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.

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.

Well said Mantra :)

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 :-?

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.

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

I chose deakin, 2nd pm. he built our initial constitution.

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.

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I chose deakin, 2nd pm. he built our initial constitution.

So did Barton.

Deakin, another overrated PM.

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

Pro-multiculturists and  pro-australasianists support keating. ;)
(He wanted australia to become a part of asia.)
John curtain pulled us through WW2.

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.

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.
:)

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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 >:(

Gough twas responsible for the asian invasion.

I thought he was sacked for selling us out to the arabs. Gough that is? :)

The facts about Whitlam
http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/meetpm.asp?pmId=21&pageName=inoffice

He was sacked for a number of reasons...

Couldn't be bothered listing them.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Big Statement Aussie Nat. Where's your links? ;D

History me old son, History. 8-)

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. :)

Yep, selling uranium to china is good for our childrens future.

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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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Do you think that is China's ulteriour motive A N or are you just being pessamistic?

A bit of both. ;)

aloof boof wrote on Mar 7^th, 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 :)

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.

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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.

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.

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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:

Would the United States allow us to go out to gain new living space? First, if the United States is firm in blocking us, it is hard for us to do anything significant to Taiwan and some other countries! Second, even if we could snatch some land from Taiwan, Vietnam, India, or even Japan, how much more living space can we get? Very trivial! Only countries like the United States, Canada and Australia have the vast land to serve our need for mass colonization. Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the key to solving all other issues. First, this makes it possible for us to have many people migrate there and even establish another China under the same leadership of the CCP. America was originally discovered by the ancestors of the yellow race, but Columbus gave credit to the white race. We the descendents of the Chinese nation are entitled to the possession of the land! It is said that the residents of the yellow race have a very low social status in United States. We need to liberate them. Second, after solving the “issue of America,” the western countries in Europe would bow to us, not to mention to Taiwan, Japan and other small countries. Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the mission assigned to CCP members by history.

The transcript is a real worry and could explain why we are increasing our military bases in Australia.

Quote:

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 Would the United States allow us to go out to gain new living space? First, if the United States is firm in blocking us, it is hard for us to do anything significant to Taiwan and some other countries! Second, even if we could snatch some land from Taiwan, Vietnam, India, or even Japan, how much more living space can we get? Very trivial! Only countries like the United States, Canada and Australia have the vast land to serve our need for mass colonization. Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the key to solving all other issues. First, this makes it possible for us to have many people migrate there and even establish another China under the same leadership of the CCP. America was originally discovered by the ancestors of the yellow race, but Columbus gave credit to the white race. We the descendents of the Chinese nation are entitled to the possession of the land! It is said that the residents of the yellow race have a very low social status in United States. We need to liberate them. Second, after solving the “issue of America,” the western countries in Europe would bow to us, not to mention to Taiwan, Japan and other small countries. Therefore, solving the “issue of America” is the mission assigned to CCP members by history. The transcript is a real worry and could explain why we are increasing our military bases in Australia.

OH SHIIIIIITTTTTTTTT [smiley=shocked.gif]

Tell your boy to start training mantra.
I am.

[b][/bp[Paul Keating---of course!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Can you quote those stats?

mantra wrote on Mar 30^th, 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.

well mantra that is great to hear..that was an awful policy and carried with it a lot of pain.

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