John Howard backs Barnaby Joyce

Barnaby Joyce

Tony Windsor was one of three Independents who upset a lot of people three years ago by siding with Labor, giving them the power to form government.  Tony Windsor announced recently that he is retiring from politics on doctor's orders and his biggest regret is that he won't get the chance to "wipe the floor" with Barnaby Joyce in next month's general election.

When Julia Gillard wooed Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie over to the Labor camp, they were probably the three most hated men in the country and some conservative voters have kept up that hate campaign ever since.

As expected, Oakeshott and Windsor have decided not to run for re-election next month and Mr Windsor's family has blamed the stress of the past three years for making him unwell.  He's had to deal with constant death threats and abusive phone calls to his electoral office and a rude sign was displayed at the entrance to the family farm.

Tony Windsor

Many thought Joyce was crazy to leave the Senate and run against Tony Windsor in the Lower House. Even though Windsor was unpopular, there was no guarantee that he couldn't win again.  But the cards fell in Joyce's favour when Windsor announced last month that he would be retiring.

John Howard has come out of retirement to back Barnaby Joyce and said he showed courage to run against a proven winner.

The former Prime Minister said that when the Coalition was voted out in 2007, Australia's fiscal position was the envy of the world and we didn't survive the GFC because of Mr Rudd's good management, it was because his government paid all the bills before it hit and left Labor a huge surplus in the bank.

Mr Howard described Labor's border protection as a mess. "People should remember that if he (Rudd) hadn't interfered and changed my policy, we wouldn't have had the problem in the first place" he said.

And so the election campaign continues around the country and we seem to be heading the way of America - so much emphasis is now placed on the two candidates instead of the policies.