Coalition’s Christianity is inhumane,heartless

So,“don’t mix politics and religion” and “practise what you preach”:great adages,but what a tragedy they didn’t apply to the last Coalition government (“Time to end politics of cruelty”,July 10). From at least 2016,people pleaded with the Coalition to halt the robo-debt program. Only by 2020,facing a class action,did the hard men and women of the Morrison government stop the inhumanity and deaths.

From Tony Abbott’s cruel 2014 budget,through Morrison to Stuart Robert,this canker prevailed. I often wondered why these overt Christians could be part of an inhumane,heartless and soulless scheme. They didn’t even preach humanity for their fellow human beings,let alone practise it when it came to robo-debt. Our democracy will allow their types into office again,but we must never give them the benefit of the doubt when obvious wrongs are occurring.Howard Charles,Glebe

Sean Kelly draws attention to Peter Dutton’s assertion that the prime minister’s obsession with the Voice was the reason prices and mortgages were rising. Voters in the seat of Lindsay may recall former Liberal MP Fiona Scott’s similarly absurd statement that the M4 was clogged because of all the migrants and their cars. As for cruelty,was John Howard’s “children overboard” business the start of the demonising of asylum seekers for cheap populism?David Gordon,Cranebrook

Your correspondent is spot on in drawing attention to the enormous benefit of extending ethics training to public service departmental heads,not just the staff. (Letters,July 10). It should not stop there. Ethics training should be extended to every politician. Some years ago,Dr Simon Longstaff of the St James Ethics Centre developed the “Politicians’ Pledge”,which at its core asks politicians to act in good conscience and merit the trust and respect of the community. To hold politicians accountable,what better time than now for the government to take the necessary steps to make signing the Politicians’ Pledge compulsory?Joy Nason,Mona Vale

The Coalition government that brought us robo-debt is now the opposition bringing us the No case for the referendum. Reason enough to doubt the veracity of their claims.Judith Fleming,Sawtell

One of the key points of the robo-debt saga is that the Coalition had for many years pushed the myth that many if not most on government benefits were “dole bludgers” or frauds. It was only the wide belief in this that made the program an acceptable and popular scheme.Steve Bright,North Avoca

What I find disturbing about the robo-debt royal commission findings is that the main instigators and administrators purported to be God-fearing family value types. That Morrison,Robert and Alan Tudge could endorse a scheme that resorted to punishing already disadvantaged people makes me proud to be an atheist.Stephen Rayner,Westleigh

While Morrison sits smirking in parliament,or holidaying in Europe,some are baying for the blood of Catherine Campbell. Ms Campbell did her job and acted according to the rules as she understood them. Instead of sacking the woman,why don’t we assign her the task of working on plans to overcome this dreadful system,which has damaged so many people and systematised the loss of a moral compass?Jane Tolman,Sandy Bay

Liberal Party will never be champion of the people

With the release of the robo-debt royal commission,it becomes difficult to take seriously George Brandis’ hope that Peter Dutton and Matt Canavan are potential saviours of Australia’s working people and the unemployed (“Left’s identity crisis means Dutton can be a champion for equality”,July 10). Affirmative action arose from facing an inarguable truth that inequality begins before birth. This is particularly so in this country where,for example,Indigenous people without a voice score badly on every measure from birth size,infant mortality,education and job opportunities to a life expectancy shortened by a decade or more. When has a Coalition government ever made a decision that benefits the poorest,rather than their favoured constituency of the well-off? The trade union movement has achieved greater safety and security forall working-class people,regardless of “identity”. Labor,as its first act on coming to power,raised the minimum wage. It is possible to heed disadvantage on several fronts. And to act effectively.Stephanie Dowrick,Balmain

Brandis warns that voters will turn to Dutton because of the Labor government’s concern for vulnerable minorities,and that the working class would prefer a Canavan to a Mark Dreyfus to reflect their social values. That reasoning suggests Brandis believes that the working class are a selfish lot who only think of themselves and have no empathy for disadvantaged groups. Compassion for others is on the rise in Australia,thanks to the younger generation of more tolerant and educated electors.
Toni Lorentzen,Fennell Bay

