The content on this webpage contains paid/affiliate links. When you click on any of our affiliate link, we/I may get a small compensation at no cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure for more info -----------------------
Last updated on August 9th, 2017 at 12:34 pm
If he wins the next election, John Howard is looking at 15 straight years in power:
Prime Minister John Howard will fight the next election, ending months of speculation about his future.
Mr Howard has written to senior colleagues, saying he will remain Liberal leader to contest the poll, due by early 2008.
A win would give the PM a fifth term in power, having won elections in 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004.
If he stays through a fifth term, Howard will have been PM for nearly as long as the combined years in power of the last three Labor prime ministers.
- Should we be at all surprised that Howard is staying? Surely, it would have been more surprising if he was goingPosted by WeekByWeek on 2006 07 30 at 11:21 PM • permalink
- Oh the political Horror of it! You mean longer than FDR, THREE more consecutive elections than allowed to US Presidents?
Eat your hearts out, Bush voters!
The reality is that Australia has a much more flexible system than the USA. Howard could have been thrown out by his party at any time in the last decade if he wasn’t up to it.
- our system certainly does differ from the US… i guess both systems have their strengths and weaknesses…
as for howard, the govt has been taking a few hits of late, and the IR changes clearly haven’t gone down that well for the majority of voters… but for the last few elections the Libs have been in the doldrums at some point but when it comes to decision time at the election, they have managed to claw themselves back ahead… so be interesting to see what happens next time, if oil prices are still high etc…
Labor having another ding dong, backstabbing stoush wouldn’t go astray either….
- yes the voters getting the government they choose repeatedly is always undemocratic….
at least thats what the moonbats would rant and rave about… although when Labor was in for 13 years they were strangely silent….
thats kinda of why the thoughts, protestations and double standards of moonbats are increasingly ignored by normal, sensible people…
- #3 – the govt has been taking a few hits of late, and the IR changes clearly haven’t gone down that well for the majority of voters…
This too will pass – it’s a result of misinformation. Recall that journalism is still a highly unionised profession.
In The Australian today a different perspective in an op-ed here.(edited for length)
The importance of the [mining] industry to Australia’s improved economic performance and increase in living standards is significant. Of concern to industry leaders is the politicisation and polarisation of opinion on workplace relations.
ACTU leader Greg Combet…says it’s drivel to argue that large numbers of mining industry employees are on AWAs. Never mind that…private sector union membership has plummeted from a high of 57% in 1985 to 17% this year. Union membership in the mining sector has more than halved…
In the late 1990s Hamersley Iron and BHP Iron Ore were considering merging. As part of the process the operations needed to be valued. The due diligence team found that the Hamersley Iron operation was 20% to 35% more efficient than the BHP operation.
The point of difference was that Hamersley Iron employees were engaged individually…
What would happen if we lost access to AWAs? Using a conservative productivity improvement level of 25% the loss of AWAs could result in $6.6 billion loss in Australian exports a year.
Posted by walterplinge on 2006 07 30 at 11:53 PM • permalink
as the combined years in power of the last three Labor prime ministers.
And combined IQs.
Posted by andycanuck on 2006 07 30 at 11:58 PM • permalink
- I can hear Beazley and Costello screaming from here.
I would like to see him go for at least 18 years. Then we would have voters that had not been born when there was a different PM. Still most journos will still believe that he was just lucky or sneaky to last this long. Not like their Whitlam; I’ve got to go wash my hands after typing that name out.
- I blame John Howard for pandering to people who vote for him.Posted by Margos Maid on 2006 07 31 at 12:18 AM • permalink
- Surely this is a Jewish/Rovian plot?Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 07 31 at 12:21 AM • permalink
- Maybe the moonbats will carry out their promise to leave/slash wrists/explode after his next win. Here’s hoping.Posted by Rachel Corrie’s Flatmate on 2006 07 31 at 01:05 AM • permalink
- Hanyu, do you honestly think those people would want to go somewhere they have nothing to complain about ?Posted by Rachel Corrie’s Flatmate on 2006 07 31 at 01:07 AM • permalink
- Ummmm. lingus4. Re amos’ stuff and your retorts. You may like to have a look though some recent threads where amos has contributed. Also the “Hug Warnings” header posted by our host.
I don’t know amos from Adam (as opposed to Addammo, ROFL) but you may care to look at the history, rather than just one post.
