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The Forum > Article Comments > Death by water > Comments

Death by water : Comments

By Graham Young, published 9/7/2007

Incumbency is a problem for John Howard. After 10 years in power he has upset everyone at least once.

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Nice to see Online Opinion breaking some news and research of your own - congrats. I look forward to your forthcoming articles from the survey - and in particular reading more about how you can account or correct for the "internet effect" in your research sample - ie. an online survey naturally brings its own self-selection and other effects into the sample...

All the best

Mercurius
Posted by Mercurius, Monday, 9 July 2007 9:10:33 AM
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Dear Graham,
thanks for your article but it seems that a few statements included offer an insight into why indigenous australians are still in the same predicament as they were in 1967.
The particular paragraphs;

(They are Australians who have a strongly European sense of national identity. They don’t believe in the “black armband” view of history, they think that schools ought to teach facts, that rights ought to be matched by responsibilities, and that commonsense and intrinsic knowledge ought to prevail over academic theories. Many of them also possess a particular moral view of the world which is conservatively Christian.)

In particular " They think that schools ought to teach facts."
I would point out that there are many ' facts' of history that have not been taught pertaining to australian history 1788 onwards.
And that this history has been excluded by conservative academics in higher education and down the line to infant schools.
Of course the connection with the conservative politicians and their masters, is a key as to why the truth has been unwritten till the last twenty five years, yet it still isn't exposed to the masses unless searched for, and who in your voter survey would be searching for australian history that flies in the face of their racist beliefs.
Howard himself is just as arrogant ignorant on the subject of education in that area, we don't want to start something to upset the bipartheit dictatorship eh?
John Howard is currently playing a game with voters to try and show he 'cares'
His history of sending young people to invade other countries show's how much he cares.
His refusing in the face of approval of every health minister in australia to make some illegal drugs available to addicts by pescription in the light of the health dangers for them, their children etc. Shows how much he can ' care'
He used the support of that giant leech of the poor, " the salvation army" to give support to his denial of democracy.
Yes we know ' who cares'
Good article Graham.
Cheers Neil
Posted by neilium, Monday, 9 July 2007 10:30:20 AM
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“Howard used to be one of them, but now they suspect he’s traded-in his chesty bonds and Y-front for some designer flimsies, and he’s no longer listening.”

I think this just about nails it, Graham.

The Coalition took government promising to govern for all Australians, and undertaking the highest standards of ministerial responsibility ever seen in this country. The ministerial standards lasted less than half a term, and “non-core promise” entered the language, indicating that governing for all Australians was highly conditional.

As you say, he’s upset everyone at least once, by abandoning standards, breaking promises, and implementing policies that a huge number of Australians find deeply distasteful.

Howard’s great talent has been to convince us that everything, absolutely everything, can be traded off for economic growth. However workchoices has broken the spell. He can’t convince parents to allow their kids to be exploited in their pizza-delivery jobs as a trade-off for the parents’ own economic prosperity. He can’t convince highly leveraged young families that having their job on the line every single day is better for them in the long run.

Having broken this spell, he’s pushing it uphill to re-gain the trust of those “values” voters. Now that it’s become clear that he’s governing not for everyone, but for the holders of capital, it’s not possible to go back to accepting the trade-off.
Posted by jpw2040, Monday, 9 July 2007 10:35:14 AM
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My theory of electoral fortunes is based substantially on rainfall futures: no rain > Rudd wins handsomely; good rain > Howard has a chance of holding on. The rain has already spoken in the eastern states (except for the Brisbane catchment) so keep a close eye on the Southern Oscillation Index! As to Brisbane, the punters have already decided which donkey they will pin the tail onto and Beattie knows this - which is why he has signalled his retirement.
Posted by Rossko, Monday, 9 July 2007 10:38:41 AM
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I was not offered the opportunity to vote in the survey, but I'd like to submit my opinion as to why I won't vote for the Liberals whilst John Howard remains their leader.

In a word..... Honor. The very characteristic that Howard so sadly lacks. The man is a "core" lier, therefore he has no honor and should not be given a single ounce of respect. Ten years is not a long time. Many haven't forgotten Tampa. I doubt even those not quite young enough to vote at the time will have forgotten about his back flip on GST. His attempted destruction of workers hard fought for rights will certainly not be forgotten ten years down the track. And for the sake of all blue collar workers, let us never forget the Howard factor in the 1998 waterside workers strike. Howard proved what a gutless little mongrel he was then. Nothing has changed.

He has, and continues to flood our once beautiful country with immigrants, all in the name of expanding his ever important "economy." His precious economy is squeezing the life blood out of ordinary hard working Australians and squeezing the opportunity of home ownership out of young Australian's dreams.
Not content with his attempts at crushing workers, Howard has shifted his sights to the less empowered.....those who through misfortune or poor choice have to rely on a miserable income from Government coffers. Is he so out of touch, he really believes people on Newstart have an easy life? Or those on other welfare payments?
Now he's targeting our indigenous peoples. He's given them nothing in his ten years of power and only now he sees a "crisis" just before an election?

Howard is power hungry, no, power crazed! Men like that have no honor and men like Howard will never get my vote.
Posted by Aime, Monday, 9 July 2007 11:05:23 AM
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I've posted this joke before but once again it seem so apt. Enjoy

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard was in England meeting the
Queen at Balmoral. They were discussing Australia and Howard's plans
for the future.

Howard asked the queen if it was possible to turn Australia into a
Kingdom to increase its force in the world market. The Queen replied,
"One needs a King for a Kingdom and you are most certainly not a
King."

He then asks if it is possible to turn Australia into an Empire. The
Queen replies, "For an Empire one needs an Emperor you are most
certainly not an Emperor."

Howard thinks for a moment and then asks if it is possible to turn
Australia into a principality. The Queen replies, "For a principality
one needs a Prince and you Mr. Howard are certainly not a prince."

The Queen adds further, "Without meaning to be rude Mr. Howard I think
Australia should remain as a country."
Posted by Rainier, Monday, 9 July 2007 11:13:22 AM
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