The uncoolest thing about Howard is that he is a liar.
The uncoolest thing about Australians is that they don't care.

Great piece. The PM reinforces the appeal of his uncoolness by overstating the dangers facing Australia. When threatened, people stick the safe and predictable, i.e. Howard.

“Howard refused to meet the Spice Girls despite the fact they supported the Tories”, according to Michelle Grattan.

That silly comment about ‘Tories’ in Britain is to be expected from Michelle Grattan, one of the Leftist commentators who try to convince us that anything right of Labor is Conservative or Tory. We do not have a Conservative party in Australia capable of forming Government. The senior member of the current Coalition is the Liberal Party – the Nationals don’t really count, and are not really big “C conservatives, either – which is slightly to the right of Labor. When formed, the Liberal Party was a genuine “liberal” alternative to what existed, and it still is, despite the lamentations of poor old Malcolm Fraser, who has been seeing too much of Hawke and Whitlam (two other twisters of the word “Tory”) since his retirement.

Cool or uncool, John Howard is no Margaret Thatcher, nor is he suited to be the leader of a genuine Conservative or Tory party

AMSADL, I don't agree with your comments about Australians. People in Aust. are beginning to realise the shortcomings of the Howard led Liberals, but haven't quite worked out exactly what to do about him. How many people think Labor is an effective alternative?? No enough I'd wager, but the tide may soon turn. The average worker in Australia never bargained that putting the coalition Government back into power would bring with it the disasterous industrial relations laws. Sneaky little Johnie (Rotton) Howard never let that one slip out during his pre election BS. I have spoken to many workers, both Liberal & Labor supporters who are furious at how they've been dupped in regards to IR laws. As to the smooth sailing economy under Howard, I think he's simply been extremely fortunate in coming to power at a time of relative economic strength. The US can't continue to run up debts to fund it's war efforts and indulgent lifestyle without eventually causing a financial mentdown and they'll certainly take us with them. That day may not be far away. Dislike John Howard as I do, I really hope he's still in power to cop the flack that his policies truly deserve.

You had my attention until the "New Zealand is much cooler than Australia line". Unless you were talking about the temperature, you are are off your head. Before anyone argues with this point please picture yourself in Christchurch on a Saturday night.

Response to AMSADL:
"The uncoolest thing about Howard is that he is a liar.
The uncoolest thing about Australians is that they don't care."
Two questions for you:
- where on earth is a better place to live than Australia?
- If you dislike the governement and the people of Australia so much, you have a right to leave, why not exercise it?

I would hate to see you continuing your desparately unhappy life here when things would be so fabulous for you somewhere else.

More bleatings from the left about one of the greatest PMs this country has ever had.

Most of the problems I see living in Sydney (crime, health, traffic) are caused by the ruinous government of the NSW ALP.

The one thing Howard needs to do is reform the unfair tax system, and his legacy will be complete.