Desert Star - Australian Politics

Wed - January 7, 2009

Kevin Rudd, 'Fiscal' Conservative?

Just over a year since the Howard Government was thrown unceremoniously from power, with their leader, John Howard, losing his own seat (his party didn't have the guts to dump him, but the voters did) it is an appropriate time to take stock of the Labor Government under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Perhaps there was a portent of the direction and flavour of the incoming government on the night of the election, when, flushed with the euphoria of victory and more than a glass or two of celebratory drinks, we endured Mr Rudd delivering an uninspiring cliche-ridden speech in a flat monotone. Anything was better than John Howard though, and we lived in hope of a more tolerant society.

Posted at 11:47 PM Read More

Wed - November 7, 2007

Ode to John Howard

One ought to be at least a little conciliatory of John Howard's years in power, but I'll let someone else do that. The kindest thing that I can say about the man, is that he stayed in power long enough for us to throw him out, including it seems, out of his own seat. This hope of mine was expressed in a previous blog, 'The Rat to go down with his ship' . In this alone, Howard lived up to, and fulfilled my expectations.

Posted at 01:41 AM Read More

Tue - October 23, 2007

The Rat To Go Down With His Ship

Nothing, apart from the Howard Government winning this years election, (which is not going to happen), would disappoint me more than if John Howard had chosen not to contest it as his party's leader. For a while it seemed, he was contemplating retirement; passing the baton to his economic partner throughout his eleven year reign, treasurer Peter Costello. Fortunately Howard's hubris, along with his life-long dedication to conservatism, and his love of power, has seen him remain to fight his last fight. I didn't want him to retire, because I want to see him defeated.

Posted at 12:59 PM Read More

Mon - September 24, 2007

Election Looms - Howard's Doom?

After what seems to have been a year of a phony election campaign, the incumbent John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister, will soon have to call an election. He is in no hurry to do so, as his so-called 'Liberal' party trails the opposition Labor Party by more than ten points, and the Labor leader Kevin Rudd is being perceived as a fresh face. Howard is increasingly being seen as a man who has run out of ideas, but also as a man who has brazenly danced around the truth far too often.

Posted at 11:37 PM Read More

Thu - August 2, 2007

Mohamed Haneef; The Politics of Hate.

Of one thing we can be sure. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty, Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews, and Prime Minister John Howard will pursue Mohamed Haneef with every ounce of their being. Far more important for them now, is not Dr Haneef's guilt or innocence - details like that are not important for this Government - it is the political mileage to be gained from denigrating him, and the loss of face to be suffered if he proves to be innocent. One has only to observe the on-going slaughter in Iraq, (justified now as a huge loss of face if the invasion fails) with the carnage of Iraqis not even worthy of comment by the war mongers Howard and Downer, to see how individuals of other than white Caucasian bent stand in the grand order of things.

Posted at 12:42 PM Read More

Thu - September 21, 2006

Howard's Australia Home to Roost

Let's make no mistake about who was responsible for the racist violence we saw on the beaches of Sydney on December 9th 2005. It can be sheeted home to the master of dog whistle politics, John Winston Howard. The man who won an election by demonising refugees, who supports the torture gulags across the world run by the 'freedom loving' United States, who advocates the invasion of an Arab nation to support his masters, and who supports draconian laws to deprive people of due process, has set the tone. He can deplore the violence all he likes, but it was his supporters, flying the flag he loves, wallowing in the jingoism he bathes in, who were marching to his drum beat of insinuation and fear.

Posted at 04:05 PM Read More

poor fellow my country

Does a country get the leader it deserves, or does a leader guide the country towards their view of what they believe a country should be? It's an important question in light of the results of election 2004, wherein John Winston Howard, one of the most reviled and vilified leaders the country has ever seen, has won an historic four elections in a row, by popular mandate.

Posted at 04:03 PM Read More

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