Three decades after John Howard’s rise to the top job, Sky News Australia is pressing play on one of the most consequential chapters in modern political history.
In a new one-hour documentary, Sky News Australia revisits the Howard era with fresh perspective, heavyweight contributors and a rare look inside the family behind the former prime minister.
Presented by journalist and Sky News Political Contributor Chris Uhlmann, the special marks 30 years since Howard was sworn in as Australia’s 25th Prime Minister and reflects on a period that reshaped the national conversation.
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Uhlmann said the documentary is less about nostalgia and more about examining a time when the party’s direction felt clear, and what that period might mean for its future.
“Thirty years after the election of the Howard government, the Liberal Party faces a defining moment — a choice between renewal and decline.”
“This documentary returns to the years when its purpose was clear and asks what that era can teach the party and its new leadership today.”
The documentary examines the legacy of Australia’s second longest serving prime minister, surpassed only by Sir Robert Menzies, and explores the defining decisions of his eleven years in office.
A line up of former political leaders and public figures features throughout the program, including former Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, along with former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and former Treasurer Peter Costello.
International cricketer David Warner also appears, adding an unexpected voice to the reflection on Howard’s leadership.
The special also offers rare personal insight through an exclusive interview with Howard’s daughter, Melanie Howard McDonald, providing a glimpse beyond the public record and into family life during his time in office.
John Howard: A Life in Politics premieres Wednesday 11 March at 7.30pm AEDT on Sky News Australia.
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