3rd Dec Australia's newGovernment formed by the Australian Labor Party fully supports the protocol and PrimeMinister Kevin Rudd signs the instrument of ratification immediately after assuming office
3rd Dec Rudd is sworn in as PrimeMinister by Governor-General Michael Jeffery, unlike Labor predecessors, Rudd does not swear allegiance to the Queen of Australia directly but promises to "well and truly serve the Commonwealth of Australia and her people"