Steele,

"It is called tying yourself in bloody knots.

Damn hilarious."

Do it all the time, perceptive of you though.

Next time that you're on public transport or walking down (or up) a city street, look out for the men with brief cases!!
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=briefcase+guns&rlz=1C1CAFB_enAU718AU718&oq=brief+case+guns&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l4.11165j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

o sung wu,

One of the silly things about Howard and the vest was the assumption that no one in the crowd could have shot him in the head.

Bet that you don't miss the negatives about carrying a pistol, including having to suffer on a hot day 'cause you couldn't take your coat off, then there were the times when one forgot and took the coat off!!

Hi o sung wu,

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about?" We haven't had the faintest idea either ever since otb morphed into leoj.

At the time John Howard wore the bullet proof vest, there was a lot of angst among the gunnie brigade, Howard wanted to take their toys away. No doubt the AFP had creditable evidence that there was malicious talk and viable threats against Howard doing the rounds at the various gunnie haunts.

The police applaud every time a gun is removed from the community. Since the cop killing guns are indistinguishable from all the others, they take the view its better to be safe than sorry. One less gun, one less potential killing weapon in the community.

Issy, I got to give it to you. Even though I and others have shot you down time and again over guns, you keep coming back for more. But you have to get a better backstop than leoj, he lets too many slip past and go for four.

Hi there IS MISE and PAUL1405...

IS MISE you're so right I detested carrying a gun. Reaching plain-clothes we had more options as to where we could carry the thing, shoulder rig, belt or ankle holster. Wherever you carried it you were obliged to always qualify from that particular holster, even the ankle rig. Being in ballistics for quite a while, I qualified and sought permission to carry a Mod. 36/2, J frame, 5 shot, and a speed loader, which made things far more comfortable for me until they introduced the Glock 17 for uniform and mod 26 for women and detectives. Then I gratefully retired, and escaped from all the crap!

PAUL1405...

I will admit that most coppers did applaud the removal of a F/A from certain people, but what many don't realise, there's a quite a big F/A following among police in pretty well all disciplines of the shooting sports. As far as our friend, LEOJ is concerned, I wasn't debating what HOWARD said or didn't say, or his policy on F/A altogether, I was simply explaining the true circumstances of him wearing body armour, nothing more.

As a footnote, despite his quiet and gentle demeanour, John HOWARD is no 'wilting Lilly' when it comes to having a bit of ticker, or straight out guts, let me be the first to say. In fact for a little guy, I've no doubt he'd not backdown, whatever you might think of the man or otherwise.

The Vest

Howard himself now says he should not have worn the vest.

Odds on it was a political stunt cooked up initially by his political minders. Howard's political spin minders were formidable. The media and others were being encouraged to sensationalise 'Howard's Initiative' and they obliged. However if anyone has evidence otherwise, now is the time to put it forward along with the evidence of a credible risk at the time.

However, If 'security' believed there was a threat why not something better that didn't outline the area to avoid? What was the problem with time/planning? If the latter, cancel. Move indoors.

No-one wore a vest at the time. Howard wasn't facing offenders or gangs. The OMGs, drug dealers and other types were laughing because Howard wasn't out to affect them. He was there to scapegoat the licensed, law-abiding public, the soft targets, the 'angels' who were on his side.

Howard lived for provoking and wedging his opponents. It was his Ace. It is a surprise some here don't remember the conflicts with unions, eg non-union labour. Maybe they should Google Reith, the Howard Years and Corrigan. Add dogs, guard dogs! Any flak vests worn for that?

leoj, please provide a link where Howard said "he should not have worn the vest." You may be correct, but then again you can stretch it a bit at times.