I know Howard has supporters

who were encouraged when the boatloads were turned back. We won a great victory. How dare they come freeloading into our country. As for Hicks, after what he did to our American allies who saved us from annihilation in WW2, then let him suffer. I know they think Howard must be an honourable man because they are shown pictures of him kneeling and blessing himself in Church in contradistinction to Labor people who are not shown in this pose. I know they think he must be one of them because he allows TV crews to come in and show him sitting in an arm chair watching the cricket or tennis or swimming.

But I know they are being had. They are being offered an image which supports their prejudices. This is not fair on my country and it is my country too - it doesn't just belong to the supporters of the government. Democracy depends on the support of the majority and the goodwill of the minority in a REAL world, not an IMAGE world which is what we've got in PM Howard. If he believed in himself then he would not hide from the truth.