1996-1997 cabinet papers show how Howard and Costello faced a budget black hole
- Written by Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
On the morning of Monday, March 4 1996, the young treasurer in the Howard government, Peter Costello, and his press secretary, Tony Smith – now the speaker of the House of Representatives – took an Ansett flight from Melbourne to Sydney for their first...