John Howard and House of Tudor: Difference between pages

Revision as of 12:14, 12 January 2006

Revision as of 22:58, 13 July 2007

Line 1:

{{otheruses|Tudor}}

{{Infobox_Prime_Minister|name=John Howard

{{House of Tudor}}

|nationality=Australian

The '''Tudor dynasty''' or '''House of Tudor''' ({{lang-cy|Tudur}}) was a series of five [[monarch]]s who ruled [[Kingdom of England|England]] and [[Kingdom of Ireland|Ireland]] from [[1485]] until [[1603]]. Three of them, ([[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]], [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] and [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]]) played important roles in transforming [[England]] from a comparatively weak European backwater into a powerful state that in the coming centuries would dominate much of the world.

|image=Ac.johnhoward.jpg

|order=

|term_start=[[11 March]] [[1996]]

|term_end=present

|predecessor=[[Paul Keating]]

|successor=''Incumbent''

|birth_date=[[26 July]] [[1939]]

|birth_place=[[Sydney]], [[Australia]]

|dead=alive

|death_date=

|death_place=

|constituency=[[Division of Bennelong|Bennelong]]

|spouse=[[Janette Howard|Janette Parker]]

|party=[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]

}}

{{otheruses}}

'''John Winston Howard''' (born [[26 July]], [[1939]]) is an [[Australia]]n politician and the country's 25th [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]]. He came to office on [[11 March]], [[1996]], and was re-elected in [[Australian legislative election, 1998|1998]], [[Australian legislative election, 2001|2001]] and [[Australian legislative election, 2004|2004]]; this makes him the most electorally successful Prime Minister since [[Robert Menzies|Sir Robert Menzies]]. After his victory in [[2004]], his government gained control of both houses of the [[Parliament of Australia|Parliament]].

The House of Tudor began with [[Owen Tudor|Owain ap Meredith ap Tewdur]], a Welsh squire in [[Henry V of England|Henry V]]'s court better known by the Anglicized version of his name, Owen Tudor. Owen Tudor married the King's widow, [[Katherine of Valois]], and had five children with her. Their eldest surviving son, [[Edmund Tudor]], married [[Lady Margaret Beaufort]], a descendant of [[John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster]], who in her own right was at one point a potential heiress to Edmund's half-brother, [[Henry VI of England]]. At the age of thirteen, Margaret bore a son several months after her husband's death. Following the [[Wars of the Roses]] in which the Houses of [[House of Lancaster|Lancaster]] and [[House of York|York]] struggled for control of the English throne, this child would become [[Henry VII of England]].

==Rising politician==

Howard grew up in [[Earlwood, New South Wales|Earlwood]], a middle-class suburb of [[Sydney]]. His middle name, Winston, was chosen by his parents in honour of the [[Britain|British]] [[statesman]] [[Winston Churchill]].

During the Tudor period, the dynasty created the [[Church of England]] and also strengthened the [[Royal navy|navy]].

His father, Lyell Howard and his paternal grandfather, Walter Howard, were both veterans of the [[First Australian Imperial Force|First AIF]] in [[World War I]]. They later ran a [[petrol]] station and mechanical workshop in [[Dulwich Hill, New South Wales|Dulwich Hill]], where John Howard worked as a boy. Lyell Howard died during John's teenage years, leaving his mother to take care of John and his two brothers.

==Feudal circumstances==

John attended [[Canterbury Boys' High School]] and went on to study law at the [[University of Sydney]], joining the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] in [[1957]]. In [[1971]], he married [[Janette Howard|Janette Parker]], with whom he had three children. Although Janette has maintained a low profile during her husband's prime ministership — in part due to health problems — she is widely seen as having a major influence on his decision making.

While Tudors made much of their feudal title to [[Richmondshire]], [[Middleham]] and its subsidiary [[Snape, North Yorkshire|Snape]] were [[Neville]] bases. [[Bedale]] Ricardian [[Francis Lovell, Viscount Lovell]] resisted Henry VII. Robert Aske, of the family of Aske Hall in Richmond took complaints to Henry VIII in the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]], objecting to the King's "casting off" of Queen Catherine of Aragon and his daughter Princess Mary. [[Simon Digby]] resisted Elizabeth I, even though Digby's family were installed in the region by Henry VII as a replacement for Lovell. Sir George Bowes complained in defence of Digby's son's innocence, saying further that the rebels had not been able to be quelled by Lord Latimer. This [[Rising of the North]] for Charles Neville of Westmorland resulted in another installment of a dignitary puppet over Bedale by the Queen Elizabeth—Ambrose, Earl of Warwick.

Although dynastically [[House of Lancaster|Lancastrian]], the Tudors were politically [[House of York|Yorkist]]. In this sense, they were dual like the Nevilles (dynastically Yorkist, politically Lancastrian) and which was the point of union between both houses, supposedly resolving the [[Wars of the Roses]]. The Tudors, superseded this Neville crossover precedent, effectively balancing rival factions, as the Rising of the North itself ended the [[Percy-Neville feud]]. The Tudor dynasty and its unification of Richmondshire (like Wales, or Brittany to France) into the body politic of the English Royal Domain, thus contributed to the future Stuart succession by dominating foreign influences (e.g. the Castilian intrigue formed by John of Gaunt and pursued by Henry VII). The [[border country]] had become the pivot upon which the monarchy was secured, by subordination of the "Middle Shires"—as they came to be known under King James I.

