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Columnist Niki Savva encapsulates Hansonism as it is being played out in the impact and indecisiveness of the Liberal Party and the exposing of any coherence by Angus Taylor (“No Hastie retreat over Hanson fight″, 2/7). On the other hand, Andrew Hastie has a more convincing narrative within his own political orbit. I strongly agree with Savva that the return of Tony Abbott and his support for Pauline Hanson is nothing short of political opportunism of the lowest common denominator. Some of the media and some politicians have indeed shown cowardice and not “responded in the same principled way to the threat of Hansonism”. Pauline Hanson in identifying the Socceroos as representing a monocultural Australia is laughable, if it wasn’t so ignorant.
Judith Morrison, Nunawading
A party to irrelevance
Niki Savva refers to the Liberal Party as a ″once great party, now in moral decline″. Back in the day, the party was represented by the likes of Ian Macphee, Petro Georgiou, Fred Chaney, Dick Hamer, Judith Troeth among others and was indeed a great party and entirely electable. Now with Tony Abbott as president of the federal party and a supporter in Peta Credlin, it becomes more and more irrelevant by the day.
Tim Douglas, Blairgowrie
Reform the election process
The parliamentary committee investigating the 2025 election has got it right (“Fresh drive to clean up chaos on election day”, 1/7). Most voters do not want harassment or intimidation when they go to vote at a polling booth. For the first time in the Wannon electorate where I voted (and campaigned for independent candidate Alex Dyson) we saw young Brethren members handing out how-to-vote information for Dan Tehan, the Liberal Party candidate. This was deeply disturbing given Brethren members do not vote themselves, abstaining on religious grounds, but felt able to readily advise legitimate, registered voters how they should vote. That the Coalition members of the electoral reform committee describe opposition to this assault on Australian democracy as “a partisan witch-hunt of Australians based on their religious values” is simply outrageous. We need clear-eyed reform that protects and enhances the integrity of our election processes.
Kate Driscoll, Aireys Inlet
This is how to do it
Amid claims of increasing bad behaviour at election polling stations it’s time for a full overhaul. Remove all signage, individual how-to-vote cards and their spruikers. Instead allow each candidate to paste a small how-to-vote card inside each booth. Also a slightly larger sign reminding people they’re under no obligation to follow any card. One electoral officer can stand outside and monitor orderly conduct in the queue. This will end the vast waste of paper and return the voting experience back to local communities free from outside spruikers and signage eyesores.
Mark Freeman, Macleod
Labor needs to make hard decisions
Recent polls are showing that One Nation’s rising populism is plateauing. After much analysis of Pauline Hanson’s press club speech, the consensus is that there is no substance in the hype. What bills has Pauline Hanson introduced into the Senate that have gone on to change the face of society? Basically none.
She plays the same broken record about immigration and gender recognition in order to advance her party’s platform. Finally, the government is realising that in order to fight populism they need to make the hard decisions. Hopefully with this weekend’s NSW ALP conference there will be some serious debates on what needs to change. We can only hope that much needed reforms will counteract the rise of populism and Pauline Hanson.
Marisa Di Giacomo, Beaumaris
THE FORUM
Labor MPs, speak up
Will not one member of the Victorian parliamentary caucus stand up and call out Jacinta Allan’s persistent denial of the corruption that has infested the Big Build in this state? The writing is on the wall for this government but not a single voice has been raised among sitting Labor MPs.
Surely there must be some among the ranks who are every bit as appalled as we, the public, some who have the courage to speak out now, challenge Allan’s leadership and install a new leader who is prepared to tackle this disgraceful mess and provide a genuine alternative.
Labor needs to cleanse itself of the insidious influence of unions infiltrated by criminals and bikie gangs, once and for all. The future for Labor in this state looks absolutely dire if our elected representatives in the ALP remain silent.
