Where It All Went Wrong, Amy Remeikis
Where It All Went Wrong, Amy Remeikis
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Where It All Went Wrong
The case against John Howard

Author: Amy Remeikis

Narrator: Amy Remeikis

Unabridged: 5 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/23/2026


Synopsis

On the thirtieth anniversary of John Howard coming to power, a searing analysis of the untouchable prime minister: how the ‘great economic manager’ sold our future.

John Howard is often revered as one of the great Australian prime ministers (1996–2007): economically prudent, politically astute, ‘relaxed and comfortable’ with Australia’s identity, venerated by the Liberal Party and grudgingly admired by the left.  

Why then – just twenty years after his government ended – are we in such a mess?

Amy Remeikis is one of our most astute and convincing political commentators, and here she argues for a complete revision of how we see Howard’s tenure, for the first time holding him to account for the future he created. Of our modern crises, most are caused by his policies. Housing crisis? Guilty. Work insecurity? Guilty. Giving away gas? Guilty. Climate denial? Guilty. Rise of the far right? Guilty. America's lapdog in foreign relations? Guilty. Jingoistic tracksuits and flag-wrapping? Guilty and convicted. 

Far from being ‘great economic managers’, the Howard government bought boomer votes with franking credits and negative gearing, sacrificing the generations now inheriting the nation. They sold out their children and grandchildren for mining billionaires, investment properties and annual cruises. 

Amy Remeikis is the highly informed voice of these dispossessed generations. In showing us where it all went wrong, she illuminates the path to a better future.

About Amy Remeikis

Amy Remeikis is the Chief Political Analyst at The Australia Institute and a contributing editor for The New Daily. Amy is renowned for her incisive political commentary and extensive experience as a journalist, author and former political reporter for Guardian Australia. Amy regularly appears in national media and is celebrated for her powerful writing on gender, politics and social justice. Her work continues to influence public debate and policy discussions across Australia. She is the author of On ReckoningWhere It All Went Wrong is her second book.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Gordon on March 03, 2026

This book challenges the legacy of John Howard, who is considered by many to be 'Australia's Greatest Prime Minister'. It breaks down many of his 'achievements' and explains that they are either complete myths, or worse, are actually the genesis of so many of our problems today. Let's start with the......more

Goodreads review by Tom on February 26, 2026

for a book that holds an almost identical view on howard to myself, i'm surprised by how difficult i found this to read. this is a very, very angry book, and while that anger is justified and entirely understandable, it's hard to read in long stretches without needing to take a break and do somethin......more

Goodreads review by Todd on February 23, 2026

As someone in their early 40s, a self-described "Social Democrat," I agree with most of the book's broad arguments, albeit less stridently than Remeikis. The book reads like a very well-written polemic, which may be its intent. Regardless, it should have aimed higher. I understand that this book is i......more

Goodreads review by Kristy on March 01, 2026

Remeikis doesn’t just revisit the legacy of John Howard. She systematically addresses the issues that Australia faces today and the role that Howard played in their architecture. Housing crisis, culture wars, racial tension, immigration scapegoating, work insecurity, climate inaction, and more. This......more