No resurrection for 'Lazarus'
I write from the ballroom where John Howard delivered his first victory speech as prime minister in 1996 and where he has . It is always interesting to get a close-up view of a political party losing power, especially when it has dominated the political scene for over a decade. And you can usually tell right at the start of a night that defeat is in the offing.
The long faces. The talk of the pivotal importance of postal votes. The clutching of straws. The slight whiff of decay.
When the Labor Party candidate in Bennelong, , appeared on the big screens in the ballroom there were predictable boos and catcalls. The woman who used to interview the prime minister on the box appears now to have unseated him.
As I write, John Howard is milling around the lobby shaking hands with his party loyalists. All very slap-the-back bonhomie sort of stuff. "Thanks John". "Good on ya mate". He is, after all, arguably . Who else has managed to win four elections in a row over that period?
Back in the ballroom, half-drunk champagne flutes litter the stage, and the scene is starting to look very desultory. Who is paying for this party, by the way. By all accounts, the Liberals are completely broke.
He calls himself "Lazarus with a triple bypass", but tonight he looked like a weary and slightly punch-drunk heavyweight champ who went for one title defence too many.
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One thing I keep hearing is "It's the best of a bad lot", ultimately I agree with you. Let's hope the right choice has been made.
In the immortal words of Doris Day: "Que Sera, Sera".
Helloo NIck,
Today Howard, tomorrow Bush will have to strip down his power clothes. The war on terror would sink all heads of governments' power ships. For petty reasons, they are coloring their hands with millions of innocents blood. How come they will succeed when they've betrayed their own countrymen about their foriegn policies.
I think John Howard's concession speech was noble and dignified.
Nevertheless, he did blindly follow George Bush into Iraq, failed to sign the Kyoto protocol and insulted Barack Obama. So I think its good that the Aussies ditched him. And I think now was the rght time to do it. He had a good run.
I am glad Kevin Rudd is their new prime minister and think he will prove an asset to international politics.
Hey Nick,
It's been great reading your blog throughout the campaign! In much the same vein I see John Howard's END much the same way as Helmut Kohl in Germany and John Major in the UK. Voter fatigue was huge in each of those 2 cases and it was no different now. The Australian electorate grew tired of Howard and his "extremely close" relationship to George Bush, his environmental agenda and Workers Choices legislation.
John Howard though did lead Australia into some extremely good economic times so he deserves credit on that front. It's ironic too that John Major and John Howard were both cricket fanatics as well. So long Johnny..thanks for the memories good and bad, it'll be strange not knowing you as Australian PM because ever since I was 9 I knew who you were! Now onto the new Kevin Rudd era! It'll be interesting to see how relations with the US go especially on Iraq. And what about Peter Costello? Surely he's the next in line to succeed Howard! Nick keep up the great work and do as many updates as you can on the Australian political landscape as you can because there is no better source for it than you! Cheers!
I think the war in Iraq and the cozy relationship to Bush and his neo-con buddies (read: Zionist Jews for AIPAC) cost Howard the election. Maybe people in Australia are as fed up as Americans with paying endless billions and coming home dead for Israel.
There are many good reasons why Howard had to go, but Cliffs view that we're 'coming home dead for Israel' is whacky. Not everything in the world is the fault of Irael.
Arrant nonsense.
Australians are rightfully worried about their economy and want a change at the top but to bring in a rant about Israel is idiotic and ridiculous.
Yesterday's man for yesterday's country. Well done Australia you may just make it into the 21st century in time...
Nick, I've enjoyed reading your blog throughout the course of this election. I'm glad Howard was defeated. During his time in government, I came to form the opinion that he was the most amoral Prime Minister we've had since I can remember. Every decision seemed calculated to advance only his own interests, regardless of the effect it had on other people, or public morality in general.
I only hope that we in the United States can achieve a similar overthrow of the war profiteers.
Why is it when anyone mentions anything negative about Israel or its supporters (of which there is plenty negative to be said) it's a "rant"? Perhaps, it's no longer possible to maintain it as a taboo subject so now the only strategy left is to try and dismiss it without ever facing up to it. In any event, 'it's NOT the economy, stupid' - it's the war! And alot else related to it, including the aforementioned. And if there are any parallels with Mrs. Thatcher's reign, then the bad news is, this bloke Rudd may turn out to be another Blair (or Keating). Don't despair unyielding Conservatives, Labor seldom strays too far from your beaten pathes these days.
