LNP leaderboard
Bookmakers and punters might find it instructive to look at the form of the Coalition prime ministers in the 2000s. John Howard (1996-2007) was rejected by his own safe electorate in 2007. Tony Abbott (2013-16) was rejected by his own party in favour of Malcolm Turnbull in 2016, and by his own blue ribbon electorate in 2019.
Turnbull (2016-19) was outed by his Liberal Party in favour of Scott Morrison in 2019. Morrison (2019-22) lost government after winning one term in 2019 after a ″miracle″ result.
The current contender lost party ballots to Turnbull and then Morrison in 2019. He was unopposed when he became opposition leader after Morrison’s electoral loss in 2022. So he is yet to win a group 1 event. In his electorate of Dickson the margin was reduced from 4.6 to 1.7 per cent in the 2022 election despite him being in parliament since 2001 and holding many ministries and shadow ministries over that period.
Vince Corbett, Essendon
Pork-barrel politics
Voters in so-called safe seats needing unlikely swings of 10 per cent or more to unseat the incumbent MP must be watching the election campaign with a mix of disbelief and anger.
Against the backdrop of spiralling national debt and fear generated by global uncertainty, the party leaders are squandering tens of thousands of dollars in flying back and forth across the country to marginal seats, throwing spending pledges around like confetti and rice at a wedding.
Safe-seat voters must view these announced incentives to attract votes as little more than bribes. Hopes that pork-barrelling would go back to butcher shops where it belongs are lost causes for those desperately needing serious but basic attention to failed roads, bridges, hospitals and schools.
Alan McLean, Queenscliff
Politicians’ safety
It was worrying to read that Zoe Daniel and her office reported “allegations of harassment and stalking to police” (″Daniel reports harassment as car details leaked online″, 15/4). Every politician should feel safe to be able to represent their constituents. This example of doxxing has the potential to make all of our representatives feel that little less safe, which is not good for our democracy or for our representatives and should be condemned. What was equally worrying was the reported response from the Liberal Party where they failed to condemn the doxxing or defend the right to privacy of our politicians. Instead, they victim blame as though it was somehow Daniel’s fault this doxxing occurred. They could have called out the behaviour, and said they would never action it themselves, rather than ignoring what actually happened and getting personal in attacking the integrity of Daniel.
Rod Moran, Brighton
Parliamentary behaviour
We talk about policies of Liberal, Labour and teals etc. What has not been mentioned is the appalling behaviour of some federal parliamentarians. I hope we will see an improvement in their behaviour, but I won’t hold my breath.
Christine Hammett, Richmond.
Salmon industry taxes
Great fact-checking on foreign-owned Tasmanian salmon farms from Caitlin Fitzsimmons (“Does the Tasmanian salmon industry pay tax? We do a deep dive”, 15/4). The question, however, remains: even if salmon corporations pay some tax, is it enough to compensate for the resources that they take and the mess they leave in Tasmanian waters?
It’s a similar story with fossil fuel corporations. They extract Australia’s gas, make exorbitant profits, pollute the atmosphere, compromise the local environment, and pay a pittance for it. The inability to adequately draw revenue from – and appropriately regulate – environmentally questionable industries represents a scandalous failure of successive governments. No wonder so many voters are turning to independent representatives like David Pocock and Monique Ryan, who actually speak up about the pressing economic and environmental issues hiding within Australia’s industries.
Sharee McCammon, Pelverata, Tas
Burning out of control
While many scientists and concerned citizens are calling for the abandoning of current Forest Fire Management Victoria planned burns, (Letters, 15/4) the proposed planned burn area in Victoria for this year is up to 298,000 hectares. This dwarfs the 50,000 hectares of forest logged over the 13 years from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2023.
To make it worse, there is no independent body officially charged with overseeing FFMV operations; such as “salvage logging”, the selling of wood for commercial purposes, and these non-scientific burns, which may actually increase flammability.
It seems, in spite of a technical end to logging our native forests, the logging continues and the burning is literally out of control. Our forests are under more threat than ever before.
Lesley Walker, Northcote
US must act on killings
Since when did children’s playgrounds, schools and places of worship become legitimate military targets for Russian and Israeli drones to kill and main unsuspecting Ukrainians and Palestinians, many of them women and children? Dismissing such war crimes as a ″mistake″ by President Trump is not good enough. Whatever leverage the US can apply to the Israeli and Russian leadership is long overdue. Only then can Trump’s repeated boast to stop the killing be achieved.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris.
