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General Discussion >> Federal Politics >> Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1172941287 Message started by DonaldTrump on Mar 4th, 2007 at 3:01am |
Title: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by DonaldTrump on Mar 4th, 2007 at 3:01am
I've always been curious what other people think about our Prime-Ministers.
Who do you think is the best? I was always in two minds about this one. When I was in High School, I asked my Dad, who was the greatest Australian PM? His instant reply (Being a labourer), "Gough Whitlam' of course." He reasoned that Gough Whitlam had revolutionised Australia, and introduced policies that moved Australia ahead of the rest of the World. With the sincerity in his voice, and living among left-wing bigots at my school, I grew to accept that this was a widely accepted fact and believed by most Australians. I one day asked an associate of mine the same thing. Who's the greatest PM? "I'd have to go with Robert Menzies," he replied. I was surprised,"How on Earth was he better than the all powerful Gough Whitlam?" "Because he made Australian society stable. Under him, society was peaceful, and everyone was middle-class," he reasoned. So I put a bit of study into it, and realised that Gough Whitlam is widely hated by many Australians, as he screwed up in a lot of ways. And Menzies was a good PM, but he didn't do much. But at the end of the day, I'd have to go for Menzies. The peace and stability that he gave Australia was much better than that of Gough Whitlam's risky and sometimes reckless policies. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by mantra on Mar 4th, 2007 at 7:52am
A very thoughtful post - DT and humorous as well - "growing up amongst left wing bigots" :o
I really can't say anything about previous PM's. My father loved Gough Whitlam too - while my mother was a staunch and typical liberal supporter. Until the Greens came along, I voted Liberal because at that stage of my life I believed they were a superior party and as I had delusions of grandeur back then, they suited my lifestyle. I used to think Keating was OK until the path he began pathing economically was taken over by Howard and exploited. Now I look back and think what a bunch of egoistical, but ordinary males they all have been. I do believe Gough cared though, even though some would say he was incompetent. Australia had so much potential but in the scheme of things we are just some bigoted little backwater nation with great mineral reserves. Once that goes, we'll be left with the shell of a wasted legacy of our leaders - particularly the current one. |
Title: Hi Mantra Post by enviro on Mar 4th, 2007 at 9:47am
Well said Mantra :)
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by auzgurl on Mar 4th, 2007 at 10:00am
DT..
Im dissapointed to see Paul Keating is not on your list for the poll ...Because I thought he was the best PM we had... A very smart Politician in every way except one,,he didnt work on his public image so as not to put voters offside. Built the foundations of the economy which Liberals have been using as a gravytrain for the last 11 yrs. :o :o :D :-X :-? |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by freediver on Mar 4th, 2007 at 11:21am
Our politicians tend to be boring and understated. Howard is a good example of that. Any personality they show is more likely to lose votes than win them. I'm not sure whether this is a cultural thing or our electoral system. It's probably a bit of both. Our system favours those politicians who can draw the second preferances from all the minor parties. Plus we don't get to vote for the PM directly. The American president by contrast has to be able to work up a crowd. They don't have compulsory voting, so I think they spend a lot of time trying to motivate their supporters - preaching to the converted and launching scare campaigns about the opposition. Our politicians are more likely to get elected on policy and try very hard to stop their personality getting in the way of that.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by aloof boof on Mar 4th, 2007 at 12:42pm
John Gorton was thrown into the hotseat .He only stayed on for 3 years but he was was ahead of his time and too bloody honest
He was Australia's 19th Prime Minister (1968–71). He took office after being elected Liberal Party leader following the death of Harold Holt. Gorton is the only Australian Prime Minister whose parliamentary career was primarily in the Senate. During his prime ministership Australia began to withdraw from the Vietnam War. On the home front, federal support for the arts increased, rates of pay were standardised between the sexes and the Commonwealth began to assume greater responsibility for national affairs. Gorton was a federal parliamentarian for 25 years, from 1950 to 1975. He was Minister for the Navy, Minister for Works and Minister for Education and Science.I reckon he was a top bloke and Australias best interests were always in his heart even though he was born in Un Zud |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 4th, 2007 at 5:55pm
I chose deakin, 2nd pm. he built our initial constitution.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by AUShole on Mar 4th, 2007 at 6:26pm
What about Ben Chifley? Paul Keating should be there, too.