Just suggestin’.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 07 31 at 01:12 AM • permalink
- I’m worried about JoHo and his own seat of Bennelong. A redistribution has made it more Labor-friendly and like last time, theres bound to be a flotilla of kooks standing. Dunno if the latter helps of hinders JoHo but having the Main Man on a thin margin isn’t a good look.
I think with the redistribution, his margin going on last results will be about 3.5% ??
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 07 31 at 01:16 AM • permalink
- #23- More to the point, would they want to go somewhere they’re not guaranteed tenure, funding, a personal media soapbox in both radio and television format, the ability to make long, tedious, self-important, preachy features and documentaries that the plebs who fund avoid like a Salvo with a wad of Warcries and a begging box, a print media that gives them free kicks every day on the abovementioned plebs and their racism/xenophobia/insularity/greed/lack of concern, and a stable economy and secure state which ensures their freedom to sponge off the endevour of others and the safety to spout their ill-informed, decades-old discredited bollocks?
About as likely as Phillip Adams being the next winner of “The Biggest Loser”.
Or Shazza Burrows doing likewise on “Search For A Supermodel”.
Or even Kevin Rudd being mistaken for a disease-carrying rodent by a myopic quarantine officer when arriving from his latest overseas jaunt, and fed into the port incinerator.
(Note with the last one I used the qualifier “myopic”).
- 17 – Personally, MM, I blame the people who vote for John Howard for pandering to his abilities as Prime Minister.Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2006 07 31 at 01:27 AM • permalink
- OK, Evil Right Wing Death Beasts™ of Oz, riddle me this:
Will JoHo’s announcementbring Margo Kingston back from retirement?
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 07 31 at 01:44 AM • permalink
- #21: Steaming Plateful,
No. No, I don’t. I should have made it clear. The day a leftie follows through on the I’m-leaving-Australia-if-Howard-wins-the-next-election
threatpromise is the day I give up my business in Hong Kong and take a voluntary position editing Webdiary.After living in Asia for more than two decades, I’ve never – NEVER – met an Australian who is here because Howard won the last election. They’re here for money, sex, drugs, adventure, pollution, cheap porn, food, culture … did I mention sex … whatever. None are here because of their political convictions. Unless sex is a political conviction.
- 29 T_R_J
We can only hope and prey, mate, hope and prey.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 07 31 at 01:57 AM • permalink
- The government is always in the dumps during this point of the cycle – best time to get all the bad news out – and I’m sure they will start to firm up for the rest of this year before they take Death Beast form ahead of the election.
Speaking of which, I hope Beazer is padding his trousers, because he’s going to get a mighty spanking next year.
- #29 If Margo doesn’t come back from retirement, JoHo will need to replace her. Howard-haters are crucial to his chances of re-election.Posted by Margos Maid on 2006 07 31 at 02:41 AM • permalink
- I think margo would have to convince the asylum to let her out before she could mount much of a campaign against JoHo again…
but does she have another $50k to flush down the toilet??? i doubt the allowance she’d get on the dole would cover much more than her daily medications???
as for beazley #35, he pads those trousers anymore and he’s gonna look like the friggin’ Michelin Man… or a leaking goodyear blimp!!!
- The election’s in the bag for Howard already as there is a huge block of voters out there who will vote for him just to witness the mass apoplexy of the left on the Monday morning following the poll.
Could we see the Aussie left do a
Jonestown?Posted by AlphaMikeFoxtrot on 2006 07 31 at 04:05 AM • permalink
- I look forward to the continuation of the gloating of October 2004.
Can we please dig up another Mark Latham in the ranks of the ALP?
Carmen Lawrence, the Member for Fremantle, is a bit of a ratbag, all RWDB’s should encourage her to tip out Beazley and stand as leader. (There’s a book in it for you, Carmen)
Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2006 07 31 at 04:58 AM • permalink
- If interest rates stay low JoHo will piss it in.Posted by Islam/cancer-Chuck Norris/answer on 2006 07 31 at 05:10 AM • permalink
- JoHo in again? PM in perpetuum? I am so there!
So long as we have these socialist wankfests masquerading as ‘state governments’ we need stronger than usual leadership.
JWH is the only one who can provide it from where I’m sitting.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 07 31 at 06:13 AM • permalink
- skeeter @ #43
Anyone else notice SCD at #34 has used ‘prey’, not ‘pray’?
He has repeated it too, so he probably means it. Lovely nuancing, SCD.erm…. thanks skeeter but I’m afraid its just a case of appalling spelling, BUT in true RWDB style, that won’t stop me taking the points. Ta.