Howard had been able to see the writing on the wall for quite a while, that this election was going to be tough to win. In fact, the rumblings about his Liberal party's blind obeisance to Bush and his war in Iraq have been growing louder for some time.
For business in Australia there are some concerns about the potential influence of trade unions on the governance of Australia, as they are embedded deeply within the Labor party structure. It will be a test of Rudd's character and resolve as to whether he can simultaneously keep a lid on the separate unions' agendae and maintain an economically conservative direction for Australia's economy, to keep business strong, interest rates low and unemployment falling.
Personally, I think it's probably a good thing to see a change of government every so often... they become lazy and complacent, trenchant in their vision and arrogant in the knowledge they "have a mandate" to implement whatever scheme takes their fancy.
Let's see what Rudd and Labor can do? At worst, we can boot them out in three years if they stuff it up.
Australian's have long been craving a moral correction. The alternative Labor contenders for the job of running this country, offered at the last 3 elections, have not been able to convince the electorate that they could do a decent job. Kevin Rudd has re-assured the electorate that he can govern 'safely'. It is not so much of an issue of labour winning the election, more, it is the issue that the electorate hasn't wanted the divisive culture and amorality presented by Howard. And they haven't felt comfortable with him for nigh on 7 years! Children overboard, Tampa refugees, Guantanamo Bay, AWB, the 'never ever GST', weapons of mass destruction, racial tension, Pauline Hanson, the 'Pacific Solution', the environment, global warming etc. Howard has been unpopular for years!
Definately the Workers Choice was the deciding factor in John Howard,s loss at the election. The Union backed Labour Party used it agressively. All the rest like he is too old and his buddy relationship with Bush about Iraq was minor. I am going to miss him as Prime Minister. He was good for Australia. The best we have had for a long time.
Change is good--and necessary. Governments that stay too long in power become corrupt. A little cleansing every now and then is good for everyone and lets the politicians know that the voters are still in charge.
Mr. Rudd is enough of a contrast to Mr. Howard to bring energy and interest back into politics in Australia. I wish them well.
I am an Australian resident living in Melbourne and even though I couldn't vote, I have been paying a lot of attention to the campaigns and results (not that I can avoid it).
Although the Iraq war is an important point of differentiation between Rudd and Howard, it really isn't a major issue with the electorate. Australia has hundreds, not thousands of troops in Iraq and has fortunately had only a few casualties so far - nothing compared to America's. Australians generally approve of our close friendship with the US... and Rudd is careful to state from the start that he intends to keep it that way.
The election, as how I've observed it, is won foremost on the issues of WorkChoices (industrial relations reform), climate change and health & education, assisted by a general mood for change and Howard's broken promises from the last election (i.e. interest rates). Rudd has also run a very good campaign and succeeded in painting Howard as a man of the past.
It's amazing that people are *still* repeating the tired Howard myth that he was a "good economic manager". This is garbage. Keating and Hawke did the hard work of reforming the economic: floating the dollar, removing tarrifs, scrapping centralised wage fixation etc. Howard and Costello sat with their feet up in a hammock and let the resources boom benefit the economy thanks to Keating's reforms. Learn some history and cut this crap about Howard being some kind of economic genius. He did nothing, other than bring in the ideological WorkChoices legistlation - a "reform" that kills productivity incentives and which got him consigned to the garbage can of history, Good riddance to the lying, racist rodent.
Howard had been able to see the writing on the wall for quite a while, that this election was going to be tough to win. In fact, the rumblings about his Liberal party's blind obeisance to Bush and his war in Iraq have been growing louder for some time.
For business in Australia there are some concerns about the potential influence of trade unions on the governance of Australia, as they are embedded deeply within the Labor party structure. It will be a test of Rudd's character and resolve as to whether he can simultaneously keep a lid on the separate unions' agendae and maintain an economically conservative direction for Australia's economy, to keep business strong, interest rates low and unemployment falling.
Personally, I think it's probably a good thing to see a change of government every so often... they become lazy and complacent, trenchant in their vision and arrogant in the knowledge they "have a mandate" to implement whatever scheme takes their fancy.
Let's see what Rudd and Labor can do? At worst, we can boot them out in three years if they stuff it up.
