I’m not too certain whether the Howard government has been all that great in the area of economics, considering Australia’s trade deficit, the fact that so many Australians are now emigrating for better pastures, and considering the fact that so many Australians will not be able to buy their own home, or even pay off their HECS fees.

He arranged for infrastructure such as Telstra to be sold back to the public who owned it in the first place, and now is intent on trying to attract skilled immigrants into the country to fill the gaps in our workforce, while so many Australians are looking for work.

He also stood back and watched nearly 1,000,000 Australian children removed from their fathers, and now wants mothers to leave their children at day care centres, so they will loose contact with their children as well.

The list goes on, but I was quite taken by Mary Dagmar Davies’s description of the political strategies generally used by John Howard in her article “Australia's Big White Lie” at http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_12537.shtml

“He has convinced voters whose opinions, are formed by shockjocks and whose significant other is often a slot machine, that he thinks they are smart. Of course they believe him. He is the only person who has never told them they are idiots. He gives them an issue, pushes a simple line though advertising and unable to distinguish between party political spin and news they parrot the line with knowing gravitas throughout their community.”

Excellent post Timkins, nice to be able to agree with you for a change.

Only history will reveal the odious truth about the Howard Government. Unfortunately, that will be too late to repair the damage wrought upon our infrastructure, health system, education entitlements, sustainable environment, employment opportunities and, despite the rhetoric, our economy. Future governments will inherit this mess.

The only contribution to Australia by Howard that I can think of is on gun control and that was a very long time ago.

Excellent article from Peter McMahon.

Ditto to all. A well found article!

A true and accurate report card on the PM.

Its interesting to note that despite the truth expressed in this article, so called 'ordinary' Australians think Howard is a strong Prime minister.

This is a greater concern to me than the obvious failings of John Winston Howard. It seems that no matter what Howard does - he can rely on at least half the electorate turning a blind eye to his stuff ups and defend him.

It’s the manufacturing of consent through mostly media coverage of Howard as a leader, thinker and social reformer that we need to focus our energies. The marginalization of dissent is often a fault of the strategic devises of dissent itself.

In other words, I think historians will be just as interested in how an insignificant and intellectually barren Prime minister was able to stifle criticism of his leadership as well as JWH's leadership itself.

No doubt and in retrospect, some will wonder how they were fooled.

But for many his leadership will be exalted and defended as truly wonderful era in our political history. This same phenomena happened in Queensland in regards to the leadership of Joh Bjelke Petersen.

The phenomenon of picking the village idiot and making him Prime minister is no different to picking the same idiot and making him President. It requires a rigorous understanding of how to use levers of spin doctoring, public perception and deception.

Politics in Australia is no longer a game of ideological oppositions but war obetween political adversaries to create the most believable propaganda/myths about Australia itself.

Howard is by far the worst PM we have ever had, but say this aloud in any social gathering and see what happens. The need for much more sophisticated dissent has never been more urgent and I'm sure Peter McMahon realizes this too.

Bob Hawke I will salute,Keating is an arrogant waste of space.

While Govts can't direct The Reserve Bank to change interest rates,they create the climate for their increase.Under the previous Labor Govt we had high inflation and astronomical interest rates.Imagine 18% interest today on an ordinary mortage.I remember how hard it was under Keating and his Govt destroyed many lives financily without a hint of an apology.

So Peter said that external economic influences direct prosperity.When John Howard came to power in 1996 we had the Asian economic melt down,our economic growth continued.We had the American and European recession after Sept 11 and we had even more economic growth.Are these external influences Peter McMahon,or you stretching the truth to suit your perfect view of your flawed socialist's ideals?

The only thing I'll agree with you on, is the big business orientation of this Govt.That needs to be changed.

Wandii, agree with your post. Arjay is an example of the blindness that seems to afflict Australians. All he is concerned about is the economy as if that was the be all and end all. He is unconcerned about the deceit, the blind eye to human rights, environment, health, education and the bleeding of our infrastructure all of which will effect the economy people like Arjay worship.

Everything is interconnected, Howard is merely riding on the economic reforms set up by Hawke/Keating. All Howard has done is continue that questionable economic philosophy.

Unfortunately part of Howard's success is a ineffectual opposition - so many opportunities to question Howards regime - so many opportunities lost. Beazley is as ineffective as he ever was.

We really need to question now. With the death of Joh history is being rewritten in Queensland - the man was a crook and now he is being touted as a hero!

Peter is right to raise these questions and we must continue this discussion. It is ironic and unfortunate that the most long lived issues at this forum are the ones about religion and sex.