If voter attention has been increasingly distracted away from the Howard Government towards an animated Opposition under Kevin Rudd, it has little to do with being bored at having the same faces in power for the past 11 years. It has more to do with the fact that the Government has taken its own 1996 campaign slogan, relaxed and comfortable, too literally for the good of the nation.

After 11 years in office, the Howard Government’s achievements leave a lot to be desired.

Set against the micro-economic reforms of the Hawke and Keating Labor governments during the 1980s and ’90s, the Howard reform legacy is thin. Bob Hawke and Paul Keating can claim credit for the floating of the Australian dollar, opening up the banking sector, reducing tariffs, introducing the wages accord and compulsory superannuation and ending centralised wage bargaining. All were essential to modernising the Australian workplace and making Australian businesses internationally competitive.

Against this, there is little to indicate that Mr Howard and the Treasurer have used their time in office to set the country up for the decades ahead. The opportunities for reform have been many, but Mr Howard has chosen to preside over a high-taxing, big-spending and very centralised government.

In essence, the Howard Government has succumbed to the trap outlined by Treasury Secretary Ken Henry. It has been content to consume the fruits of the present economic boom and take the luxury of the soft option.

Mr Howard is paying a political price for his inaction. He has spoken loudly but done little … his predicament is of his own making. He has presided over a golden era but not known what to do with it. Voters are bored with him for that reason.

Another loopily soft left, Howard-hating rant from that nest of rabid Ruddites at Crikey? Nope. Just some edited highlights (life being too short etc) from today’s editorial from The Australian. Poll sometime soon PM?