Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to rise this evening to speak about former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, OM, AC, who celebrated his 80th birthday in July. Sound economic management, gun reform and stability are three things synonymous with John Howard's tenure as Prime Minister. In my opening remarks I want to dissect a virtue of John Howard's which I believe greatly assisted him in becoming one of Australia's finest prime ministers. It is a virtue I also believe is too often understated but is a very necessary ingredient for political success—that, of course, is tenacity.

Tuesday 9 May 1989 is not a date that springs to mind when you think of major historical events. However, it is one which is significant in Australian political history, if one which is glossed over. It's the date that John Howard lost the leadership of the Liberal Party to Andrew Peacock. Following problems which plagued the Liberal Party during the 1980s, such as the threat to break up the coalition, the 'Joh for Canberra' campaign and the everlasting leadership tensions between Andrew Peacock and Mr Howard, Mr Peacock moved a spill motion and Mr Howard declared the position vacant. Andrew Peacock won the ballot 44 votes to 27, thus returning to the leadership of the Liberal Party and the opposition. It was one of the largest margins in Liberal Party history.

In the meantime, in the lead-up to that leadership damage, John Howard did not have an easy run during his first stint as leader. However, after he lost the leadership to his arch rival and then deputy, Andrew Peacock, Mr Howard reflected and set on a path to enact change within himself while not losing hope of his ultimate goal to one day be Prime Minister of the country he loved so much.

After the coalition lost the 1990 federal election, Andrew Peacock resigned as leader, ending his long-held leadership ambitions. John Hewson was then elected Liberal Party leader, a position he held for over four years, including while taking the coalition to a record fifth consecutive election loss. After the 1993 election loss, John Howard contested the leadership. John Hewson prevailed by 47 votes to 30. This left Mr Howard completely deflated. Just a year later John Hewson had lost the support of his colleagues, and the party room elected what at the time was referred to by Laurie Oakes on Channel Nine's Sunday program as the 'dream team', with Alexander Downer and Peter Costello elected leader and deputy leader respectively. This was viewed as generational change of the Liberal leadership by many across our country.

By this point, two federal elections had occurred since John Howard lost the leadership. After four years and the three different leaders since Mr Howard's leadership loss in 1989, his personal fortunes looked illusory. A few days prior to the new 'dream team' leadership ticket being elected, Mr Howard wrote in his diary: 'I was given my last ever chance to reclaim the leadership of the Liberal Party and again seek the prime ministership of my country. I didn't know it at the time and I passed up the opportunity. It will never come again. I think I now feel that.' Although appearing improbable, Mr Howard's dream was still alight inside. The new Liberal leadership team started strongly and gave Liberal supporters across the country a real sense of optimism of the Liberals being elected for the first time in a long time. However, as time went on and Alexander Downer's leadership began to fragment, on 30 June 1995, after nearly six years, two elections and three different leaders since John Howard's first stint, Mr Howard returned as leader of the Liberal Party and the coalition. John Howard remarked in his autobiography that Alexander Downer was 'impeccable'. Mr Howard and Mr Downer's relationship strengthened and continued during the 11½ years of the Howard government.

The mere feat of Mr Howard returning as Liberal leader would not have happened if he had given up his long-held dream of being Prime Minister of Australia. That's tenacity. During Mr Howard's 33-year political career, he was steadfastly tenacious. He was tenacious when he lost as the Liberal candidate for the state seat of Drummoyne in the 1967 New South Wales election. He was tenacious when he rose as Treasurer in the Fraser government in 1977. He was tenacious when he lost his first leadership ballot to Andrew Peacock in 1983. He was tenacious through a turbulent time in opposition for over a decade. John Howard was tenacious in government.

Net government debt was $94.8 billion when the Howard government was elected in March 1996. When the Howard government left office in November 2007, it was zero, zilch. The average real wage growth of the Hawke-Keating government was minus 1.8 per cent compared to the Howard government's years of 21.5 per cent. Mr Howard inherited an unemployment rate of 8.2 per cent, and it was just 4.2 per cent when the coalition left office. The Howard government's credit rating was twice upgraded to AAA status, while the previous Labor government's credit rating was downgraded twice to AA. The tax burden was 22.3 per cent of GDP when Labor left office in 1996, and that was reduced to 20.7 per cent when the Howard government left office.

The Howard legacy is obvious—11½ years of diligent and responsible economic management. John Howard was tenacious while leading a government that needed to make tough decisions and tighten the belt. It is Mr Howard's tenacity which not only ensured Australia had great economic prosperity for the period he was in office but also helped set up Australia for the 21st century. Mr Howard's tenacity delivered other things: gun reform, implementation of the GST, the resumed diplomatic relationship with North Korea, maintenance of Australia's high level of security during a new era of world terrorism and, of course, the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. One could stand and recount countless examples of where Mr Howard's tenacity not only helped to make Australia a better country but also led to his prime ministership becoming the benchmark for political leadership and good government in this country.

At a time when a lot is said about leadership, when a lot is said about character, I think it's time that we rewarded that virtue: tenacity. Mr Howard celebrated his 80th birthday on 26 July. I'm sure many senators and members extend our best wishes to him. I'd like to use this opportunity this evening to applaud his work and his virtue: tenacity.

Senate adjourned at 22:16