In,as Brandis says,“the good old days”,the left side of politics passionately supported free speech and equality. Nowadays,the left goes bonkers when people express an opinion different to them. Progressive support for the rights of particular minority groups is identity politics designed to divide society. It should be countered with rational and reasoned arguments to show the shallowness of their ideology.Riley Brown,Bondi Beach

Brandis has joined the currently fashionable assault on the Left abandoning the working class to embrace “identity politics”. The working class has changed. The typical worker and trade unionist is now more likely to be a female teacher or nurse than a male miner;the entire mining industry now employs about 2 per cent of the Australian workforce,so any reduction in fossil fuel extraction directly affects very few workers. This is reflected in changes to the ACTU leadership over the past decade or two,and in the priorities of left-of-centre politics,which also need to embrace environmental issues as the climate changes both physically and politically.Al Svirskis,Mount Druitt

Morrison is wise to wait

According to Matthew Knott’s sources,Scott Morrison may be remaining in Parliament to maximise his post-parliamentary career opportunities (“Liberals question Morrison’s future as MP”,July 10). When considering the possible contents of his CV,this might well be a wise choice. Left a job at Tourism Australia for largely unclear reasons,pre-selected for a federal parliamentary seat in controversial circumstances,self-appointed to multiple government ministries in secret and sacked by the Australian people for very clear reasons. A referee’s report might include general inability to accept responsibility for his actions and lack of insight into his behaviour. If I was in his position,I would be tempted to sit tight as well.David MacKintosh,Berkeley Vale

Haven’t we been here before? In 2020 as the country burned,Morrison was in Hawaii saying “not my problem”. Now he is in Europe,claiming the stinking corpse of robo-debt is not a reflection on him. There must be some way of getting rid of this creature,who refuses to see it’s not all about him,from our federal parliament.Elisabeth Goodsall,Wahroonga

How good is robo-debt? How good is the member for Cook?Roger Tonkin,Newtown

Will he go or will he stay? Morrison is adept at dodging the nasty bits. Devastating bushfires? Pop over to Hawaii for a nice little holiday. Investigations into the even more devastating robo-debt? It is much nicer in Italy and Europe. I expect our former PM will do whatever suits him best. Bridget Archer should by now be under no illusions about Morrison’s priorities.Nola Tucker,Kiama

I have questions for Morrison:Would he accept his children being treated in the same way he treated those on welfare? What would he say to a government that hounded his children the way he allowed welfare recipients to be? As someone who is a Christian,where was Morrison’s integrity and compassion when it came to this scheme? How could he push what he knew to be unfair? And a word for Dutton. Labor is not “gleeful”. If he had the integrity we expect of our leaders,Dutton would admit the scheme was wrong,not attempt to smear the government as enjoying the result of the royal commission.David Ashton,Katoomba

With the robo-debt report findings raging,Morrison goes on holiday. I’ll bet anything that he is wearing a Hawaiian shirt,sipping a mai tai and strumming his ukulele.Michael Davis,Balmain East

Morrison isn’t naturally self-reflective but perhaps the potential loss of his No.1 ticketholder tag with his beloved Sharkies may give him pause for thought (“Morrison may lose No.1 ticketholder tag”,July 10). Unless affiliation was just another politically expedient ploy.Lyn Savage,Coogee

We became accustomed to his face when Scott Morrison was prime minister but his pathetic prevarications about the robo-debt scandal condemn him to the political gutter. Despite suicides possibly attributable to robo-debt,lives ruined and so many people and their families threatened with penury,Morrison shows no contrition about what was perpetrated by him and his ilk upon so many innocents. He should quit,quickly and,for once,quietly.Ron Sinclair,Windradyne

