page_title: History of Australia
section_title: Howard government: 1996–2007
hierarchical_section_title: History of Australia / Modern Australia emerging 1960s / Howard government: 1996–2007
caption_attribution_description: Aboriginal dancers make their way across the floor of the Olympic Stadium while performing before an audience of 110,000 during the opening ceremonies for the Sydney 2000 Olympic games.
context_page_description: The history of Australia is the story of the land and peoples of the continent of Australia. Aboriginal Australians first arrived on the Australian mainland by sea from Maritime Southeast Asia between 40,000 and 70,000 years ago, and penetrated to all parts of the continent, from the rainforests in the north, the deserts of the centre, and the sub-Antarctic islands of Tasmania and Bass Strait. The artistic, musical and spiritual traditions they established are among the longest surviving such traditions in human history.
  The first Torres Strait Islanders - ethnically and culturally distinct from Aboriginal Australians - arrived from what is now Papua New Guinea around 2,500 years ago, and settled in the islands of the Torres Strait and the Cape York Peninsula forming the northern tip of the Australian landmass.
  The first known landing in Australia by Europeans was in 1606 by Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon. Later that year, Spanish explorer Luís Vaz de Torres sailed through, and navigated, what is now called Torres Strait and associated islands. Twenty-nine other Dutch navigators explored the western and southern coasts in the 17th century and named the continent New Holland.
context_section_description: John Howard with a Liberal–National Party coalition served as Prime Minister from 1996 until 2007, the second-longest prime ministerial term after Menzies. One of the first programmes instigated by the Howard government was a nationwide gun control scheme following a mass shooting at Port Arthur. The government also introduced industrial relations reforms in 1996, and later in 2006 controversially introduced the WorkChoices legislation, which made it easier for small businesses to terminate employment. After the 1996 election, Howard and treasurer Peter Costello proposed a Goods and Services Tax (GST) which they successfully took to the electorate in 1998. In response to the High Court's decision in Wik Peoples v Queensland, the Howard Government introduced legislation which, among other things, introduced a registration test for claimants, gave the government management rights over recognised native title, and imposed stricter time limits on claims.
   
  In 1999, Australia led a United Nations force into East Timor to help establish democracy and independence for that nation, following political violence. During this period Australia committed to a number of other peacekeeping and stabilisation operations: notably in Bougainville, including Operation Bel Isi (1998–2003); as well as Operation Helpem Fren and the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in the early 2000s; and the 2006 East Timorese crisis.
  Australia hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney to great international acclaim. The Opening Ceremony featured a host of iconic Australian imagery and history and the flame ceremony honoured women athletes, including swimmer Dawn Fraser, with Aboriginal runner Cathy Freeman lighting the Olympic flame.
  In 2004, Howard led the response to the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, with Australia raising the most money in the least amount of time to help Australia's neighbour, Indonesia, and other countries in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
  In 2005, following the September 11 attacks, the 2002 Bali bombings and the Benbrika Plot, the Government introduced new counter-terrorism laws which, among other things, allowed for preventive detention and control orders, prohibited incitement of terrorist acts, and prohibited reckless provision of funding to terrorists. Australia also committed troops to the Afghanistan War (with bi-partisan support) and the Iraq War (meeting with the disapproval of other political parties). In 2007 following the release of the "Little Children are Sacred" report detailing widespread abuse in Aboriginal communities, the Howard Government launched the Northern Territory Intervention to combat drugs and sexual abuse.
  The Howard Government expanded immigration overall, but instituted often controversial tough immigration policies and laws to discourage people arriving by boat without authorisation. These policies included the Pacific Solution, which involved detaining asylum seekers in detention centres in Naru and Papua New Guinea while their refugee status was determined, as well as a policy of turning back vessels intercepted at sea. Two significant controversies involving asylum seekers were the Children Overboard affair and the Tampa Affair.
  While Australia maintained traditional links to the Commonwealth and strong support for the United States alliance, trade with Asia during this period continued to increase dramatically, particularly with China. Australia enjoyed an extended period of economic growth and prosperity.
  The Howard Government passed several tax cuts and embarked on a programme of privatisation. The money gained from the sale of various government assets and corporations, such as Telstra, were put into a Sovereign wealth fund and used to reduce the national debt.
caption: Aboriginal dancers perform at the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney.
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