Bob Hawke and John Howard shared their collective wisdom on a single stage yesterday, but what if this were Question Time and the hecklers were again able to retort to their musings? Annabel Crabb writes.

What would Question Time be like if you could hold the heckling? And remove the urgent and immediate priority, shared by every MP present, to twist every argument to suit the speaker's own agenda?

Perhaps it would look like the National Press Club yesterday, where in order to commemorate that august institution's 50th birthday, Bob Hawke and John Howard came together to share a stage.

These two men are Australia's 23rd and 25th prime ministers, respectively. Number 24, Mr Paul Keating, was not present, possibly owing to his inability to stand either his predecessor or his successor, though his absence was not formally explained.

Mr Hawke and Mr Howard, however, embrace a quarter of a century of extraordinary change in Australian life, and their retirement allows them a candour you'll never find in Question Time.

Here are (in my opinion) the most interesting points they made. For the purposes of simulation, I append the heckling that these observations might have drawn had they been made in today's House of Representatives.

TRIBALISM

Mr Howard observed that the fall of the Soviet Union meant the end of any real argument that there was a sustainable alternative to capitalism. As a result, he said, politics has become less tribal.

In some ways, he argued, this is a good thing: "Australians don't like zealots." But there are some downsides.

"I think, as a consequence of that, both political parties in different ways and to different degrees in different forms suffer from the disease of factionalism."

Mr Howard also argued that the retreat of ideology made contemporary politicians less good at mounting arguments.

"We think it's sufficient that we utter slogans. In truth, in politics you need slogans and argument. We have lost the capacity to respect the ability of the Australian people to absorb detailed arguments."

Hecklers: We shall decide who comes here and the circumstances under which they come! Stop the boats! You're a joke!

BIPARTISANSHIP

Mr Hawke observed that many Australians now held the Parliament in "contempt", and that the quality of parliamentary debate was upsettingly low.

He proposed that some bills be removed - by agreement between the leadership of the parties - from the caucus system, creating an avenue for bipartisanship not currently available.

Mr Howard cited his own opposition's support for many of the Hawke government's difficult economic reforms, such as floating the dollar. He advised the modern Labor Party that if it was worried about the impact of third parties, it should look at making deals directly with the Government.

Hecklers: Oh my God. You're kidding, right? Have you mentioned this to Tony Abbott? Malaysia Solution, anyone? And how did dealing directly with the Rudd government work out for Malcolm Turnbull? Huh? And easy for you to say, Hawkie! You were opposition leader for ... what, four weeks? Give us a break!

NUCLEAR WASTE

Mr Hawke said that in his opinion the world was at something of a crossroads; either lift the living standards of all, or destroy life on earth.

A reasonably stark choice. His solution?

"The one thing this country ought to do is have the disposal of nuclear waste in remote areas. In doing good for the world, we would be doing good for ourselves. We would get an enormous flow of income which could be used for the benefit of the world, and our benefit."

Hecklers: BAHAHAHAHA! Please tell me you're not from the same Labor Party that ran a massive anti-nuclear campaign in 2007! Plus: come back here into government and say that!

FEDERALISM

Mr Hawke observed that in times of war, the Commonwealth historically had taken over. He would like this to become a permanent state of affairs.

The states, he says, are "a blight on the optimum development of this country. The duplication and all that goes with that division of power is not in the interests of the country."

Hecklers: So why didn't you kill 'em when you had the chance?

Mr Howard agreed with Prime Minister 23 that "if you started again, you wouldn't have (the states). But you won't get rid of them."

Annabel Crabb is the ABC's chief online political writer. She tweets at @annabelcrabb. View her full profile here.