Fulfilling a promise to New York
The Age
By LOUISE DODSON
NEW YORK
Friday 1 February 2002
The normally unemotional John Howard could not help himself.
Tears welled up in his eyes, his voice was barely audible and he looked for a moment - just one moment - as if he might break down.
He was describing his reaction to a note stuck on the memorial wall that stands alongside the Ground Zero rubble - all that remains after two aeroplanes crashed into the World Trade Centre four-and-a-half months ago on September 11.
The note was attached to a photograph of a policeman and simply said: "Daddy, you were very brave."
Of course Mr Howard pulled himself together and talked instead of the great determination of New York to survive and prosper. Unlike Bob Hawke, he is not comfortable showing his feelings.
His sons Richard and Tim were there with him and of course his wife, Janette, as he laid a wreath and also read tributes to some of the 20 Australian victims, including a note to Andrew Knox, of Adelaide.
The wall had poems from lovers, flowers and photographs, teddy bears and children's drawings.
All alongside a hole in the ground that stretches down six floors and is called "the bath tub" by workers. The collection of gashed buildings and stone looked like a scene from Blade Runner. It is now a tourist attraction with guides and groups milling around behind the barricades.
It brought back memories. Mr Howard admitted he often thought about September 11 when he was in Washington DC right across the way from the Pentagon and the White House. He is still nervous around tall buildings.
He had been due to visit New York on September 12 and said he made a promise at the time to complete the trip as soon as possible as a mark of respect to the victims.
Mr Howard was shown around the site by Jill Ker Conway, the chairwoman of Australian company Lend Lease which, with international partner Bovis, has the contract to clean up the mess.
"It's very sad, it's very bleak," he said. "It's overwhelming. It was very traumatic. It was a very sad place."
He talked to the workers, including one recovery foreman who has been at the site since mid-morning on September 11.
He told the workers they had great spirit, and were admired around the world.
Later Mr Howard visited New York's newly elected Mayor Michael Bloomberg and presented him with one of the condolence books signed by thousands of Australians.