"the Howard "broad church" saw the party swing from the middle (centrist) to the far right authoritarian corner....."
BS...The Howard years for Australia Economically were some of the best years EVER in Australia. Not created by him I might add. He just happened to be the PM when it all happened. Stocks went up housing prices went up Australians were obtaining the benefits of a terrific trading relation with China as Growth there exploded into the 21st Century. And little Johhny was in on the ground floor...pure fookin luck. He rode the wave of the time. I mean Maxine McKew an academic/journalist ABC success story defeated him ...A tennis player defeated her...Howard had run his course. As for him being" far right authoritarian" you are dreaming..fair dinkum. Rudd the Complete fookin Dudd won in 2007.