After practising for some years as a [[solicitor]] and simultaneously holding office in the [[New South Wales]] [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]], Howard was elected to the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] as the Member of Parliament for the Sydney suburban seat of [[Division of Bennelong|Bennelong]] in May [[1974]]. When the [[Malcolm Fraser|Fraser]] government came to power in December [[1975]], Howard was appointed Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, and in December [[1977]], he was appointed Treasurer at the age of 38: he was known as "the boy Treasurer". In April [[1982]], he was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.

This consolidation of power under the Star Chamber Court and its reliance upon the subordination of palatine agricultural districts (e.g. Council of Wales, Council of the North, etc.) was to resemble the original Lancastrian high court party of Henry VI, instigating once again a Low Country (Burgundian Flanders) mercantile and Estuary opposition in the heirs of [[Mary Tudor (queen consort of France)|Mary Tudor, Duchess of Suffolk]] and their Dudley allies (carrying the notorious Warwick title). These economic and dynastic alliances of the Yorkists would re-emerge in the wake of the beheading of the last Plantagenet, [[Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury]]. Religion became intertwined with politics with the declaration of [[cuius regio, eius religio]]. This meant that English society had become divisive once more; even more so than before. Future Stuart succession would attempt to align the high court party with the high church party, in the same manner as the Spanish Habsburg standard.

During his period as Treasurer, Howard became a staunch adherent of [[Thatcherism]] (usually known as "[[economic rationalism]]" in Australia). Like Thatcher, he embraced the fiscal policies of [[neoliberalism]] without the more "[[libertarian]]" perspectives of the Chicago school on social issues. He favoured cuts to personal income tax and business tax, lower government spending, the dismantling of the centralised wage-fixing system, the abolition of compulsory [[trade unionism]] and the [[privatization]] of government-owned enterprises, views that have dominated his subsequent career. He became frustrated with the more liberal and pragmatic Fraser, who would not embark on these radical steps. In [[1982]], Howard nearly resigned in protest at Fraser's big-spending pre-election budget. After the [[1983]], defeat of the Fraser Government, Howard was attacked by the incoming [[Bob Hawke|Hawke]] government for allegedly lying to Parliament about the size of the budget deficit left by the outgoing Fraser government.

Jealous heirs to the Yorkists would challenge the stratifying intentions of these Lancastrian heirs, championing "the underdog"—themselves and the mercantile, industrial classes. Feudal structure in which a monarch was held in check by peers of the realm was challenged by nationalism under the monarchy; the Tudors having broken [[bastard feudalism]] upon the support of civil servants who demanded compensation. In the traditions of Simon de Montfort and Richard of York, Parliament became the vehicle for upward mobility by those dispossessed by the Crown. These officers of state decided to do their own kingmaking when the opportunity presented itself, but choosing the rival faction established under the Burgundian and ultimately German alliances of the [[Hundred Years' War]] (against the French peace of [[Margaret of Anjou]]).

==Success, failure, success==

==Marriage==

[[Image:Younghoward.jpg|thumb|250px|John Howard as "boy Treasurer" in the Fraser government, 1977]]

Owen and Edmund married Lancastrians, but Henry VII and Henry VIII, including [[Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset]] wed Yorkists.

Following Fraser's resignation, Howard contested the Liberal leadership, but was defeated by [[Andrew Peacock]]. He remained Deputy Leader and became Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Peacock was defeated by Hawke at the [[Australian legislative election, 1984|1984 election]] and although he had lost by less than most commentators expected, Peacock began to worry that Howard was planning to challenge for the leadership. In May [[1985]], he tried to remove Howard from the Deputy Leadership position, expecting him to challenge for the Leadership. The plan backfired when Howard stood again for the deputy's position, and won. This put Peacock in an untenable position and he resigned, leaving Howard to take the leadership unopposed.

The first marriage of Henry VIII was Lancastrian and to [[Catherine of Aragon]], strategically poised to court [[Catholic]] (specifically, Spanish and Imperial) powers, a policy seen again in Mary's marriage to [[Philip II of Spain]]. After many attempts, Catherine only succeded in having one child—a girl—Mary. Henry VIII wanted a male heir, however, and the refusal of the Papacy to grant an annullment of the marriage was a key factor in Henry's split from the [[Roman Catholic Church|Church of Rome]].

Howard described himself as "the most conservative leader the Liberals have ever had," and said that "the times will suit me." In addition to his economic views, he became known as a strong social conservative, supporting the traditional nuclear family against the "permissive society" and sceptical of the promotion of [[multiculturalism]] at the expense of a shared national identity: views he has toned down but not abandoned since.

Henry VIII's second marriage was to [[Anne Boleyn]]. She too failed to give Henry any sons, only a daughter, Elizabeth. She was accused of treason to the King and was executed.

