I agree with those comments regarding Mark that he was a breath of fresh air. I also believe that his illness brought about by stress just showed the human side of the man (a man of the people).

I particularly liked his style of bringing family into politics unlike the Liberals who only really considers big business.

But the most awful thing about Latham not becoming Prime Minister is that the lies and deceit of the current Government continue unabated.

I am appalled that Liberal friends of mine see "nothing wrong" with the methods of conducting business of Government without honour or integrity. For ten years our Country has prostituted its reputation across the world, from the children overboard scandal to the current wheat board fiasco, not forgetting the Veteran Affairs coverup. And then there is the Weapons of Mass Destruction that just had to be destroyed by the "Willing".

And people in general don't appear to hold issue with the ongoing slaughter of our reputation. What is happening to the standards of good conduct?

Mark Latham and I did have one thing in common until he became Opposition Leader, then he changed his mind on that for political expediency. He believed in the concept of Voluntary Euthanasia.

I wondered if that attitude too has reverted, and changed in the past year or so. I hated the way he was treated when he was ill by both the media and even more so, the Machinery of the Labor Party of which I was ashamed to admit to being a Member of.

I also agree with a previous writer who told us exactly what he would have done with the offending camera. If anyone could have done it, Mark could!.....The sort of man I could quite comfortably be marooned on an isle with. A man of strength and character, lost to politics but not to a life worth living.

Mary Walsh
www.yourchoiceindying.com

To the above post:'Puke'.

A man of strength and character? When two hundred thousand people were being washed away by a tsunami he couldn't even snap himself out of his 'depression' (tantrum more like it) to express a nation's sorrow in what could have been an extremely short message.

Elevated 'family' into politics too did he? What about the small issue of the alleged drunken abuse and his ex wife's fear of him? Or him punching a taxi driver right before the 'conga line of suckholes comment'? What a sterling role model! What some people don't understand is that without successful economics happy families don't exist. Sure the two aren't synonomyous but I didn't see the mortgage belt voting for Latham-perhaps they remember Keating?

Finally Latham has chosen to remain in the public eye. His whopping super, his constant media appearances, his book and his relentless criticism of all and sundry make him a prime target! So enough of the "i feel so sorry for him" lines! A man of character and strength indeed! Laughable.

Latham has left politics, what is the point in carrying on about this ill man. The Lib's will just have to get over it. The Labor party has moved on. They now have thier own Lazarus with a triple bypass.

wre - I often find much to agree with in your posts, however, to state that Latham should've just "snapped out of his 'depression'" indicates that you know nothing about this debilitating illness. If it was only that easy..... I probably would be back at work instead sitting here trying to enlighten you about mental illness.

I suppose your post illustrates why so many Australians want to forget about Mark - depression is still regarded as a weakness rather than what it is - an illness. I guess you are very uncomfortable with the idea of mental illness. Clearly all the publicity about this disorder has achieved little, if anything.

Come surely only a conservative could forgive Latham his childlike war on his own party?
Yes gone and the best move he ever made for Aussie politics.

Scout

Has Mark Latham been formally diagnosed with clinical depression? When and where was that documented?

Even is he is being treated for clinical depression, it is important to realise there is a significant difference between illness related behaviour and plain "bad" behaviour.

From my mental health nursing experience, Latham's overt behaviours are not symptoms of clinical depression.

Cheers
Kay