Voters' decision: politicians must work together for greater good
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
If we are committed to democracy then, by definition, the electorate never gets it wrong. Two essentially decent men slogged it out, mouthing threats, fears and platitudes many of which they had previously rejected.
The make-up of the new Parliament which we have told them to work with will require a genuine commitment to compromise and mutual respect.
The test on our political leaders is now to behave more as professional, principled politicians and less as demagogues and all-knowing sole sources of wisdom.
On the basis of reactions on Day 1, Bill Shorten is ahead.
Ian Foster, Nicholls
Mediocrity wins
A hung parliament? Yes please!
If we had a real multi-party system like many successful democracies then the two major parties would then have to deal with them, and not just try to gain absolute majorities so they can rule without interference.
Yes, we'd have to put up with more loonies. Yes, we'd get more parties that I would hugely oppose, instead of just largely oppose, but heck, that's democracy.
Alas, it ain't gonna happen. Ever. Our two major parties want to keep the game to themselves. They have always sought to destroy alternatives: the Australian Democrats, One Nation, the Greens.
They damn them for not being real parties of government, which is totally disingenuous – they don't want more viable alternatives. Neither major party would even propose let alone support such a referendum.
Besides which, we voters would never support such a change. Many would argue "if it ain't broke don't fix it". I disagree: I think our system is badly flawed if not broken. Many of us can't elect people that truly represent us, and so feel disenfranchised.
Ultimately we're stuck with a choice of two depressingly similar and mediocre parties.
R. Neville, Fraser
Parties out of touch
Speaking as a typical swinging voter, who, according to the polls, make up 40 per cent of the voting population, I found it hard to believe how out of touch both major parties were. This was reflected in the large vote for independents.
I imagine all voters have four major interests. The first is to have enough income to live comfortably. The second to have the less fortunate provided for. Third, that all of us have access to affordable accommodation. Last, but in no way least, that all of us have a livable future to look forward to.
Mr Turnbull, as spokesman for his party, failed to nail most of the four concerns. Tax cuts for large international firms that are already manipulating their income to avoid paying more than a modicum of their fair share of tax went down with the voters like a lead balloon. Trying to preserve negative gearing which probably puts up the price of housing even more so.
The worst disillusionment to my mind was that Mr Turnbull, of whom we all had high hopes, turned out to just another Liberal conservative.
Howard Carew, Isaacs
Stability not the be-all
Stability in government is overrated. The Soviet Union had extreme stability for 80 years and the vicious Franco dictatorship in Spain for some 40 years. Both are now unlamented in their passing, particularly because of the human rights abuses and other suffering inflicted on their respective citizens. Give me coalitions, negotiation and checks on power any day.
David Jenkins, Casey
Undone by greed
Remember the fable of the dog who saw a dog with bigger bone under a bridge. He dropped his bone (into a pond under the bridge) to chase a bigger bone that was his (lost) bone's reflection in the pond.
Malcolm Turnbull made the same mistake. He dropped his 15-seat "bone" into a double-dissolution "pond".
In seeking a more compliant Senate (that would pass his anti-union legislation) Turnbull created a hostile Senate, a hung parliament and vengeful Liberal MPs.
As Robert Burns said: "The best-laid plans of mice and men oft gang awry."
Graham Macafee, Latham
Depends who's lying
On the subject of Mediscare and The Big Lie. During the lead-up to the 2001 election the Coalition claimed that children had been thrown overboard by asylum seekers on a boat to create sympathy for their bid to enter into Australia.
A Senate Select Committee inquiry the following year into "a certain maritime incident" found that Howard government ministers knew before the election that no children had been thrown overboard or had been at risk of it.
A Big Lie before an election must be all right if the right side is telling it.
Athene Anderson, Fisher
George Brandis slams Labor for skewing the election result with fraudulent lies about Medicare. He should look into the darkest part of the Liberal soul and find the foulest fraud there of the Children Overboard fraud of 2001. Then go and clean up his bookshelves.
Marguerite Castello, Griffith
Labor told truth
Privatisation isn't just about selling off public assets to the private sector, such as the Commonwealth Bank, Telstra or Medibank.
It is also about other ways of delivering or funding public services. This includes a shift from public to private delivery (outsourcing) or shared delivery (public-private partnerships) or a shift away from public more to private financing (user-pays).
Labor and the Greens are correct in arguing that Medicare was to be further privatised by the Coalition, because users would have been required to use more of their private funds to receive health services.
Arrangements like freezing rebates, charging co-payments to GPs, removing health insurance rebates all lead to higher private payments and are, therefore, ways of privatising health.
