I'm not going to read this book. I'm not even going to flick through the pages in a bookshop. But I must say I'm enjoying the apparent open season on John Howard the publishing of his memoirs has prompted. So much so that as a passionate Howard-hater, I thought I'd add my own voice to the chorus of derision and criticism deservedly heading his way.
Among a bag of other enjoyable barbs, Jeff Kennett concluded that John Howard had no legacy. I disagree slightly - the only legacy he has in my opinion is his longevity - the second longest serving Prime Minister in Australian History in fact. This is no doubt because that is all John Howard put his mind to: his longevity. The John Howard Prime Ministership was focussed on one outcome alone - the preservation and survival of the John Howard Prime Ministership. I feel that this book is very similar, designed to contribute nothing to the national record but for the preservation of his legacy. (Somewhat in vain given the lack there-of.)
How can I say all this without reading it? Well, John Brown's words on "Party Liners" on @702Sydney this morning helped me to that conclusion. He does not, apparently, address in the book any of the following:
- His refusal to say sorry to the aboriginal population when political consensus was agreed that it was time
- His complicity in the invasion of Iraq based on a fallacy that there were WMD when there weren't - despite the warnings of the now Independent Senator and then ASIO analyst Andrew Wilkie, whom he derided and victimised
- His complicity in the unforgiveable Children Over Board scandal
These three crimes are his legacy if there's anything, and to gloss over them is frankly irresponsible for one attempting historical documentation. This goes somewhat to Kennet's further - and amusing - accusation that he has a Christlike image of his own infallability. Naturally, his view of history sees himself only as a virtuous and unmalignable national hero; those events that conflict with that are seen through/over/passed. This smacks of outrageous hubris.
Moving to the great Costello debate, I tire of this ordinarily as I dislike Costello as much as Howard and in fact find his self-serving, arrogant whines even more grating than Howard's. However, in this case even Costello has joined the fray to set the record straight. Howard maintains that he welched on the leadership deal between them based on Costello's behaviour around its publication in July 2006. Doesn't this smack of childish petulence?
As to leadership he always stuck to the convenient line that he would stay as long as his party wanted him to. Yet summary of his decision to fight the 2007 election, and the failure of those around him to persuade him to resign, is that his wife and children persuaded him to fight so he didn't look as if he was running from a fight with Rudd. His own family overuled his party? Doesn't this inconsistency smack of a woeful lack of integrity?
In fact, given my premise above, that his only interest was his own political survival and that of the party was irrelevant, it is actually no surprise that he welched on both commitments to a. pass the leadership batton to Costello and b. resign when his party clearly no longer wanted him. How his party fared in the 2007 election was unimportant to him if he was not there to lead it.
(Its worth reading both Leo Shanahan's article on Punch about this, as well as Phillip Coorey's in the Herald.)
Further thoughts from Kennett about how he squandered an historical economic boom by indulging only in debt-management, middle-class welfare expansion and international aggrandisement are valid also I feel. A complete lack of investment in infrastructure was pure irresponsibilty; and his shameless sychophancy towards George Bush position Australia as Infidel-puppy in the minds of much of the muslim world when it needn't be.
All I'd say is that from what I understand, his battle over firearms early on in his tenure is about the only thing that doesn't look like self-serving machinations and is instead genuine national leadership. But his disgraceful and calculated behaviour over the Tampa alone is enough to completely invalidate this as a virtue. I think Mr Kennett sums up Mr Howard's psychological short-comings rather well so I feel I should leave the last word with him:
"John must believe that he had all the answers, and that he was almost infallible. He joins only one other individual on earth's surface over history that can claim that credit, the rest of us are mere mortals and we do our best."