John Howard represents Australia at Thatcher funeral.
Former Australian Prime Minister represented Australia at the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It was a natural choice, their politics and economic reforms had parallels, dragging once great economies out of recession and into economic overdrive. There were social costs and their detractors are unforgiving.
The current Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was on tour abroad at the time of Baroness Thatcher's death so she could have attended as Australia's first female Prime Minister at the funeral of the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister but it was not to be. Serving Prime Ministers are needed elsewhere and former Prime Ministers can drop off twice a week for the next six months. The current Australian Prime Minister cannot be expected to attend every funeral around the world. Gillard and Thatcher were politically opposed, there was no love lost.
It was fitting therefore to send a former Prime Minister.
But why John Howard ? He didn't become Australian Prime Minister until 1996, Margaret Thatcher left office in 1990. The Australian Prime Minister for most of the Thatcher period was Bob Hawke.
Margaret Thatcher UK Prime Minister 4 May 1979 - 28 November 1990
Robert Hawke Australian Prime Minister 11 March 1983 - 20 December 1991
John Howard Australian Prime Minister11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007
Where was Bob Hawke ? Playing golf.
http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National-Regional/2013/04/15/Bob_Hawke_gets_out_the_broomstick_863837.html
New Zealand sent a serving Minister Gerry Brownlee.
The current Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was on tour abroad at the time of Baroness Thatcher's death so she could have attended as Australia's first female Prime Minister at the funeral of the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister but it was not to be. Serving Prime Ministers are needed elsewhere and former Prime Ministers can drop off twice a week for the next six months. The current Australian Prime Minister cannot be expected to attend every funeral around the world. Gillard and Thatcher were politically opposed, there was no love lost.
It was fitting therefore to send a former Prime Minister.
But why John Howard ? He didn't become Australian Prime Minister until 1996, Margaret Thatcher left office in 1990. The Australian Prime Minister for most of the Thatcher period was Bob Hawke.
Margaret Thatcher UK Prime Minister 4 May 1979 - 28 November 1990
Robert Hawke Australian Prime Minister 11 March 1983 - 20 December 1991
John Howard Australian Prime Minister11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007
Where was Bob Hawke ? Playing golf.
http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National-Regional/2013/04/15/Bob_Hawke_gets_out_the_broomstick_863837.html
New Zealand sent a serving Minister Gerry Brownlee.