
I read with interest the article on Zed Seselja by Karen Barlow and Dan Jervis-Bardy and his "unflinching brand of conservatism" ("Zed Seselja won't go quietly in the fight for his political life", canberratimes.com.au, May 4).
There's another name for that; a failure to represent the views of the majority of ACT residents.
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His views on same sex marriage and voluntary assisted dying are completely out of step with the majority of Canberra residents, as are his government's real views on climate change.
Under the new Morrison free trade agreement with India we've agreed to flog India billions of tonnes of coal. I was under the impression India is on the same planet as we are.
The article gave the impression that he really doesn't care about those who have opposing views. He also tediously rabbits on about a Labor-Greens alliance. This is despite the fact that Labor federally has consistently distanced themselves from the Greens.
I'd be more worried about distancing myself from the Nationals if I were Zed. They are climate sceptics and are completely dysfunctional.
It's very difficult for Zed to lose because the Liberals will almost always gain a quota but I'm enjoying his presence. Normally he does a great impression of wallpaper. Now we have endless promises which will no doubt turn Canberra into Nirvana.
Labor has promised to give the people of the ACT a say on voluntary assisted dying so when Zed is hopefully in opposition his views will be irrelevant.
It's critical that the views of the majority are represented. Don't forget if you vote for Zed you vote for Barnaby.
Peter McLoughlin, Monash
Zed is out of touch
Our non-representative Senator, Zed Seselja, is claiming credit for $2.1 billion of infrastructure investment since 2018.
This is way below the ACT's fair share on a per capita basis. And $500 million of this was for the "upgrade" of the Australian War Memorial.
This irresponsible waste of money was pushed through following a farcical consultation process against the wishes of the majority of ACT residents.
This is just another example of how far out of touch Seselja is with most Canberrans.
Brian Wenn, Garran
Orwell nailed it
George Orwell published his novel 1984 in 1948 as the world was dividing into blocs after World War II.
With chilling prescience he called his blocs Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia. They were regularly at war with each other. He coined words like doublespeak, and wrote of a society where big brother watched over everything we did or said, even what we thought which could be given away by our mannerisms.
Any transgression meant severe penalties, often disappearance. Slowly, to survive, conformity overtook all the joys of living.
The world has now divided somewhat as Orwell predicted. We have the free West, obscenely wealthy and with most of the population blind to the real threats they face; concentrating instead on ever more personal indulgences and nave obsessions such as the existential threat of climate change.
Then there are the totalitarian countries, run by evil dictators who have no concept of rights and who regard their population as fodder for their imperialist designs and the poor countries where basic rights such as food, housing, running water, toilets and electricity are scant.
How will this turn out? With Putin showing his hand in Ukraine, and China poised over Taiwan our free West needs some serious realignment of priorities and a focus on the preservation of our sacrosanct right of freedom.
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Ian Morison, Forrest
A Decepticon for PM?
On May 2 the Prime Minister compared the number of first home homes bought under the last year of the Labor government with the number of first homes bought under the last year of his government. It was 91,300 to 164,000, a whopping 73,000 more.
He asserted this was the result of "targeted support and well designed policies". He did not reflect on other factors which may have influenced the outcome.
The Reserve Bank interest rates fluctuated between 2010 and 2013. In the last year of the Labor Government they ranged from 4.5 per cent to 2.75 per cent. Interest rates between 2019 and 2022 fluctuated from one per cent to 0.1 per cent. Historically low rates.
The Prime Minister seeks to take all the credit when interest rates support his policies but to slide aside from any responsibly when the situation reverses.
I don't think it's in the PM's DNA to show respect for the electorate; or perhaps for anyone.
Ken Brazel, Wright
The liberal dilemma
Moderate Liberal voters in electorates such as Wentworth face a dilemma in this election. Do they vote Liberal and help ensconce the coal fondling, science ignoring, pork barrelling team of Morrison, Joyce, Canavan and company or do they vote for an independent, thereby reducing the number of moderates in the Liberal party room and strengthening the hard-right's hold on the party?
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Liberal voters in Canberra face no such dilemma. Removing Zed from the party room will weaken the hard-right and strengthen the centrists. It will not influence the choice of government because whether Zed or, say, David is elected will have no influence on who forms a majority in the House of Representatives, but an independent in the Senate would be able to hold both parties to account.
And locally, without a right-wing albatross around her neck, Elizabeth Lee might even be able to flip the ACT government.
Paul Pentony, Hackett
Where was Julia?
It's interesting to note the absence of Julia Gillard at the Labor launch in Perth. As the first and only Australian female PM I would have thought her inclusion would have been a mere formality, yet we see the attention deprived Labor lightweight Kevin 07 on hand. Perhaps Julia was invited but declined to appear with Kevin.
I was also surprised that the other attention deprived former PM and turncoat Malcolm Turnbull was not present. After all he has done his best to support Labor by undermining the Coalition at every possible opportunity.
