A recent poll showed that Australian Prime Minister John Howard is at risk of losing his Sydney-based seat in the upcoming national election on November 10. The poll, conducted by Galaxy for The Sunday Telegraph newspaper and SBS television, indicated that Howard is trailing behind former television presenter Maxine McKew by 46 percent to 53 percent when votes were distributed to the two major parties. McKew, who was recruited by the rival Labor Party to challenge Howard, is also tied with him in terms of who voters believe would do the best job for the seat of Bennelong, which Howard has held since 1974. The poll was conducted following the recent interest rate hike by Australia's central bank to combat inflation caused by strong domestic demand, low unemployment, and rapid global growth. These interest rate increases have been negatively impacting Howard, who won his fourth election in 2004 with the promise of "Keeping interest rates low." The central bank has increased interest rates five times, impacting support for Howard's Liberal-National coalition in crucial suburbs where voters are struggling with high mortgages and excessive borrowing due to low interest rates. Howard is also facing challenges in his own constituency, which now has a significant Asian population and is among the top 20 electorates with residents who speak a language other than English at home. Some immigrant families are unhappy with Howard's policies requiring new arrivals to embrace Australian values such as "mateship" and "fair go" equality, as well as learn English for faster integration into society. Despite poll predictions, senior Labor lawmaker Bob McMullan believes it will be difficult to defeat Howard. "We are approaching the end of the current three-year term and there is a willingness for change among the people. However, I believe their voting intentions are not fixed, but rather flexible," he stated in an interview with Australian television. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed confidence in Howard's wisdom and experience leading him to victory, while criticizing opposition leader Kevin Rudd for lacking a clear plan for Australia's future. Downer acknowledged the usual controversies surrounding the incumbent's record, stating that he did not want to appear overly optimistic." I am someone who is fairly calm about the challenges that are coming my way.