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Your correspondent (Letters, 5/6) correctly observes that ″Abbott knows how to lead effectively and how to run a telling election campaign″. His term in government demonstrated the appalling gap between the business of politics and that of good government. The business of politics is careless with the truth, and seems more interested in focus group outcomes, marginal electorate analyses, and opportunities to ″wedge″ opponents — a preoccupation with re-election rather than the national interest and sound, fearless policy. The explosion of social media and funding restrictions for formerly trusted media outlets has allowed major parties to treat voters like mugs — but those chickens are now coming home to roost.
Norman Huon, Port Melbourne
The empty chair takes it
Your correspondent (Letters, 5/6) lauds Tony Abbott for ousting Kevin Rudd in a rout as being a great leader. I also remember that, later, some party members put forward a spill motion to declare the PM position vacant. Nobody actually challenged. However 39 out of 100 of his peers voted for the empty chair showing just how disgruntled the party members were with his leadership.
Alan Inchley, Frankston
Dissent is a healthy ingredient
Like columnist James Massola, I support some dissent within Anthony Albanese’s tightly managed Labor caucus (Comment, 5/6). Ed Husic, in particular, may have ruffled feathers, but when the government’s “steady as she goes” approach isn’t delivering meaningful progress on issues such as gambling advertising reform, environmental protection, and transparency and integrity in government, more dissent is needed. According to polls, almost as many voters want to see an inquiry into the AUKUS security agreement as those who support a 25 per cent tax on gas exports. Husic recognises the public’s frustration on these and other issues. He’s speaking for the people, and Albanese needs to hear it.
Amy Hiller, Kew
There are bad polls, and there are good polls
Funny how “too many polls” is only an issue when your party is struggling in them. Twelve months ago, One Nation, along with the Greens, were a fringe party. Now they are a juggernaut, outstripping both major parties, and the Greens are still political non-entities. However much Liberal and Labor (and Greens) supporters might not like it, One Nation’s resurgence is a fact and its rise should be reported.
Greg Hardy, Upper Ferntree Gully
THE FORUM
Our cruel facade
It’s not a cost-of-living crisis but an inequity crisis (Letters, 5/6). It can be argued that most of the social discourse, crime, economic and health problems we are facing arise from the gross inequity we have created. The 2023 ACOSS/UNSW report estimated the wealthiest 20 per cent of Australians averaged 90 times the wealth of the poorest 20 per cent. One in six children live in poverty; well-funded lobbyists determine key government functions; we have one of the most inequitable and socially segregated education systems in the world; fossil fuel subsidies are nearly double that spent on social housing and homelessness; home ownership is impossible for many Australians.
Where we once prided ourselves on being an egalitarian country, the UK’s Equality Trust now ranks Australia as one of the world’s most unequal societies. Our egalitarianism is a cruel façade, and it is a disgrace that so many people in such a wealthy nation can be so poor.
Bryan Long, Balwyn
Auspicious date
I always thought it was a strange coincidence that King Charles, his mother Queen Elizabeth and grandfather King George all celebrated their birthdays on the same day, but then I remembered that thoroughbred horses, who compete in ″the sport of kings″, do as well. In Australia, it’s August 1. Maybe the two days could be combined.
Sandra Torpey, Hawthorn
Eighty and still counting
Columnist Melissa Hoyer (Comment, 5/6) maintains that for a significant portion of the population birthdays “are not the dazzling celebration the world insists they should be”. She goes on to assert that, “it has nothing to do with getting older”. From personal experience, I can say the second part of that isn’t necessarily true, especially if you’ve already had 80 of them.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills
Change the rules
The AFL could reduce pressure on the ARC by introducing the same system used by all world ball sports and allow a goal or point to be scored even if the ball is touched or hits a post on the way through.
The only times the ARC would be needed would be to confirm that the ball crossed the score line and whether a ball passing over one of the posts was called correctly.
Contentious? You bet. And some people will say stupid. But I believe it would eventually be well-received.
Geoff Cameron, Ballarat
Tax benefits
It’s popularly believed that aspirationals do better in lower-taxing countries, but the opposite is true. An aspirational seeks to move up the socio-economic ladder. Social scientists call this social mobility.
The developed countries with the highest social mobility are the more equal, higher-taxing countries, headed by the five Nordic countries, according to the most recent World Economic Forum ranking. Australia came 16th, and the United States 27th, that is, near the bottom for developed countries.
Higher-taxing countries suit aspirationals because better education, health, childcare and other services, and income security, better enable them to ascend the socio-economic ladder without needing to access family wealth or class contacts.
And even though their after-tax income may be lower when they have moved up the ladder, health and wellbeing statistics show that they are better off than their class counterparts in lower-taxing countries. That’s because, when people at all levels of society have better services and an adequate income, they’re more able to contribute to others, and the whole society simply functions better.
Robert Salter, Clifton Hill
Just too easy
How completely humans adopt AI can be predicted by considering ″desire lines″, a planning term describing people’s tendency to create a short-cut between two points on a winding path. If an easier option exists, we tend to take it.
