Manne blows the whistle on Howard, Never Ever,

From letters to the age:
Manne blows the whistle on Howard
ROBERT Manne's "Oh, to be so morally complacent" (Opinion, 23/5) superbly summarises Prime Minister John Howard's atrocities against humanity, in particular, Iraq.

Manne is not the only Australian who clearly sees Howard's behaviour as unnerving, with his complete absence of guilt and failure to admit his grave errors.

It's about time the general media took a morally responsible attitude and exposed Howard for what he really is, rather than promoting him as an outstanding and cunning politician. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent Iraqis have been murdered as a result of his participation in unjustified and highly illegal actions backed by a tonne of lies and cover-ups.

C. Milhuisen, Burwood

Nuclear energy
I SEE John Howard wants a "full-blooded" debate on the uranium issue. That would be like the full-blooded debates we had on the republic, or the Iraq invasion, I presume.

Lloyd Swanton, Watsons Bay, NSW

Never Ever
WHEN John Howard finally concludes the debate by saying that we will "never ever" have nuclear power stations, be very afraid. Remember the GST?Colin Jones, South MelbourneIT'S worked, classic Howard diversion: talk up nuclear energy and away from fuel prices, interest rates and IR laws. The media has fallen over itself reporting on this spurious topic.

Jeanne Hart, Maryborough

Has DIMIA even looked at the Palmer report?
May 24, 2006
THE 7.30 Report on Monday night (ABC TV) revealed the deplorable condition in relation to asylum seekers detained in Australia. It clearly indicated that the Government is failing to deliver on its commitment to improve mental health care following last year's Palmer report into the wrongful detention of Cornelia Rau, which affirmed the rights of people in detention, including access to a high level of mental health care.

The report exposed how the management of detention centres, with the support of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, ignored the advice of respected medical professionals and returned six asylum seekers to the circumstances that significantly contributed to their poor mental health in the first place.

Such actions can only further aggravate the fragile mental health of asylum seekers. How can such high-handedness be tolerated? Where else in the community would this be allowed? This outrage needs to be corrected and the asylum seekers should be removed from detention and returned to treatment. People with mental health problems need treatment, not detention. The department's acceptance of the Palmer report and its recommendations rings hollow now. These actions constitute further nails in the coffin of fair treatment in Howard's Australia.

Michael Taylor, Blackburn South