What a droll article. Howard got what he deserved, the boot. Dividing the nation and constantly lying to them has led to his downfall. Not listening to the people, demonstrating a total lack of insight and still thinking it was 1950 also contributed.
Lord Hailsham once described parliamentary government as "an elective dictatorship".
We have thrown off one dictator - only to acquire another.
Some commentator here in Australia a week or so ago credited 4 groups with abandoning John Howard: the "Howard Battlers", aspirational, self-employed tradespeople and small-business owners in the outer suburbs, who perceive a cost in business red-tape and higher interest rates; small-L liberals in the inner suburbs, who object to the war in Iraq, the closeness to George Bush and abuses of human rights, particularly in the administration of immigration policy; small-G greens, who are concerned about the lack of action on climate change and water supplies; and enthusiastic Queenslanders, who like the idea of a Queenslander as PM (and another as Treasurer). As a Queenslander myself, I'm not convinced by the last, but the proportion of Queensland MPs who are from Labor is going from one fifth to three fifths. (It's partly about the war; in no sense is it about Israel.) PS: As always Australians are pathetically pleased to see that we've been noticed from overseas.
At. As an Australian who voted for Rudd, I can tell you your reference to Israel is absolute garbage. Israel and Australias relationship to that country had absolutely NOTHING to do with this election.
If you disagree then kindly post a URL to a legitimate news service that has a quote from Kevin Rudd or John Howard for that matter, using Israel as an election issue.
You are pushing a false political agenda of your own choosing, that has nothing to do with the reality of this election.
Dan
Correct, its not the fault of Israel. Its the fault of the fundamentalist protestant christians in the USA that believe in the end times and that Israel is part of their idealogy, which is why the USA is so unflinching in support of israel despite the fact it has no oil, it doesn't trade a lot with the USA, and frankly its a liability not an asset in the Middle East.
Going back to the topic of Australia, well congratulations for Rudd. Sometimes the best solution is to get some new blood in government. Australia has many problems at home so the last thing they need is another PM that obsesses with foreign overseas issues.
Brett, you cannot have been following the Australian election. The issue of Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan hardly rated, and the Labor Party's policy regarding Israel is the same as that of the Liberal Party. To suggest, as cliff has, that the election was decided on the Iraq war and Liberal Party support for Israel is just silly, and a rant.
Cliff and you are quite entitled to hold whatever views you like about Israel, but to ascribe those views to the Australian electorate, who on the whole are indifferent to the issues about Israel and the Palestinians, but who strongly support the American alliance (as does the Labor Party) is quite daft. Rudd's policy, by the way, is to reduce Australia's troops in Iraq but to bolster their deployment in Afghanistan.
Elections seldom come done one factor. While there may be a small detail that might have changed things, my observation is that there are lots of those small details in every election.
The turning point politically seems to be WorkChoices legislation. While it is something he and his party's base passionately believed in, those swing voters who voted for Howard for 11 years were alienated and seemed to have returned home.
Iraq was an issue, voter fatigue was an issue, the rise of climate change as an issue won Labor huge swings in some rural areas. And, of course, Howard finally faced a worthy opponent.
Howard also didn't know when his time was up. Howard seemed tired and Rudd fresh.
But the turning point came from the poltiical tone deafness of thier IR reform.
I see it as Howard's poll tax. While there are many Conservatives who can argue the merits of the poll tax, it was politically a disaster.
I am also reminded of George Bush's arrogant attempt to "reform" Social Security. The people don't want it.
It's sort of funny to watch ideologues of both sides not being able to admit, "You mean the people really deep down don't want this? DOn't they know it's for their own good? If we only explained it better..."
Australian conservatives won't admit it, but it was really WorkChoices that did them in because it is what sent the voters who swung to them back to the other side.
It's also good news for gay and lesbian Australians that Labor forms the government federally and in every state and territory. There will probably be much better intranational relations.
Regardless of the winners and losers, Australia has once again proved it has the best voting system in the world. Ranked-choice voting in single and multi-member districts captures the complexity of voter opinion. The is proportionality and accountability. I hope ranked-choice voting catches on. More localities are using it.
Why Jon Howard was booted out while he had done so much good for Australian Economy?
Did his lies cost him so much? Or the unnecessary war on Iraq and his support to it? Or absolute arrogant power reigning his head? One thing for sure. Aussies don't like these kinds of bosses any more. It is much more evident.
I think it was simply the fact that there were enough individual gripes among the Australian population to temporarily unite us in a common cause - that of removing the government of the day.
The Middle East was certainly not one of the deciding factors. It basically boiled down to Work Choices, broken promises on interest rates, the environment, and the fact that enough of us (myself being one of them) felt that this country had become economically prosperous, but morally and socially bankrupt.
Well done my countrymen. I'm prouder to be Australian than I've ever been.
Hooray!
The RUDDITES beat the LUDDITES
We finally have a breath of fresh air, hopefully integrity and respect for human values. Howard as been a disaster for the aboriginal people in Australia, for innocent refugees, for the children of this country who are getting a substandard education. He is a leader who never lead the country. I hope Kevin will give dignity and respect for human values back to this country.
And last but not least we do not have any more time to live in denial of the impact humans have to this planet, we must change our policies on CO2 emissions now, we have a moral obligation to the unique species which will be obliterated if we do not.
Where does all this received wisdom come from about John Howard being a Great Prime Minister? For selfish reasons, he has clung to living in the desirable real estate that is Kirribilli House beyond the lease expiry. And now his party lies in tatters and even his anointed successor has thrown in the towel. He has done so many things that added nothing to the nation's common wealth while doing much to harm its self esteem. On several occasions, he has covered up and refused to accept responsibility. He has pretended to set high standards in public office and then ignored serious failings when the sack rate got too high.
He has lived by the wedge and, in delicious irony, died by it in Lindsay.
Gregg, You are making the same mistake John Howard made. An issue (Iraq) does not cease to be an issue because the parties don't frame their commercials around it. Hundreds of thousands of us marched against involvement in Iraq as we did with apology for the Stolen Generation and John Howard gave us the two fingered salute. We did not forget and are vindicated now. The people (in Bennelong) were certainly talking about Iraq. And John Howard's confirming after 30 years he thought our involvemebnt in Vietnam was a good idea, sealed the issue.
As an Australian who voted for Labor at this election, I would like to provide some perspective on a few of the comments above for the sake of non-Australian readers. There is a narrow group in the Australian electorate known as the "Howard haters". These are people who have had some profound moral objection to the Howard government pretty much from the moment of its election in 1996. Having clamorously predicted for the past eleven and a half years that the rest of Australia was on the verge of coming around to their way of thinking and voting out the government on account of its general, if ill-defined, depravity, only to be repeatedly proven wrong, it is unsurprising that they are now claiming this victory as their own.
But the truth is that Howard continued to be held in high esteem by most Australians until the very end. He went into this election with his approval rating at 51%, according to the final Newspoll -- well below Rudd's 63%, but remarkably high for a leader who has governed for so long. What brought down his government was not some mass conversion to the Howard-hating creed exemplified on this page by Mark and Michiel, but the no less deadly sense that Howard had had a good run and it was time for a change. Enter Kevin Rudd, who came across as smart, trustworthy and sensible, ran a highly disciplined campaign and put forward a positive agenda. Importantly, he convinced the electorate of his moderateness by vowing to continue several government policies, pledging himself to fiscal conservatism and supporting the U.S. alliance.
So the swinging voters (such as me) who delivered the election to Labor do not see this as a "moral correction" or believe that Howard "constantly lied". Rather, Labor embraced the centre and made a more convincing case for government than the Liberals did.
On Iraq: it didn't seem to play much of a role, however much the symbolism of another member of the "coalition of the willing" losing power appeals to the international media. Israel was certainly not a factor. Both parties are firmly supportive of Israel.
As a son of a multigenerational farming family, I was one of many that now voted Labor. And this despite all my ancestors being Coalition (National) voters.
Howard & Co. managed to destroy dairy farming to the benefit of Coles Myer & Woolworths. Our family farm is now gone forever and I will never vote National ever again!
The Coalitions policies are designed to help the rich get richer and make the poor poorer.
Long Live Kev!
I am glad Labour won. As it turned out, John Howard has been lying to us over his long career. My toes were cringing when he in his farewell speech, took the claim that it was on him that the economy in Australia did so well. Pardon me, but since a countries economy is tied to the economy of a gazzilion other countries on the planet, it followed what happened in the rest of the planet. Of course it is possible for a government to ruin the economy of a country, but this was a case of "in the right place, at the right time".
