Here is an interesting little insight into our Honest John Howard’s way of rewriting history recalling the past. I found it on the news.com.au website.
By Tim Dunlop
Sunday, May 06, 2007 at 12:12pm
I’m willing to believe this isn’t a barefaced lie, but perhaps someone could explain to me how it isn’t. On Friday, Mr Howard was asked the following question:
JOURNALIST: Mr Howard when WorkChoices was announced you said that no Australian worker would be worse off under them. But isn’t this a concession that….?
The journalist barely had the point out when the PM pounced:
PRIME MINISTER: No, no, could I tell you I didn’t say that. I was invited to give a guarantee and I didn’t. And I think it’s unrealistic to guarantee that nobody’s going to be worse off. Nobody can give that guarantee; you don’t know the circumstances. The guarantee, one can give more limited guarantees but I believe that it’s reasonable to assert that as a result of these changes we can guarantee fair compensation for people who might trade off their penalty rates and their leave loadings. But as for an aggregate guarantee, look people who give those guarantees are being very adventurous.
And here is the PM back in 1996:
JOHN HOWARD: Under no circumstances will a Howard Government create a wages system that will cause the take home pay of Australians to be cut. Under a Howard Government you cannot be worse off, but you can be better off. I give this rock solid guarantee our policy will not cause a cut in the take home pay of Australian workers.
Filed under: Australia, Blogroll, Political, Uncategorized
He’s a liar!
[...] He’s been doing his bit by pointing out Yet Another John Howard Porky! [...]
but as with privatisation, the damage with WorkChoices has already been done, no matter how he tries to smooth over it now.
Business wins again; even though he’s a goner.
ggw
I bear no ill will towards Prime Minister John Howard. ‘Tis the Ass-tralian public who’ve voted him in…and kept him there.
ADG
Buff, yes! But a liar people accept because he tells lies people want to hear.
ggw, unfortunately you are correct.
Andrew, Oh, I beaqr a lot of Ill-will to howard, after all, as Goebbels stated ““The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly – it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over”. Our little Nazi has perfected that technique!
yes, but at least Howard isn’t controlled by the unions. and when unions are in charge – no one wins – not the workers nor the businesses. Plus, at least he has some sort of policies instead of Rudd who’s policies are just the opposite of Howard’s. Even Rudd’s own family don’t believe in his policies – just look at his wife. You are all so desperate for change that you don’t care if it is a change for the worse.
Stacy, Isn’t it good that Howard is only controlled by the caring and generous CEO’s of major multinationals and by those wonderful people who live in the White House. You know, sometimes when nation is on the wrong track, it is necessary to turn around. I am just tired of being led by a proven liar. Now, once again, just before an election, we are having sudden fearful emergencies where Howard can pretend to be an active leader (NT & Indonesian terror alerts). The problem is that this time the scriptwriters do not have their stories aligned.
Just as an aside, I am wondering which of us, assuming you want a conversation and are not just a fly-by troll, which of us will cause Godwin’s Law to be invoked!
But its all so rosy isnt it? the grass is always greener on the other side as they say. You have to realise that every leader of this wonderful country is dictated in a sense by the US and whatever leader they choose for themselves. Thats their job – have have to remain (good) friends with their allies. When Mark Latham was nearing the election date he tried to go back on this previous claim that G.Bush was the most dangerous man on earth. why? because he too understood that life would be a little less peachy if we are enemies of the most powerful nation on earth. heres another one – why were leaders of both parties reluctant at first to meet with the dalai lama? due to china – a communist country (a type of government which we here in democratic oz dont really agree with) who is also gaining momentum when it comes to ‘power on earth’. yes, i know they did the right thing in the end but the point is this – we are scared, very scared, and we need friends. Yes, i know you’ll say that there are more countries that will love those who oppose america but america is a big deal! so no, forgive me for my cinisism but every leader of every party will end up sucking ass to those in america.
And just think, if unions are in power, they will win, you’re right, but only in the short term. and businesses will lose. but if businesses lose, then so will workers. ive seen this close up.
In regards to proven liar – hes a freakin politician, thats their job! So is rudd – his own wife doesnt follow his policies. he hasnt been in the public eye long enough for us to care or pick up on his crap. but heres one thing that i have noticed – labor party says they will fund public schools more than howard but they themselves have also said (labor) that they will not cut funding of private schools either. see? why did no one drag that out onto tv advertisements?
so yes, howard is a liar but so is rudd. but at least howard makes policies (no matter how bad), whereas rudd just opposes everything and calls it his policy. he cant even make up his mind and make a decision. bad is better than stupid because stupid is dangerous. im just tired of everyone pointing out the flaws of howard and keeping a blind eye on the doings of rudd. to me, it seems that you present only half of the story. its still true, but its bias. dont get me wrong, i dont enjoy howard, but it would be a whole lot worse if rudd was in power.
and for godwins law – i’ll try to keep hitler out of this if you promise the same
phew! what a long comment
sorry – i didnt realise i was going on and on and on like that. just caught up in the moment 
Stacy, I shall have to make a shorter reply. Rudd’s big advantage for Australia is that he is likely to be closer to China than any Lib. That will be important as we go into our typical Aussie decade long swing from right to left. By the time that swing ends and we swing back again, left to right, the American Empire will be showing its terminal cracks. China will be very obviously the next world super-power and Australia would be wise to get closer to China now.
As for business and the unions, There will always be a tension between the two. Without business there would be no workers, without unions there would not be any rights at all for workers. The tensions between the ALP and the Libs work well for most of the time. Both are influenced by, but not controlled by, their supporters. Unfortunately, on this swing of the pendulum we got a radically rabid right-winger. Far to the right of any we have had before. Menzies has been rolling in his grave since 1996.
I am against Howard because of his lies, his divisiveness and his extreme views. I admit that. I didn’t like Fraser yet was comfortable with Menzies until he took us to war in Vietnam. Rudd will be an improvement because he is basically middle-class and not a blinkered idealist.
There, no mention of he who must not be named!