Unions too powerful

We have all seen it in the way in which the unions control pre-selections and the factions. One only has to look at how many former union leaders are the recipients of a "free entry" into our parliaments. Historically, the unions played vital roles in our industrial relations, while the ALP would not exist were it not for the unions. Nevertheless, the overarching power of the unions has passed its use-by date, because they have become so arrogantly corrupted – criminally as well as morally.

Bill Shorten, to succeed, must somehow break away from the potentially lethal stranglehold the unions hold over the ALP. Lastly, I suggest it is not Jon Stanhope who is suffering from "relevance deprivation", as John Hargreaves claims ("Hargreaves hits back after attack on unions", August24, p3) but Hargreaves himself – and the union leaders who fail to recognise they have to change the way they operate, not least in relation to the ALP.

Eric Hunter, Cook

Jon Stanhope is to be congratulated for his incisive condemnation of Labor. His piece is worthy of a nomination for the non-fiction writing of the year award. His call for Labor "to get its head out of the sand" is timely.

One could be forgiven for suspecting that the shallowness of intellect within the party demonstrated by John Hargreaves' knee-jerk "bite-back" remarks ("Hargreaves hits back after attack on unions", August24, p3), do indeed only serve to underscore Mr Stanhope's well-articulated concerns of many being left convinced Labor was incapable of governing following the failure of the Rudd-Gillard years.

Michael Doyle, Fraser

It is deeply ironic, isn't it? The thin-skinned Jon Stanhope and the rhino-skinned John Hargreaves, former colleagues, butting heads. On balance, I prefer Mr Stanhope's arguments over Mr Hargreaves on the stench in the Labor party. Hargreaves' uncritical championing of the ilk of Al Grassby into taxpayer-paid bronze relief makes him an unreliable commentator on organised crime occurring in the union movement.

A. M. Whiddett, Yarralumla

Claims that Simon Corbell was put "in an almost unwinnable position" in his faction's list of candidates for the next election ("Left forcing Corbell out, claim ALP insiders", August22, p2) will puzzle electors with even the slightest understanding of voter influence over who gets elected under Hare-Clark with Robson Rotation within party columns.

Once someone is nominated, there is no such thing as an unwinnable place, as Labor discovered decades ago when briefly advancing supposedly A and B teams without achieving any desired effect. Voters with firm assessments of individual candidates' merits have always sorted out who gets elected from specific parties that attract significant support.

Bogey Musidlak, convener, Proportional Representation Society of Australia (ACT branch) , Narrabundah

I believe Peter Robinson's reasoning (Letters, August21) is flawed. Volcanic eruptions and human birth are wholly within the natural law. To abort is human interference with the natural law. If humans could prevent volcanic eruptions, that would also be interfering with the natural law. Such interference may be seen as acceptable by some, but it cannot deliver ignorance or removal of the ethical and moral implications inherent in the examples given.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Like previous correspondents, I was disturbed to read about the tactics of the Land Development Agency in negotiating with the bike hire business in West Basin ("Mr Spokes to stay after fight for West Basin digs", August18, p1). I understand Mr Spokes is seeking a transparent process and proper compensation for the loss of their small business in West Basin because of a large development totally outside of their control.

Hearing the LDA spokesman trying to justify the agency on local radio on the same day left me unconvinced that the LDA is genuine about consulting with those affected by its developments. He appeared to have no appreciation of the impracticality of sustaining a bicycle-hire business in a noisy construction zone.

The LDA needs to adopt a constructive and respectful approach to dealing with the local community, both in this case and other developments, such as the Telopea Park School land swap and the Yarralumla housing development.

Philip Anderson, Watson

The Canberra Raiders' season was not stolen against Manly last week, as claimed by Ricky Stuart ("Stuart excuses woeful Raiders", Sport, August24, p24). Yes, a referee's decision went against the Raiders in the game against Manly. However, a few more points on the scoreboard and a few more home game wins may have seen the Raiders remain in finals contention.

Just because a team loses due in part to a bad decision by referees is no excuse to give up on the next game. Next it might be proposed that teams no longer in finals contention should drop out of the competition to the detriment of fans and the game. Play with a positive attitude to win; otherwise be dropped.

