Asked at a press conference can he remember her name Peter Costello immediately says he can, “its Vanessa GOOD …WIN (with heavy emphasis).”

10 July – The New York Times report’s White House advisers are debating whether President Bush should begin drawing down troops from Iraq as opposition to the war among Congressional Republicans mounts. The White House denies the story and John Howard declares “My very strong view is that the (US) Administration will remain on course with what it has previously said.”

5 July – Fair Pay Commission announces $10 a week pay rise for lowest paid workers.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson on AM links oil to war in Iraq. Howard later denies oil had anything to do with invasion of Iraq.

Howard releases Defence update report and commits Australia to a continuing expeditionary force able to support the United States.

Rudd launches again calls for withdrawal from Iraq and launches new policy on the arch of instability to our north with an emphasis on economic rather than military tools.

3 July – Police, acting on information from British police, intercept a doctor (not an Australian citizen) who was about to board a flight from Brisbane airport for Asia. Galaxy poll shows 58% believe Howard is addressing problems in Aboriginal communities because of the coming federal election.

21 June – Howard announces plan to take over aboriginal affairs from NT Government, crack down on grog and make Government payments conditional on children being looked after. Rudd immediately says he supports the policy.

18 June – Howard announces policy on broadband.

Newspoll and ACNielsen polls show Government making little headway against Rudd.

13 June – Howard attacks Rudd over ACTU leaked manual telling volunteers how to attack Work Choices.

7 June – Jobless down to 4.2%, lowest rate in 32 years. Australian dollar hits an 18 year high of US84.67c.

6 June - National accounts for March quarter shows economic growth rise of 1.6% yet inflation still low.

1-3 June – Liberal Federal Council meets in Sydney. Howard steps up attack on Rudd on lines – ‘who do you trust’. Rudd’s target of 60% cut by 2050 a disaster, he says. PM won’t say what cap he will apply to emissions until next year.

1 June – Howard releases carbon trading task force report.

27 May – At a Rudd-Rein press conference Rein says she will sell her Australian business.

25 May – Rein flies back from London to confer with Rudd.

24 May – Therese Rein, Rudd’s wife, accused of depriving over 50 workers in her companies of rights for only 45c an hour recompense. Rudd explains it was previous management of the company involved which did this and she made restitution to workers. Rein then in London.

23 May – Howard unveils plan for continuation of a single desk wheat exporting system. Howard tells party room that if current polls are right the government will be annihilated at the election and he had “no rabbits to pull out of the hat.”

15 May – Latest Newspoll shows Coalition lost ground in first poll after Budget.

10 May – Rudd, in reply to the Budget, offers $2.4 billion for technical trades training at all high schools.

8 May – Costello introduces big spending Budget with tax cuts.

4 May – Howard announces backflip on AWA’s inserting new safety net to ensure compensation for workers giving up a range of standard benefits.

30 April – BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto publicly express hostility to abolition fog AWA’s as promised by Rudd and ALP platform.

28 April – Howard declares his government will embrace the nuclear industry.

28 April – ALP National Conference in Sydney votes unanimously for industrial relations platform sponsored by Kevin Rudd.

27 April – ALP National Conference opens in Sydney

23 April - Howard delivers 'Australia Rising' address on the future of Australia in Brisbane.

19 April – Howard says a report to COAG warns of grave consequences for agriculture if there is no good rain by the middle of May.

18 April – Rudd unveils his industrial relations package for the election.

10 April – Newspoll survey (January-March) reveals Labor leading in vital marginals seats two-party preferred with 58%, to Coalition’s 42%.

10 April – Howard announces 300 troops in a special operations task group will go to Oruzgan province in Afghanistan, joining about 400 Australian soldiers engaged in reconstruction, training and engineering projects. The task group will include commandoes and it will pursue the Taliban. Howard warns they will be in danger.

5 April – Treasurer Peter Costello, rejecting Treasury’s criticism of the government, echoes Turnbull’s view Treasury doesn’t know anything about water.

4 April – The Financial Review reveals private speech by Treasury Secretary, Ken Henry, to staff in which he criticises government for inferior policies on water and climate change because it failed to heed Treasury advice. Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, says Treasury “doesn’t know anything about water.

30 March – David Hicks pleads guilty before a US military commission to a charge of providing material support for terrorism.

26 March – David Hicks sentenced to five years and nine months jail. His five years in Guantanamo Bay is to count as part of the term. He will spend the remainder of his sentence in Australia. Under his plea bargaining deal he cannot tell his story for 12 months. In Australia doubts are raised as to whether this can be enforced.

24 March – Iemma Labor Government comfortably returned in NSW state election.

21 March – Labor unveils joint government-private plan for a broadband build using $2 billion of Future Fund money.

20 March – Another bad Newspoll for Howard. Two-party preferred Labor 61%, Coalition 39%. Santoro announces he is resigning from the Senate forthwith.

16 March - Aged Minister, Santo Santoro, resigns his portfolio following revelations he engaged in a further 72 share deals without registering them on the Senate record of interests.

13 March – Howard signs a security agreement with Japan. Denies it's aimed at China.

12 March – Latest ACNielsen poll shows Labor racing away in the polls, and with 83% saying the attacks on Rudd over his meeting with Brian Burke made no difference to their views of the Opposition Leader.

9 March – Labor frontbencher, Kelvin Thomson, resigns as shadow minister for providing convicted drug trafficker Tony Mokbel with a reference to support his application for a liquor licence.

7 March – Financial Review breaks story days after lobbyist Brian Burke and Julian Grill doctored a state parliamentary report to favour their client, Precious Metals Aus, Liberal WA Senator Ross Lightfoot. He had previously under privilege made scathing attacks on Swiss mining group Xstrata’s treatment of PMA after he bought 1 million PMA options.

7 March – Garuda jet crashes in Indonesia killing a number of Australians.

6 March – Newspoll (taken 2-4 April) shows Coalition’s primary vote slid from 41% to 37% since the previous poll a fortnight earlier. The ALP primary is at 47% (up 1%), the highest since March 2001.

6 March – Cabinet approves Qantas bid by Airline Partners Australia with a deed of enforceable undertakings.

6 March – News breaks police have raided the offices of three Federal Liberals in Brisbane seats – Andrew Laming, Ross Vasta and Gary Hardgrave.

3 March – Human Services Minister, Senator Ian Campbell, resigns from Cabinet after admitting he had met with Burke in 2006. In an obvious deal Howard said a return to the Ministry for Campbell would not be excluded.

1 March – Government launches question time attack on Rudd on contacts with Brian Burke. At press conference Rudd admits he saw Burke three times in 2005 and says with hindsight it was a mistake.

25 February – Rudd announces TV personality Maxine McKew will be the ALP candidate in John Howard’s seat of Bennelong, where his margin is down to 4%.

23 February – At a Canberra meeting NSW, Qld, SA and the ACT agree to Howard’s water plan after PM makes concessions. Victoria still holds out.

22 February – Tony Blair unveils exit strategy for pullout of UK troops in Iraq.

20 February – Newspoll (taken 6-18 February) shows Rudd with a 10% lead over Howard as Preferred Prime Minister. Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull announces banning of incandescent lights bulbs by 2010.

13 February – Howard accuses Rudd of “not having the guts” to say what would happen if the US pulled out of Iraq. Rudd challenges PM to national TV debate on Iraq. Howard declines.

12 February – Latest ACNielsen poll (taken 8-10 February) show Kevin Rudd at an all time high popularity level for an Opposition Leader at 65%. He also heads Howard as preferred Prime Minister.

11 February – Howard launches an attack on leading Democrats candidate for presidency of the United States, Senator Barack Obama who has pledged, if elected, to withdraw US forces from Iraq by March 2008.

8 February – At a meeting with Howard in Parliament House Premiers Rann, Beattie and Bracks refuse to sign up to handing over their constitutional powers on Murray-Darling water to the Commonwealth. Iemma agrees ‘in principle’ with Howard.

25 January – Howard announces a national water policy with a proposed takeover of the Murray-Darling basin by the Commonwealth.

24 January – December quarter CPI reveals inflation down 0.1%, the first fall for eight years and removes the immediate danger of an interest rate rise.

23 January – Howard announces reshuffle. Vanstone sacked, Turnbull and Hockey go into Cabinet.

22 January – Hilary Clinton announces she is running for the Democratic Party’s candidate for President.

17 January – Financial Review reveals Telstra has obtained sensitive internal documents from the ACCC by a freedom of information request. The documents, says Telstra general counsel Will Irving, will increase the likelihood of Telstra mounting a High Court case challenging the powers of the ACCC.

16 January – Australian Industrial Relations Commission rules that a large employer with 100 employees or more could sack a worker for “genuine operational reasons” without rising an unfair dismissal claim. The case involved Village Roadshow sacking a long standing employee after it closed a theatre at which he was working. Unfair dismissal claims only apply to firms with 100 or more employees.

11 January – President Bush announces an additional 21,500 troops will be sent to Iraq, mainly to counter the insurgency in Baghdad.

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2006

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