Margo you have written an excellent book, but volume two will be better. You have left out soooo much about Johnnie. Like his demolition of education. Like his Americanisation of health. Like his aim to build a two tier Australia.

Every Howard Minister represents the opposite to what we expect. The Minister for the environment is the minister for destruction of the environment, the Minister for Defence is the Minister for Attack (pre-emptive preferably), the Minister for Immigration is the Minister for immigration prevention, the Minister for Education is the Minister for privileged non-public education. Likewise the Minister for Communications is the minister for restricting or controlling all communications and muzzling the ABC, the Minister for Trade is the minister for US Trade, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Minister for regurgitating US Foreign Policy, the Attorney General is the minister for restriction of Civil Liberties etc etc etc.

I also love John's methods of answering questions by setting up a straw man and then categorically denying it. 'No one told me any rumours about Latham' (this did not deny they were gathering dirt). When will the reporters get to ask better follow up questions? (Are they edited out because they are never answered?) Well done Margo.