Most overrated PMs... Gough Whitlam, Bob Menzies. No rating... Bob Hawke, Harold Holt, John Howard. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by AUShole on Mar 4th, 2007 at 6:38pm Quote:
So did Barton. Deakin, another overrated PM. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by DonaldTrump on Mar 4th, 2007 at 6:50pm
Wow. This has turned out more random than I expected. :o
I was expecting a forum full of Whitlam lovers. Good on you all for being aware of the lesser known Primeminister's. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Why is Paul Keating getting so much support? :o |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 4th, 2007 at 7:05pm
Pro-multiculturists and pro-australasianists support keating. ;)
(He wanted australia to become a part of asia.) John curtain pulled us through WW2. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by aloof boof on Mar 4th, 2007 at 8:20pm
Why is Paul Keating getting so much support?
you may well ask.Probably because thats as far back as people here can remember??You cant really compare them owing to the fact they were in charge(so to speak)at different economical and social/anti social times. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by enviro on Mar 4th, 2007 at 8:40pm
So true, Aloof Boof. I voted for John Howard because he harnessed the economical revival of this country and led it in the right direction through unscertain times globally.
Yes we can thank Paul Keating for setting Australia up for it's windfall and mapping out a micro economic policy that Australia's benefited from. Paul was my second choice. Frazer (Frasier?) was at the bottom of my list. I didn't experience Menzies but I don't think the populace had a very good time under him even though they kept voting for him. :) ![]() |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by aloof boof on Mar 4th, 2007 at 9:01pm
Fraser backdoored Gough thru a drunken soak Govener General John Kerr.Whitlam was commited to getting the American Government to let Australia know what their bases were actually up to but Fraser was an American suck in those days and conspired with the yanks and Kerr(the dog)to get Gough booted out of office and himself installed.Twas a BLACK day for Aust politics.The duly elected government of this fair country kicked out by the Queens Representative who was an absolute pisspot and should never have been in that position in that condition.Its a wonder the old bastard wasn't shot >:(
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 4th, 2007 at 9:10pm
Gough twas responsible for the asian invasion.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by enviro on Mar 4th, 2007 at 9:33pm
I thought he was sacked for selling us out to the arabs. Gough that is? :)
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by aloof boof on Mar 4th, 2007 at 10:32pm
The facts about Whitlam
http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/meetpm.asp?pmId=21&pageName=inoffice |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by DonaldTrump on Mar 5th, 2007 at 2:43am
He was sacked for a number of reasons...
Couldn't be bothered listing them. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by AUShole on Mar 5th, 2007 at 4:31am Quote:
Uncertain times? I don't remember any of those. Or have I been asleep for the past 11 years? I have to agree that the Howard government is riding on the coat tails of Labor economic policy. And it's all a little too Menzies for my liking. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by enviro on Mar 6th, 2007 at 6:26pm
Uncertain times? Yes you have been asleep. How's the rest of the world been going economically? The US needed a war to take the focus off their woes.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by mantra on Mar 7th, 2007 at 7:36am
Before we go overboard praising this Government for it's great economic management, the mining boom has given the Coalition nearly $300 billion in tax, royalties etc. All that money has gone in tax cuts while nothing has gone into infrastructure, social services or future job skill training.
