Masters of the Bench

John Howard was the twenty-fifth, and the second-longest serving, Prime Minister of Australia (1996-2007).  He represented the Division of Bennelong, New South Wales, in the Australian House of Representatives from 1974-2007.  He served as a Treasurer in the Fraser Administration from 1977-1983.  He was Leader of the Liberal Party and of the Coalition Oppostion from 1985-1989, which included the 1987 federal election when he stood against Bob Hawke.  Afer his re-election as Leader of the Opposition in 1995, he led the Liberal-National Coalition to victory over Paul Keating's Labour administration at the 1996 federal election.