It's three days out from the federal election. The most likely scenario at the moment is that John Howard's Liberal/National coalition will be returned with a reduced majority. This must not be allowed to happen.

The campaign has degenerated into a policy auction, as each side tries to out-trump the other. It's significant, though, that Latham appears to have Howard on the run with policy decisions, as he has been doing since about February. Medicare is one example, Tasmanian forests will be another with an announcement expected from JWH later today. The outrageous exchange of costly policies is a bit sickening, especially as we can expect that none will make it through Parliament without massive alteration, dilution and compromise.

Between now and poll day I'll be discussing what I see as being the most important issues before the electorate, whether the mainstream media think they are or not. I'll also discuss a number of smaller issues of interest. As a matter of disclosure I'll say from the top that I am voting for Anthony Albanese (ALP) in the seat of Grayndler, and for The Greens ticket, led by John Kaye, in the senate. My vote for Albanese is an endorsement of the local member as an individual, not an endorsement for his party.

The main issues fall into three broad areas. Item 1 is an over-riding factor, while Items 2 and 3 run in parallel.

1. The propriety of the Howard government in the last three years;
2. Australia's role as a global citizen;
3. Fostering the wellbeing, on a fair and equal basis, of all Australians.

Propriety

Propriety Pro*pri"e*ty, n.;
...
3. The quality or state of being proper; suitableness to an
acknowledged or correct standard or rule; consonance with
established principles, rules, or customs; fitness;
appropriateness; as, propriety of behavior, language,
manners, etc. ``The rule of propriety,'' --Locke.
(source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) via http://propriety.dict.die.net/)

If the Australian constitution had impeachment provisions, John Howard would be a prime candidate. Likewise, if we had recall votes, such as seen in California last year and, unsuccessfully, in Venezuela in August, then Howard's government would be a sitting duck.

The ALP website has documented 35 lies told by John Howard in his time as Prime Minister. A certain amount of lies, half-truths and cronyism is an unfortunate part and parcel of most government, but the conduct of John Howard and his cabinet during the life of the last parliament and the lead-up to the 2001 election goes far beyond that. Above and beyond his contempt for both a proposed republic and the current monarchy, above and beyond his contempt for the United Nations, above and beyond chucking out his ministerial code of conduct when he lost too many ministers (Lie #31 in the ALP's list), above and beyond the misleading of parliament over corporate lobbying by party supporters (Lie #12), two things stand out immensely: Children Overboard (Lies #18, #19 and #20) and Iraq (Lies #21, #22, #23 and #24).

The "children overboard" claims were a cynical attempt to exploit xenophobic feeling in Australia, and even if the initial statements were made in good faith, no attempt was made to correct them when the truth became known.. as it did to the government before the 10 November 2001 election. There was no parliamentary privilege to hide behind... what would be the chances of a criminal libel action getting up on behalf of all the passengers of the "SIEV 4" against those members of the then-government (including Howard and Peter Reith) who made those claims?

Iraq was simply one of the most shameful events in Australia's modern history. Going to war in self-defence is one thing. Going to war in accordance with the wishes of the United Nations is one thing. John Howard took Australia to war as an aggressor, without provocation, into a country with no direct relevance to Australia's interests, without United Nations approval, without the popular support of the Australian people, and without bipartisan support of federal parliament, is another thing entirely. And he did so using false information as a premise.

Taking Australia to war as an aggressor is the one legacy of John Howard that should, in future years, stand above all else.

There are still unanswered questions about Australia's involvement in Iraq - was our government aware of US torture practices at Abu Gharib and elsewhere? And what of the apparently unwritten protocol said to exist, whereby any Iraqi militants captured by Australian troops were immediately handed over to the Americans, who would then publicly claim credit for their capture?

There are also unanswered questions about Australia's treatment of prospective asylum-seekers. Did the Howard government contribute to the death of 353 people when the "SIEV X" sank in the Indian Ocean on 19 October 2001?

On 4 February 2003, the Senate carried a motion of no confidence in the Government, for the first time since Federation. This is another of John Howard's historical legacies.

Frankly, the impropriety of the Howard government is so serious that other policies don't need to come into play. They do, of course. In Part 2 I'll get onto the issues of Global citizenship and national wellbeing.