Journalism was once an art: respected and civilised. These smart-alec "gotcha" questions have no place in political interviews. If journalists can't ask constructive questions, they shouldn't ask any at all.
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Shouting over the top of each other to get their questions across can sound like an all-in brawl. Unacceptable in my view. Not all journalists are like this, they have respect for themselves and their profession.
While they are about it, why don't they ask Morrison by what means he won the preselection ballot to enter Parliament for the first time, when it was another candidate who won it hands down?
Morrison says he's not a bully. Forcing people to shake his hand is not only arrogant, it's bullying. He says that character is everything in being a leader. Morrison showed his true character in the third debate with his outburst calling Anthony Albanese a "loose unit" and so on. Anthony Albanese showed complete composure and didn't respond to such obnoxious behaviour.
True signs of good leadership with a safe pair of hands, and steady as he goes.
Audrey Hutchison, Nowra
That's a fact
The Liberal Party has promised that if we re-elect them, ScoMo will be warmer. That is a fact. Scomo will be warmer, Albo will be warmer, and the whole bloody planet will be warmer. That's why we're not re-electing them. Thanks for the reminder, though.
Mal Wilson, Campbell
Vote for an independent
The Canberra Times's excellent editorial ("Strong Senate independent best choice for ACT", canberratimes.com.au, May 19) highlights the importance of voting to give the ACT some power in the Senate.
Our current situation, one senator from each of the major parties, effectively neuters our power. Unlike Tasmania, we do not have an independent to bargain for their vote.
This election we have the best chance ever of getting a senator who can negotiate for our rights with whoever forms government. To do this we need to be strategic and at least second-preference the non-ALP or Liberal candidate with the best chance of being elected. That appears to be David Pocock, who, according to the polls, is well ahead of the others.
Gina Pinkas, Aranda
Deeds, not words
Know them by their actions, not their words. That's how I will vote.
I will think of climate, the NBN and homelessness, tax breaks to the wealthy, integrity, obfuscation, secrecy, excuses, Bernard Collaery, aged care, intergenerational inequity, women, education, vote buying, China baiting, absent planning and more.
Eric Pozza, Red Hill
Two top choices
Although I question your use of the word "strong", a favourite of Scott Morrison, I agree with the theme of your editorial "Strong Senate independent best choice for ACT" (May 19).
David Pocock and Kim Rubenstein are both excellent candidates who care about major issues such as climate change, and for the welfare of Canberra and Canberrans.
Present Labor senator Katy Gallagher seems to pay scant attention to her electorate, but is an excellent parliamentary performer, especially in Senate estimates hearings.
The contribution of Senator Seselja is almost entirely limited to denying his electorate the right to make decisions that deeply affect their lives. Keep Katy, put Zed last, and go independent.
Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Hands off housing
The best housing policy is for the government not to interfere with free market forces. Our governments have got these policies wrong for the last 60 years. Our property problem is a supply issue.
Mokhles k Sidden, Strathfield, NSW
Tax reform needed
Tax incentives relating to negative gearing and capital gains should undergo considerable reform. If they were reduced or abolished over, say, five years, it would stabilise house prices, reduce demand for investment properties and increase the availability for genuine home buyers.
Fiddling about with superannuation is nothing more than a blind by politicians to look after their self interests.
Tom Cooke, Pearce
What have we bought?
Many journalists and commentators have written on how much spending has been promised. While we get this at every election after nine years of Coalition government I want to know what has been achieved with my money.
Education standards are falling and the health system is in crisis. The NBN isn't finished, and power prices are going up once more. Are there any positives?
Good financial managers should be telling us what sort of legacy they are leaving. No doubt we will be told that they got us through the pandemic better than any other country, but JobKeeper wouldn't have been introduced if Sally McManus hadn't negotiated with Christian Porter who was then the attorney-general. It wasn't the government's idea, and the compromises made by the ACTU on such things as eligibility criteria meant lots of people missed out.
Constantly reciting promises of future spending doesn't tell us anything significant. I want to know what has been achieved with the money - mine and other taxpayers' - that has already been spent.
Peggy Spratt, Ainslie
Magical moments?
The antics of Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison bookend a decade of lost opportunities for the Australian people.
Tony Abbott, who was not the suppository of all wisdom, ate a raw onion.
Scott Morrison, who is not a bulldozer, knocked an under-8s soccer player to the ground. Sad.
Annie Lang, Kambah
Morrison's ABC?
Since when did the ABC provide a 15-minute advertisement on behalf of the Liberal Party at peak viewing time advocating a second term for the current government? And in the last week of the election campaign? Was this prime time paid for by the Liberal Party, or was it an attempt to ensure continuing funding by the national broadcaster? Whatever; a bloody disgrace. It's not my ABC, apparently it's Scott's these days.
