The Erosion of Due Process
When John Howard came to office in 1996 he famously told Australians he wanted them to be ‘relaxed and comfortable’. But it was clear from early on in the reign of this Prime Minister that his obsession with retaining office at all costs would do nothing to reassure Australians that its democracy was in sure hands.
Can anyone remember a period in post-Federation history of this country where so much damage has been done to fundamental tenets such as the rule of law, due process and respect for rights over such a short period of time? It is hard to think of any such occasion.
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Malcolm Fraser once described the John Howard Government as “almost unrecognisable as a Liberal Party.”
From my point of view, the people most disadvantaged by the Howard years, are the young - those under 30.
University education is unaffordable, housing is unaffordable and now Brendan Nelson wants to send young school leavers into the military in exchange for waiving HECS fees.
I cannot remember a time since the World War when so much damage has been done deliberately to fundamental tenets of democracy over such a short period of time. I have only read of the period between Federation and that war, but cannot find anything remotely as diabolical as what has happened to Democracy since John Howard came to office. Even during the World War, Democracy was not set aside to the present extent. John Howard is so desperate to retain office that we can expect more irrational and totally illogical stunts from him in the lead up to the election. Who can say how much more of taxpayers’ money he will spend on propaganda to fool the people into believing him when they really know he is totally discredited and untrustworthy.
A comparison between Australia under Howard and Germany under Hitler was once considered too far-fetched to be contemplated. Now, I’m not so sure.
John Hooker
The Howard-Brough heavy-handed, military move into the family and community life of Indigenous people is a highly dangerous, indeed tragic, return to out-of-date old-style imperialism, with apparently no thought of genuine consultation based on respect. Indeed, a return to the very attitudes which caused problems for Aborigines in the first place.
Over 70 years I can’t recall any such period. We have entered a period of darkness in which John Howard, as Greg Barns says, has become desperate and dangerous. Howard verbal’s Jesus in a bid for the Christian vote.Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.He has to account for his personal and direct role in the murder and death of tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis too. Thou shalt not kill. Howard has mates like Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, whose advice to Iraqis seeing TV images of innocent civilians and their families killed by coalition troops, Change the Channel!. Consider Howard’s position when he loses office and Diplomatic Immunity. He will be fair game for those who wish to pursue his role in aiding and abetting Bush in Crimes Against Humanity.The Bush Administration started the game of rendering so I suspect there will be quite a bit of reaping what they have sowed. Greg wonders why Howard has become irrational, try guilty conscience.