Clan Rising

Howard Family Champion

John Howard(1939–)

The Honourable John Winston Howard

The second-longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia, author of the gun-law reform admired around the world.

John Winston Howard was born at Earlwood in Sydney on 26 July 1939, the son of a petrol-station proprietor who had served in the First World War. He qualified as a solicitor, entered the House of Representatives in 1974, and served as Treasurer before leading his party and, in 1996, becoming Prime Minister of Australia.

He held the office for almost twelve years, from 1996 to 2007, the second-longest premiership in Australian history after Sir Robert Menzies, winning four consecutive general elections.

Within weeks of taking office, in the aftermath of the Port Arthur shooting of April 1996, he led the states to the National Firearms Agreement, a sweeping uniform restriction on automatic and semi-automatic weapons backed by a national buy-back. It is studied internationally as one of the most effective gun-control reforms ever enacted by a democracy.

His governments oversaw a long period of economic growth, the reform of the national tax system, and substantial repayment of public debt, and he remained an active elder statesman and author after leaving office.

The Howard name, of Norman origin and borne by one of the great ducal houses of England, is among the oldest aristocratic surnames in the language. John Howard carried it to one of the longest premierships in the history of Australia.

Achievements

  • ·Prime Minister of Australia, 1996 to 2007
  • ·Second-longest-serving Prime Minister in Australian history
  • ·Won four consecutive general elections
  • ·Architect of the National Firearms Agreement, 1996
  • ·Oversaw a sustained period of economic growth and debt reduction

Frequently asked

What is John Howard famous for?

The second-longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia, author of the gun-law reform admired around the world. John Winston Howard was born at Earlwood in Sydney on 26 July 1939, the son of a petrol-station proprietor who had served in the First World War.

When was John Howard born?

John Howard was born in 1939 in Earlwood, Sydney, New South Wales. The full biographical record sits on the dedicated page on Clan Rising, set alongside the wider history of the Howard family.

Where was John Howard born?

John Howard was born in Earlwood, Sydney, New South Wales, in England. The atlas links the birthplace to its tile page so the surrounding geography and other families of the area can be explored from the same record.

What is John Howard's connection to the Howard family?

John Howard is recorded on Clan Rising as a Howard Family Champion, a figure whose life is inseparable from the surname. The Howard family page sets the wider context for the name and links through to every other notable bearer.

What did John Howard achieve?

Headline achievements recorded for John Howard include Prime Minister of Australia, 1996 to 2007, Second-longest-serving Prime Minister in Australian history, Won four consecutive general elections and Architect of the National Firearms Agreement, 1996. The full list and the surrounding biographical record sit on the dedicated champion page.

Was John Howard a Howard?

Yes. John Howard is filed on Clan Rising under the Howard family. The naming convention follows the surname a diaspora reader would search for today; titles, particles and pen names sort under that same canonical surname.