VCAA decision welcomed
The removal of the VCAA board is a welcome announcement by teachers and VCE students. This organisation has overseen several monumental errors in VCE exam security and exam writing. Last year’s exam security fiasco most definitely gave some students an unfair advantage, despite what the official investigation determined. The impact of their mismanagement has had far-reaching consequences for teachers and students.
Andrew Dowling, Torquay
No to multiple choice
As an experienced mathematics teacher of over 35 years and having taught up to year 12 level, the decline in standards is very disappointing. But this can be overcome. The modern student does not seem to have the patience to show detailed workings out to answer questions correctly. It is a total rush to find or give an incorrect answer in the shortest time.
Get rid of multiple choice questions. They are a waste of time with few students even attempting to spend 20 seconds to work out the correct answer on paper.
The modern student also has an unnecessary total reliance on calculators. There should always be two test or exams: one with a calculator and one without.
Geoff van Wyngaarden, Williamstown
Hear it for the zoo
The biggest well-done to all staff at Melbourne Zoo. My family are regular visitors, particularly to see the elephants. I began as a little girl when there was an elephant ride that I hated, thinking it was cruel, to now visiting the herd happily at home in Werribee Zoo with my great-grandson, granddaughters and daughters
The zoo staff’s intention, planning, patient work, and care for elephants provide joy in seeing them play happily and roam together in a purpose-built large environment.
Margot Sharman, Carlton
Bring back boredom
Thank you, Cindy Yin for putting voice to something I feel at 8.15am and 5.45pm every day on the tram. (“Ditch the phone: Five healthier ways to spend your time on public transport”, 14/4). Phone-free public transport is a fertile ground for people watching and surprise social interactions.
Just last week, I witnessed a “meet cute” occurring on the evening commute. The week before, I saw total strangers strike up conversation about the books they were reading. And the best of all – when you’re sitting on public transport, totally, mind-numbingly bored, watching the sights of Melbourne go by, this is where creativity strikes.
I’m sure many a magnum opus has been dreamt up on the Hurstbridge train line. Bring back boredom, bring back random interactions with strangers – I hope someone running in the 2025 election runs on a platform of a PTV phone ban.
Iona Bulford, Carlton North
Full moon rising
The finest marriage of science, art and life as the all-female astronaut crew comprising Katy Perry, Gayle King, Lauren Sánchez, Kerianne Flynn, Amanda Nguyen and Aisha Bowe made us go ″Oh, oh, oh″ as they shot across the sky against the full moon leaving us in awe. Like a lightning bolt, our hearts blew. We salute you Valentina Tereshkova, pioneer Soviet astronaut and first woman to fly solo in 1963. Awesome.
Nina Wellington Iser, Hawthorn
As good as it gets
Yes, Rory McIlroy’s excruciating Masters win was as good as it gets (″Masters win as good as sport will get″, 15/4 ) and Peter FitzSimons’ blow-by-blow, anguish-to-hope description of Rory’s brilliant and emotive triumph is up there with it.
Brian Marshall, Ashburton
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Federal election
The Coalition and ALP make policies on the run. It’s a wonder they don’t throw in a bag of mixed lollies to every taxpayer.
Garry Mcintosh, Macleod
Dutton says ″we don’t want house prices to plummet″. Having invested millions in houses, he has very much been part of the problem, not the solution.
Tony Haydon, Springvale
Are we really expected to feel sorry for a privileged 20-year-old who complains about not being able to afford to buy a house?
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
With apologies to the Dog on the Tucker Box and the town of Gundagai, is that the track Peter Dutton would have us be back on if the Coalition wins the election?
Beverley Campbell, Castlemaine
Will Dutton rescind his financially non-viable nuclear plan before or after the election?
Andrew O’Brien, South Yarra
Albanese will defeat Dutton because he is safe, not scary. Dutton has spent a decade acting as a ‘hard man’, whether in running the detention camps on Manus and Nauru or in demonising ‘woke’ perspectives.
Di Cousens, Upwey
With promises of more houses everywhere, who is going to build them? It is almost impossible to find a builder or tradesperson here to do basic repairs or alterations.
Wendy Brennan, Bendigo
Trump
What’s he done today?
Terry Kelly, Coburg
Trump gets a clean bill of health from his doctor. Unlike his “look at me” actions such as scrapping USAID and seeding distrust in vaccination which deserve condemnation from every doctor in the world.
Jenny Smithers, Ashburton
Finally
My favourite tea towel was purchased in Canada many years ago with the words “Beer will change the world! I don’t know how, but it will”, a philosophy I immediately and enthusiastically adopted.
Rick Whitelaw, Anglesea
The opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