Hey, cassenova, you wouldn’t like to hit the shift key a few more times to spray a few capital letters around? Love ya baby but wouldn’t like to get you confused with M.Mayes in one of his pissed sessions here.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 07 31 at 06:43 AM • permalink
- Majority of voters in the current Age poll DON’T think Howard at the helm will deliver victory to the Coalition at the next election.
Sort of predictable, really. Oh, you can vote if you like.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 07 31 at 06:57 AM • permalink
- Oops, sorry casanova. Hoist on my own petard.Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 07 31 at 07:18 AM • permalink
- ‘22 I have put the Moonbat Detector in for service it was evidently giving me a false positive. ‘
Lingus4, that is the second time this week! And we gave you the upgrade to the new Mk 16 model last time (hey, gotta look after the regular customers).
Lemme have a look at it…
Bugger. You confused it with the cluebat again, didn’t you? I can tell. There’s dried blood and completely unused brains all over this thing! You’ve snuck out and lurked in dark alleys near another ‘peace’ rally, haven’t you?
It’s gonna take hours to fix! Howard? Hand me that spanner…
MarkL
Canberra
- JOHO AIMS FOR FIVE
Go for it Mr. Howard…and OZ’landers, try your damnedest to give Mr. Howard a win.
After the next U.S. elections (06 and 08), Australia along with a few others, (Japan comes to mind) MAY be the only nations that still will recognize, the dangers that exist in this world due to the psychopaths of Islam, Syria, Persia, their proxies, Al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah. Toss in a piss ant nut bag in North Korea, dangers abound.
Paraphrasing Mr. Howard…‘A dead martyr, is still dead’. Mr. Howard, gets it. If I may add A dead North Korean leader, is still dead.
#2 Barrie
Eat your hearts out, Bush voters!
We may not have to. In a nation (ours) possibly lead by the likes of a Clinton, Kerry or a Gore, the heart of our nation, will be ripped from us.
- Finally the message that gossip,false hopes,Beazley’s “stance”(methinks he doth protesteth too much),the Press Gallery’s dreams,wishful thinking and tears aside..
“IT’S OVER” trumpets the 7.30 report and Red Kezza sighs dramatically “at least there’s a question WE WON’T HAVE TO ASK the P.M. for a while….”
Well who bloody asked you to obsess for the last six weeks-and the months before that-and the YEARS before that Red.
It might be orgasmic stuff for you but the Earth doesn’t move for us,specially when it’s our cash.
They then devoted another 15 minutes to the paper chase anyway.What the heck,we can afford it.
To appease his hatred temporarily Red launched into an anti Israel tirade.(I know it’s a shocking thing all those people were killed).
“Israel is maintaining its right to eliminate Hesbollah but are people turning against Israel..(well I dunno Kez you tell me).Ouljate Balhous,a Muslim lady says “we’re getting stronger..” and “I would love to be there right now.”
Kezza turns to Dr Andrew Vincent from MacQarie Uni for corroboration of his opinion and gets it.
Another academic,Professor Michael McKinley from A.N.U. was interviewed on ABC radio today.Interestingly he appeared to believe that Israel would not advance further into Lebanon because it would come within the RANGE of Syria..So he believes that Syria would BOMB THE ISRAELIS IN LEBANON..exactly what the Israelis are being criticised for now..attacking Lebanon to hit Hesbollah.But that would be o.k. wouldn’t it.
He also stated that “if the Israelis don’t expand the war then what they’ve done so far would be preposterous…”
If Margo doesn’t come back from retirement, JoHo will need to replace her. Howard-haters are crucial to his chances of re-election.
Margo’s Maid — No worries, mate. Having read the letters and comments over at The Age, I have no doubt that A Hero Will Arise…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 07 31 at 09:47 AM • permalink
- I have a number of problems with the Howard Government. I’m a member of not just one but two minority groups that are actively persecuted by misguided elements of the Right.
I may actually end up effectively exiled from the country as a result. This is no Moonbat fantasy or exaggeration, merely a bit of bureaucratic farce that’s gone on for far too long, with possibly spectacular as well as idiotic results. (Precis here).
Having said that… it’s small potatoes. The point is, that in the Grand Scheme of things, the Big Picture, they’ve got it right. I’ve had good results before by directly contacting Ministers, I hope to again. If not, they’re in for a battle.
But they state the bleedin’ obvious, when so many don’t. That the Israelis kill civilians when they miss, while Hezbollah kills them when they hit, and hides behind the bodies of civilians at all times.
