The ‘Not Happy, John!’ Campaign
The ‘Not Happy, John!’ campaign was a significant political movement in Australia aimed at opposing the re-election of Prime Minister John Howard as the member for Bennelong during the 2004 Australian federal election. The campaign drew its title from the popular television commercial “Not happy, Jan!” and the book Not Happy, John authored by journalist Margo Kingston.
Campaign Objectives
Rather than supporting a specific candidate, the campaign encouraged voters to support any challenger against Howard. Despite its efforts, the campaign did not achieve its ultimate goal, as Howard was re-elected. However, it did succeed in reducing Howard’s majority by 3% in an election where there was a 2% swing towards Howard’s Liberal Party. Ultimately, Howard lost his seat in the subsequent election.
Key Supporters
The campaign garnered support from a diverse group of individuals, including:
- Margo Kingston – Journalist
- John Valder – Former president of Howard’s Liberal Party
- Brian Deegan – Former magistrate
- Andrew Wilkie – Greens candidate
- Alex Broun – Playwright
- Nicole Campbell – Labor Party candidate
Timeline of the Campaign
The campaign was officially launched on 22 June 2004 and continued until the election date on 9 October 2004. In 2007, a smaller campaign emerged that was inspired by the original ‘Not Happy, John!’ philosophy.
Further Reading
For more in-depth information, refer to Margo Kingston’s book titled Not Happy, John! defending Australia’s democracy, published in June 2004 by Penguin with ISBN 0-14-300258-9.
External Links
Visit the Not Happy John Campaign site for more information.