Perhaps senior Coalition ministers might choose to focus more on whether user-pays in health is equitable, efficient or sustainable.
This would be a more productive debate than continuing with their rant about a dishonest Mediscare campaign.
Chris Aulich, Giralang
Plebiscite means hate
Your editorial "Don't exploit same-sex marriage gulf" (Times2, June 30,p2) was obviously written by someone who has neither experienced nor witnessed homophobic violence, perhaps does not believe it really happens, and somehow thinks that Australians would never engage in such outright hatred.
As one who has survived the socio-political sexuality wars for over 50 years in two nations, I can testify that irrational fear and theologically fuelled hatred does almost always result in violence. Many people bear the physical and psychological scars as proof. I've had death threats; I've seen the car bumper stickers that read "Kill a Queer for Christ!" And, except perhaps for better gun laws, we are just as vulnerable to such violence here as anywhere.
Bill Shorten and all those who now oppose holding a plebiscite on marriage are very wise indeed, and their argument is definitely not "specious". Nor could it ever be appropriate to link the issues of sexuality and euthanasia, as your editorial did, because euthanasia is not nearly so loaded with the likelihood of violence.
We should all hope for a federal Parliament that will appropriately make and amend federal law without resorting to unleashing a hate campaign that will forever blur the fact that marriage should be about love.
Rev. J. R. Huggett, Bruce
Seselja can't win
There have been lots of letters to the Editor of late regarding same-sex marriage, in particular the reported reluctance of Zed Seselja to make a commitment in regard to this matter. Although most (nearly all) correspondents appear to believe that they are part of the majority who favour same-sex marriage, Zed may think that whichever way he goes he will offend a large proportion of his constituents, as perhaps there are a considerable number of people who are opposed to same-sex marriage.
I wouldn't be surprised if ACT voters aren't finely divided on this matter. I guess you can only determine the numbers by a plebiscite but the estimated $160million cost to the nation is an expensive way to determine this matter particularly if the numbers are fairly finely divided. If the resultant numbers are, for instance, 55 per cent for a change to the laws as apposed to 45 per cent against change, is that sufficient to warrant any change? I sympathise with Zed as I think he is in a no-win situation.
Rod Frazer, Garran
Many letter writers over the past few days have referred to their desire for elected representatives to reflect the (perceived?) views of their electorate. Perhaps they might contemplate this quote by Edmund Burke: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion."
While this belief may deny the point of a plebiscite, it surely reinforces the need for our elected representatives to use their judgment!
Jonathan Lyall, Garran
The wrong climate
I fully agree with Ian Dunlop's article "Obsession with privatisation leaves us exposed" (Times 2, July 1, p5). CSIRO chief Larry Marshall may think that climate (global warming) science is "settled", but it's only the basics that are as good as universally agreed upon. There is much detail that urgently requires further research. The recent severe storm damage to Collaroy and Narrabeen beaches in Sydney is a case in point. Had the storm continued for another hour or two, and/or the tide been a little higher, all of those expensive houses could easily have been totally undermined and destroyed. Imagine the damage that a similar storm – but one with a significantly higher tide and wave height – could have on, say, the Gold Coast in the not-too-distant future.
There are numerous other built-up coastal areas in Australia – and all around the world – that would also be vulnerable. Low-lying areas of Bangladesh and the Mekong Delta are areas within our "region" that spring to mind. Such areas could generate hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of climate-change refugees.
We need to develop a better and/or more complete understanding and appreciation of – for one thing – what global warming is doing, and will do to our oceans. Australia, being "girt by sea" has both the location and the motive to drive much more climate-change research, by CSIRO and other groups, into the future.
(Dr) Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Turkey's dilemma
Amin Saikal makes some interesting points about Turkey's current problems ("Turkey's downward slide", Times2, June 30, p1) but some would disagree with his description of Turkey's President Erdogan as moderate in relation to his Islamist tendencies.
It should also be noted that when Saikal refers to a "deadly Israeli raid on a Turkish ship delivering aid to an Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip," the reality was that Israel's blockade is to prevent war materials reaching Gaza and, as such, has been ruled as legal by the UN; the ship and flotilla were a political statement, with token aid.
Israel had offered to receive the aid at an Israeli port and freight it to Gaza, and the activists on board, from a terror supporting organisation, were armed and were killed when they violently attacked Israeli forces intercepting their illegal attempt to breach the blockade. It's true, as Saikal says, that Erdogan's restoration of ties to Israel will see many in the Muslim world lose faith in him. This is unfortunate because surely the way to achieve peace is to reconcile with Israel.