The economy was only good for upperclass and above. Young people were stepped on their toes with Work Choices, and life became so expensive, and Howard turned Australia into a greedy nation, making it impossible for youngsters to even buy their own house. My idea is that the young people "did him".
I am looking forward to the change. Of course Labour has experience in economy, John Howard, because they have been in the captain's chair before.
On ya, Kev! :-)
Please note it was former Labour Prime Minister Paul Keating who called John Howard 'Lazarus with a triple bypass'.
I've often wondered when the rest of Australia would get sick of a leader who is an habitual liar.
richard,
perhaps not a Good prime minister but he had the majority of the people fooled come polling day for a very long time. So perhaps a good pollitician is a better term. I think if anything his gracious defeat speech was an extension of this he wants to be well remembered.
I will certainly oblige him by dancing in the ashes of the liberal campaign.until somtime mid next week.
Rudd is finally ratifying kyoto which places america alone in the devleoped world on climate change.He has indicated that aboriginal reconcilliation again after two hundred and twenty odd years, and theres a better chance the next time over a twentieth of our population take to the streets against war he might actually listen.
I am in awe of John Howard simply because he managed to con 20 million people over a period of 11 years that interest rates of 7%were "low". "Historically low" was his term. Yet another delicious irony that interest rates came back to bite him at the worst possible time.
Fortunately people are slowly but surely realising that politicians have as much control over macroeconomic factors as they do the weather.
As to the comment that Howard-haters are a narrow band of reactionaries, there are 1 million Australians living overseas. The Howard government has caused regular embarassment for us during his entire term and and has done at least as much as all the cashed-up yobbos who drink their way across the world these days in increasing numbers to contribute to the disparaging term of Australians being the "new Americans".
"Morally and socially bankrupt" is indeed the most accurate term for the Howard regime. He has repeatedly appealed to the basest of human instincts of the Australian people. The sad fact is that it took 4 elections for Labor to field a credible alternative.
I am in awe of John Howard simply because he managed to con 20 million people over a period of 11 years that interest rates of 7%were "low". "Historically low" was his term. Yet another delicious irony that interest rates came back to bite him at the worst possible time.
Fortunately people are slowly but surely realising that politicians have as much control over macroeconomic factors as they do the weather.
As to the comment that Howard-haters are a narrow band of reactionaries, there are 1 million Australians living overseas. The Howard government has caused regular embarassment for us during his entire term and and has done at least as much as all the cashed-up yobbos who drink their way across the world these days in increasing numbers to contribute to the disparaging term of Australians being the "new Americans".
"Morally and socially bankrupt" is indeed the most accurate term for the Howard regime. He has repeatedly appealed to the basest of human instincts of the Australian people. The sad fact is that it took 4 elections for Labor to field a credible alternative.
Oxigen, Oxigen, at least with get rid off of a man than dishonour Australia, It was his repugnant ideology, manifested more than ever in the last years of his government.
Kevin Rudd have the chance of taking Australia in the 21st Century.
Howard the great economic manager.
I remember when Howard was treasurer in the Fraser Govt.
The economy was very poor and struggling due to the oil crisis.
They lost to Labor in 1983 because of poor economic management. Hawke/Keating restructured the economy which was a roller coaster ride but did set Australia up for the boom times.
The conservatives ran a scare campaign on interest rates. It probably would have worked better when most Australians could afford to get a house mortgage.
These days it takes one and a half times the average income to afford the average mortgage.
Interest rates may be half of what they were under the previous Labor Govt but house prices have increased up to 10 fold which is not reflected in average incomes.
Howard got what he would have got 3 elections ago if Labor had been able to find a decent leader
Finally Labor was able to field a disciplined leader who could stay on message.
Good riddance to "Honest John" the "Lying Rodent".
Congratulations Kevin and please no - Tampa's, David Hick's, union bashing, Iraq's, medical crisis, etc etc
CONGRATULATIONS Nick, or should I use the OZ vernacular and say "bewdy mate" I always knew you had good taste. Loved your blogs over the election period - a great change from the other commentaries. Keep up the good work and let's have many more. Anyway mate "avagooday and don't forget the Aeroguard"
Cheers
Just to correct Jane (comment 35), Keating sarcastically referred to Howard as "Honest John", and this nickname stuck for several years. The Lazarus line was Howard's. He was asked in the early 90's if he'd ever become Prime Minister (having had two attempts in the 80's). He replied "well, that would be Lazarus with a triple bypass, wouldn't it". I've never voted for Howard and have frequently helped to campaign against him, but even I concede this line was a gem.
