Papering it over?

Will Jim Lloyd MP now offer his apologies?

Last February, Jim Lloyd, Member for Robertson, took it upon himself to write to petitioners who had signed a petition against the war in Iraq, organised by the No War Coalition.

The petition, signed by 400 of his constituents over two Saturday mornings, was delivered to his office for tabling in the Federal Parliament.

In this letter, Lloyd staunchly defended the Government actions.

He wrote: "There is strong evidence that Iraq has been using this opportunity (lack of UN inspection from 1998 to 2002) to continue its efforts to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and their means of delivery.

"A great deal of this evidence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction activities is available publicly, including via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website ... Australia cannot afford for the issue of Iraq's WMD to be papered over.

"Iraq's possession of WMD poses a threat to its neighbours."

Attached was a Ministerial Statement accepting Colin Powel's claims that "Iraq was continuing to hide its chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction," plus the result of a phone poll conducted in by the Central Coast Herald in Central Coast electorates.

This poll demonstrated, according to Lloyd, that many Australians "are supporting what our PM and government are trying to do to ensure peace throughout the world".

However, the poll also showed that 70 per cent did not support a war without UN backing.

The Howard Government ignored that, and now refuses to apologise for its errors and attempts to shift the blame.

Australians cannot afford "to paper this over" Mr Lloyd.

Congratulations to the 400 who signed the petition in Umina and Gosford.

Klaas Woldring, Pearl Beach