Australia's conservative government turned to pensions on Tuesday to woo support, as a poll showed it slipping further behind the Labor opposition ahead of a November election. Prime Minister John Howard promised A$4 billion ($3.5 billion) for pensioners in a pitch to the critical grey vote. Howard stressed his government's economic record to try to lure jaded voters away from a widely-tipped experiment with Labor's youthful Kevin Rudd. He announced A$4 billion in additional benefits for 2.8 million pensioners, retirees and people with disabilities to help them meet rising living costs.
See "Australia Election Turns to Pigs And Pensions", Reuters, The New York Times, October 22, 2007