During [[1985]] and [[1986]], with unemployment rising and the economy stagnant, Howard appeared to be making ground on the government. However, his dour and humourless style was no match for the charismatic Hawke and his acerbic Treasurer, [[Paul Keating]]. Howard's chances of winning the [[1987]] election were destroyed when the arch-conservative Premier of [[Queensland]], Sir [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]], launched a populist "[[Joh for Canberra]]" campaign, temporarily splitting and discrediting the conservative forces. Hawke won the [[1987]] election comfortably.

The third marriage was to [[Jane Seymour]]. She bore Henry a son, Edward. Unfortunately she died about two weeks after childbirth. Henry was heartbroken—many people think that Jane was the only one of his wives that Henry really loved.

In [[1988]], Howard's position was weakened by controversy following a speech in which he claimed that the rate of [[Asia]]n immigration into Australia was too high. In May [[1989]], Peacock launched a surprise leadership coup against Howard. After a brief stint on the [[backbench]], Howard returned to the [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] [[front bench]], but his leadership career seemed to be over, particularly when Peacock lost the [[1990]] election and the Liberals turned to a new, younger leader, Dr [[John Hewson]]. In fact, Howard compared the possibility of a political comeback to "[[Lazarus]] with a [[heart surgery|triple bypass]]".

The fourth marriage of Henry VIII was Yorkist [[Anne of Cleves]], strategically poised to court [[Protestant]] German powers. This idea was later picked up by the marriage between [[William and Mary]].

Howard was an enthusiastic supporter of Hewson's economic program, with a [[Goods and Services Tax (Australia)|Goods and Services Tax]] (GST) as its centrepiece. When Hewson lost the "unloseable" [[Australian legislative election, 1993|1993 election]] to [[Paul Keating]], Howard was again passed over for the leadership, which went to [[Alexander Downer]]. Downer failed to dent Keating's dominance and in January [[1995]] he resigned as leader. The party's Deputy Leader, [[Peter Costello]] was unwilling to step up to the leadership, and Howard became leader for the second time.

The fifth marriage was to [[Kathryn Howard]]. She was very young and didn't really want to marry Henry. It was later proved that she had been unfaithful to him with his chief Minister. She was accused of treason and was executed.

As Opposition Leader, Howard adopted a more pragmatic position than he had done during his first term in the leadership. He repudiated his earlier statements against [[Medicare (Australia)|Medicare]] and in favour of a GST. In a "small target" strategy, he attacked the "arrogance" and the "elitist" nature of Keating's "big picture" politics - issues like foreign relations with Asia, Australian republicanism, multiculturalism and reconciliation with [[indigenous Australians]] - which, Howard believed, were irrelevant to ordinary voters. With his slogan "For all of us", Howard signalled his preferment for ordinary, mainstream Australia over the unspoken "all of them" of "elite special interest groups".

Henry's last wife was a rich widow, [[Catherine Parr]]. Though she was in love with Thomas Seymour (Jane Seymour's brother) at the time, she was forced to marry him. However, she was loyal to Henry and nursed him well until he died. She soon remarried.

==Howard as Prime Minister==

Tudor marital policy with the Spaniards and Dutch (see [[Dutch Revolt]]) thus reflected the wish for "[[via media]]" as pursued in religious affairs, which was in some ways a continuation of the need to balance the Lancastrian and Yorkist camps.

===The 1996 election campaign===

With the electorate still suffering from reform fatigue, the 'Recession we had to have', and the then record interest rate repayments, Howard won over many traditional Labor voters, sometimes called the "Howard battlers", and scored a sweeping victory at the [[Australian legislative election, 1996|1996 elections]] over Keating to become Prime Minister of Australia at the age of 56.

The sisters of Henry were wed to the [[Auld Alliance]] dynasties of Scotland and France, but only the Scottish alliance was considered fruitful, with the French alliance lost to Suffolk. The Stuarts would continue this arrangement, through the marriages of [[Mary I of Scotland]] to the [[King Consort]]s [[Francis II of France]] and [[Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley]].

In the lead up to the [[1996]] election, [[Pauline Hanson]], the Liberal candidate for [[Division of Oxley|Oxley]] in Queensland was disendorsed because of comments she made to ''The Queensland Times''.

Howard was slow to express views on Hanson; his initial public reaction was to comment that he thought that it good that the years of "[[political correctness]]" were finally over. Howard's lukewarm response was variously interpreted as either indicating tacit support for the sentiments, or as a disingenous attempt to harness their popularity among certain segments of the electorate.

Hanson was elected as an independent member and used her first speech to Parliament to attack multiculturalism and reconciliation and allege that "we are in danger of being swamped by Asians" [http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=41338&table=HANSARDR]. She later formed [[One Nation Party|Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party]].

==The Tudor Period==

===First term: 1996–1998===

The Tudor [[history|historical]] period usually refers to the period 1485–[[1558]], especially in relation to the [[History of England]]. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in [[England]], with the exception of Elizabeth I. Occasionally the term is used more broadly to capture Elizabeth's reign as well, though in general 1558–1603 is treated separately as the [[Elizabethan era]].

