When I wrote "There was no effective opposition to this [comfortable racism] until the mid60s" I was trying to explain that, while there had been some opposition prior to the 60s it wasn't taken up widely in the Australian 'mood'. I certainly wasn't trying to say that the battle against racism in Australia had been won; it most certainly hasn't. The most recent example in my circle was the girl at my daughter's school only a couple of weeks ago. She is one of the local stars in the netball competition and, when players were being chosen to form a squad to represent the Tablelands in the wider school-level competition she was rejected (by teachers from schools outside our particular community), apparently with the comment "Oh, she wouldn't be able to fit in!" Racism is now, usually, more covert.

To return to Jim's comment "aspiring leaders do have the desire to do what's right by their fellow citizens. I do think that he [John Howard] is smart enough to learn and to repair the damage.

We Live In Hope. Hope, I've discovered is a rather crowded place, full of bemused people. I don't regard Howard as a fool, as he has shown himself to be far too clever as a politician. He is almost the archetype for the phrase, common in Australia, "It doesn't matter who you vote for, it's always a politician that gets in!"

Except for his disciples Howard's record inspires distrust and cynicism. I'm certain he regards himself as a morally upright and exemplary citizen and he probably thinks the same about Philip Ruddock and Amanda Vanstone. I regard him as politically astute and morally flawed (aren't we all?) and, while he has firm control of power, I'd have to acknowledge that he circumscribes what I can do. That doesn't stop me from working with all my effort to replace him with another. Will the replacement be any better? Only if we can create an effective change in the Australian 'mood' so that Howard's replacement 'cannot go there'.

The only effective method of doing this In Oz at the moment is to ensure the Senate acts properly as a House of Review instead of a rubber stamp. Meanwhile the next six months are going to be difficult for us all.

Cheers, Rowan