John Howard flew solo on big decisions

The Weekend Australian ^ | 1st November 2008 | John Lyons

[naturalman1975]

THREE of the biggest decisions of the Howard years - the GST, the intervention in East Timor and the Pacific solution - were decided with virtually no consultation with cabinet, it can be revealed for the first time.

A new television documentary, which is based on more than 20 hours of interviews with John Howard and 180 hours of interviews with key players in Australia and overseas, confirms how dominant the former prime minister was in running the affairs of the nation for almost 12 years.

.....

That same lack of consultation is clear regarding Mr Howard's historic letter of December 19, 1998, to then Indonesian president BJ Habibie telling him Australia was changing its policy and backing for the first time an act of self-determination for East Timor. Says then deputy prime minister Tim Fischer: "Let me tell you something: the most important letter ever written during the Coalition government's period of office, leading to the creation of East Timor, never went to cabinet."

The ABC has interviewed US President George W. Bush, who, in reference to the events of September 11, 2001, says of his relationship with Mr Howard: "In many ways our friendship was forged in fire, the fire of war."

Mr Bush says of Mr Howard: "He may not look like someone who plays on the scrum of the Australian rugby team but believe me he's plenty tough."

Shortly after the interview, as he is taking the ABC crew on a tour of the White House to show them a picture of his mother, Mr Bush says: "That prime minister of yours, he's a tough little dude."

[arthurus]

Decisiveness is characteristic of the mind of a strong individual and is not normally found in committees.