[[Image:john_howard.jpg|thumb|240px|John Howard in the United States in 1997]]

Howard and his cabinet immediately announced the previous government had left behind a "budget black hole" that necessitated considerable reduction in almost all areas of government expenditure. Training and education programs developed under the Keating government were scrapped, funding for indigenous bodies was reduced, and a system of "work for the dole" requiring social security seekers to engage in work was introduced. Prudent economic management remained the government's strongest claim throughout its term, and a prolonged period of economic growth (which Keating claimed was simply the payoff from his earlier reforms), combined with strong budget surpluses, remain an essential element in its popularity.

==Monarchs of England==

In [[1996]], Australia was stunned when 35 people were killed by [[Martin Bryant]] in the [[Port Arthur massacre]]. Howard responded by compelling the [[Parliaments of the Australian states and territories|state governments]] to outlaw the ownership of [[Semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic rifles]], [[semi-automatic shotgun]]s and [[pump action shotguns|pump-action shotguns]]. The ban and an accompanying 'gun buy-back scheme' was popular with the general population but not with [[Gun politics in Australia|predominantly Coalition-voting gun owners]].

The six Tudor monarchs were:

*[[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]] ([[1485]]–[[1509]])

The Howard government did not have a majority in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]], instead facing a situation where legislation had to be negotiated past either the [[Australian Democrats]] or the [[Australian Greens|Greens]]. The Senate blocked or delayed much of the Government's legislation, including the partial privatisation of the government-owned telecommunications company [[Telstra]]; the modification of [[industrial relations]] laws to promulgate individual contracts; increases in university fees; large funding cuts in the [[1996]] and [[1997]] budgets; a 30% private [[health insurance]] rebate; and the extinguishment of [[native title]] on [[pastoral lease]]s (following the [[High Court of Australia|High Court]]'s [[Wik Decision|Wik]] decision).

*[[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]] ([[1509]]–[[1547]]); son of Henry VII

*[[Edward VI of England|King Edward VI]] ([[1547]]–[[1553]]); son of Henry VIII

*[[Lady Jane Grey]] ([[1553]]); great-granddaughter of Henry VII

*[[Mary I of England|Queen Mary I]] ([[1553]]–[[1558]]); eldest daughter of Henry VIII

*[[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I]] ([[1558]]–[[1603]]); second daughter of Henry VIII

Henry VII's great-granddaughter, [[Lady Jane Grey]] also served as Queen for nine days before being deposed by Mary I. Jane was later executed along with her husband [[Guildford Dudley]], son of [[John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland]]. This was a prelude to the [[Puritan]] usurpations of the Stuart era, as the Dudleys were invested in the [[Pilgrims]]' American colonisation.

Howard had come to office promising to improve standards of integrity among ministers and politicians, introducing a strict 'Code of Ministerial Conduct' at the start of his term. The strictness of his code backfired when a succession of seven of his ministers ([[Jim Short]], [[Geoff Prosser]], [[John Sharp (Australian politician)|John Sharp]], [[David Jull]], [[Brian Gibson (Australian politician)|Brian Gibson]], [[Bob Woods]] and [[Peter McGauran]]) were required to resign following breaches of the code, concerning a variety of 'travel rorts' (misuse of the ministerial travel allowance) and conflicts of interest between ministerial responsibilities and share ownership. Prosser had attempted to use his ministerial office to further his own business interests. Another two ministers ([[John Moore (Australian politician)|John Moore]] and [[Warwick Parer]]) were discovered to have breached the code, but at that point Howard opted to ignore it, rather than lose more of his front bench.

[[Image:tudors.JPG|thumb|right|200px|''Allegory of the Tudor dynasty'', (detail), attributed to Lucas de Heere, ''ca.'' 1572: left to right, [[Philip II of Spain]], [[Mary I of England|Mary]], [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]], [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]],

===The 1998 election campaign===

[[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth]]]]

The [[Australian legislative election, 1998|1998 election]] campaign was dominated by two issues. One was reform of the tax system, including the introduction of a broad based [[Goods and Services Tax (Australia)|goods and services tax]] (a broad-based [[value-added tax]]), which Howard had several years earlier said he would "never, ever" introduce; the other was [[One Nation Party|One Nation]].

To the Tudor period belongs the elevation of the English-ruled state in [[Ireland]] from a [[Lordship of Ireland|Lordship]] to a [[Kingdom of Ireland|Kingdom]] ([[1541]]).

At the October 1998 election, the Liberal-National Coalition, suffered a large swing, largely driven by a scare campaign against the Goods and Services Tax. Labor leader [[Kim Beazley]] won a 51% of the national [[Australian electoral system|two-party preferred vote]], but the Liberals ran an effective [[United States Republican Party|US Republican]] style marginal electorate [[election campaign|campaign]] and were returned with a comfortable majority in parliament.

