dovif2,

5. One thing people do not understand is that if everyone in the economy gets a 15% wage rise, all it means is that inflation goes up 15% and everyone who has a mortgage is worse off.

Yes, it's much better if one CEO and management team cuts 100s of jobs or caps wage rises to less than inflation, gets a 500% wage rise and sends the rest of the money overseas. I really need it explained to me how this is better.

6. Howard allow the republic convention to choose their republic model and then he allow a referendum on the replubic. Australia rejected it.

Yep. But it's the old Yes Minister trick of coming up with a handful of ridiculous government models to choses from, rather than having a vote on whether a republic is wanted first.

Col,

'Maybe if the taxes spent on subsidizing cars in Australia was left in the tax payers pocket, we would be able to afford the vehicle of our choice, instead of the one favoured and cherry-picked by government.'

Hear hear!

all,

I know it's unrealistic, but I want either the States to lose more power, or actually abolish state governments, or for the federal government to fund some of the states infrastructure. That is what the country was lacking during such a boom was some substantial improvements to infrastructure. Instead, the Liberals starved the Labor states, and bought elections. Yeah, I know good politics and Labor would do it too.

I only naively hoped the Federal Labor might care a little for the state labor and fund some infrastructure. The only possible advantage I can see from wall to wall Labor is the absence of the federal Liberal / state Labor conflict of interest.

Oh, and I hate the churn of Howards craftily targetted middle class welfare for votes.

Col Rouge

My previous point, to which you have responded, is that we all have views. I support greater intervention, you don't. No problem. Let Australians have the debate and then decide through their interaction with govt and elections.

However, my article, is intended to provide a fair asessment of the Howard govt regardless of my personal views. After all, I am supposed to be a reasonable political commentator through my training, and I must never let the reality of never voting for the Coalition in the House of Reps get in the way of honest political inquiry.

The fact you liked much of what I said, and the fact that many did not (probably Labor voters), proves that I am somewhat balanced, although I can never hope to satisfy all with our different views and values.

I do not support recent policy trends, given my concern for battlers, but can only judge the Howard govt against other nations within an awarness that all must respond to the same tough economic environment.

I think Mr Lewis's posts, combined with Usual Suspects comments regarding infrastructure tend to sum up my view of the economic performance of the Howard government pretty well.
Infrastructure was most definitely neglected and yes, much of this was due to the politics of the three tiers of government. Frankly, I'd like to see the responsibilities of State government divided and handed out to the Federal Government as well as local government.

Regardless of the situation and challenges, the Federal Government was the government with the resources to improve the infrastructure situation, and they did not. The consequences are now being felt in most of our sectors.

I'm also a little annoyed at the classification for unemployment we use, given that working just a few hours a week removes an individual from the unemployment figures. We need vastly improved 'underemployed' figures. That being said, as nations in the world go for unemployment, I am aware that we are very fortunate.

I suppose that's my view on economic grounds. On social grounds, as I mentioned earlier, I was quite disgusted with Howard's government.

If this was ever a callous, selfish, myopic, xenophobic nation then John Howard was by far the best PM we have ever had.

Thank goodness this nation is not.

dovif2,

1."I hope you did not vote for Kevin Rudd either"
"Sorry" Sir, I voted ALP for parliament and Greens for senate.
Do not forget that Howard did not elect even as MP (unforgettable humiliation)! And check more often the surveys for Liberal party's popularity, at the moment it is OK, about 9% but if there are many liberals like you, then probably it will jump to 1-2%!

2. "Australian now accept more migrant than at any time in the previous Labor Government" Howard's government had two faces about migrants. One for the poor and nationalists: against migrants and AN OTHER for the corporations: many, cheap hands of migrants. What really he was? Australians send him home! That's VERY clear.

3. "US is no 1 polluter" What is this? I wrote "Australians are number one polluters,( per person) in the world"
You wrote that "Rudd's environment policy is a copy of the coalition policy" I did not know that Howard signed the Kyoto protocol. REALLY?

4. "I guess we should all sit around and do nothing"
I guess we must grow up and undertake our responsibilities. It is not bad to recognize our mistakes and apologize for them.

5. workchoice! no limits on length of shift, no meal
breaks or breaks between shifts No guaranteed provisions for penalty rates No guarantee of redundancy pay. Redundancy pay in awards can be removed without compensation No Leave loadings NO, NO, NO!For labors!.
Workers sacked and offered their job back on an AWA that cuts pay and conditions.In Australia, 2.3 million people are part-time or casual workers.

6. "to choose their republic model" Yes that was the dirty trick! Instead of Republic or monarchy we had to choice republic models.
NO ONE TRICK CAN STOP AUSTRALIANS TO PUT THE MONARCHY INTO MUSEUM!
The mass majority of Australians are against the monarchy.

"Please get your facts right" YES THE FACTS ARE THAT HOWARD DID NOT ELECT EVEN MP, LIBERALS POPULARITY IS ABOUT 5% AND IT NEEDS NO LESS THAN 50 YEARS FOR RECOVERY, IF IT DID NOT DISAPPEARED!


Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Antonios, while I was glad to see the end of the Howard government, this low popularity rating for the Liberals is a very, very bad thing, make no mistake.

Fear of the opposition gaining power is what keeps governments centrist. Had Labor not been such a weak opposition, Howard would not have been able to do many of the things that were so objectionable.

By my estimation, in relation to social policies, Rudd is a significant improvement. We still need more time to make value judgements in regard to his economic performance.

However, it is up to the Liberals to keep him in line. They can't do that if they're this weak. So yes, I hope the Liberals make a significant recovery. Not enough to oust Rudd in the next term, though I don't think there's much risk of that, but yes, I'd like to see them gain ground and be competitive. It requires a competent opposition to keep a government centrist.