Janette Howard - Biography

Biography

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 allegation as "not only wrong but deeply offensive to me."

In 1996 Janette Howard was diagnosed with cervical cancer and underwent surgery; the type of cancer she had was not revealed to the public until 2006. John Howard said at the time that he would leave politics immediately if it seemed necessary in the interests of his wife's health. Since then Janette has been active in advocating early screening for breast cancer for Australian women.

Janette Howard's public duties included accompanying the Prime Minister on official tours and carrying out the duties of official host at the Prime Minister's official residences, The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney. She is also a patron of the National Portrait Gallery.