It’s difficult to argue against the liberation of 50 million people from Tyrannical dictatorship or Theocratic sadism. Even if it means I may never see my 5 year old son again.
But I have some Faith in the system still. That it can’t possibly go that far. Unlike the Looney Left, these people have a record, not of infallibility, but at least of Sanity. I could only vote against them if the Opposition could say the same, and it’s far too obvious they can’t.
- At least Howard gets another shot at an election. Some people here in the states can’t even wait until Bush’s term is out, hence the name of a particularly vitriolic anti-Bush web site called “worldcantwait.org”. Oh, and don’t forget to mark your calendars: this outfit intends to launch a mass protest on October 5, 2006, because “millions of us reject this illigitimate regime that is as criminal as it is dangerous . .” blah, blah, blah. The crowning fatuity of their folie de grandeur is this immodest pronouncement: “We are what we’ve been waiting for.”
- October 6, 2006… Yeah, that ought to hurt the Republicans in the elections: “NO! VOTE FOR US INSTEAD! WE SCREAM!”
Wonder if Ned Lamont will show up for the rally?
Zoe — Never underestimate the sheer terror a bureaucrat feels when being asked to interpret a rule on the record.
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 07 31 at 10:40 AM • permalink
- (Shhh, I’m trying to picture Dubya standing for another election) How lovely. Please re-elect John Howard. Oh please, please, please. I guess, Mr. Costello, that we finally know who’s on first…
In other election news, the perfidious New York Times endorses—wait for it—Ned Lamont!
Mr. Lamont, a wealthy businessman from Greenwich, seems smart and moderate, and he showed spine in challenging the senator while other Democrats groused privately. He does not have his opponent’s grasp of policy yet. But this primary is not about Mr. Lieberman’s legislative record. Instead it has become a referendum on his warped version of bipartisanship, in which the never-ending war on terror becomes an excuse for silence and inaction. We endorse Ned Lamont in the Democratic primary for Senate in Connecticut.
Ned Lamont is the Time’s idea of “moderate”. Go figure.
Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 07 31 at 11:52 AM • permalink
- #66: In the bag, Crash. Just trying to line up some lefty cheesecake photos. Paco Publications is also bringing out “The Moonbat’s Almanac”, which will include the all-important lunar cycles (“to bay or not to bay”), daily global warming forecasts (“you have 245 shopping days left to extinction”), recipes featuring all-organic ingredients derived mostly from seaweed and dirt (offered at volume discounts from the Progressive Aquarius Co-Op), and a sprinkling of folksy humor (“Rove is pond scum!!” Har, har, har).
- #41, Spot on Pedro, Carmen ‘I dont recall’ Lawrence was the first female premier here in WOZ. We dont want another one. Sorry gals, but she was shite.
As WA Premier she supported the presence of American war ships in the port of Fremantle, which she now vigorously opposes. She supported the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, which she now violently opposes.
But can she violently break a cabbies arm?
CarmenPosted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 07 31 at 12:49 PM • permalink
- #71. Richly comic memories of Carmen standing in a pitching whale boat (like that painting of Washington crossing the Potomac) to bark ‘go away!!’ at the unheeding side of USS BLOODYHUGE
not so long ago. They should have hosed her, but instead was politely addressed by some ensign with a megaphone and invited to put it in writing.Yeah, she’d be perfect!
- Woo-hoo!
Go for it, Mr. Howard.
Here’s hoping Australia recognizes yet again what a good thing they have in you.
Keep doing what you’re doing – and drive the moonbats nuts in the process. 😀
Posted by Barbara Skolaut on 2006 07 31 at 02:26 PM • permalink
- #70. Jim, another way to say it is we have had FOUR Howard Governments or Administrations so far.
Australian ‘terms’ of government are a flexible three years because our federal election dates are not set in stone.As for Howard, in the 70s he had a very bad comb-over hairdo, repeated himself in a boring manner on TV, and was far too polite and decent compared with the Attack Dog Hawke types opposite [including the ABC interviewers].
I concluded he would never get anywhere near the top as he wasn’t ‘Australian’ enough.How totally wrong I was… His middle name is Winston, after all.
- JoHo?! I’ve got to get out more as I’ve never head the moniker. Hope he doesn’t go the way of JBro (Brogden) – slashing his wrists.
In light of the recent glut of photo ops of Howard coincidentally meeting up with giggling school kids to show he is hip with the youth of Australia, perhaps his kids should have given him a baggy tracksuit and some bling for his 67th birthday.
Page 1 of 1 pages
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
