Australia and the Death Penalty

I was in the United Kingdom when Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death. The first response from outside Iraq that I saw was Tony Blair expressing his opposition to the death penalty in the following terms:
We’re against the death penalty, whether it is Saddam or anyone else.

Then I heard reports of the EU calling on Iraq not to execute Saddam.

So, imagine my disappointment when I found the Australian government’s position was:
He [Prime Minister Howard] said that while he opposed the use of the death penalty in Australia or against Australians, ‘what other countries do with the death penalty is other countries’ business’.

I regard this position as morally flawed, politically manipulative and against the long term interests of Australia and Australians.