i thought the world was supposed to be a safer place

Very poor taste, Philip Ruddock. And the PM only compounds the error:

"I think that is a completely unreasonable comment to make on what Mr Ruddock has said," [Howard] said. "He quite rightly asserts that by reference to particular events that we live in a very difficult international environment and that our credentials on fighting terrorism and on national security are stronger and superior to those of the Labor Party."

Oh yeah.... Like that isn't opportunistically politicising the Russian hostage crisis.