Edward Corbitt, Farrer

The letter by Neil Porter (Letters, August24) regarding scientists being scorned by their peers reminded me of the treatment of Alfred Wegener, a meteorologist, who, in the early 20th century, first put forward the theory of continental drift. He was ridiculed by most geologists of that period and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (vested interest?) organised a symposium against his hypothesis.

It took almost half a century before he was shown to be correct. Was this a case of a meteorologist (climate scientist) daring to poke his nose into an area that geologists supposed was their domain?

Norm Johnston, Monash

Just in time for the Canning by-election and in a desperate attempt to change the Coalition's fortunes, we find Joe Hockey signalling there will be personal tax cuts.

Very nice, but it is difficult to avoid being cynical. This is shades of what the Howard-led Coalition did on several occasions prior to an election and, sadly, what Rudd-led Labor felt they needed to do in 2007 to attract voter support.

The cuts that occurred eroded Australia's revenue base and we now have diminished capacity to build an enlightened, competitive, society which would stand us in good stead in the 21st century. Tony Abbott's vision of being "the infrastructure prime minister" is severely compromised.

Nevertheless, the need for tax reform is a pressing priority. This must extend far beyond simplistic plans to reduce rates of personal income tax. Australians are capable of understanding and getting behind comprehensive reform proposals. These should give a complete picture of revenue and expenditure plans so that all voters can see the options, judge the fairness, and assess the alternative pathways to the future.

Before the 2016 election, both major parties should grasp this opportunity. They should not treat voters as if they are just self-seeking mugs whose votes can be bought by a few dollars in their pockets.

Keith Croker, Kambah

ABC's 7.30 Report on Monday featured apparently affluent, non-Indigenous families in remote western Queensland, such as Birdsville, suffering from what Leigh Sales called "nothing more annoying" – internet connections little better than dial up.

One of the residents, with several broken bones from a quad bike accident, explained of having to take expensive flights to Toowoomba because she couldn't hold teleconferences with her specialists. She said she wouldn't live anywhere else; it was the best place in the world.

I wonder if Tony Abbott will tell her that her remote quad-biking lifestyle is unsustainable? Or perhaps he'll adjust his view after his tour of Indigenous communities.

C. Shipp, Tuggeranong

There is nobody I would trust less than Tony Abbott to make an accurate and dispassionate decision on whether to enlarge Australia's role in the Middle East war. In his shameless search for national security-related headlines, Abbott has flagged his intention to "decide" on this military expansion in the near future.

But from past performance we can be sure that the risks to Australians' lives and our reputation, the financial cost and the strategic consequences of the war will play no part in making this decision. Instead his considerations will be how best to use the matter to his electoral advantage.

War and its consequences are far too serious to leave to the discretion of an arguably competent man who has infamously stated that he would do almost "anything" to get into power and to stay there.

Memo to the Liberal Party from a concerned majority: Do something.

Julian Robinson, Narrrabundah

John Collee ("Australia bets that everybody else is wrong", Times2, August 24, p5) castigates the Abbott government for ignoring the advice of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. No one need bet that those relying on IPCC advice are wrong. A comparison of the IPCC's temperature projections against actual observations shows that they are wrong.

Whatever the future trend of global climate, models that cannot reproduce a known case are worthless as a basis for setting policy.

Stephen Jones, Bonython

Centrelink CEO Grant Tidswell claims that Mygov is an "outstanding success" ("Centrelink accused of shooing away clients", August 21, p6). I am sure I would have many supporters in strongly disputing that claim.

My interaction with Mygov has not been such that I have experienced the performance problems which many have complained of. I am however aware that Mygov is a very poorly designed system.

Poor design is illustrated by the ridiculous situation that if a husband and wife both want Mygov accounts it is necessary for them to have discrete email addresses. I have no doubt that this is because designers have taken the easy option of using email addresses as a key identification data item. There are other options which require a bit more design and programming nous. The ID verification procedures are also too inflexible (eg, the system discriminates between mathematics and maths as an answer to a "secret question" regarding favourite school subject).

Users also too readily find themselves backed right out to commence the whole login procedure from scratch.

Incidentally, I have no idea why it is necessary to have a Mygov account in order to lodge a tax return using eTax.

I would appreciate some elucidation on this.

