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.

Rainer, you are obviously hanging around the wrong people. Seriously though, totally agree with your stance and the article, thank you Peter, for articulating exactly what is wrong with this govt. with JWH at the helm. It's all about the economy and bugger the people. I agree that the govt doesn't have that much control over the economy, but the spin they put on the Labour Party last election blinded a lot of people (not that the ALP has got it all figured out by the way). Whilst it may be good that the mortgage has been paid, and there's money in the bank, the kids have got rickets from eating bread and jam for the last decade. A false economy this govt promotes. Under Hawke/Keating, I was very proud to be Australian, I felt that we were moving forward into the 21st century. Now, I am ashamed, especially on our human rights and indigenous fronts. And whilst no one wants to go back to 18% interest rates, Paul Keating to me, can rest on his laurels as a great PM, especially with Mabo.

Why do the left cling to their cherished human rights sacred cow in the face of a relatively sound economy?There is a balance of rights and responsibilities,and the left are flawed in both judgement and emphasis when they balance their scales.

The Hawke/Keating era lasted some 14yrs,they had plenty of time to make the economy work.Yes Bob did some good ,sound economic reforms but Keating left us with a $90 Billion deficit ,which we are still paying off,the recession we had to have and many hard working people in absolute desperation.They desreve to be in the political wilderness and still have not learnt their lesson.

To think I used to vote for those bastards.

does the term 'two tenths of sweet f... all' still ring true for anybody else? this man, his cold blooded policies and his unctious neo-racist attitudes have blown whatever tenuous wellspring we had of goodwill in the region through his rusted on 'deputy sherrif' badge and 'look at me I'm with the biggest guy on the block' mentality...whether he admits to it or not, the odious little troll. we're NOT the same warm and fuzzy nation of loved world trekkers we all thought we once were...nowadays, we're known for all the wrong reasons, and avoided as often as we're sought out. will nobody rid us of this troublesome fellow?

Well said last poster OMIGOD etc. Arjay, you are obviously much better off now than you were under the previous govt. I cannot figure out how anyone in their nice warm neck of the woods cannot figure out how JWH has turned back the clock on the ones that can not afford, or do not have access to that nice warm neck in the woods.

Yes, the ALP have got more problems than good opposition leaders and potential ministers. But to say that this is a preferred lifestyle and bugger the rest? There but by the grace of God (and govt) go I. And this is the bedsore of this festering govt.

Some of us are better off, but the haves and have nots have widened considerably and that is because of the lack of social policy happening. This govt wants us all to be white (or aspiring to be), middle class-aspiring upperclass, socially upwardly mobile, breed same, and never get sick. If you don't fall into that category, you're pretty much out there on a limb. One of the most obscene comments i have ever heard a politician make was Peter C. saying "One for Mum, One for Dad and one for the economy".

If the govt is encouraging we should breed for the sake of this country, (which they have)i find it a tad scary! This and selling off Telstra? They don't know the proverbial from clay about the economy but they'll dress it up in nice bows and ribbons for the punters who will vote for them because they have the mortgage and are terrified of change. (ie Interest rates going up)

omygod...,I don't want to be all things to all nations.I don't give a stuff about what some trendoid lefty thinks about our country.It is more important that we maintain our financial integrety and social cohesion.These are the essence of our survival,not some idealistic bleeding heart with unrealistic aspirations of our miniscule population changing the injustices if the world.There are 20 million refugees and at least a billion on the breadline.We gave them better food technology,medicine for disease but no education about the need for contraception.As a result the world population explodes and we will suffer more wars fighting over limited resources.Our feel good intentions of wanting to help without contraception backup have created this crisis.Well which will it be?
War ,disease or contraception?

I like this country,and if fortress Australia is necessary,so be it

We can disagree as much as we like with Howard's line, but we have to recognise that his is a government that a very hefty slab of Australia's population is more than satisfied with. To say, in effect, that all Howard voters are idiots is to suggest that the population of Australia is not competent to choose its own government. Not very democratic, that.

Voters tend to choose governments based on their perceptions of their own lives, not on the opinions of people in other countries. If people want to vote for a relatively healthy economy and what they perceive as social cohesion, then we can hardly be surprised that Howard keeps winning.

Thanks Arjay for continuing to prove my point. All you can see is the economy - not exactly the big picture now is it? You happily ignore the deceit and the plundering of our infrastructure.

A passing reference to 'social cohesion' what do you mean by that? We have an ever widening gap between the haves and have nots.

The economy is an abstract concept.

I prefer to live in the real world where I acknowledge that our environment is being degraded, the cost of education is prohibitive to the many (I would not be able to gain my degree today), our health system will be eroded to a palid imitation of the USA's. Arjay never comments about any of this, just continues to rabbit on about the economy, failing to realise without a strong social infrastructure there is no economy.

Well said Ringtail, bugger the economy without a socialist safety net. Otherwise, the rung just keeps getting higher. I find it ludicrous that Peter C came out and told the "popular" media he was a working class man and then found out his salary was $224K+. I felt like starting my own little revolution! How obscene is that wage on a public purse! No one in his family has to worry about the GST on top of the utilities bill. Plus dentist, plus, plus, plus. He thinks that's real life. The mentality of this govt, is that if you can't provide for your kids, you're obviously wasting your money. The economy is working beaut at the top end of town, but the trickle down effect is pretty much like the drought. Only a drip here and there, jobs are moving off shore, public infrastructure is being white anted. etc. etc.Wait till he gets control of the senate. Then the contented "i'm alright Jacks" will start feeling the pinch. You'll have to tip the waitress for her to survive on dumbed down minimal rates, but only if you can still afford to take the family out for dinner.

Ringtail,society and economy are but one.Money only represents human endeavour.The economy is as real as your sweat and endeavour you put into your job.The economy is real and as tangible as the roof over your head and the food in your stomach.

The working class are caught between big Govt and big business.They make deals that keep us on the work treadmill with little reward.

Big Govt expands with it's bureaucrats in the guise of protecting us,big business screws us through lower wages and reducing competition.

The biggest evil is our socialist state.It is both a lie and deception that chains us all to the treadmill of long work hours and high taxes.

John Howard has spent more money as a percentage of GDP than ever.I'm not really impressed with this trend,and hope they will see the light.

Agree with some things you say Arjay, but not all. I don't think this govt has any handle, ecomically, let alone socially with what's going on. To me, they are two different cakes on the table. No one seems to be benefiting from this govt unless they have a big business arse, so to speak. The rest of us are still in the mire. You don't have to be blind Freddy to figure out that this govt is trying to sort the wheat from the chaff. Otherwise, they'd be interested in looking at a social policy rather than abortion vs breeding, other than the nasty stuff at their back door such as detention. More will happen when Howard gets control of the senate.

Thanks for your reply Arjay, I too agree with some of your post.

However, I see the economy as a malleable human construct - more something of the mind than something that can shelter you.

As such it can be changed more readily than our environment. Also it is only a part of our existence it is not the be all and end all. My kids giving me hug has nothing to do with the economy. By focusing only on economics you are missing the whole picture of life on this planet.

I agree with Di that we haven't seen anything yet - when Howard has full control of the senate - his track record is most inauspicious - so fasten your seat belts....... we'll find out just how dependent the economy is on the well being of society.

Cheers