Finally, some moves are being made to argue the point that government should be more accountable, but it really doesn't go far enough. John Howard is arguing that we should forget the past, and look to the future. But since he's repeatedly lied to us, why should we believe anything that he says about future plans? How many times do you let someone lie to you before you disbelieve everything they say and remove them from a position of power? It's well past the time to do that.
Accountability is paramount. If they can do what you like, that's what they'll do. If there's no penalties for lying, why should they care when they do? It was tried to introduce laws to prevent lying in political advertising, but they were howled down, saying that voters can determine the truth at the ballot box. How? How can you determine the truth? If they won't do what the electorate tells them, and there's no penalties for lying, what can you do about it? Nothing! And why did they want to be able to get away with lying? (That's the only true reason you'd oppose laws against lying.) Politicians have got to be disallowed from lying up front. It's no good letting them lie, then reservedly retract their statements after the damage is done.
This goes beyond making misleading statements (children overboard, weapons of mass destruction, etc.), it also includes not fulfilling promises—usually the ones that were a deciding factor in electing them. Politicians must be compelled to carry out their promises, they must be penalised for failing, and sufficiently penalised so that they don't just opt out of doing what they promised because they consider that the penalty's bearable.