Australia’s print media have shown their true colours today, with the majority lining up in support of John Howard on the last day of the election campaign. Howard even went so far as to score the coverted Herald Sun trifecta with the editorial, Andrew Bolt and Terry McCrann all backing the Liberal leader for re-election in blatantly feral tones.

While Paddy McGuinness may doubt whether any of the Hun readers actually read the editorial, the paper still has the largest circulation in Australia and is bound to make some sort of impact on voters.

Strangely enough it was only the little papers, the Canberra Times and The Melbourne Times, who were brave enough to go out on a limb for Mark Latham. The SMH almost made it with its middle of the road “we’re so independent we don’t have an opinion” approach, so it was the only major metro paper not to back John Howard.

Check out what all the papers had to say below and remind yourself about the Sunday paper efforts here: //uatcdn.crikey.com.au/media/2004/10/03-0003.html

Pro Howard editorials:

The Australian – No convincing reason to kick out Coalition
Herald Sun – Not the right time to change
The Daily Telegraph – Howard deserves another term
The Courier-Mail – Mr Howard has earned his fourth term
The Advertiser – An election which offers a clear choice
The Age – On balance, Coalition deserves re-election
The Fin Review – Howard earns fourth term
The West Australian – editorialised for Howard on the strength of the economy

On the fence:

The SMH – It’s time for a vote of greater independence

Pro Latham editorials:

Canberra Times – Time to swap nation’s drivers
The Melbourne Times – Fairfax’s inner-city giveaway also backed Latham, however, its copy is not available online.

(This Canberra Times letter – The Lying Rodent Returns – is also worth a read for those interested in some alternative comment).

Statements from Howard and Latham in the Herald Sun:

John Howard – Managing the economy key
Mark Latham – Proud and ready to lead