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Aussie PM Hints at Run for Fifth Term

As Australia moved slowly past allegations that current Prime Minister John Howard promised over a decade ago to step aside after two terms in favor of party up-and-comer Peter Costello, Mr. Howard seemed to indicate ? contrary to reports earlier in the week which said he would refrain from doing so ? that he was considering a run for a fifth term as Australia?s head of government. The Commonwealth of Australia is still considered to be a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II of England also bearing the title of ?Queen of Australia?.

It seems that Mr. Howard and Mr. Costello, the Australian Treasurer, have patched things up between them for the moment, even after Mr. Costello bluntly indicated to the Prime Minister that he himself wants a chance at Australia?s premiership after waiting in the wings for so long. According to one influential Australian daily, Mr. Howard, firm in his position, retorted back to Mr. Costello that he (Howard) had ?ambitions? as well. Ultimately, whether Mr. Howard will be picked as his party?s candidate or whether Costello will be picked to replace is up to party voters themselves.

Meanwhile, a coalition of American and Canadian wheat farmer associations announced Tuesday that they were intending to sue Australian grain exporter AWB, which was recently revealed to have willfully deceived a United States Congressional panel investigation kickbacks paid to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein as part of the corrupt United Nations-supervised ?Oil-for-Food? program. The farmers are reportedly suing for hundreds of millions of dollars, accusing AWB of racketeering and bribery.