John Howard reflects on how 9/11 reshaped his premiership and Australia’s security stance
Former Australian prime minister John Howard says the September 11 attacks were the most consequential event of his 4284-day tenure, fundamentally altering global politics and Australia’s approach to terrorism.
John Howard served as Australia’s prime minister for 4284 days, and he identifies the September 11, 2001 attacks as the pivotal moment of his long service. Arriving in Washington on September 8, he was scheduled to meet President George W. Bush, address Congress, and hold a Pentagon briefing that was postponed just before the attacks. After witnessing the towers’ destruction on TV, Howard became the sole guest in the House chamber that day and was later flown to Hawaii, where he expressed solidarity before returning to Australia.
The Australian cabinet subsequently approved invoking the ANZUS treaty, marking the first time the alliance was activated. Howard also connects the 9/11 attacks to the 2002 Bali bombing, which claimed ten Australian lives and heightened concerns about home-grown terrorism. He emphasizes that the events reshaped how security and terrorism are considered in policy making worldwide.
