it's not Howard who paid it off, it's us with our taxes.
Doesn't take much brain to jack up taxes and stop spending on infrastructure and other public services.
Best Prime Minister in Last 40 years ?
- Thread starter perky29
- Start date
it's not Howard who paid it off, it's us with our taxes.
Doesn't take much brain to jack up taxes and stop spending on infrastructure and other public services.
I think the votes on both of these polls are very skewed as being the views of a very select group of people.
Informed, middle class (most likely), property investers.
Would be interesting to compare our viewswith society in general.
Poll our tenants and will probably be the other way around!
One of the best things Howard left us with is the general public concern for running surplus budgets and keeping government debt manageable (or better yet, no govt debt). The fact the Labor is now trying to get the budget back to surplus is terrific.
I used to be a staunch Liberal. I've never voted Labor. But nowadays I tend to swing, and don't know who I'd be voting for next election.
I used to be a staunch Liberal. I've never voted Labor. But nowadays I tend to swing, and don't know who I'd be voting for next election.
Australians are far quicker than most to ask "Where is the money coming from?" and that may be as a result of Libs nagging while in opposition.
It is a good thing and is a factor in our relatively light recession.
....ear wax...???
Lol.
I voted for howard.
I do believe that Hawke/Keating govts did a pretty good job before him, with their economic reforms and whatnot, but the Howard govt took them a few steps further.
I also like that the Howard govt helped to further take the wind out of the Unions' sails... which of course has now been undone by Kevin-bloody-Krudd.
Hawke's "compact" with the unions did more to control their power than any lib government before or since.
Some other Australian PM rankings
For those who are political junkies, here are some other attempts to rate the Australian PMs:
1. The Age - 18 December 2004
Associated ranking list. This goes back to the time of Curtin i.e. 1941 onwards, and omits caretaker PMs like Forde and McEwan. It was done in 2004, just after Howard had commenced his fourth term.
When considering the rankings, the 15 political scientists and historians (from both left and right) were asked to consider issues more than like/dislike and look at criteria such as "leadership, foreign policy, economic management, vision, impact as an agent of change and relationship with the electorate." Of course, these criteria are still subjective, with room for much debate.
As has been pointed out in various comments on the concurrent Worst PM thread, many PMs are beyond the living memory of many (including myself). Anyway, it's interesting to see the opinions of those who have spent more time studying the successes and failures of past PMs.
2. Psephologist Malcolm Mackerras
Mackerras, of electoral pendulum fame, did his shortly after Rudd became PM. He included all 26 PMs, even the caretaker PMs.
His full ranking list is here.
Where do you stand on the political spectrum?
A little off topic, I know, but check out these two quizzes if you're interested:
1. Political Compass - your political stance in 2 dimensions!
2. The World's Smallest Political Quiz - quick and easy.
For those who are political junkies, here are some other attempts to rate the Australian PMs:
1. The Age - 18 December 2004
Associated ranking list. This goes back to the time of Curtin i.e. 1941 onwards, and omits caretaker PMs like Forde and McEwan. It was done in 2004, just after Howard had commenced his fourth term.
When considering the rankings, the 15 political scientists and historians (from both left and right) were asked to consider issues more than like/dislike and look at criteria such as "leadership, foreign policy, economic management, vision, impact as an agent of change and relationship with the electorate." Of course, these criteria are still subjective, with room for much debate.
As has been pointed out in various comments on the concurrent Worst PM thread, many PMs are beyond the living memory of many (including myself). Anyway, it's interesting to see the opinions of those who have spent more time studying the successes and failures of past PMs.
2. Psephologist Malcolm Mackerras
Mackerras, of electoral pendulum fame, did his shortly after Rudd became PM. He included all 26 PMs, even the caretaker PMs.
His full ranking list is here.
Where do you stand on the political spectrum?
A little off topic, I know, but check out these two quizzes if you're interested:
1. Political Compass - your political stance in 2 dimensions!
2. The World's Smallest Political Quiz - quick and easy.
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Interesting list. I noticed this entry:
4 BEN CHIFLEY
(Labor. July 13, 1945 - December 19, 1949.)
BORN September 22, 1885, Bathurst, NSW.
EDUCATION Patrician Brothers High School, Bathurst.
EMPLOYMENT Engine driver.
MARRIED Elizabeth Gibson Chifley, no children.
DIED June 13, 1951, Canberra.
Presided over Australia's postwar reconstruction but was trounced at the 1949 election after his attempt to nationalise the banks.
Will Rudd's entry soon read "....was trounced at the 2010 election after his attempt to nationalise the miners."?
4 BEN CHIFLEY
(Labor. July 13, 1945 - December 19, 1949.)
BORN September 22, 1885, Bathurst, NSW.
EDUCATION Patrician Brothers High School, Bathurst.
EMPLOYMENT Engine driver.
MARRIED Elizabeth Gibson Chifley, no children.
DIED June 13, 1951, Canberra.
Presided over Australia's postwar reconstruction but was trounced at the 1949 election after his attempt to nationalise the banks.
Will Rudd's entry soon read "....was trounced at the 2010 election after his attempt to nationalise the miners."?
For what it's worth, i scored:
Economic Left/Right: 3.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.62
Wow! Either I'm boring, or I just don't have strong convictions one way or the other...
Economic Left/Right: 0.62
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.26
-4.00 and -5.28 - right next to Gandhi..... the dead middle of the lower LH corner.
how is that even possible? i answered all as i would anywhere else and i thought i was going to be 0 and 10.
i'm a commie.....a commie....noooooooo *sob*
the dead middle of the lower LH corner.how is that even possible? i answered all as i would anywhere else and i thought i was going to be 0 and 10.
i'm a commie.....a commie....noooooooo *sob*
I was thinking exactly the same.
Your joking right? The lines at the local CES office....out of the door and half way down the street from memory.....makes me shudder just thinking about it
The lines are now twice as long...................liberals closed the CES from memory.And hes running 2nd in this poll,must say something.Have a read Hughy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Employment_Service
Just wondering why this gentleman is not on the list..
http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/menzies/fast-facts.aspx
http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/menzies/fast-facts.aspx