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Amy Remeikis, one of Australia's most astute political commentators, will be in conversation with Frank Bongiorno on her new book Where It All Went Wrong. The Case Against John Howard

On the thirtieth anniversary of John Howard coming to power, a searing analysis of the untouchable prime minister: how the ‘great economic manager’ sold our future.
John Howard is often revered as one of the great Australian prime ministers (1996–2007): economically prudent, politically astute, ‘relaxed and comfortable’ with Australia’s identity, venerated by the Liberal Party and grudgingly admired by the left.Why then – just twenty years after his government ended – are we in such a mess?

Amy Remeikis argues for a complete revision of how we see Howard’s tenure, for the first time holding him to account for the future he created. Of our modern crises, most are caused by his policies. Housing crisis? Guilty. Work insecurity? Guilty. Giving away gas? Guilty. Climate denial? Guilty. Rise of the far right? Guilty. America's lapdog in foreign relations? Guilty. Jingoistic tracksuits and flag-wrapping? Guilty and convicted.

Far from being ‘great economic managers’, the Howard government bought boomer votes with franking credits and negative gearing, sacrificing the generations now inheriting the nation. They sold out their children and grandchildren for mining billionaires, investment properties and annual cruises. In showing us where it all went wrong, Amy Remeikis illuminates the path to a better future.

Amy Remeikis is the Chief Political Analyst at The Australia Institute and a contributing editor for The New Daily. Amy is renowned for her incisive political commentary and extensive experience as a journalist, author and former political reporter for Guardian Australia. Amy regularly appears in national media and is noted for her powerful writing on gender, politics and social justice. She is the author of On Reckoning. Where It All Went Wrong is her second book.

Frank Bongiorno AM is Donald Horne Professor of History and Public Ideas at the University of Canberra and President of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a Whitlam Institute Distinguished Fellow at Western Sydney University. His most recent book is Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia. 

The vote of thanks will be given by Professor Mark Kenny,Director Australian Studies Institute. ANU

Books will be available for signing from 5.30pm and again after the event.

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A podcast will be made available after the event.

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