John Howard blasts anti-Liberal groupies at Bennelong launch

Former prime minister John Howard has unloaded on the Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s inexperience and the “teal independents” whom he labelled as “anti-Liberal groupies”.

Former prime minister John Howard has unloaded on the Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s inexperience and the “teal independents” whom he labelled as “anti-Liberal groupies”.

Stating Prime Minister Scott Morrison had “mastered the art of governing”, Mr Howard used the opportunity to take a swipe at Mr Albanese’s inexperience.

“It all boils down to who do you want to lead the country for the next three years … being in charge of a government is not easy,” Mr Howard said.

He drew on Mr Albanese’s early slip on the campaign trail, saying: “Can I say the reason why that mistake by the opposition leader attracted so much attention was that it symbolised weakness.”

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard shares a joke with former member for Bennelong John Alexander while making his campaign debut for the Liberal Bennelong candidate Simon Kennedy at Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard

“You’ve got to know at least roughly what the unemployment rate is, you’ve got to have an understanding of where the interest rates are.”

Mr Howard said former political figureheads Paul Keating and Peter Costello would never have “missed a beat” like the current Labor leader.

“They saw mistakes as symbolising inadequacy for the job, and my experience in the campaign so far is … simply (Australians) don’t regard (Mr Albanese) as being up to the job,” Mr Howard said.

In his former seat of Bennelong to launch the campaign for candidate Simon Kennedy, Mr Howard also questioned the independence of the Climate-200-backed Independents labelling them “anti-Liberal groupies”.

“Their aim is to hurt the Liberal Party, not to represent the middle ground of the electorate.

“These men and women are all posing as independents. They’re not independents, they’re anti-Liberal groupies.

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard gets a rock star welcome in the seat of Bennelong. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard

“They’re anti Liberal. Why do I say that? … They’re not running in any Labor seats.

“If they were genuinely independent why wouldn’t the run a candidate against Anthony Albanese in Grayndler or Tanya Plibersek in Sydney?

“Why wouldn’t they run a candidate in one of the safe labour seats in Melbourne?

“And the only consequence of a victory for one of these will be to reduce the prospects of the Liberal Party forming the next government. It’s as simple as that.”

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard making his campaign debut for the Liberal Bennelong candidate Simon Kennedy at Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard

Mr Howard said anyone cranky with the Liberal party who thought they’d voting for one of these independents because they represented disgruntled Liberals, “don’t believe them”.

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard arrives to launch the campaign of Liberal Bennelong candidate Simon Kennedy at Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard

“They don’t represent disgruntled Liberals. They represent a group in the community that wants to destroy the Liberal government.,” Mr Howard said.

“It’s as simple that. And that is why they’re running in seats like Wentworth, and North Sydney and McKellar and Goldstein in Victoria.

“That’s something that has to be kept very much in mind.”

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Originally published as John Howard blasts anti-Liberal groupies at Bennelong launch