I’ll be as brief as possible
1. Aboriginals
The most common criticism of Howard in this regard is his refusal to say sorry to the aboriginal community for the atrocities committed against the so-called stolen generation.
The fact is that, as Prime Minister, he did personally apologize - "I feel deep sorrow for those of my fellow Australians who suffered injustices under the practices of past generations towards indigenous people. Equally, I am sorry for the hurt and trauma many here today may continue to feel, as a consequence of these practices”
However, he did refuse to provide a parliamentary "apology" as he argued this was inappropriate because "Australians of this generation should not be required to accept guilt and blame for past actions and policies.”
Given that I’m an Australian of the current generation and don’t feel that I have anything to apologize for, I agree with him in this regard.
In other areas of aboriginal relations, his reviews are mixed - just like virtually any other Aus politician tbh
2. Howard supports apartheid
Clearly rubbish with no further evidence required than the sacking and removal from the party of a pro-apartheid Minister from a government of which he was Deputy Leader.
If Howard held the same views, he’d have gone the same way.
3. Sanctions against South Africa
Howard is on record as saying that sanctions don’t work as, for example in the case of South Africa, "sanctions will inevitably hurt the poor blacks in South Africa more than any other section of the South African population."
Given that I have intimate knowledge regarding the current situation in Iran, I can tell you that he was, and is, absolutely correct.
4. Conflict with position regarding sanctions against Zimbabwe
People obviously don’t realize that these were measures directly targeted at Mugabe and his cronies (
Australian bilateral sanctions: Zimbabwe), not at the Zimbabwean people and are therefore fundamentally different to those he opposed against South Africa.
Anyway, it was little more than a token gesture because it was obvious that Black Africa (including the lackies in Pretoria) didn’t give a **** about how many people died and would therefore never have much of an impact without their support.
In the meantime, the Howard Government gave tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to the people of Zimbabwe via charitable organizations such as Unicef – if only their own government cared half as much!
5. Afghanistan & Iraq
Sure the world was sold a bill of goods in relation to WMDs but to dismiss our involvement as some money making exercise is so absurd as to defy belief (as, btw, is the notion that the people of those countries were better off before-hand - I've actually been to both places).
Firstly, it’s a fact that other countries stand to benefit more in a financial sense than any member of the Coalition of the Dipsticks
And secondly, Australia is a signatory to a little thing called the ANZUS Treaty i.e. we’re an ally with the US (and thank **** for that as we might be speaking Japanese if not for them and, btw, the national drink of India might be vodka but that’s another discussion) and so there is a sense of obligation
Anyway, as I've said many times, I'm no fan of Howard but the some of criticisms levelled at him are just nonsense and IMO nothing more than a smoke-screed behind which to hide nationalistic bias
srs?