What's happened to Terry Lane?

Terry Lane's column in The Age today, about Howard's response to the aboriginal situation, is very, very surprising. There is virtually no criticism of Howard at all, and contains statements like this:

We may be as sentimental as we like about indigenous culture, but it is simply incompatible with real life and must change or be changed.

You can see how a can-do chap like Howard would eschew the pussy-footing and send in the army. The inquiry's message is inescapable — left to their own devices, the condition of Aboriginal life will go on getting worse until they disappear....

Realistically, there is no alternative to assimilation. Missions, protectors, citizenship, land rights, equal pay, affirmative action and self-determination haven't worked.

Such sentiments seem extremely out of character for the consistently left wing, and (I think it fair to say) Howard-hating Lane. In fact, I am worried he has had a bump to the head and the injury is not being treated yet.