==[[Kings of England family tree|Tudor's Family Tree]]==

Although One Nation had previously surprised commentators with a resounding performance in the [[Queensland state election, 1998|Queensland state election]], its national campaign was poorly administered and One Nation failed to win any House of Representatives seats. An electoral redistribution had rendered Pauline Hanson's seat of Oxley unwinnable. She stood in neighbouring electorate [[Division of Blair|Blair]] but was defeated.

Margaret Beaufort was born in 1443, not 1433 as shown in the table.

===Second term: 1998–2001===

[[Image:England-Tudor.png|700px]]

Despite Howard's essentially domestic focus, external issues intruded significantly into Howard's second term when the people of [[East Timor]] voted for independence in a [[United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor|United Nations sponsored referendum]]. [[Indonesia]]n milita, alledgedly covertly backed by Indonesian troops, began a brutal campaign of repression. After enormous public pressure, Howard broke with the previous bi-partisan policy of unquestioning support for Indonesia and Australia contributed a significant peacekeeping/policing force to protect the inhabitants against pro-Indonesian militias, attracting praise domestically and in several countries, but angering some Indonesians and [[Islamism|Islamists]].

The other major issue during Howard's second term was the implementation of the GST, replacing a range of taxes on specific goods with a flat rate on almost all goods and services. All GST revenue is distributed to the states. This was intended to give the States responsibility for their own finances and end the annual funding squabble between the States and the Federal Government. The Federal Government continues to determine the share of GST revenue received by each state.

Howard was only able to pass the GST legislation through the Senate after making a deal with [[Australian Democrats]]' leader Senator [[Meg Lees]] to exclude a number of items from the GST, most notably food. This increased the complexity of the GST, which had already increased the frequency and detail of reporting required by small businesses.

As a partial offset for the GST, a $7,000 "first home buyers grant" [http://www.firsthome.gov.au/] was introduced in [[2000]]. The grant was paid at settlement, and Australian banks chose to count it towards a buyer's 10% deposit, increasing the borrowing limit of applicants by $70,000 and feeding a housing boom already sparked by world-wide low interest rates.

Most of the resentment for the GST fell on the Democrats, but the Howard government was trailing in the polls in [[2001]]. The government lost a by-election in the normally safe electorate of [[Division of Ryan|Ryan]] in [[Queensland]], and Labor governments were elected in all the states and territories. In response to the declining position at this time, a number of policy changes were made, including the abandonment of petrol [[excise]] [[indexation]] and increased government benefits to self-funded retirees.

===The 2001 election campaign===

A major change in Howard's political fortunes occurred in August and September [[2001]], when the government refused permission for the Norwegian freighter [[MV Tampa|MV ''Tampa'']], carrying a group of asylum seekers picked up in international waters, to enter Australian waters. Howard ordered the ship be boarded by the [[Australian Special Air Service Regiment|SAS]] and spoke strongly of the need for Australia to 'decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come'. The [[September 11, 2001 attacks|11 September terrorist attacks]] further increased hostility towards asylum-seekers fleeing [[Islam|Islamic]] countries.

The government introduced tough "border protection" legislation. [[Kim Beazley]] and the Labor opposition found themselves in a difficult political position. An electorally significant fraction of the ALP's working-class voters backed the Howard line on asylum-seekers, while the party's middle-class supporters were overwhelmingly opposed to it. [[Wedge issue|Wedged]] between the two camps, Beazley offered half hearted support to Howard's legislation, infuriating the middle class without winning back any of the anti-immigration vote from Howard.

At the [[Australian legislative election, 2001|November 2001 elections]] the Coalition was re-elected, with a larger majority than in 1998.

===Third term: 2001–2004===

In the two years after the [[2001]] election the Howard government continued its tough line on national security and "border protection" issues, while seeking to further its agenda of conservative social policies and pro-business economic reforms. Despite its victory in [[2001]], the government still did not have a Senate majority, and its ability to pass planned legislation was restricted.

Howard's reputation was damaged in what became known as the [[children overboard]] affair, when it was demonstrated that one of his claims during the asylum-seeker debate, that asylum-seekers had "thrown their children overboard" in order to force the government to allow them to land in Australia, was untrue and that he had most likely been aware of this during the election campaign. Howard also faced a difficult issue in the allegations that Howard's choice as [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor General]], Dr [[Peter Hollingworth]], in his previous job as [[Anglican]] Archbishop of Brisbane, had refused to investigate Anglican priests accused of [[pedophilia|paedophilia]] in various churches: eventually Hollingworth was forced to resign the governor-generalship amidst a storm of controversy that threatened to damage the credibility of his office.

So long as the issue of national security was prominent in the minds of voters and the Australian economy remained strong, Howard retained a clear political advantage over his opponents. Throughout [[2002]] and [[2003]] he kept his lead in the opinion polls over the then Labor leader, [[Simon Crean]]. Following the October [[2002]] [[2002 Bali terrorist bombing|Bali bombing]], Howard placed a renewed emphasis on his government's approach to national security.

In March [[2003]], Howard joined [[United Kingdom|Britain]] in sending troops and naval units to support the [[United States]] in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]] and the removal of [[Saddam Hussein]] from power. Howard spoke strongly about the need to rid Iraq of the [[weapons of mass destruction]] [http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=2523921&TABLE=HANSARDR], which he said he had evidence that Saddam's regime possessed.

