The Fall Of Howard: The Man Of Steel, The Conviction Politician, The Great Leader, The......... Oh? Really? Oh.

After selling Work Choices as the only solution to the nation's productivity crisis, as the logical next step in Australia's economic reform, as the single most important thing ever in the history of the world................. a backflip.

i love this picture (howard is on the right)

Here's John Howard, the conviction politician, the Ironman of politics, the guy who would absolutely never play politics with important matters such as IR, in 2005.

"There is an elected government and we have put forward a program of changes, it's not radical, it's not extreme. It's not what is being represented by the ACTU."

Mr Howard said the ACTU could talk to him, but the principles of the changes were set in stone and the government would not budge on any of the "essentials".

And, today...

Howard will today acknowledge public concern over his industrial relations laws by introducing a "battlers' clause" designed to prevent people on low to middle incomes from being stripped of work conditions for nothing in return.

In the first significant change to the controversial laws, workers on up to $75,000 will not be allowed to be stripped of protected award conditions such as penalty rates or overtime without receiving anything in return.

I love when John Howard debates himself. But that's not even the best bit. This is from Paul Kelly, the editor-at-large of The Australian newspaper, perhaps the most pro-Howard of any paper in Australia, except all the other ones.

The notion that if Howard amended the laws the intensity of the Labor Party/trade union campaign would dissolve is absurd. Indeed, for Howard to retreat would be a sign of weakness and lack of nerve.

The abandonment by Howard after 33 years in Parliament of one of his longest standing and most intense beliefs - the need to wind back union power and de-regulate the labour market to position Australia for the globalised age - would spell the real demise of the Howard era.

See, it's not just my wicked 'Fall Of Howard' blog titles saying it anymore. The dude is on the nose, and here's my theory - there'll be more backflips. This is just the start. Soon Howard will be hugging Muslims, letting gays marry and donating to Barack Obama's campaign fund. And then he'll change his mind, but just when you think he's back to normal, BAM! Divorces Janette, marries an Abo. Brilliant.


Here's my post summarised in one picture.