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The article focuses on Mark Latham, who led Australia's opposition Labor Party to its fourth successive election defeat. As Latham faced the task of rebuilding Labor, no fewer than six of his senior parliamentary colleagues announced that they were no longer prepared to serve in his shadow cabinet. Some senior people, such as the shadow finance minister, Bob McMullan, withdrew to the parliamentary backbench after bitter arguments with Latham over the election loss. As Latham tried to assemble a new shadow cabinet, Labor's power struggles between its left and right factions erupted, at one point almost stripping him of authority. Finally, as John Howard, leader of the conservative coalition government was being sworn in for his fourth term as prime minister, Latham announced his new team. Most attention focused on Wayne Swan and Stephen Smith, both from the right, who will handle the crucial issues of economic policy and industrial relations. Latham has indicated that he will start by trying to recapture Labor's credentials on economic policy.