W Book (Letters, November 22) is right. The federal government is such a disappointment in so many ways.
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It claims to take climate change seriously but continues to approve new fossil fuel projects. It fails to enact a climate trigger in environmental legislation. Yet climate change (see the editorial of November 22) remains an existential threat.
It continues to pursue inhumane treatment (of dubious legality) of refugees, asylum-seekers and detainees.
In spite of its claim to integrity, its record in this area falls very short. There is no action to ban (or at least severely limit) political donations that are tantamount to soft bribery.
Its record on transparency and FOI is very poor. There is no legislation for truth in political advertising. Legislation to protect whistle blowers is too weak and too late.
Pork barrelling persists (witness the proposed AIS move). There is no reform of the Australian news media.
![The only thing the government has going for it right now is that the Opposition is even worse. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong The only thing the government has going for it right now is that the Opposition is even worse. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/LLBstgPA4H8EG9DTTGcXBL/46941f36-1338-4924-9179-2fb935b8a6c4.jpg/r0_138_4447_2777_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Policies related to the economy and inequality are Liberal-lite. The Stage three tax cuts remain in place. Negative gearing and capital gains tax discounting continue. There is no move to tax super-profits.
Jobseeker and the like remain below poverty level. The AUKUS submarine purchase (grossly expensive and likely strategically inefficient) remains in place.
If I were faced with a federal election, for whom could I vote? But the Coalition would be far worse.
Oliver Raymond, Mawson
Head was magnificent
Your editorial "Aussie world triumph one for the ages" (November 21) rightly praises the clever captaincy of Pat Cummins, who seemingly observed the behaviour of a pitch prepared to suit India as means of defeating them. This included the rising-ball tactic to overcome the phenomenal talent of Virat Kohli.
However, in my opinion, Travis Head's performance was at least equally commendable. His almost superhuman catch to dismiss India captain Rohit Sharma was a turning point in India's innings, and his 137 runs was a match winner.
Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Terror on the West Bank
I write from at-Tuwani, Masafer Yatta, West Bank, Palestine.
Here, Israeli settlers impose a reign of terror on families living on farms and in very small villages. Literally.
Armed settlers waltz into private Palestinian houses, aiming guns at the residents - men, women, children - threatening them "If you don't leave in 24 hours, we'll come back and shoot you".
They are destroying houses, smashing goods, and dumping food on the ground and pouring shattered glass on it.
The rhetoric I observe in Australia about the Hamas-Israel war chills me, sickens me, especially after seeing the terror imposed on Palestinians here.
The words and phrases used for and against each "side" too often leave no room for listening, hearing, accepting, or understanding. Absolutes terrorise.
I implore every Australian to express your views honourably and respectfully. Please don't dehumanise those with different views.
Judy Bamberger, Jewish, Australian, American currently volunteering in West Bank, Palestine
A major university fail
I have a friend who studied accounting at an Australian university. Around tax time he mentioned he had to go to "his accountant to submit his taxes".
After a few laughs together about the fact he had just spent years studying to be an accountant, and the fact he had a massive HECS debt, I couldn't get the absurdity of an accounting student being unable to submit his own personal tax return out of my head.
I contacted the university and was told "accountancy students learn about tax principles (for example, what is assessable/deductible in principle and what is not) as well as some tax law and tax cases. Tax forms are different for different taxpayers and for students from different jurisdictions and countries. Learning how to complete various tax forms is left to the individual to work out."
Having once been a member of the peak academic governing board of a university, I think I have a wide enough understanding to suggest the university may need to reconsider the type of graduate skill sets they are producing.
This is another example of how far Australian tertiary education has shifted to focussing on principles and not skills.
It is no wonder Australia has so many university graduates who struggle in teaching, nursing and other professions.
Greg Adamson, Griffith, NSW
Zed was sincere
Following the Canberra progressivism that has condemned Zed Seselja, Roger Quarterman (Letters, November 21) quotes the Merriam Webster dictionary definition of woke as "aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)".
However, Merriam Webster has been captured by a radical progressivism evident in its imprecise and somewhat circular definitions of woman, female and gender. Words no longer reflect reality.
One only need look on the streets today to see that wokeness divides the world into oppressive majorities and oppressed minorities and always sides with the minority. There is violence at the core of the woke movement. What is permissible is based not on principle but on identity. Anything then can be justified, depending on who is doing it, in another iteration of Marxism.
Zed Seselja demonstrates the conviction that some things are more important than politics such as the goodness of human life, family and community. He would not follow a movement that ignores good and evil, right and wrong, beauty and ugliness.
John Smith, Farrer
It's called diplomacy
Last week's sonar incident involving an Australian frigate and a Chinese destroyer was disturbing and regrettable.
Australia's response required skilful diplomacy: expressing our displeasure at the incident without jeopardising the broader relations between our two countries.
This was exactly what Defence Minister and acting Prime Minister Richard Marles did when he issued a measured statement about the Chinese destroyer's "unsafe and unprofessional" conduct.