I live in Melbourne, and am glad to see the back of the Liberals. I voted Green.
The Howard government changed the voting laws prior to this election. Previously you had a week to enrol to vote after the election is called. Howard changed it to 8pm the same day. The changes also made it much harder to enrol, with complicated proof of ID requirements. These changes affect many people under 22, as they wouldn't have had to vote in the last election. It also makes it harder to enrol for people who move around a lot (again, often young people, and renters). Last election 160,000 people enrolled or updated their details in this time. I didn't hear much objection from Labor.
People in that demographic aren't as likely to support the major parties, and many support the Greens. Is that why they're attempting to reduce the youth voter rate?
Most issues have been covered already, aside from the Liberals support for David Hicks being left in Guantanamo Bay for 5 years. They did nothing for Mamdouh Habib who was there for 3. There was eventually public condemnation, and a huge groundswell of support for Hicks & Habib.
Jane -- Actually it was Howard himself he used the expression "Lazarus with a triple by-pass". He did so when asked - just after the Libs had lost the 1990 election and the party had decided to elect Dr John Hewson as leader - whether he still harboured leadership ambitions. The phrase has entered the local political phrasebook because the self dismissive tone was ultimately so wide of the mark (although many observers at the time feel that it was consciously self-dismissive and that, in reality the fires of ambition had never abated). Keating, who is never short of a colourful phrase, has called Howard many other things including, fairly recently, a "dessicated coconut with araldite (glue) on his pants" - a (now prophetic) reference to his unwillingness to quit the prime minister's chair.
And so Australia waves goodbye to a government hardly worthy of the name. An unpleasant, corrupt, power-hungry party that maintained its position at the top of the political tree by appealing to that most dangerous of human emotions - fear.
As someone who spent the past two years living in Australia I for one could not be happier that its people have embraced change and rejected the unpleasant small-mindedness of the Howard era.
To set the scene I'm a small business owner with four young children and voted Labour.
Most Australians will agree that we are privelaged to be living in such a magnificent country and that we have many advantages over most of the civilized world that we take for granted.
One of the great characteristics of Australians in the past has been the idea of mateship and to know that we live in a society that honestly cares about our neighbours and friends.
However it seems that John Howard and his minions have forgotten this.
In his desperation to retain control of the Australian psyche he has lied to us, he has alienated us in the Moslem world, he has rejected our past mistakes with our own indigenous people and has struck at the core of fairness in the workplace with his workchoices legislation.
Australia is a great Nation but we got here by working hard and being fair and we built a unique bond with our mates that stamps us with a unique national identity that makes us truly Australian.
The average Aussie out there probably realizes that without massive overseas demand for our resources that our economy would be relatively flat and John Howard pushed along his mantra that he was responsible for creating our Disney-like economy.
Bollocks!
Normal everyday Australians working hard and creatively at all levels of society have given us the "Australia we want to have!"
Kevin Rudd was elected for a hundred different reasons and he now has a sacred impost placed upon him by "We the People."
Let Australia stand for a nation that cares about those less fortunate than themselves and encourages mateship in the face of adversity.
Lets have leadership that inspires us to be great and to be proud of who we are and what we will become.
For too long Australians have been subjected to "Political" Leadership.
Its time for Kevin Rudd and his team to stand up for something more than this and to make us proud.
We will be watching.
The wife has changed. A couple of days ago she suddenly found she was happy for the first time in years. We're all happy in the family since the demise of Howard. It seems you never know how unhappy you are until the cause is removed. She is an organiser of a group called Women for Wik who are monitoring the effects of the NT Intervention. The theme that runs through the web-site posts by Australian women is one of feeling shamed by the actions of the Howard government. Australians are a difficult group to shame. They generally don't mind too much what cultural outsiders think of their antics, but to be shamed by your elected representatives is an anguish. The passing of the first race-based legislation in Australia was a historic moment as it was in South Africa. We now wait with anticipation the manner in which the new government will handle the Intervention. The hope is that they firstly discontinue shaming aboriginal people and treating them as children who cannot be responsible for themselves, their children, and their own actions. Can such an attitude lead to social change?