Janette Howard

Janette Howard (born 11 July 1944) is the wife of John Howard, who was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. Alison Janette Parker was born in Kingsford, a working-class suburb of Sydney in 1944. Her father was an engineer with the New South Wales railways. The family later moved to Vaucluse. She was educated at Sydney Girls High School and trained as a teacher. She joined the Liberal Party, and met John Howard at a Liberal Party function. They w... more

Janette Howard (born 11 July 1944) is the wife of John Howard, who was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. Alison Janette Parker was born in Kingsford, a working-class suburb of Sydney in 1944. Her father was an engineer with the New South Wales railways. The family later moved to Vaucluse. She was educated at Sydney Girls High School and trained as a teacher. She joined the Liberal Party, and met John Howard at a Liberal Party function. They were married on 4 April 1971, at St Peter's Anglican Church in Watsons Bay. The Howards have three children, Melanie (born 1974, married Rowan McDonald 2003), Tim (born 1977) and Richard (born 1980). A grandson Angus was born in 2007. Janette Howard adopted a relatively low profile during her husband's tenure as Prime Minister, however in 1999 a journalist alleged that she had intervened with the Prime Minister concerning an appointment to the board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Janette issued a rare public statement denying the... less