All this extra cash to the wealthy and middle class has only encouraged greater consumption of imported goods, which as a consquence has left us with a $550 billion trade deficit. Most developed nations use mining booms to stash most of their extra cash away for the future - but not Australia. We've just been on a huge spending spree. Many economists have predicted that we are slowing right down now. What will happen is that the only thing we'll have to show for Howard"s economic success is a massive personal debt, along with an unsustainable trade deficit that is going to be paid for - one way or another. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by enviro on Mar 7th, 2007 at 7:32pm
Big Statement Aussie Nat. Where's your links? ;D
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 7th, 2007 at 7:39pm
History me old son, History. 8-)
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Title: Hi Mantra Post by enviro on Mar 7th, 2007 at 7:41pm
Don't worry Mantra the mining industry is about to boom again but this time it will be in Uranium. The Howard government has been investing into the future of families of this country. That investment is better than puting money in the bank. :)
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 7th, 2007 at 7:47pm
Yep, selling uranium to china is good for our childrens future.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by aloof boof on Mar 7th, 2007 at 11:07pm
Do you think that is China's ulteriour motive A N or are you just being pessamistic?They have problems on their own doorstep that will keep their focus on its own people before they start taking over the world ::)We are selling our country to the highest bidder so in a generation our non renewable energy will be gone.China will really need us then :)
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 27th, 2007 at 1:25am Quote:
A bit of both. ;) |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by zoso on Mar 27th, 2007 at 8:26am aloof boof wrote on Mar 7th, 2007 at 11:07pm:
Excellent remark! Personally I am skeptical of China's ability to maintain social order so long as they resist democracy. I may be proven wrong but I am expecting some sort of social meltdown in China well before they get ready to conquer the world, let alone catch up with it. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 27th, 2007 at 4:20pm Quote:
When an extremist regime is being ditched by its own people, the government unleashes brute bloody force on the insurgents to try and keep the regime alive. If this happens, there will be alot of deaths in china. If there ever was a real threat to china's communist regime by the west, as there is, they will try to fight us when they start to panic. ![]() |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by mantra on Mar 28th, 2007 at 4:36pm
The following is a transcript of a speech believed to have been given by Mr. Chi Haotian, Minster of Defense and vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission. It is believed to set out the CCP's strategy for the development of China.
It is quite long - so I have provided the link and an extract. http://en.epochtimes.com/news/5-8-8/31055.html Quote:
The transcript is a real worry and could explain why we are increasing our military bases in Australia. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Aussie Nationalist on Mar 28th, 2007 at 5:00pm Quote:
OH SHIIIIIITTTTTTTTT [smiley=shocked.gif] Tell your boy to start training mantra. I am. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by oceans_blue on Mar 28th, 2007 at 5:22pm
[b][/bp[Paul Keating---of course!!!
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by freediver on Mar 29th, 2007 at 11:18am
Historically China has been the most peaceful powerful country around. All serious evidence indicates that that is not going to change. You only have to look at the one Child policy to see they have no intention of an agressive solution to the shortage of lebensraum.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by mantra on Mar 30th, 2007 at 7:39am
From what I understand the one child policy has now been terminated due to the "oversupply" of males.
They now encourage families to have two children - with extra financial support for a female child. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by freediver on Mar 30th, 2007 at 8:03am
More money for female babies is a good idea. A couple who are both only children are allowed to have two children. To that extent it is ending because the next generation is growing up. But the policy as a whole remains.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Baron von Hund on Apr 10th, 2007 at 12:51am
Out of that list, it would have to be Deakin. Go the White Australia policy days! Isn't it interesting that we have over 10 more prisoners per head of population today than we did at settlement. If these forgeiners think we were a convict nation back in 1788 - we must be a fully fund federal prison by toda'y stats.
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by freediver on Apr 10th, 2007 at 8:59am
Can you quote those stats?
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Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by oceans_blue on Apr 12th, 2007 at 10:35pm mantra wrote on Mar 30th, 2007 at 7:39am:
well mantra that is great to hear..that was an awful policy and carried with it a lot of pain. |
Title: Re: Australia's Greatest Prime-Minister Post by Labor_Man on Dec 14th, 2007 at 3:27am
I'm gonna have to say Gough Whitlam, although he carry's a tremendous bad reputation, I've always supported him.
His period was a short one full of termoil. He had a rather radical social agenda(too long to list) which incuded many constitutional changes and introduced many policies the major party's keep today(Medicare). Though, he made alot of poor choices, but what can you do? He did his best in spite of adverse circumstances. I admire his courage and his national pride. I remember sticking up for him in high school when everyone in my class(the top History class) LoL, the arguments we used to have, Priceless. Anyway, Quick overview of The Prime Ministers up for voting= HOWARD= Long prosperity, Social Decay in my oppinion KEATING= Economic Growth, had the gumption to modernise the Aus Economy to his own detriment HAWKE= Don't know enough about him, Heard he was a good man though FRASER= Unimaginative, did some good, Economically didn't have the answers GOUGH= Saw radical Social change for the better, Unfortunately, poor at handling the economy MENZIES= I know he enforced conscription, supported Vitenam, don't like him. Eras of missed oppertunity CURTAIN= Called one of the greatest Wartime PM's DEAKIN= Favourite PM in Primary School, Can't remember why I liked him back then |
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