Past is a present

What a lot of memories and emotions were aroused on reading Sarah Thomas’ story (“Clutter as a celebration of life”,July 10). I treasure a handwritten letter from my grandmother,Beatrice,to her father – she died aged 27,so I never knew her. Handwriting is personal and texts are quickly deleted as they are impersonal and brief. My dusty boxes of life’s adventures and challenges are very special to me.Bea Hodgson,Gerringong

Next time Sarah Thomas culls,she might consider digitisation. Scanners can be used for documents and photos,of course,but there are also devices which digitise cassettes,videos and even slides. By digitising,she would be able to chuck her keepsakes and keep them too.Bronwyn Bryceson,Mangerton

There is often meaning in our mess;it brings comfort to many. Thomas’ view channels the universal adage that one person’s poison is another’s meat.Steve Ngeow,Chatswood

Beyond wasteful

I agree with William Tuck (Letters,July 10) that Mike Baird’s decision to force the amalgamation of councils was indeed more than just an “overreach”. But almost as bad was his decision to move the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta. This plan has been modified several times now but so far there’s nothing at all to show for this expensive lightbulb moment. The Powerhouse has been gutted,its irreplaceable contents flogged off or stuffed into storage and plans have been touted for a pale imitation to replace it.

The beautiful historic house,Willow Grove,has been demolished and is highly unlikely to ever be rebuilt elsewhere despite government promises. And flood-prone land has been secured on which to build a dubious replacement Powerhouse,nothing like the original,for the people of Parramatta. Such a profligate,wasteful,pointless exercise goes way beyond any definition of “overreach” and is utterly reprehensible.Merona Martin,Meroo Meadow

Roads going nowhere

It’s not only the North Sydney pool that is taking an eternity to complete (“Projects that left $89m pool in their wake”,July 10). What about any roadworks in NSW? It’s taken just as long to widen sections the road between Bathurst and Orange to three lanes. Instead of contractors tendering with a completion date,we find no weekend work and weekday knock-off at 5pm or earlier. As for a tunnel under the mountains to the Central West,pigs might fly. Why are we still using the “dog track” of the early explorers enhanced by myriad traffic lights? A few metres of road on the eastern outskirts of Bathurst is still a long way off completion and only moves the traffic problem further down the road. Oh,for the original Snowy Mountains approach to construction of major infrastructure projects.Bruce Clydsdale,Bathurst

Cafe affray

If you want to start a fight in your local MAMIL peloton cafe,mention road rule 247 which,if there is a dedicated bike lane,obliges cyclists to use it.Jennifer Giles,Elizabeth Bay

Fry-day on my mind

Regarding Philip Smith’s query about the availability of lamb’s fry (Letters,July 10);I can attest that Bexley RSL serves a very good version complete with mashed potato and peas.Steve Castieau,Bexley

Philip Smith has pleaded for a lead on where to find lamb’s fry and bacon. He could do much worse than cruise down the Hume Motorway to Kookabar,Bowral,where French-born Pascale Timores offers a stunning version.John Griggs,Bowral

Recently,on a trip to SA’s Lake Eyre,we visited a cafe that served lamb’s fry and bacon pie. Can we remember where? Research shows it was Hawker’s Flinders Food Company. Husband’s diary of events essential.Alison Stewart,Waitara

Spirits high

The cellar stock will now be down,as England celebrates on the “spirit of cricket” (“As it happened Ashes 2023”,July 10).John Court,Denistone

Yeah,cricket’s “just a game”,like an election is just the voice of the people.Rosemary O’Brien,Ashfield

The digital view

Online comment from one of the stories that attracted most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au.

Australians consume more single-use plastic than they do in all but one country

From Yelsel:“The UK have stopped using plastic lids on yoghurt,cream,dips etc.,it’s just a tear off lid. How do they cope? By rewrapping tearoff,using clingfilm,silicone or getting a reusable lid. Yes the reusable lid may be plastic,but it’s cutting down plastic waste. Small step but they all add up. ”