Vic: Latham woos Victorian ALP conference

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2003
Vic: Latham woos Victorian ALP conference

New Labor leader MARK LATHAM has sketched out a vision of Australia from a young parent's
perspective in a speech to the party's Victorian state conference in Melbourne.

In his first speech to party loyalists since winning the leadership ballot, he's given
top priority to protecting and educating the nation's children.

He's also lashed out at Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD, saying the coalition must invest
in the wellbeing of Australia's children, house the poor, reform industrial relations
and care for the environment.

And he says all children should be freed from detention and that Labor must advance
the cause of the republic.

Mr LATHAM's also promised to launch a national program for early childhood development
with improved pre-school access and a national campaign to encourage parents to read aloud
to their offspring.

AAP RTV ra/ce/swe/jas/wz

KEYWORD: ALP LATHAM (MELBOURNE)

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