AS the Liberals began to mend their shattered party, and the state buries a true hero, I couldn't help compare the differences between Bernie Banton, asbestos victim, and John Howard, the fallen prime minister.

The Hills hero, Banton small in stature, giant in guts and determination and so selfless a fighter, literally to the death to ensure justice for fellow asbestosis/mesothelioma sufferers affected by products from the shamed multinational James Hardie.

And then there's Howard. Small in stature, giant in guts and determination and a totally selfish fighter, to the near-death of his party to cement his grip on power at any cost, especially the truth. In his wake is Howard's true legacy no Liberal government left anywhere in Australia.

The State Government will give our Bernie a deserved hero's send-off tomorrow. Howard has already been given an ignominious send-off by the Australian people to become the second only prime minister to be booted out of office since Stanley Bruce lost his seat in 1929. Shades of Work Choices, the conservative Bruce was dumped for

attempting radical change of the industrial relations laws.

Incidentally and momentarily on the local Liberal front, Alan Cadman, the Mitchell MP unglued by Alex Hawke after a 33-year Araldite grip on his seat, always insisted he would go out with Howard. He got his wish after all.

So Kevin Rudd, the nation's 26th Prime Minister, is sorting out his own victorious party as Christmas approaches. To me, the end of the Howard era was best expressed by a federal Liberal backbencher who said it was like ``lifting a millstone from around our necks''.

Let's hope the ``gulags'' are wound back and the war-mongering ends, lessening the threat of terrorism in our midst. Some moderate and inclusive governance would be a wonderful Christmas present.

It's going to be a different festive season for us. The Redhead and I will spend most of it in our Lake Cathie retreat. Daughter Jane has elected to cook the Christmas meal in her place at nearby Shelly Beach.

David will spend the morning with his girlfriend Marcia's family on their Camden farm before jetting north to Port Macquarie to celebrate with his parents and sister. I'm quite looking forward to it all especially with no election scheduled anywhere in Australia next year.