Howard’s tips for Labor
A WOMAN on a mission marched up to former Australian Prime Minister John Howard in the street when he was at the height of his powers during his 11 years in the top job from 1996 to 2007.
It was an encounter where he was met with immediate derision, but also spoke of his undeniable impact on the course of the country’s future.
“I wouldn’t vote for you if my life depended on it,” the woman said.
“But you’re right about guns,” she added.
Mr Howard opened up to a packed Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday for the annual The Southport School (TSS) Business Luncheon, captivating the 1000-plus-strong crowd with stories of his victories, losses and the state of the country’s current leadership.
But it was his reflection on Tasmania’s Port Arthur Massacre on April 28, 1996 – where a then 28year-old Martin Bryant gunned down 35 innocent people and wounded scores more – that had the room fall silent and prick up their ears.
Mr Howard was just weeks in office when the shooting spree happened.
Interviewed by Sky News Australia CEO and former Editor of The Australian, Paul Whittaker, Mr Howard spoke not only of the far-reaching gun law reforms he implemented in the wake of the massacre, but of his biggest regret in his years in office – donning a bulletproof vest to a pro-gun rally in Sale, Victoria weeks after the attack.
“I had very reliable detail from the Australian Federal Police at the time that I would be gunned down,” Mr Howard said.
“My immediate reaction was ‘I don’t want or need to wear that (the bulletproof vest).’
“But a very close advisor of mine said ‘what would I say to Janette (Mr Howard’s wife) if you do get shot’.”
Mr Howard said during that appearance at Sale, he did not feel unsafe, and later regretted the decision to wear the vest.
The gun law reforms Mr Howard spearheaded – which included a general prohibition on the ownership or possession of automatic or semi-automatic weapons – still hold their weight in Australia today, while deadly shootings in the United States continue to rock the globe.
“Every time there is an attack in America, people still come up to me and talk positively about the changes we made,” Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard reflected on the late former Gold Coast Bulletin editor Roy ‘ Rocky’ Miller phoning him about an opinion poll prior to his 1998 re-election as Prime Minister, where he won by a narrow margin.
“It doesn’t look too good,” Mr Miller told the Prime Minister.
He was phoned some time later when a country-wide exit poll was not looking so rosy either.
“I walked into the green room of Kirribilli House and my son said ‘don’t worry dad there will be more time to play golf’.”
But fate would prove Mr Howard victorious, an outcome he thanked in part the state of Queensland for.
“I’ve never had a bad word to say about Queenslanders given they know how to vote,” Mr Howard laughed.
Mr Howard turned to the current state of the Albanese Government and bluntly remarked it was “confused”.
He said it had produced no long-term plan in regards to fixing the country’s economy.
He said the country must balance the budget and manage expenditure instead of looking at tax increases.
“The worst thing about the current Labor government of the past few months had been their thought to raise taxes rather than cutting expenditure. To me, it is shambolic,” he said.
“We cut spending. Peter Costello’s first budget was the best budget we’ve had in three decades.”
Mr Howard also advised “preserving the status quo” with Taiwan and China would be wise, saying: “I’m in favour of preserving peace.”
The 25th Prime Minister gave his parting advice for TSS students in the room dreaming of a career in politics.
“See it not as a public relations exercise but as a battle of ideas and values. Argue for the future.”
I’VE NEVER HAD A BAD WORD TO SAY ABOUT QUEENSLANDERS GIVEN THEY KNOW HOW TO VOTE FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD