Most of the election so far has proven to be a referendum on whether we could endure having John Howard back. Not a referendum, as such, on his achievements, such as they are, because we take them mostly for granted. Nor on his malfeasances. Aside from some general innuendo about his being a liar, no-one seems to care much, least of all about refugees or going to war in Iraq. Labor doesn’t care, in any event, lest it draw attention to its own inglorious record in the same area.
It’s not that anyone much, even most Liberals, could summon great enthusiasm for Howard. He has again allowed himself, reluctantly, to be painted into a corner, promising to stay forever, knowing that Peter Costello seems hardly capable of attracting a single vote. Or that many believe that Labor equals fiscal instability and higher interest rates, or risky and reckless hands guiding SS Australia in an uncertain ocean. But John Howard, however boring and sometimes pedestrian, is known and predictable. While never inspiring, Howard seems safe enough to many punters.
Howard could hardly be accused of campaigning on his principles, or on his convictions. He has both, but not much of an agenda with either. Everything he is campaigning with is focused at holding the line. Spend whatever seems necessary to neutralise Medicare as an issue. Do whatever seems necessary to prop up pesky sectional interests. Risk even the fundamental reputation for fiscal rectitude if it is only money standing in the way of shoring up support, or winning it back. And nagging, ever nagging, with whatever wedge comes from within the most cleverly worked focus groups Australia has ever seen.
That’s not to say that Howard will win. Despite what the bookmakers seem to think, the odds still favour Labor, if only because the Howard Government seems to have run its course. Mark Latham has, in technical terms, performed fairly well, maintaining discipline and focus, and dealing reasonably professionally with most of the inevitable misadventures. Latham has been outperforming Howard on the hustings. But he has seemed dreadfully dull. There has been little in the way of inspiration, only a little more in the way of aspiration, and nothing which appeals to the heart or the gut that reflects conviction, passion, a willingness to make a stand or even (gasp) stand for anything. John Howard’s jibe that he does not know what Latham