Martina Mills, Kambah
A scary prospect
The thought of the likes of Burke, Wong, Gallagher, Marles, Butler, Chalmers, Bowen et al and the trade unions advising Anthony Albanese as PM on all matters of national interest, should he win on Saturday, makes one shudder at the thought of what future Australia will have.
How will Mr Albanese stand up to the likes of Putin, Xi Jinping, and other unfriendly leaders, without being held up by the Labor backroom "boys and girls"?
Mr Albanese is no John Curtin, Ben Chifley or even Arthur Calwell. They all stood on their own two feet without the Labor backroom "boys and girls".
Greg Jarosch, Queanbeyan, NSW
We need vision
What exactly has Scott Morrison and the LNP promised to do if re-elected?
Where are his policies to support elderly Australians and the workforce which cares for them? Where are his policies to provide infrastructure and advances in manufacturing to enable Australia to become more self-sustaining? Where are his plans to help workers by supporting an increase in their take-home pay to a level which will sustain them in the current inflationary times?
Where are his policies to tackle the devastation being caused by climate change: the floods, the wild fires, and the droughts? Where is the Integrity Commission which can oversee the actions of the government and ensure these are at all times ethical and above board? Where are his policies to close the gender pay gap?
At least the ALP has put forward concrete ideas in regard to developing manufacturing in Australia, to lifting the wages of ordinary working people, and caring for older Australians and those with a disability. They have clear processes for lessening the gender pay gap. And, most importantly, they have set out a vision for where they want Australia to go. The only promise which stands out for the LNP is their decision to once again attack the public service by cutting more money from it. The LNP has no vision.
We need a government which provides for all Australians, not just those with money and influence.
Merrie Carling, Nicholls
Go for broke
It's extraordinary Morrison's flagship policy to repurpose superannuation wasn't modelled to show its effect on housing costs. But if removing 40 per cent of super from long-term compounding and diversified investment in the productive economy to chase house prices is a good idea, surely 100 per cent would be even better.
Kent Fitch, Nicholls
TO THE POINT
A CLEAR CHOICE
David Pocock is positive, constructive, and actively engages with the community. Zed avoids public events and smears other candidates. We can elect an independent senator to represent the people of the ACT, or a career politician who puts party and personal agendas first.
Louis Young, Duffy
THE GREAT DIVIDE
When all is said and done nothing really changes - it's still free enterprise versus socialism.
Colliss Parrett, Barton
LEAD BY EXAMPLE
How about our well-paid Prime Minister and his cronies take a cut in pay to help the nation's bottom line? And how about firing some of the contractors employed to do what public servants do best: serve the public, not the shareholders?
K. L. Calvert, Downer
ZED DOESN'T GET IT
Senator Seselja is now relying on his WA and right faction colleague, Senator Michaelia Cash, to assist him on the campaign trail around Canberra. Neither our Liberal senator nor those working at the ACT Liberal Party headquarters which he controls are able to "get it".
Sue Dyer, Downer
DOUBLE STANDARDS
If Advance Australia is going to be fined, how come GetUp was not fined last election for violence and their misleading corflutes? It seems to me the Greens and Labor are not subject to the same rules as Advance Australia.
Tony Cook, Canberra
BIG-TARGET STRATEGY?
Perhaps PM Morrison is claiming to be a bulldozer to make him a target for David Pocock to chain himself to.
Martin Kenseley, Rivett
BEYOND ABSURD
Scott's desperate trick of raiding super to buy a house is not just pouring petrol on the house-price-inflation bonfire, it's making you pay for the petrol.
Michael James, Hackett
I'M OVER IT
If I hear one more "statistic", I will explode.
Len Kelly, Curtin
DIVINE RIGHT OR WRONG?
Since Morrison claimed his re-election was a miracle and tells us he refers everything to God, what are we now to make of his admissions that he was wrong?
Vivien Arnold, Kingston
P.M.'S LATHAM MOMENT
Will Scott Morrison tackling a child be his Mark Latham moment?
B. Moore, Kingston
ON UNILATERALISM
The PM's not so much a bulldozer. He's more a one-man band, I would say.
Steve Thomas, Yarralumla
THE OSCAR GOES TO ...
Albanese says he wants his legacy to be "acting on climate". He should have stopped when he said "acting".
Mark Sproat, Lyons
TAURAN DECEIVER
Moses Morrison would like us to believe he's a bulldozer. Wrong. He's a bullduster. How do we know? Because every time Moses opens his mouth, the bull rushes out.