Paulette Smythe, Caulfield East
Zero tolerance
I think most Victorians now have “zero tolerance” for the premier or any of her ministers telling us again they have “zero tolerance” for something which they have the power/responsibility to address but choose to do nothing.
David Parker, Geelong West
Defining patriotism
I like columnist Kylie Moore-Gilbert’s idea of creating a new positive vibe of loving our country for its strengths (Comment, 1/7). Idid hesitate to embrace this vibe, as patriotism is a word that has connotations of national supremacy and bigotry that made me uncomfortable if not opposed to it. Moore-Gilbert’s description of the negative stereotypes created by flag-toting right-wing fanatics and extreme left-wing naysayers reinforced my revulsion.
However, I’ve changed my mind after reading the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy definition of patriotism as “… rooted in a fundamental love and appreciation for one’s country. It emphasises unity, community wellbeing, and respect for all citizens″. I can support that, as I imagine can most Australians.
Pier Paolo De Carlo, Ascot Vale
Repeat and rinse
We have a climate that is dependent on cycles, not the LaNiña and El Niño cycles, nor the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. It is based around election cycles. Climate change is thought of six months before an election. Policies are put out. Grand speeches are made. Promises try to seduce us into believing there is substance behind what they are offering. Then as soon as the votes have been counted these things are put away in readiness for two-and-a-half years’ time. It appears that politicians are more interested in winning power than in using that power to make positive change to the climate of our planet.
Greg Tuck, Warragul
Targeting inflation
Shane Wright is correct (Comment, 2/7). The Reserve Bank continues its steadfast strategy of increasing interest rates to slow inflation regardless of the pain this causes to household budgets and the inexorable impact on economic growth and employment.
Meanwhile the government makes modest tax changes to slow the unfair advantages investors have over home buyers and all the opposition can seize upon, in their relentless negativity, is the wealth impact this may have on all property owners.
The government’s actions are a more laudable and targeted method of reducing inflation (temporarily dampening discretionary spending) while also assisting home buyers.
The government’s logic for these changes is fair and correct and should be owned and trumpeted.
Peter Thomson, Brunswick
Equality takes a dive
Government schools cannot provide proper toilet facilities for students while taxpayer dollars go towards private schools who build multimillion-dollar swimming pools. How did we ever get to be such a two-tier society and why aren’t more people outraged?
Barry Lizmore, Ocean Grove
Stop private funding
If equity is any part of the federal Labor government’s agenda it should end the federal subsidies to private and independent schools.
Government support for education should begin and end with offering the best possible free education to every child. It shouldn’t waste precious funds subsidising well-funded private entities.
If parents wish to pay for a perceived benefit let them do so. But taxpayer dollars should not help them.
Mick Cahill, Fitzroy North
Brothers, can you spare a . . .
If the Christian Brothers have any property left that they want to offload for $1, I’m definitely interested. I’d be particularly open to buying the Bundoora property in Plenty Road if it was still available. Even one of the ovals would be OK. I could even double my offer if it made the deal sweeter. I’d then put the property to good use compensating in some way those who the not so Christian brothers should be taking responsibility for.
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
The business of healthcare
The debate about Adeney Private Hospital is being framed as doctors versus affordability. That misses the central question (“No fees at new private hospital leaves doctors divided”, 2/7).
Adeney can offer no out-of-pocket surgery because the health funds involved have agreed to pay enough to eliminate the gap. That shows funds can reduce patients’ costs when they choose to direct more of the premium dollar into care. Both participating funds are among the biggest for-profit insurers in Australia.
So why is this confined to a selected insurer-linked hospital and selected patients, while Australians with private cover face large gaps elsewhere? Every premium dollar retained as profit rather than returned to members as benefits is a choice about where care is funded.
There is also a longer-term concern. A model in which an insurer part-owns the hospital, sets the fees and determines patient eligibility is the early architecture of managed care. The United States shows where that can lead: the world’s most expensive health system, with poorer outcomes than comparable countries.
Patients’ affordability pain is real. The answer is fairer funding returned to members, not insurer-controlled care.
