First time Ex Prime Minister John Howard talks in yonks
and he still thinks Work Choices was the best thing since Vegemite despite being booted out of his constituent over Work Choices
Make darn sure the opposition do not get in in case of an early election or you'll see Work Choices creep in slowly but surely.
That's a true nutter this Howard.
THE Rudd Government's stimulus packages and its abolition of Work Choices have made the economic situation in Australia worse, not better, former prime minister John Howard has said in one of his first interviews since losing office.
Mr Howard also gave his support to embattled Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull during the 40-minute interview, broadcast on Sky News last night.
Asked what he would have done to combat the global economic crisis, Mr Howard immediately pointed to the abolition of Work Choices, saying that by overturning the controversial industrial legislation the Rudd Government had added to unemployment.
"Work Choices helped give us the lowest unemployment rate in 33 years," Mr Howard said.
"The biggest challenge that the Government now faces is stopping unemployment going too high and they are now, by dismantling our industrial relations reforms, they are adding to unemployment.
"If the name of the game is to protect jobs, why do you follow policies that destroy jobs?"
The former PM, who lost the top job in 2007 to Kevin Rudd, said the Rudd Government's multi-billion-dollar stimulus packages had worsened the economic situation in Australia by increasing debt.
Instead, they should have followed policies such as a "payroll holiday", which would have encouraged business to retain jobs, Mr Howard said.
"I wouldn't have thrown money around and given cheques to people," he said.
"I would have actually said to the states, 'We'll give you, I think it is $16 billion collected throughout Australia for payroll tax', give them payroll tax relief for a year in order to lift the burden of payroll tax, and that would have helped firms to keep staff.
"By splurging all of this money and adding to our debt enormously, Mr Rudd has actually worsened the situation that has been exported to Australia.
"The big thing he had going for him was that we left him with the strongest budget in the Western world, and the lowest unemployment for 30 years. We left him with that inheritance, so he got off to a flying start, but when the tsunami hit he has actually made it worse."
Mr Howard endorsed current Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull when asked who he thought should be in charge at present: the member for Wentworth or former Treasurer Peter Costello.
"Peter did not offer himself," Mr Howard said.
"Malcolm is the leader. I thought he gave a great reply last night and he has my goodwill and my full support, as did Brendan Nelson.
"Malcolm is very capable and I think he demonstrated last night not only a good grasp of economics, but also quite a good political touch.
"I think he basically called the prime minister's bluff, all this silly nonsense from Mr Rudd about an early election. It's complete nonsense."
Despite his support for Mr Turnbull, Mr Howard admitted it would be tough to beat Mr Rudd at the next election, with the Labor leader riding so high in the polls.
"Anything can happen. It's hard to win when you've been in opposition for one term," he said.
"It will be tough. The public always cuts a new leader a lot of slack."
In the interview, Mr Howard attacked his successor as lacking a firm set of beliefs.
Asked which Labor leader he regarded the highest after 30 years in office, Mr Howard nominated Bob Hawke, and not Mr Rudd.
"The most talented person I faced in the Labor Party was undoubtedly Hawke. He just had more intelligence than any of the others, and he actually did have a theme to him, a set of beliefs," Mr Howard said.
"Kevin Rudd's problem is epitomised in that 7000-word essay (published in The Monthly magazine). I read it and it was a bit of a chore. It was intellectually flawed, internally inconsistent, and historically inaccurate.
"You finished reading it and you had absolutely no idea of what he stands for."