History will (among other things) see Howard as a winner in the area of IR. His viewpoint has been consistent since the '70's, and it is the ALP that has moved right, and is as 'right' as anything a '70's or early 80's Lib. dreamt of.

Ditto with the economic changes made throughout the '80's and 90's. Howard will be seen as a proponent of some of the changes, and as a supporter of most, while in opposition. (It will be recorded that it was the ALP who lead the charge on large scale privatisation of Public resources in Australia).

Would love to hear exactly how Howard stifled the voices of any of those here on OLO who dared to think differently. Thought not.

"I think that if you had to select one event that occurred during Howard's period as Prime Minister for which he will be fondly remembered, it would have to be the Tampa affair." plerdsus.

Fondly remembered, by whom, the right wing and their consistent attempts to undermine basic democratic rights? I would like to quote a writer Michael Head here.
quote: A Federal Court judge ruled that the Australian government illegally detained and denied entry to the refugees aboard the Norwegian cargo ship, the Tampa. Justice Tony North found the government had determined “at the highest level” to “use an unlawful process to detain and expel the rescuees”.
Both the ruling and the Howard government’s response to it have underscored just how far the government is prepared to go in flouting the most fundamental democratic rights, including freedom from arbitrary detention and access to the courts to challenge executive power.
North ruled that the cabinet had breached one of the most basic legal principles, dating back hundreds of years, that no person, whether a citizen or non-citizen, can be held in detention without lawful authority. In granting a writ of habeas corpus for the immediate release of the refugees, he declared: “An ancient power of the Court is to protect people against detention without lawful authority.”
It appears that the government is deliberately keeping the Manoora’s passengers isolated from the outside world so that they have no means of knowing that the Federal Court has upheld their rights.

North rejected the government’s central assertion—that it should be allowed to operate above the law. In North’s words, the government “contended that the Court should not stand in the way of the exercise by the Executive of its attempt to protect the borders of Australia”.
He cited a previous High Court judgment declaring that to allow a government to detain people without trial or clear statutory power would undermine “the very fabric of freedom under the law” and represent “tyranny”. End of quote

Leigh: "And so you should be embarrassed - on your own behalf. Don't blame others for your self-loathing."

Can't you read? I said I was embarrassed by Joh and Howard, not by myself. While I certainly loathe the ideologies and governmental practices of those political travesties, why on Earth would you suggest I loathe myself?

Actually, I quite like myself these days. Anybody who actually knew me might suggest I do so to excess :)

It seems that poor old Leigh is not only deficient in his arithmetic abilities, but also in his reading comprehension.

The thread fills me with rare Sunday joy! Howard legacy is in the ashes of his party, the removal of much he claimed to be achievements in the next ten years.
To find ideas of just what he did wrong we will need to go no further than his own party.
His major impact on our future, it may well be that he gave us a man well on the way to being this country's second longest serving Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Any truly think this is a one term government? truly?
What is that song? by by by by Johny good by.
Want to come shopping with me this morning? now and again it is great fun on Sunday watching Mark Vail swap isle so he will not have to see my union shirt.
Wonder what Mark thinks about John?

Yes, johncee, he'll be remembered for Tampa, for bringing rednecks, complete with zenophobia, intolerance, hatred into the mainstream from the lunatic fringe. From accepting and encouraging lunatic fringe religious fanatics, rednecks again. For total lack of accountablility in government. For his attempt to totally destroy the 'fair go', egaliatarianism and humanitarianism, ahd his insidious but constant erosion of natural justice and personal rights.

Fortunately the Australian public finally woke up and voted the dunny rat out, just in time. As you said Belly, the Libs, especially the radical right NSW Libs are determined to continue in the same destructive path which got them beaten and will continue to destroy the Libs and their fascist-type rednecks. Thank God!

"There has been an orgy of this emotional garbage – a stomach-turning issuing of sentiment about the man who single-handedly turned Australia into a nation of money-grubbing wannabes, and who alone removed ethical and responsible behaviour from our Parliament. That anyone at all could express one word of regret at the political demise of Howard, proven beyond any doubt to be a liar of gasp-making proportions, is to me amazing" is part of an e-mail I wrote to a most respected journalist (a REAL one) the day after Rudd won the election. I wrote it because I was dismayed to find some ABC frontmen giving out the "no matter that he's lost, you have to hand it to him" line - probably ditto from other channels but I watch only the ABC because it's good and because I detest commercials beyond description. Can't say how marvellous it was to hear PM Rudd's requirements of his Ministry re their collective and individual responsibilities. Am sufficiently starry-eyed after seeing Howard electorally killed stone dead to believe in our new Government - why not?!