A note of sympathy for Geoff Clarke, ATSIC Chairman

Geoff, mate, I reckon you've brought a lot of your trouble on yourself, but I must say that I felt some sympathy for you when I read yet another gut-turning sanctimonious hypocritical editorial in yesterday's (un-)Australian. The leader writer, under the direction of his juvenile editor, Michael Stutchbury, accused you of 'shooting the messenger' when you accused them of running 'vicious, despicable and contemptible lies' about you.

Didn't you know, mate? This is just normal practice for Stutchy and his gang when they've decided someone is to be eliminated. Mind you, they're not always crude about their tactics. When they want to, they can be very clever in assembling the 'facts' to suit their campaign. And their bit about the messenger is a real laugh, isn't it? You'd have to be pretty dumb or naive not know by now that the Murdoch 'messenger' always checks to see that message is assembled to suit taste and objective. Shooting the messenger...give us a break! The only shooting, mate, is at you at the moment.

Geoff, I'm afraid your number's up. If Stutchy decides the campaign is on, and it looks like it, you might as well pack your bags right now. Now you're getting an idea of how Dr Peter Hollingworth and Archbishop Pell must have felt.