I haven't encountered a politician yet who has a problem with self-belief: indeed, it is almost always the case that their infinite hubris is the primary cause of their many fatal acts of misjudgment that invariably seem to cost the rest of us a great deal, while they skip off to the next one.

Anyone who has had anything to do with the challenges of leadership development will know that one of the most difficult things to persuade any aspiring leader to do is to regularly look back over their shoulder to check that their followers are still there.

By the way, Scott, only an egomaniac or a fool would expect those of us who inhabit the real world to be taken in by your claims that "you're there for us".

John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW

Ian Pilsner (Letters, September 13) has a funny memory. Morrison may have helped stop the boats but it was a continuation of laws put in place by the preceding Labor governments that began the shameful treatment of those perfectly legal asylum seekers. Seeking asylum is a human right regardless of method of travel, despite Morrison and Abbott screaming illegals at every chance.

The economic cost of what the Liberals have done to them is enormous and will weigh heavily if their economic credentials are to face the test. That surplus came in very handy for Labor to steer us through the GFC like no other First World country could.

Under Gillard, with a minority government, Labor was one of the most, if not the most, successful governments in our history. To deny that is to deny reality.

Morrison as social services minister voted for dole recipients, not bludgers as he says, to go for up to six months without any money. Not a good way to run such a ministry. He also was in favour of cutting pensions and pushing the start of the age pension to 70 years. Try laying bricks until you're 70.

Perhaps Mr Pilsner would care to take off his rose-coloured glasses and see the party that doubled the national debt in half the time and then tripled it in less time still, for what they are, a national disgrace.

Michelle Presgrave, Wadalba, NSW

David Pope's editorial cartoon (September 14, p19) hits the nail (or should that be pin?) on the head.

Malcolm Turnbull has good reason, at least in his own mind, for feeling betrayed by Peter Dutton, who was the chief instigator of the ousting of the then prime minister.

Turnbull wants Dutton to be referred to the High Court to rule on his eligibility to sit in parliament in light of his family trust's ownership of two childcare centres in Brisbane, customers of which receive subsidies from the federal government.

There are several other reasons why Peter Dutton's eligibility to sit in parliament should be questioned. These include his intervention in the matter of visas for the two au pairs and his "jobs for the boys" appointments of at least four men with whom he had personal connections.

The more pins stuck firmly into the potato, the better.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Dave Sharma may be an "exceptionally high-calibre candidate" in Wentworth. But rather than more high-calibre candidates, don't we need a greater number of more representative candidates: that is, more women?

Michael McCarthy, Deakin

I refer to "Just not okay" (Canberra Times, September 14). The Muppet Show continues ... I anticipate this level of behaviour out of my year 8 class, not people I am paying a lot of money to to keep them safe.

Parliamentarians, I wish there was a House Co-ordinator that you could be sent to. Your example, and choice of music, is not worthy of my precious vote.

Bill Gillespie, Wamboin

The article "How to tempt freelancers back to the daily grind" (Sunday CT, September 9, p13) presents the perspective that freelancing offers the life of Riley, a virtual nirvana, to those who would appear, fleetingly, to possess, currently in-demand, specialised skills for which they command a premium.

This rosy picture contrasts diametrically with workers who slave for uncertain rewards in the ever-expanding gig economy, no better illustrated than by those hostage to Amazon's "fulfilment" centres ("Inside the 'hellscape' Amazon's workers face", September 8, p28, 30).

Mining's philosophy of fly in, fly out seems to have been adopted by Australian governments, which increasingly employ flit in, flit out consultants, at considerable taxpayer expense, rather than develop full-time, in-house public service skills.

Many workers experience consultants as "borrowing your watch to tell you the time and then charging you for it", rightly resenting them for plagiarising shared corporate memory, without attribution.

Enthusiasm-driven adrenalin rushes of youthful exuberance succumb to realities of human fragility, transience and ephemeral permanence of skills, where knowledge rapidly becomes obsolescent. Individualism's blandishments suit modern employers, who would rather employees were disposable, to be cast aside when their worth is spent.

Thatcher's (1987) "... there's no such thing as society" challenges the reality of "No man is an island", espoused by John Donne (1624). Being self-sufficient is mythological.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

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