Deputy Australia PM Anderson to resign

[Neil D]

Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:02 AM BST

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson will resign for health reasons on Thursday, forcing a reshuffle of the conservative government, Australian media said.

A spokesman for Anderson's office would not comment on the report but said Anderson would make "a major statement" later on Thursday.

Anderson has been leader of the National Party, the junior partner in the coalition government under Prime Minister John Howard, for the past six years.

Australian Broadcasting Corp radio said: "The Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister John Anderson will announce his resignation."

His resignation could herald a reshuffle of Howard's top ministers but was unlikely to cause any serious disruptions.

The Australian newspaper said Anderson would stay in his post for "a short transition period" before handing over the leadership of his party to Mark Vaile, his deputy and the Trade Minister.

The leader of the Nationals is traditionally appointed deputy prime minister under coalition arrangements with their senior partner, Howard's Liberal Party.

The Australian said on Thursday that Anderson would resign for unspecified health reasons. Anderson, 48, had considered leaving politics before the conservative coalition government's resounding election win last October.

The Australian said Anderson, a cattle farmer from New South Wales state, had been told by doctors to do less travelling, particularly by air, and had informed Howard of his decision to leave the ministry.

It said he would serve out the rest of his three-year term on the backbenches.

Vaile is a widely respected parliamentarian who led negotiations on Australia's free trade deal with the United States and has long been seen as Anderson's successor.

[:"blue"] Ok Auzzies, how is this gonna affect your politics? How does it affect the US? [/]

[aldona]

Not sure how much it will affect our politics... John Howard is still the Prime Minister, and on 1 July he becomes a virtual dictator who can do what he pleases and the Senate becomes just a "rubber stamp"...something to do with an unprecedented majority in the Senate...

"The Coalition," which leads the nation, is composed of two parties:

1. The Liberal Party. (Leader = John Howard.)

2. The National Party. (Leader = was John Anderson, now Mark Vaile.)

I heard John Anderson's statement on the radio today, where he told the press he had resigned to spend more time with his family and because of medical problems (he described it as a "benign prostate condition which is not life threatening", but which his doctors have said will not improve until he downshifts his busy lifestyle.

Anderson is well known for being a church-going Christian and is highly respected by both sides of Parliament as a man of honesty and integrity.

I know Mark Vaile has lots of experience working in the area of international trade, so this may be relevant to the US. I'll watch future developments with interest.

aldona