When supermarkets began selling newspapers, customers stopped patronising newsagencies because it was inconvenient; when self-checkouts became available, people readily turned their back on humans at the register. And as AI continues to offer easier options in all matter of things, there will be no stopping people embracing them, creating a feedback loop.
This also presents many positives, but it’s up to governments to regulate Big Tech and, on an international level, for global treaties to be created, as they were for other existential threats.
Paul Spinks, South Geelong
Types of different
Columnist Jenna Price has scoured One Nation (Comment, 3/6) and found many of those interviewed are saying they may vote for One Nation to “try something different”. It would be insightful to ask the supplementary question, “What sort of different do you want?“
Tony Andreatta, Kew
Trump’s disdain
The article “Republicans start to test limits of president’s power” (5/6) states: “Several Republicans pushed back on Trump’s decision to appoint Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence.” (Pulte was director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.) Donald Trump has shown again what he thinks of, and treats, allies within whom the US has treaty agreements and (supposed) obligations. Appoint someone with no intelligence experience to partake in Five Eyes discussions and decision making, really?
What can we do? Stern (diplomatic, of course) words behind closed doors perhaps? No, we as usual will just let it slide. On a positive note, if Pulte does come to represent the US, at least our Five Eyes officers will be able to get good “real estate” advice.
Trevor Jennings, Leopold
Path to understanding
I invite Lisa Jane Spencer (″Self-described comedian accused of racially vilifying Indigenous people″, 4/6), to spend some time living in a community committed to eradicating petrol sniffing, like Yuendumu, where only Opal fuel can now be sourced. I have lived there for a few months, working on a petrol-sniffing diversion program so I’m happy to be her tour guide – on the condition she suspend judgment and actually do some homework. We do have something in common – we share a middle name. Hopefully, we might share something else if the offer is taken up: understanding.
Sara McMillan, Frankston South
Is something missing?
Donald Trump is imposing tariffs because he is concerned about us failing to do enough about forced labour. Excuse my bewilderment, but here is a person in charge of a country where the federal minimum wage is about $7.25/hr and for tipped workers the wage can be about $2.15/hr or so and the employer makes up the difference to take it up to the minimum wage. And Trump is accusing us?
Economics wasn’t my primary field of study, can someone please help me understand what I’m missing?
David West, Essendon
Irony lost
I suspect the irony of the US placing tariffs on goods from certain countries accused of slavery, while they rely on poorly paid undocumented workers for much of their agriculture, and have a minimum wage at about $2, which is effectively slavery, will be lost on many Trump supporters.
Michael Nicholls, Travancore
Remember Geelong
The article ″Dust, decay, huge bills: Breathing new life into pillars of community″ (1/6) testifies to how our beautiful Victorian-era town halls can lie empty or be repurposed with the provision of generous public and private funding.
Geelong Gallery has had plans for years to extend into the Geelong Town Hall but, the City of Greater Geelong, the state government and major donors have not opened their purses. If ever a project deserved funding to enhance our cultural life and transform our architectural heritage surely this is it.
Rosemary Kiss, Rippleside
Where is he going?
According to your correspondent (Letters, 5/6) Tony Abbott knows how to lead. The question is: where to?
George Fernandez, Eltham North
AND ANOTHER THING
Hanson
Pauline Hanson is right. She has not changed. She is still far too big for her Gina Rinehart boots.
Annie Wilson, Inverloch
While Pauline Hanson dreams about the keys to the front door of The Lodge, the nightmare for our country is surely the character of the people who would have a key to The Lodge’s back door.
Jenny Smithers, Ashburton
Pauline Hanson says she hasn’t changed. True. A racist 30 years ago and still a racist as her more recent “no good Muslims″ claim demonstrates.
Tony Delaney, Warrnambool
Furthermore
The hypocrisy. The United States is attempting to penalise other nations with tariffs for slave labour.
Matthew Hamilton, Kew
The Global Slavery Index reveals that Australia and the US have the same score (67), second only to the UK (68). Will the US apply a tariff to itself?
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
To those letters correspondents bemoaning the recent wage increase with the claim that it places unfair stress on small businesses, I say it is not the obligation of an employee to prop up a non-viable business.
Judy Kevill, Ringwood
Dear PM, please let Donald Trump know on our behalf that if he goes ahead with his tariffs on Australian goods, we will be withdrawing from AUKUS, forthwith.
Mark Thomson, Beaumaris
Donald Trump should realise economic and political policies are far more than tariffs.
Barrie Bales, Woorinen North
Seriously, would you consider buying a used car off a man called Donald Trump? Yet Australia is leaping at the possibility of buying three used nuclear submarines. Let’s choose a rational method of defending our export ports and infrastructure, and sink the subs deal.
Mike Francis, Fitzroy
With Pete Hegseth as the used sub dealer, the line missing from the Wilcox cartoon was ″Comes with a waterproof warranty″.
Peter Thomas, Pascoe Vale
