9 NOVEMBER 2002, Page 58

From Mr Derrick Wisking Sir: I commend and support the

bulk of Michael Duffy's comments. However, he gives his political game away when he comments about our Prime Minister, John Howard, that he is 'an inarticulate man'.

My admittedly cheap Australian dictionary states that 'inarticulate' means, inter alia, indistinct, dumb, speechless, unable to express oneself clearly.

John Howard is one of the few politicians who one comes across during life's brief span who can get on to his feet and deliver an unnoted, unscripted speech to Parliament or wherever stating very clearly where he stands. Duffy might not like what he is saying, but that does not detract from Howard's ability to say it.

Derrick Wisking

Greenhill, South Australia