Dr Alan Tse, Specialist anaesthetist, Fitzroy
Demolition disgust
It is infuriating, but not at all surprising, that when Daniel Andrews announced Labor’s plan to demolish 44 public housing towers, the government already knew the proposal would be opposed by residents and neighbours alike (″Secret research warned public housing overhaul would increase division″, 1/7)
Neither then, nor since, has the government found any support for the plan. It has been condemned by numerous community groups because of the terrible impact it is having on 10,000 vulnerable people.
Experts in architecture, engineering, finance and environment have found the demolitions to be an unnecessary and colossal waste of money and resources.
Victoria’s upper house has demanded the government stop the demolitions until they release the reports which it claims justify them – to no avail.
Like the proverbial bull in a china shop – a bull blinded by neoliberal ideology – the Allan government is heedlessly pushing on with its ill-conceived project, purely and simply because the word ″public″ is anathema to them.
Richard Barnes, Fairfield
Growth delusions
Week after week, correspondents write bemoaning the lack of action on climate change and the thorny issue of immigration. These are not just Australian problems. They are worldwide. But they are only symptoms. World population is growing by around 200,000 people every day. It’s already grown by 35 million this year, yet it’s as if that’s got nothing to do with it.
The belief in endless growth is universal, powerful and deluded and it will be what destroys us.
John Laurie, Riddells Creek
Taking a gamble
For those wanting to put a roof over the heads of their families, the falling price of housing is surely good news. For those who invest in property in the hope of making money, not so good.
But that’s the game isn’t it? You lay your money down and bet on rising prices. Be it a house or a horse, you take your chances.
Damien Ryan, Berwick
A vision trumped
As the US celebrates the 250th anniversary of its declaration of independence from the British monarchy on July 4, 1776, how will history judge the presidency of Donald Trump? Is there a single constructive, positive, beneficial, unifying or helpful act of legislation or program that bears his name? I can’t think of one.
But unless and until the American people can learn to forgive him and also forgive themselves for voting for him in the first place, America will never be able to move on to reclaim the great vision that inspired them 250 years ago.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris
Giving Ross a hand
How anyone claiming to be fit to lead this country can, in effect, call 40 years of NASA’s climate research a “hoax” needs to be called out. Ross Gittins can’t do it on his own.
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
Your correspondents bemoaning the abominable choice of parties for the next state election? Vote independent! They get in, they do good.
Chris Waters, Ormond
Compulsory voting (Letters, 2/7) does not actually mean you have to vote. You do, however, need to have your name ticked off. Whether you vote or turn in a meaningless ballot is then up to you.
Les Aisen, Elsternwick
I’m sure Jacinta Allan has “zero tolerance″ for potholes on the Hume Highway and if the public has any information on them, they should report them to Victoria Police.
Ian Anderson, Ascot Vale
Jacinta Allan needs to follow Daniel Andrews’ leadership and resign. Poor excuses and denials over years of mismanagement by both.
Robert Wilson, Jan Juc
I’m starting to think that Jacinta Allan’s Big Build is Donald Trump’s reflecting pool. Deflect, obfuscate, divert, swerve, slew, deviate, sidetrack. Look! A Squirrel.
Frank Flynn, Cape Paterson
What do we want? A royal commission! When do we want it? Now!
Robert Niall, North Fitzroy
Jacinta Allan has failed on combating corruption. She has to call a royal commission or go.
Sylvia Geddes, South Melbourne
Furthermore
One would think maintaining toilet blocks in government schools would be a priority. I am sure that private schools do not have such issues.
Marie Nash, Balwyn
Re your correspondent (Letters, 2/7) and national service, in the
’60s and ’70s it only created social disharmony, political strife and mass protests.
Bill O’Connor, Beechworth
How happy it is when the Socceroos win – else we have to see machete attacks, tobacco war blazes, corruption allegations, and crime on the news.
Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell
