John Howard

The waterfront dispute culminated when Patrick Stevedores dismissed approximately 1 400 unionised dockworkers. Later archives showed that the Howard government monitored and supported a highly interventionist strategy to reform the sector and knew about preparations for an alternative workforce.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Despite the Bringing Them Home report and repeated appeals, Howard refused during his premiership to issue an official government apology for the policies that created the Stolen Generations, while expressing profound regret.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The Howard government adopted WorkChoices, a sweeping reform reducing several collective protections and expanding individual agreements. Trade unions launched a major campaign arguing that employees could lose penalty rates and working conditions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Following the Little Children are Sacred report, the Howard government launched an emergency federal intervention in Indigenous communities, including compulsory income management, land tenure changes, alcohol restrictions and partial suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Australian Wheat Board paid hundreds of millions of dollars in prohibited payments to Saddam Hussein's regime, raising serious questions about what the Howard government and its ministers should have detected or known.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

During the 2001 campaign, the government claimed that asylum seekers had thrown their children overboard to force their rescue. The claim proved false, and inquiries examined when ministers and their offices had learned that the evidence did not support it.

State of the evidence

Disputed

Attribution

Political responsibility

After the Tampa rescued more than 400 asylum seekers, the Howard government denied it permission to dock in Australia and deployed special forces aboard. The affair profoundly transformed Australian immigration policy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Following the High Court's Wik decision, the Howard government adopted a ten-point plan and amendments to the Native Title Act. Indigenous leaders considered that the measures substantially reduced their rights.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

As opposition leader, Howard said the rate of Asian immigration might be too high for social cohesion and criticised certain aspects of multiculturalism. The remarks caused a lasting political and diplomatic crisis.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated