I was certainly surprised by the level of nastiness and uncritical partisanship of this article. It doesn't read like the article of a thinker, but rather of a mere political mouthpiece. The assumption that Her Majesty would (or should) be invested in the political talismans of Australia's hard left (or, indeed, the political contest itself) tends to suggest the writer hasn't exactly thought his arguments through

So, our Queen is a conservative, and recognises value when she sees it.

What can I say? Thank you Maam.

How about a William and Kate celebratory $2 coin, or $100 note? (Or a PM Howard esquire $500 gold coin? Even better!)

If Kevin and Julia ever get to do the tango together, then we'll know we're headed for some real strife. The very thought brings tears to my eyes.

rpg you write: "There, thanks to paul1405, you see the essential difference in the politics of Australians .. between the left and right
Paul1405 reads the comments of conservatives and through his view of the world, sees all the comments that are positive about a popular politician, who was PM for 11 years .. as one eyed rusted on types.
I read them and saw that while people thought Howard had his faults, he was a good leader."
How I see Howard, like his heroes Menzies (Korea) and the drowned Holt (Vietnam) of which I have my own personal tragedies to remember, the loss of a friend and a cousin. The young conservative Howard was a keen supporter of the Vietnam War, something I never forgot or forgave. When Howard came to office, he was so quick to send young Australians (again) to die in Afghanistan and Iraq. Why are conservatives like Howard so quick to war, to protect freedom and democracy, that's what they will have us believe, the truth, to protect the interests of Capital. Who pays the price for this protection, the sons and daughters of the ordinary Australian.
Would I give Howard an award, maybe an award as a Warmonger!

Well, I think the people of Honest John's former electorate got it right and gave him is due reward?
They sacked him!
Let the aging British dowager Queen pin a big blue ribbon on him; preferably while in a bent over position, with a very large pin; and, the posterior most prominent; and, awarded for the best pork pies on the planet?
At least one or two hundred Australians will be glued to their TV sets; to watch the ceremony?
She will need to be very careful not to piece the hide; [albeit, it ought to be fairly calloused from all those years of bench polishing,] least she is prepared for a very sudden down sizing event?
Pinning something on him; and a few meaningless mumbles, won't change any aspect of John's unique character, or make him a more "honest" decent human being; than he already is?
The cast has long since set and the mould thrown away!
As treasurer, he was arguably our poorest in living memory; and, was only rescued as PM; by mining boom mark one, welfare for the rich and billions in pre election pork barrelling?
[It is said, "you can fool some of the people all of the time"!]
I will remember him; for, the disgraceful humiliating sight of Aussie special forces storming a civilian Tampa, to point their fully loaded with live ammunition weapons; at completely unarmed non combatant men, women and children; all of who were; as history reveals, fleeing from endless persecution; or, for their very lives!
Yes let him stand on his record; or go through the tired archaic feudal England charade; and theatrical hyperbole of accepting the Queens gong; and or, something really nice to put on his coffin?

paul, some history, Malcolm Fraser was Minister of Army when we went to Vietnam, Howard had nothing to do with it, except in your imagination. So you never forgave him for the Vietnam war, you must have worked yourself into a lather to invent that.. surely? (or is that a "Wiki fact"?)

"Why are conservatives like Howard so quick to war"

As quick as Bob Hawke was in 1991? First Gulf War? How could Howard say no to the second one, when the precedent was set by Hawke, some might say. Another weak example of the self induced hypnosis of the left.

Why did Rudd and Gillard not bring Australians home from wars? (Must be John Howard's fault?)

Just admit it, there is no basis for hating Howard except he is not of the left, ALPish side of politics.

Howard (and Hawke) went to war because we have agreements that we stick to once made, the Americans are our allies and we theirs, if they call we go because we are a pissant in this world and we need them for protection, they need us for the look of the thing.

The left are more apoplectic than ever since Howard left office as they thought they were done with him, and yet he lingers because their replacements are easily shown not to measure up to him.

Being the stuck on lefties they are and having picked a side, they do not have the depth of principle to admit it.

Yes, he was sacked by the constituency of Bennelong and by 50.1% of the population - hardly the landslide the left brags about, and now we know it was a mistake.

This mistake will be corrected at the next opportunity.

So enjoy yourselves, and stop reminding yourselves that a better man is still out there, still more popular than any ALP MP today, even after leaving office and losing his seat, even after all the mistakes, scandals and embarrassments of his time .. is still a better person than the ALP has produced.

Howard's ALP replacement in Bennelong, popular?

Who?

Speaking of the Queen of England she is technically and legally the worlds largest landowner. She owns 6.8 billion acres all of which outside of the UK was stolen from the original native owners.

The third largest landowner is the "catholic" church - 173 million acres.

How much did Jesus own?

Re the politics of peace one can either practice and advocate the politics of the open vulnerable hand, or the closed aggressive fist.
John Howard and most/all of so called conservatives are very much committed to the closed fist, while pretending otherwise.

This reference provides links to many individuals and groups that promote the politics of peace.

http://www.transcend.org