Australian opinion was deeply divided on the war and large public protests occurred. [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/13/1050172471571.html] Several senior figures from the Liberal party, including [[John Valder]], a former president of the Liberal Party, and Howard's former friend and colleague [http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/political_transcripts/article_1622.asp], former Opposition Leader [[John Hewson]] [http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s806819.htm] and former Prime Minister [[Malcolm Fraser]] [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/23/1061529379618.html] publicly criticised Howard over Iraq. John Valder's criticism was particularly strong, claiming that Howard should be tried and punished as a [[War crime|war criminal]] [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/18/1090089035899.html].

Howard's credibility was attacked when no weapons of mass destruction were discovered in Iraq. As of December 2005, no Australian military fatalities have occurred in Iraq.

On [[Anzac Day]] [[2004]], Howard made a surprise visit to Australian defence personnel in Iraq.

This came amid a bitter debate in Australia over the war following opposition leader [[Mark Latham]]'s promise to return Australian troops by [[Christmas]]. Howard portrayed Latham as a threat to the [[U.S.-Australia alliance]]. After the 2004 federal election, it was revealed that Latham believed the [[ANZUS]] alliance was a legacy of the [[White Australia Policy]].

The [[2004]]–[[2005|05]] budget increased family payments and tax cuts for middle income earners, and contributed to a recovery by the government in the opinion polls.

===The 2004 election campaign===

On [[29 August]] [[2004]], Howard called an election for [[9 October]]. The Labor opposition, after the resignation of [[Simon Crean]] and the election of [[Mark Latham]] as leader in December [[2003]], had established a lead in some opinion polls by March [[2004]], and the government entered the [[Australian legislative election, 2004|election campaign]] behind Labor in all the published national opinion polls. Howard himself still had a large lead over Latham as preferred Prime Minister in those same polls and most commentators regarded the result as being too close to call.

During the campaign, Howard strongly attacked Latham's economic record as [[Mayor]] of [[City of Liverpool, New South Wales|Liverpool City Council]], persuading the electorate that election of a Labor government could see a rise in [[interest rate|interest rates]]. This was a significant threat, because total borrowing by home owners had risen when rates had dropped, meaning that even though rates were historically low, loan repayments were higher than at the peak of interest rates under Keating. Any significant increase in rates could be expected to hurt badly.

In the closing period of the election campaign, Howard promised a large spending program on health, education, small business and family payments with the aim of trumping Latham's policy strengths. Some economists criticised Howard for the scale of his election spending promises, saying the Thatcherite small government man of the 1980s and the 1996 budget had mutated into a pure political pragmatist, willing to spend big on 'middle class welfare' to win votes.

The election resulted in an increased Coalition majority in the House of Representatives and also a government majority in the Senate, the first government majority in that chamber since [[1975]]. The strength of Australian economy under Howard's leadership may have helped him to retain the "battler" vote which, combined with his strong conservative base, gave the Coalition a comfortable election victory of 52.74% of the vote on a two party preferred basis against Labor's result of 47.26% [http://results.aec.gov.au/]. Howard's social conservatism also helped him to win vital preferences from the socially conservative party [[Family First]].

===Fourth term: 2004–present===

On [[21 December]] [[2004]] Howard became Australia's second-longest serving Prime Minister, having led the government against three Labor opposition leaders, Beazley, Crean and Latham.

The Government response to the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]] was widely acclaimed in Australia and abroad, including the Opposition shadow foreign affairs spokesperson, [[Kevin Rudd]], who said that an [[Australian Labor Party]] government could not have done more.

On 1 July 2005 the new Senate came into effect, giving the Government control of both houses. This is the first Australian government since the days of the Fraser government that is able to pass any legislation it wishes, without having to first gain the approval of another party or hold a [[double dissolution]] election.

Legislation which had previously been blocked and has now been passed includes:

*Full [[privatisation]] of the 50.1% government-owned telecommunications company [[Telstra]];

*A range of industrial relations bills seeking to most businesses from unfair dismissal legislation; greatly reduce the ability of workers to bargain collectively with employers; greatly reduce the ability of micro-companies to bargain collectively with large companies; reduce the role of the [[Australian Industrial Relations Commission]];

Other legislation which had previously been blocked in the Senate includes:

*In universities, the implementation of [[Voluntary Student Unionism]] and the reduction of the power of tertiary staff unions in negotiating employment conditions.

*Revising media ownership laws so as to remove restrictions on media companies having control over multiple different media.

In 2005, Howard announced fundamental and wide-ranging [[Australian Industrial Relations Law Reform 2005|changes to industrial relations laws]] which have since been the subject of a national campaign by the union movement and state Labor governments.

Despite the coalition's majority in the Senate, a number of the proposed laws are in doubt, due to the opposition that has been voiced by Queensland National Party Senator [[Barnaby Joyce]] who had threatened to vote against the sale of Telstra, and who has raised concerns related to the industrial relations announcements.

