It looks increasingly like the end of the road for Australian prime minister John Howard. His anything-but Liberal Party is expected to be turfed out to make way for the Labour Party when Aussies go to the polls on Saturday.

True to his little neo-con heart, the Troll has resorted to the far right’s favourite tool – fear. He warned voters this week of “enormous risks” of changing government, implying some sort of security and economic cataclysm would surely result if Australians chose a full-size prime minister.

So what’s the new guy, Kevin Rudd, promising if he’s elected? For starters, he’ll pull Australian troops out of Iraq. He might even use those bods to increase his country’s forces in Afghanistan. He’s also promised to sign on to Kyoto and to take a leading role in the push for carbon-emission cuts at next months’ Bali conference.

Rudd is also expected to steer Australia away from the United States and more toward Asia.