T.J. Marks, Holt

I refer to Professor Hugh White's article "Australia's shipbuilding plan a massive mistake" (Times2, August 18, p5) and to Admiral Jones' comments (Letters, August 21). I would suspect that Admiral Jones might have a better feel for the use, operation and survivability of naval vessels than a senior academic such as Professor White but that White might be more attuned to the probability that such vessels might be called into use for one reason or another to meet some global exigency. Both should be major contributors to any government consideration on the future of our navy, its purpose and its capabilities.

Ignoring some assumptions in White's article, his primary thesis is correct: that the government is running headlong into a continuous naval shipbuilding program without proper strategic assessment and without regard to sound and safe project development and industry involvement.

I commend both Admiral Jones and Professor White for their recognition that we should approach this shipbuilding program following the example of the successful Anzac ship project, noting the contribution that Professor White made to that project.

B.L. West, Yarralumla

So John Hargreaves wants the working man to part with his hard-earned faster than he does at present ("Ex-minister slams $50 note ban", August 20, p2). From the article, it seems that Hargreaves is not content in retirement and would like to see clubs increase their revenue at the expense of the gambling-addicted. He may well be an inveterate gambler with the financial resources continually available and flowing from his superannuation, but the addicted in our community are mostly not as well off as he. His views (and those of Ms Burch) are not in keeping with current community concerns about gambling. Is it that he just wants to see more funds flow to the Labor party via their Labor clubs?

Why can't old politicians be like old soldiers and simply fade away?

P.M. Button, Cook

ACT Gaming Minister Joy Burch's concern over online gambling ("More than 1100 Canberrans losing $10,000 plus a year on gambling", canberratimes.com.au, August 17) smacks of hypocrisy given ACT Labor's dependence on poker machine revenue. Her description of the major losses incurred by poker machine addicts as "very encouraging" is unfathomable.

Even if she is correct that Canberra has some of the strongest harm minimisation measures in Australia, the family and marriage break-ups, crime and suicides directly and indirectly related to poker machine addiction is anything but encouraging.

Empirical evidence suggests a significant majority of those Canberrans who lose more than $10,000 annually on poker machines are least able to afford these losses.

The largesse which is distributed to assuage the conscience of those who allow this evil does not and cannot justify the harm caused by this method of fundraising.

Graham Downie, O'Connor

IT WON'T BE LABOR

I was disheartened to read Jack Pappas' words, "The position of attorney-general is an exceptionally important one in any government and I urge Labor to think carefully about Mr Corbell's replacement" (Letters, August 24).

I had hoped that some other political party would be making that appointment.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

ENVIRONMENT FIRST

I agree with Julian Cribb (Letters, August 24). It's time our politicians stopped looking after the wealthy, ie, coal producers and started looking after the environment. Putting economics before the environment is a cop-out.

We are an embarrassment on the world stage for doing practically nothing about climate change.

We must act now to save the planet for future generations.

Trish Blakey, Belconnen

WE'RE NOT IS

Greasing the slipway for joining the United States in strikes and other aerial operations in Syria, Tony Abbott said on Sunday that: "The IS terrorists don't respect the Syrian border; why should we?" Well, Prime Minister, because we're not IS.

Or is "If it's good enough for IS then it's good enough for us" the slogan that now determines Coalition foreign policy?

Bronis Dudek, Calwell

WELL DONE

Putting aside those correspondents not included in Megan Doherty's article "Live by the pen, die by the pen", (Forum, August 15, p3) I congratulate her for the good job she did in putting together the stories of those interviewed. Well done, Megan.

Evelyn Bean, Ainslie

ASHES SERIES

An Ashes series completed in England with a result in each of the five Tests inside of five days. Surely the ultimate proof of climate change.

E.T. Rodgers, Florey

PRO COAL POLICIES

It is possible that the Abbott government is not beholden to the coal industry, but it's hard to imagine how their policies would differ in any way from their current ones if they were.

Mark Chapman, Palmerston

GREEN VIGILANTISM

Under Bob Menzies we had the red menace; under John Howard the black land grab. Now under Tony Abbott we have green vigilantism.

It seems the Coalition find hope in a rainbow of fear, but fear in a rainbow of hope.

Felix MacNeill, Dickson

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