On February 22, 2005 Howard announced that Australia would increase its military commitment to Iraq [http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1308325.htm] with an additional 450 troops, breaking a campaign promise that no such increases would occur. [http://www.pm.gov.au/news/interviews/Interview820.html] On April 14, another firm pre-election assurance was broken when it was announced that the Medicare safety net policy presented to the electorate prior to the election, and statements by the Health Minister [[Tony Abbott]] that the policy was "an absolutely rock solid, iron-clad commitment", would now be adjusted to provide fewer benefits.

===Unfinished business===

Throughout the first half of 2005, the Howard government faced increasing pressure regarding the controversial [[Mandatory detention in Australia|mandatory detention]] program. It was revealed in February that a mentally ill German citizen and Australian Resident, [[Cornelia Rau]] had been held in detention for nine months. The government then established the closed non-judicial [[Palmer Inquiry]] promising that the findings would be made public. In May, it was revealed that another Australian, subsequently identified as [[Vivian Alvarez]] had been deported from Australia and that the department responsible was unable to locate her. By late May, it was revealed that an additional 200 cases of possible wrongful detention had been referred to the Palmer Inquiry.[http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1376464.htm] [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15410506-2,00.html] and also at this time Howard faced backbench revolt from small numbers of his own government demanding that reforms be made.[http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Howard-explodes-at-MPs-revolt/2005/05/24/1116700714825.html] On June 2, it was revealed [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1383366.htm] that Cornelia Rau had been identified by the department as an Australian citizen 3 months prior to her final release from detention. On June 9, Australia's longest serving detainee, [[Peter Qasim]], was moved to a psychiatric hospital. [http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1388761.htm]

In mid 2005 John Howard and his cabinet began private discussions of new anti-terror legislation which includes modification to the [http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/0/E746934B6FDD043DCA257050001331FB?OpenDocument ''Crimes Act 1914''.] In particular, sections relating to [[sedition]] are to be modified.

Howard might expect to control the timing of his Anti-Terrorism legislations announcement. However, on [[14 October]] [[2005]], [[Jon Stanhope]] (Chief Minister of the ACT) took the controversial step of publishing the confidential draft of the [http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/docs/B05PG201_v281.pdf Federal Anti-Terrorism Bill 2005] on [http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/default.asp his website]. This action was both praised and criticised. Citing concerns about rights, he later refused to sign off on a revised version of the legislation, becoming the only State and Territorial leader to not sign. The House of Representatives recently passed the anti-terrorism legislation which will soon be debated in the Senate before its final implementation in December 2005.

On [[2 November]] [[2005]], Howard held a press conference to announce that he had received information from police and [[ASIO]] that indicated an imminent terrorist attack in Australia. Within a week, on [[8 November]], anti-terrorist raids were held across Melbourne and Sydney, with 17 suspected terrorists arrested [http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17176303%255E661,00.html], including [[Abdul Nacer Benbrika]]. These raids, according to Howard, demonstrated the need for his Anti-Terrorism Bill. According to the Greens and Democrats, the raids demonstrate that no further legislation is needed as even the current legislation was sufficient to allow ASIO and the AFP to act in some cases. Critics have also said that the press conference was held on the same day as the [[Australian Industrial Relations Law Reform 2005|changes to industrial relations laws]] were introduced to Parliament, even though much of the intelligence was not new, suggesting it was an attempt to divert attention away from the IR law changes.

On Tuesday 15th of November protest rallies were held around the country. A total of approximately 560,000 turned out to the protests.

=== For as long as the party wants me ===

It is believed by some that Howard had a '[[Kirribilli agreement]]' to hand over the leadership to Treasurer, [[Peter Costello]]. There is speculation that Howard would prefer to see the leadership go to someone more in line with his own philosophical position. Howard has said that he will remain leader as long as he has the confidence of his party.

Current Liberal Party ideology has sought to protect the notion of a leader, but fcuk the country.

==See also==

*[[List of national leaders]]

*[[First Howard Ministry]]

*[[Second Howard Ministry]]

*[[Third Howard Ministry]]

*[[Fourth Howard Ministry]]

*[[List of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2005]]

==Further reading==

*Guy, John (ed). ''The Tudor Monarchy''. St Martin’s Press, 1997.

*Turton, Godfrey. ''The Dragon’s Breed: The Story of the Tudors from Earliest Times to 1603''. Peter Davies, 1970.

*[[David Barnett (journalist)|David Barnett]] and [[Pru Goward]], ''John Howard, Prime Minister'', Viking, 1997 ISBN 0670873896

*[[Tony Kevin]] ''A Certain Maritime Incident the sinking of SIEV X'', Scribe Publications, 2004. ISBN 1920769218.

*[[Margo Kingston]] ''Not Happy, John! defending Australia's democracy'', Penguin, June 2004. ISBN 0143002589.

*[[Marion Maddox]] ''God Under Howard: The rise of the religious right in Australian politics'', Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, February 2005. ISBN 1741145686.

