For his consecutive terms in office, see First Howard Ministry, Second Howard Ministry, Third Howard Ministry, and Fourth Howard Ministry.
Howard government
In office
11 March 1996 – 3 December 2007
Monarch
Elizabeth II
PrimeMinister
John Howard
Deputy
Tim Fischer (1996–1999) John Anderson (1999–2005) Mark Vaile (2005–2007)
Parties
Liberal National
Status
Majority
Origin
Won 1996 election
Demise
Lost 2007 election
Predecessor
Keating government
Successor
Rudd government (I)
This article is part of a series about John Howard
Early life
Member for Bennelong (1974–2007)
Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Special Trade Negotiations
Treasurer of Australia
Early 1980s recession
1983 Liberal Party leadership election
1985 Liberal Party leadership spill
Joh for Canberra debacle
1987 Liberal Party leadership spill
One Australia
1989 Liberal Party leadership spill
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations
1993 Liberal Party leadership spill
1995 Liberal Party leadership spill
Prime Minister of Australia
Term of government (1996–2007)
Gun control
Workplace Relations Act 1996
1996 Parliament House riot
Wik Peoples v Queensland
Waterfront dispute
Native Title Amendment Act 1998
Work for the Dole scheme
1998 Australian Constitutional Convention
Republic referendum
Australian intervention in East Timor
GST and taxation
Tampa affair
The Pacific Solution
Australian involvement in the War in Afghanistan
Australian involvement in the Iraq War
Marriage Amendment Act 2004
WorkChoices
Northern Territory intervention
Ministries
First Ministry
Second Ministry
Third Ministry
Fourth Ministry
Elections
1987
1996
1998
2001
2004
2007
Lazarus Rising
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The Howard government refers to the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard between 11 March 1996 and 3 December 2007. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard government commenced following victory over the Keating government at the 1996 federal election. It concluded with its defeat at the 2007 federal election by the Australian Labor Party, whose leader Kevin Rudd then formed the first Rudd government. It was the second-longest government under a single prime minister, with the longest having been the second Menzies government (1949–1966).
Two senior ministers served in single roles for the duration of the government; Peter Costello as Treasurer and Alexander Downer as Minister for Foreign Affairs. The leader of the National Party served as Deputy Prime Minister. Three men served in this capacity during the Howard government: Tim Fischer until July 1999, followed by John Anderson until July 2005 and then Mark Vaile. Decisions of the Executive were made either by the Cabinet or by the appropriate Minister.
For the first three terms of government, and part of the fourth term, the Howard government did not have control of the Senate. Legislation needed the support of the Opposition or minor parties for that legislation to be passed and become law. In the 2004 election, the Coalition won control of the Senate for all but the first nine months of its fourth term, and was able to pass legislation without the support of minor parties. The government also faced internal problems and tension, with the loss of numerous ministers during its first term due to the introduction of a ministerial code of conduct and ongoing leadership rivalry between John Howard and Peter Costello.
Significant issues for the Howard government included implementation of substantial spending cuts in its first term of office and completely paying off government debt; gun control; the popularity of Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party; industrial relations reforms, including the 1998 waterfront dispute and the introduction of WorkChoices; the 1999 Australian republic referendum; reconciliation and native title; the introduction of a goods and services tax; the 1999 Australian-led intervention in East Timor; blocking boats of refugees from seeking asylum in Australia; the "War on Terror"; the intervention in Northern Territory Indigenous communities; and an economy that experienced sustained growth throughout the government's term of office.
The Howardgovernment refers to the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard between 11 March 1996 and 3 December 2007...
that position until the defeat of Malcolm Fraser's government at the 1983 election. In 1985, Howard was elected leader of the Liberal Party for the first...
leader) for putting those issues above human rights. In 1998, the Howardgovernment changed its stance and supported East Timor self-determination, prompting...
years. With John Howard as prime minister, Peter Costello as treasurer and Alexander Downer as foreign minister, the Howardgovernment remained in power...
Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 – January 27, 2010) was an American historian, playwright, philosopher, socialist intellectual and World War II veteran. He...
campaign, the Howardgovernment set up a people's convention on an Australian republic. The resulting 1999 referendum on a republic failed. Howard, an avowed...
Howardgovernment reduced the number of interdependency visas, making migration for same-sex couples more difficult. Reported in 2003, the government...
2004 election, and was Minister for the Environment and Water in the Howardgovernment from January 2007 until December 2007. After coming second in the...
election of the Howardgovernment in 1996. Following the 1998 election, Abbott was appointed Minister for Employment Services in the second Howard ministry....
Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American broadcaster and media personality. He is best known for his radio show, The Howard Stern Show...
Australian political controversy involving public allegations by Howardgovernment ministers in the lead-up to the 2001 federal election, that seafaring...
Services and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations in the Howardgovernment. He also served as Ambassador of Australia to the United States from...
Catherine Howard (c. 1523 – 13 February 1542), also spelt Katheryn Howard, was Queen of England from 1540 until 1541 as the fifth wife of King Henry VIII...
landslide victory at the 2007 election, defeating the Howardgovernment. The Rudd government's earliest acts included action on climate change through...
Howard University is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C., located in the Shaw neighborhood. It is...
as the Member for Warringah and served as a senior minister in the Howardgovernment, which lost office at the 2007 election to the Australian Labor Party...
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, investor, philanthropist...
Folkestone and Hythe. This quickly led to his promotion and Howard became Minister for Local Government in 1987. Under the premiership of John Major, he served...
Howardgovernment also saw the unwinding of the federal government's foreign currency liabilities, ending a long period during which the government had...
the best government for Australia?", responses were as follows: 50% nominated the Howardgovernment (1996–2007) 13% for the Keating government (1991–1996)...
progress. Privatization was implemented by successive governments, including the Howardgovernment in 1996 to 2007, which saw record rates of continuous...
William Howard Taft IV (born September 13, 1945) is an American diplomat and attorney who has served in the United States government under several Republican...
The second Howard ministry (Liberal–National coalition) was the 61st ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 25th prime minister...
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