By Rick Stoker

Australia’s second longest serving and most successful Prime Minister John Howard, took time out from his lecture visit to attend a cocktail party held at the Cairns Hilton Hotel, hosted by the sitting Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch.

Mr Howard said in effect that governments should help small businesses grow, so that they can employ more people.

Mr Entsch told of his early days with the Federal Liberal Party in the 1990’s, when he first met Mr Howard.

Mr Howard and Mr Stoker grew up in the same Sydney suburb and attended the same school in the same era. They were able to briefly reminisce about Earlwood in The Good Old Days.