*[[David Marr (journalist)|David Marr]] & [[Marian Wilkinson]] ''Dark Victory''. ISBN 0143002589

*[[Andrew Wilkie]], ''Axis of deceit'', [[Schwarz Publishing]], [[Melbourne, Australia|Melbourne]], [[2004]]. In series [[Black Inc. Agenda]]. ISBN 09750769-2-2 ([[Weapons of mass destruction|WMD]] and the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]])

==External links==

* [http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/index.html Tudor Place]

* [http://tudorhistory.org/ Tudor History]

* [http://www.badley.info/history/House-of-Tudor-England.general.html House of Tudor Chronology]

* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page11.asp Official British Royal Site Discussion on the Tudors]

* {{PDFlink|[http://www.royal.gov.uk/files/pdf/stuarts.pdf Tudor and Stuart Family Tree from Official British Royal Site]|13.4&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 13759 bytes -->}}

* [http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/tudor_england.htm Tudor History]

==See also==

* [http://www.pm.gov.au/ Prime Minister of Australia: John Howard] Prime Minister's official website

*[[England and Wales]]

* [http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/meetpm.asp?pmId=25 Australia's Prime Ministers: John Howard] National Archives of Australia

*[[Wars of the Roses]]

* [http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/firstspeech.asp?id=ZD4 John Howard's maiden speech to parliament]

*[[Tudor style]]

* [http://www.liberal.org.au/ Official Liberal Party website]

*[[Tudor rose]]

* [http://www.australianpolitics.com/news/2003/03/03-03-11.shtml John Hewson Criticises Howard Iraq Policy] australianpolitics.com

*[[Richmond Castle]]

* [http://www.alp.org.au/features/lies.php Truth Overboard] ALP website listing alleged policy lies.

*[[Richmond, London#Richmond_Palace|Richmond Palace]]

*[[Tudor re-conquest of Ireland]]

==References==

*[[The Tudors and the Royal Navy]]

===Iraq===

* [http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=2199337&TABLE=HANSARDR Hansard, 2003-02-04]: Howard's speech to parliament in which he puts forward his claims of threat from Iraq as reasons for Australian support of the subsequent invasion of Iraq in 2003.

{{start box}}

{{s-hou|House of Tudor|||||name=*[[Royal House]]*}}

{{succession box | title=Member for [[Division of Bennelong|Bennelong]] | before=Sir [[John Cramer (Australian politician)|John Cramer]] | after=''(incumbent)'' | years=1974&ndash;present}}

{{s-bef|before=[[House of York]]}}

{{succession box | title=[[Treasurer of Australia]]| before=[[Phillip Lynch]] | after=[[Paul Keating]] | years=1977&ndash;1983}}

{{succession box s-ttl| title=Leader[[Dynasty|Ruling House]] of the [[Liberal PartyKingdom of AustraliaEngland]] | beforeyears=[[Andrew Peacock1485]] |&ndash; after=[[Andrew Peacock1603]] | years=1985&ndash;1989}}

{{s-aft|after=[[House of Stuart]]}}

{{succession box | title=Leader of the [[Liberal Party of Australia]]| before=[[Alexander Downer]] | after=''(incumbent)'' | years=1995&ndash;present}}

{{end}}

{{succession box | title=[[Prime Minister of Australia]]| before=[[Paul Keating]] | after=''(incumbent)'' | years=1996-present}}

{{end box}}

{{AustraliaPM}}

[[Category:1939European births|Howard,royal Johnfamilies|Tudor]]

[[Category:PrimeFamily Ministers of Australia|Howard, Johntrees]]

[[Category:Liberal PartyHouse of Australia politiciansTudor|Howard, John*]]

[[Category:Current1485 national leaders|Howard, Johnestablishments]]

[[Category:Australian1603 Anglicans|Howard, Johndisestablishments]]

[[Category:People of Sydney|Howard, John]]

[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of Australia|Howard, John]]

[[Category:New South Wales Federal politicians|Howard, John]]

[[daar:Johnبيت Howardتيودر]]

[[cs:Tudorovci]]

[[de:John Howard (Politiker)]]

[[esde:JohnHaus HowardTudor]]

[[fret:John HowardTudorid]]

[[gaes:JohnCasa Howardde Tudor]]

[[glfr:JohnMaison HowardTudor]]

[[heko:ג'ון튜더 הווארד왕가]]

[[idit:JohnDinastia HowardTudor]]

[[nlhe:Johnבית Howardטיודור]]

[[ka:ტიუდორი (დინასტია)]]

[[ja:ジョン・ハワード]]

[[nonl:JohnTudor Howard(dynastie)]]

[[ja:テューダー朝]]

[[pl:John Howard]]

[[rono:JohnHuset HowardTudor]]

[[svpl:John HowardTudorowie]]

[[zhpt:約翰·霍華德Casa de Tudor]]

[[ru:Тюдоры]]

[[simple:Tudor dynasty]]

[[sl:Tudorji]]

[[fi:Tudor-suku]]

[[sv:Huset Tudor]]

[[th:ราชวงศ์ทิวดอร์]]

[[tr:Tudor hanedanı]]

[[zh:都铎王朝]]