PM battles on as Rudd embraces fete - ELECTION 2007: AUSTRALIA DECIDES

The Sunday Telegraph

November 25, 2007

By ANDREW CHESTERTON

IT was labelled John Howard's judgment day and his greatest-ever election challenge.

But the Prime Minister appeared to have taken it all in his stride yesterday.

He looked calm and confident as he arrived at Ermington West Public School to cast his vote in the battle for Bennelong.

Mr Howard was met by his daughter, Melanie, and grandson, Angus, who handed the PM his how-to-vote card.

But what should have been the perfect photo opportunity was momentarily disturbed by what appeared to be an anti-Iraq protester intent on handing the PM a fake subpoena to face charges over war crimes. The protester was actually Glenn Hazeldine -- an actor who had been employed to conduct the Chaser-style stunt for an upcoming documentary.

He was quickly moved on by a member of Mr Howard's ever-present security detail.

The PM refused offers to jump the rapidly growing queue to cast his vote.

Instead, he used the 30-minute wait to secure some last-minute support from the people standing in front of him and behind him. He said: ``There are a lot of people who decide when they walk into the polling booth how they are going to vote.

``That's why you have to keep arguing and fighting.''

Meanwhile, the celebrity Labor candidate, former ABC journalist Maxine McKew, had some additional celebrity help from ``Diver Dan'' as she voted.

Aussie actor David Wenham joined in handing out how-to-vote leaflets in support of McKew before giving the Labor recruit a star-powered hug as she cast her vote.

Wenham said he was backing McKew because of Labor's social policy.

However, he said she'd also won his support because ``the current government'' had done nothing for the arts.

McKew, with husband and Labor powerbroker Bob Hogg by her side, thanked the cheering well-wishers and signed autographs before casting what she hopes will be an historic vote to help unseat the Prime Minister.

In Brisbane, Labor leader Kevin Rudd headed to the hall at his local parish, St John the Baptist Anglican Church at Bulimba, to register his vote.

Together with his wife, Therese Rein, his eldest son Nick, daughter Jessica and her husband Albert, Mr Rudd joined the queue like Mr Howard.

He had a kiss for Ms Rein after lodging his ballot papers and then wandered though the church jumble sale, which was raising money for church repairs, where he bought $10 worth of raffle tickets.

``I'd like to see lots of money raised for my local church fete,'' a smiling Mr Rudd said