AAP(2/3/96): AUSTRALIANS WILL HAVE

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Subject: AAP(2/3/96): AUSTRALIANS WILL HAVE NEW GOVERNMENT.

	KEATING GOES DOWN PROUD, GRACIOUS
POLL96 KEATING (SYDNEY)        
   Labor's true believers have given PAUL KEATING a hero's sendoff 
tonight -- despite the devastating federal election loss to the 
coalition.
	   The prime minister and his wife ANNITA received a tumultous 
response from more than 2,000 supporters who crowded into the 
Bankstown Sports Club auditorium to farewell them.
	   Some supporters wept as Mr KEATING conceded defeat and announced 
he would resign as leader of the Labor Party.
	   Mr KEATING has congratulated coalition leader JOHN HOWARD -- 
acknowledging that the electorate wanted a change after 13 years of 
Labor.
	   But he says Labor can be proud of its achievements during its 
period in office.
	   Mr KEATING says one of the factors behind the coalition's 
success is that it's adopted many ALP policies and platforms such 
as Medicare.
	   Mr KEATING's stirring 15-minute address was one of the 
highlights of his 26 years in politics.
	   He told the crowd that Labor has left Australia in good order 
for the incoming government.
	   He says equity and enterprise at home, and opportunity abroad 
has been the thing that has made it a great place.
	   The speech was punctuated with chants of WE WANT PAUL and foot 
stomping applause in scenes reminscent of his 1993 TRUE BELIEVERS 
speech at the same venue.
	   Mr KEATING, who left the club about 10pm shortly after 
delivering his speech, has NOT indicated whether he will resign 
from his safe seat of Blaxland.
	   AAP RTV sc/mfh/jlw