Howard had become arrogant and too comfortable in power after a third term (There's a reason why your US presidents are limited to two terms). The war in Iraq is deeply unpopular here and Howard's slavish adherence to Bush doctrines is seen as weak and incorrect. (Industrial relations following the US model - work for tips, or starve / Inhumanly strict anti-immigration and borderline racism / Kyoto). Principally in my book, the degradation of the principle of accountability of public servants.

Sure, the US is an important ally, but we don't have to eat the same food and wear the same clothes to be friends.

In fact, the best friends are the ones who advise you against unwise actions...

(And, folks, I'm actually normally a Liberal voter, but I've had enough of lying politicians)