R. A. Webb, Griffith
Barr should step up
A wide range of sports and community identities are getting behind "Give Me 5 for Kids" to support hospital services for sick children. A good cause, but it has made me wonder why governments are not doing this as a basic community need. It was even more irritating when Andrew Barr appeared in a TV ad saying what a great idea it was. Andrew, put in some money on behalf of the community and stop making sick people beg for essential services.
Jevon Kinder, Murrumbateman, NSW
Europe owes Britain
I am wholly disheartened at the bad feelings in Britain and across the Channel. Britain helped Europe defeat tyranny in two world wars.
Has Europe forgotten?
If Europe and the UK could come together in times of brutal war, why should they not come together peacefully when human life is not at stake?
Colliss Parrett, Barton
Long queues to vote just not on for frail
I took my 95-year-old father down to the polling station so that he could vote on Saturday. It was around midday. The polling station in Holt was extremely busy and there was a long queue of people waiting to cast their vote.
Given that my father could not have waited in the queue, we headed off to the local school in Macgregor where once again, we encountered a long queue of voters.
Then we headed off to the Salvation Army building in Scullin, but it was the same story. That afternoon, a friend told me that she had spent an hour in the queue at the polling station in Kaleen.
In the end, I took my father down to the polling booth at around 5.30, and he was able to cast his vote successfully and without delay. If voting in this country continues to be compulsory, some things need to be done to facilitate ease of voting.
Firstly, there is an obvious need for more polling stations. Secondly, there need to be arrangements in place for the aged, frail or disabled who can't spend an hour in a queue. Thirdly, and probably most important, alternative arrangements for voting need to be investigated as a matter of urgency. Writing on a piece of paper with a pencil to cast a vote seems archaic and inefficient
Craig Gamack, Holt
Please, no more
Does Megan Doherty have a life-time free pass at McDonald's? She should have. Her gushing yarn is the second advertorial McStory she has inflicted on us with in less than six months. What obesity crisis?
Kate Murphy, Curtin
Nick needs nurturing
I don't think the people who criticise Nick Kyrgios have any idea of the amount of effort, dedication and sheer hard work that goes into making a professional tennis player, let alone one who can get to the very top. Kyrgios is supremely talented and needs encouraging, not criticism, for his occasional lapses in decorum.
Gail Tregear, Canberra City
TO THE POINT
The Canberra Times wants to hear from you in short bursts. Email views in 50 words or fewer to
letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au
WHO WILL HANG FIRST?
If Australia has elected a "hung" parliament, does that mean we must vote again to decide who should hang first?
J. Coombe, Holt
POLL'S BIG MESSAGE
The election has confirmed that the definition of a mandate remains a social meeting between consenting adult males. The electorate has failed to endorse any alternative.
Peter Baskett, Murrumbateman, NSW
PM MISSES THE MARK
So, Malcolm is only a politician after all. And a politician with seriously bad political judgment as it turns out.
Peter Dark, Queanbeyan, NSW
PROPHESY REALISED
Loved Mark Kenny's comment ("Australia's two major parties rocked in the heartland", July 3, p5) regarding one of Malcolm Turnbull's constant refrains 'Well, might he say there's never been a more exciting time to be alive'. His prophesy has come true!
Liz Lynch, Isaacs
TRUTH THE BIG LOSER
Turnbull lost the campaign because he played it as a banker where the truth was boring; Shorten won the campaign because he played as a fairground barker where the truth was irrelevant.
Roger Dace
LOST OPPORTUNITY
The great communicator missed the point and the country will sleepwalk for another three years. When reality bites, Australia will understand that we cannot continue our profligate ways. Much better to control your destiny than be hostage to it.
H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW
STILL WAITING
Re your story "Election 2016: Gai Brodtmann vows to work hard for seat of Canberra" (canberratimes.com.au, July 3). That will make a change.
W. T. O'Connell, Waramanga
HANSON COMEBACK
I thank Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberals for Pauline Hanson. She is the gift that keeps on giving.
E. R. Moffat, Weston
NDIS CHANGING LIVES
The National Disability Insurance Scheme will roll out across NSW this month. It is already operating in the ACT. It will equal Medicare in changing the lives of people who previously did not have access to the services they need. It is a great legacy of Bill Shorten and the Gillard government and so far has been fully supported by the Coalition, to their credit.
K. L. Calvert, Downer
Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attached file. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
Keep your letter to 250 words or less. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).