The confected outrage of Peter Dutton and shadow frontbenchers Andrew Hastie and James Paterson shows they know a lot about political point-scoring and little about diplomacy.
They don't seem to have learned from the failure of the hairy-chested megaphone diplomacy of Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison.
The inept handling of our relations with China by the Morrison government led to a loss of billions of dollars of export income and financial hardship for many wine growers and other primary producers.
When it affects their own survival, I'm sure Australia's farmers would prefer the Albanese government's softly-softly approach to the grandstanding of the Coalition.
Mike Reddy, Vincentia, NSW
Footpath safety neglected
The ACT government's fast tracking applications for outdoor dining permits ("Outdoor dining fast-tracked as Canberra readies for holiday", November 18) is in sharp contrast to its failure to enforce its own guidelines for the maintenance of clear access to footpaths and walkways.
Tables, chairs, displayed goods, sandwich boards and electric scooters block what is supposed to be an 1800mm clear pathway along building lines in shopping areas. This despite the generally accepted principle most outdoor leased areas are away from the building line and have an effective balustrade around the leased area.
It is to be hoped those responsible for fast tracking even more outdoor dining areas, a nice little earner for the government, ensure a clear path of travel is maintained.
Officially the ACT government is committed to ensuring accessibility for all Canberrans. But this is not reflected in reality.
Travel by pedestrians, particularly people with disabilities, should not be hampered by poor planning and failure to enforce.
The lease arrangements support the expansion of businesses onto what were once clear walkways to provide a revenue stream.
Graham Downie, O'Connor
Winners and losers
Hamas and Israel have brokered a hostage and prisoner exchange deal.
The Israeli hostages will be ecstatic at their pending release. This is probably more than can be said about the Palestinians who will be leaving a relatively safe environment for hell on earth in Gaza.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Mario Stivala, Belconnen
Terrorists aren't militants
I am disappointed that ABC radio and television announcers are still not prepared to call out Hamas for the brutal, murderous and sadistic thugs that they actually are. Hamas terrorists are routinely described as "militants". Stop it.
N Ellis, Belconnen
TO THE POINT
QUEANBEYAN IS WOKE
Perhaps we don't understand Zed Seselja's move to Queanbeyan. If one asked most Queanbeyan folks what was the first thing that happened this morning, they'd say "I woke". So Zed has all those subjects to work with. Good luck, Zed.
Peter Baskett, Murrumbateman, NSW
OBSEQUIOUS AND GUTLESS
The response of the Albanese government to the demands of Peter Dutton that legislation to sidestep the High Court's decision to release those in immigration detention be made as draconian as possible was both obsequious and gutless.
Gerry Gillespie, Rural Australians for Refugees, Queanbeyan, NSW
PAY THEIR OWN WAY
Why are the released detainees given financial assistance and free legal counsel? Why are we funding their legal challenges to our laws? If they disagree with our law let them pay for their own challenges.
Gil May, Forestdale, Qld
A ROCKER OR A RECLINER?
I want more information about the piece of furniture that is now running the ACT Liberal Party. Is the empty chair a rocker or a recliner? Is it hard or soft? A picture would be of great help in assessing its suitability as a key player in our city's political scene.
John Howarth, Weston
OUR DREYFUS CASE
A man may be imprisoned for revealing the truth. Mark Dreyfus: J'accuse.
Peter Stanley, Dickson
DUTTON THE DOOMSAYER
I can't decide whether Peter Dutton reminds me more of "we'll all be rooned" Hanrahan, or of "James James Morrison Morrison Weatherby George Dupree, who took great care of his mother, altho' he was only three". I can just hear Peter mooing "you must never go down to the end of the town if you don't go down with me".
S W Davey, Torrens
HISTORY REPEATS
The rise in Jewish settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank is reminiscent of the attacks against Jews by ordinary Germans during the Nazi reign of terror. Just as there were decent Germans who tried to protect the Jews today we have Jews standing up to the Israeli state's slaughter of Palestinians in its war on Hamas.
Rajend Naidu, Glenfield
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
Well said Keith Hill, in subtly extolling the "woke" virtues of the Galilean carpenter (Letters, November 22). When will the rest of us "woke" up?
Eric Hunter, Cook
CANBERRA LAGGING
Ken Menz calls on the ACT government to not just plant trees but also to water them (Letters, November 19). On this side of the border council has a tanker that pulls up next to the planting. The driver manipulates a joystick to aim a high trajectory water gun onto the tree. Doesn't this happen in Canberra?
Ian Douglas, Jerrabomberra, NSW
KOEL CALLING TOO MUCH
I refer to Neil Taylor's letter re the Eastern Koels. (Letters, November 23). Some time ago, I made it known that if there were any lovers of Koel calls who did not have a resident Koel I would happily agree to a house-swap, until the season for Koel calls had passed. There were no takers.