Alex Wallensky, Broulee
Darwin not at risk
Alan Whitcombe (Letters, May 4) sees the lease of certain facilities in the Port of Darwin to the Landbridge Group as "a potential security threat" and laments that nobody has mentioned this "giant panda in the room".
This issue has certainly been done to death publicly and a Defence Department report quietly put out on December 30 concluded that there are no national security issues with the lease.
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The report did however recommend that port workers have national security clearances; a clearance that I would have thought would have been a pre-requisite for anyone working at any of our "points of entry".
Apart from security clearances I still fail to see what controls over shipping and personnel movements the lease has ceded?
It obviously suits the Morrison/Dutton LNP government not to have this report known too widely at this delicate time.
Roger Terry, Kingston
The real terrorists
No Kenneth Griffiths (Letters, April 27), the only Palestinians who are "terrorists to the Israelis" are those who carry out acts of terrorism. Sadly, Palestinian leaders incite hatred against Israel, financially reward terrorism and refuse to accept Israel's right to exist, encouraging more to commit such acts. It is highly likely that the majority of Palestinians, 85 per cent of whom are Sunni and not "Shia deviationist", are grateful Israel and its Arab partners are prepared to resist Iran's malevolent designs.
Joe White, Thornlands, Qld
Pension anomaly
Around 225,000 Australians receive a pension from the UK. Australia is one of 20 countries including New Zealand, Canada and India where the pension is frozen. It is not index linked. 650,000 around the world receive an index linked pension whereas 500,000 do not. According to a UK government minister on November 13, 2020 there is no logic to this discrepancy.
The UK budget for pensions is around 105 billion pounds per year and a further 630 million pounds (less than 0.6 per cent) would correct this unfairness. The cost to the Australian government in the make up for those at the poorer end of the scale is $110 million.
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My wife and I are both in receipt of small UK pensions; our entitlement for contributions while we worked there. The devaluation has been around 20 per cent since we reached pensionable age.
For some (not ourselves) their standard of living has been considerably reduced as a result of this unfairness.
The Australian government has failed to pressure the UK to correct the situation. I ask whoever is elected on May 21 to put pressure on the UK government to end the ridiculous unfairness of frozen pensions.
Alan Shroot, Forrest
TO THE POINT
GLASS JAW BRIGADE
Paul Feldman (Letters, April 30) cites a number of politicians who have sued for defamation, and in the context of David Pocock complaining about corflutes making false claims about him, asks if Steve Evans would have called them "sissies". If the late Andrew Peacock could serve 28 hectic years in parliament and refuse to sue anyone, "sissies" might well have been appropriate.
Bill Deane, Chapman
HE SAID WHAT?
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham on the ABC's Insiders: "I don't know the numbers but it will be worse under Labor". This must be a line in the speaking notes for all the government spokespeople.
Keith Hill, Campbell
INTO BATTLE
Peter Dutton warned us to be prepared for war and now Senator Seselja says his followers "need to get in the trenches" with the aim of "fighting for every inch" over the next three weeks. It sounds like the ACT Liberals are relying on Boys Own Annuals or Dad's Army to guide the rest of their campaign.
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Sue Dyer, Downer
GUNS BEFORE FOOD
Presuming preserving and enhancing citizens wellbeing to be a government's raison d'être it is strange that in a country prepared to squander squillions on military hardware and where billionaires grow obscenely richer, many people are condemned to living on hand-outs.
Albert M White, Queanbeyan, NSW
A HISTORY LESSON
How things change. In 1972 we qualified for the maximum $500 Home Savings Grant only after we had demonstrated our capacity to save over a prescribed period. That contribution represented 2.38 per cent of the purchase price. Any assistance provided by governments is to be welcomed. However the residual debt still has to be serviced in an interest rate environment that is unpredictable.
Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW
MACRON PIC A FAKE
Felicity Chavas (Letters, April 29) said the French president was photographed shirtless in Garcon. This was a photoshop. Garcon is an LGBT magazine. Mr Macron has got better things to do than to pose shirtless. That said, I look forward to seeing if Scomo imitates Putin's horse back ride.
Jacques Colas, Higgins
IDIOTIC RIPOSTE
Matthew Sheahan from the risibly misnamed "Advance Australia" snickers that he has never been able to say anything positive about the Greens. Given his and his organisation's demonstrated inability to say anything factual, intelligent or adult, this is entirely unsurprising.
Felix MacNeill, Dickson
A SOBERING THOUGHT
As I was enjoying a soothing glass of 2015 South Australian Shiraz over the weekend I had the sobering thought that we the voters have the option of having the current LNP government for another three weeks or three years. Over to you.
John Sandilands, Garran
FACTS MATTER
Advance Australia has to mislead to make an impact whereas Climate 200, the Wilderness Society, Get Up and Crikey only have to state facts to make their point.
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