The best of us
I’ve never met Helen Haines, but I know what she stands for. Years ago, I made a donation to her election campaign because I identified with her values: honesty in government, proper protections for the environment and women, and even solidarity with East Timor, as she is a supporter of Friends of Lacluta – a remote area neighbouring Natarbora, where I volunteer. What a surprise to get a phone call from her on a Sunday evening that went for some time, even though I don’t live in her electorate. It confirmed what everyone has been saying about her in the past couple of days. Helen is down to earth, compassionate and a person of high integrity. Before I learnt about this attack I had just sent a letter of support to Senator Jacqui Lambie, whose health was outrageously depicted in a cartoon by One Nation. Like many others, I have tried to make sense of what motivates this hate. I hope everyone encourages their family, their neighbours and community to develop not just civility and tolerance but also love and kindness, which we desperately need now.
– David Gallan, Tathra, NSW
Liberal takeover
After failure in the United Kingdom, Tony Abbott apparently believes yesterday’s conservatism can rescue tomorrow’s Australia (Jason Koutsoukis, “ ‘It’s crazy stuff’: How Abbott, Credlin and Loughnane won back power”, October 17-23). Why bother? Labor already occupies much of the Liberals’ traditional territory, offering the economic competence their opponents endlessly advertise but too rarely demonstrate. It reassures voters wanting a greener future, including our Pacific neighbours, while approving new and expanded coal and gas developments. It has embraced AUKUS, and retained Abbott’s Operation Sovereign Borders, complete with boat turnbacks. Meanwhile, Labor has achieved a female majority in caucus, something the Liberals still seem to regard as a threat rather than normal representation. Abbott’s problem is not that Australia lacks a credible Liberal government – it is that the government calls itself Labor.
– Sharon Crane, Woodforde, SA
Minns to an end
In the article “The rule of law versus the rule of coal” (Geoffrey Watson, October 17-23) was the contribution by New South Wales Labor premier Chris Minns: “I don’t think activists considering court action should get overexcited.” That simple statement carries so much prejudice. According to Minns, concerned locals are “activists”. Why is Minns labelling environmentalists as the bad guys? He must be reminded it’s not the protesters that bring out the problems, it’s the problems that bring out the protesters.
– Bill Leigh, West Pennant Hills, NSW
Facts laid out
Last week’s edition contained two of the best overall presentations of facts, comment and opinion in The Saturday Paper that I’ve read. “The rule of law versus the rule of coal” by Geoffrey Watson, SC, gave us a succinct analysis of the legal facts of media coverage in a manner that the majority of Australians would agree with. The editorial “Capture and storage”, presented the reality of the conduct of politics for the past 30 years in one recent example of how government decisions are formulated. It’s a process that undermines the democratic concept of voting for government policy, where money is involved. What we need now are solutions for the average voter to stop further rot of our politics, which is under attack via sections of the media. Keep up the good work.
– Trevor Pratt, Eaglemont, Vic