Howard overtakes 'gracious' Hawke in power stakes

John Howard

CANBERRA - Australia's John Howard became the nation's second-longest-serving Prime Minister yesterday as a new opinion poll showed his popularity at a 13-month peak.

Howard has now notched up 3207 days in power, overtaking former Labor rival Bob Hawke.

A Newspoll published in the Australian newspaper also showed 60 per cent of voters believed he was the best person to lead the country.

"I congratulate John Howard on his achievement," Hawke told Australian radio, adding that the Labor party could learn from the Liberal/National coalition Government.

"John Howard and the Liberal Party have learned a lot of lessons from their period in the wilderness between 1983 and 1996," he said.

Howard praised Hawke for his "gracious comments".

"Respect across the political divide of Australia has not always been plentiful," he said. "But I hope it can be said about our relationship that despite our obvious and strongly expressed differences ... we each respect the contribution that the other has made to public life."

Howard would need to serve almost another decade in office to surpass Liberal Party founder Sir Robert Menzies' record of 18 years as Prime Minister.

- REUTERS