Peter Hartcher’s article (“Will Dutton dare spoil PM’s vision?” , May 18) gives Australian voters a perfect 20/20 view of the choice the nation faces at the next federal election. In Anthony Albanese we have a leader with hyperopic vision. With policies such as Future Made in Australia, Albanese has presented us with long-sighted policies to create an economically stronger and socially fairer nation for our children’s generation. By stark contrast, in Peter Dutton we have a leader with myopic vision. With one-liners about safely, knives and racially profiled immigration reduction, Dutton presents us with short-sighted headlines (not policies) that say nothing, economically or socially, about this nation’s future for the next generation. Warren Marks, Hill Top
Credit: John Shakespeare
When Australians next go to the polls, they should be asking themselves: who will be best to lead Australia in the future? In the short-term, who can better manage the economy – the cost-of-living crisis and inflation? We know what the government has been doing, and will continue to do (although some will argue they aren’t doing it very well). Will the opposition do better? And in the long-term, who can better navigate us through the climate crisis? The government has a Future Made in Australia. What’s the opposition’s vision (apart from nuclear power and continuing to exploit fossil fuels)? Dutton’s plan is to tear down Albanese’s vision. He wants Australia to be divided, like the US. He wants to keep doing what has made Australia great in the past, and helped the people of places like Maryborough. But the past will end. What’s the vision then? David Rush, Lawson
Peter Dutton is more than happy to promote division, even within the Coalition, if it means re-election. His willingness to backflip on policy, play the politics of envy and use negative opportunism mean more of the same. On the other hand, the Future Made in Australia provides a vision of hope, which actually addresses the very problems Dutton seeks to exploit. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
I hope Dutton reads Peter Hartcher’s article. Here in the Illawarra, BlueScope is a strong and healthy employer; we have roads, railways and ports, people power, capacity for future energy sources and a healthy population growth in an attractive, positive environment of thriving towns with excellent public schooling to attract families. Given encouragement by a forward-thinking government, I expect that the situation is similar in many other areas of Australia. Nola Tucker, Kiama
A better question might be: can Albanese secure a bipartisan approach to securing Australia’s future? Hawke and Keating didn’t just dream big when they deregulated banking, slashed tariff protections, introduced universal healthcare and created a Wages Accord, they built consensus that this was the only way forward. The Nationals have been arguing for greater regional job security forever. Our billionaires have been arguing for green energy and for a local minerals manufacturing capability for some time. There is nothing visionary about a Future Made in Australia – what our PM needs to show is the leadership needed to build national consensus. Brian Barrett, Padstow
Show of fatuous faith from allegedly Christian pair
Another insightful article by Julia Baird (“By Jesus, this is an odd take on religion”, May 18) about the “brotherhood of Christian nationalism” and the distrust so many women have in religious institutions run by men. “Jesus wept” has never been more appropriate. Rob Phillips, North Epping
Instead of these two characters spruiking their fatuous faith, perhaps simple, elegant messages from the Bible could be helpful: John 13:34 (“Love one another as I have loved you”) and Corinthians 1:13 (“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal”). Maralyn Lawson, Greenwich
Sounding brass and tinkling cymbal
Scott Morrison was wrong to associate himself with Donald Trump and his bastardised version of Christianity. Trump has replaced self-sacrifice with self-aggrandising, moral with transactional, and respect with misogyny. Morrison wants to curry favour with the many evangelicals, the so-called Christian nationalists, who betray the essential inclusivity of the Christian faith. Julia Baird shows ScoMo would do better to follow the courage of Jimmy Carter, opposing any form of discrimination against women. Mark and Robynne Porter, New Lambton
By any take, this is an odd take on religion. It is no wonder these “men of god” appear at times to represent more like a demigod. Trump’s snake oil salesman approach will say or do anything as he plunders his way across a formerly orderly country. Morrison now appears to be trying to do something similar, but at least he appears to have read a Bible, even if he hasn’t quite translated that into his approach to the downtrodden. Julia Baird says it well – so well that believers and non-believers alike will be left saying, “God help us”. Geoff Nilon, Mascot
Julia Baird’s article elegantly analyses the bromance of the alleged religious leaders Donald Trump and Scott Morrison. It leads me to predict a potential literary collaboration, possibly entitled Hypocrisy: Using God to persuade the masses that White House riots, robo-debt and women’s issues just don’t matter. Lorraine Hickey, Green Point
Morrison and Trump in no way reflect the instruction from the Book of Philippians to “let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” John Cotterill, Kingsford
Julia Baird: 11 out of 10. Col Shephard, Yamba
Feel force of Rinehart reality
As soon as I saw Vincent Namatjira’s portrait of Gina Rinehart, I thought what a brilliant representation it was (“The other portrait Rinehart wants removed”, May 18). I, a privileged white person, immediately felt the force of an Australian Indigenous person being scornfully looked down on by a person holding unreasonable power. But this is the power of art: to make us feel another’s person’s life and point of view. In this painting we see both points of view, Namatjira’s and Rinehart’s. Are there related facts to support this appreciation? Rinehart has given $40 million to Australian swimming and feels entitled to call on leading swimmers to sing for their supper. Has she ignored Indigenous causes? No. She, according to the Herald (“Rinehart demands gallery take down unflattering portrait”, May 16), has lavished something between $4999 and $9999 on the people she stares down on in this portrait. Nothing more to say. Judith Wheeldon, Roseville Chase
How many portraits would you like?Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Self-important Gina Rinehart and her supporters should get to the National Gallery in Canberra and experience the whole Vincent Namatjira exhibition in context. They will find Rinehart is not important in relation to the exhibition as a whole, and that thetwo small portraits of her to which they object diminish into insignificance among the portraits of the other people featured in the approximately 120 paintings and collages. Many of the wryly satirical larger paintings might even bring smiles to the faces of this humourless three, as they did for me and the many people with whom I was privileged to see the exhibition. John Payne, Kelso
If Vincent Namatjira’s portrait of Gina Rinehart is taken down from the NGA, it is only fair Rinehart’s poem Our Future, an anti-mining tax meditation inscribed on a boulder in WA, should also be removed. Widely agreed to be the world’s worst poem, it is clearly a crime against art and should not be on public view. Debra Adelaide, Earlwood
Gina Rinehart is having a lend. She has two portraits of herself in the gallery and is complaining! How many does she want? Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights
Cartoonists love to depict political and famous people in an unflattering light. Artists surely should have the same privilege. Gina should suck it up and get on with her day job. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach
Thanks to journalists Linda Morris and Eryk Bagshaw for writing that Rinehart has “a fortune estimated at $37.6 billion”, rather than writing that Rinehart is worth the value of her fortune. Too often a person is said to be worth the value of their fortune. Every human being has the same worth regardless of their fortune. Christine Haines, Baulkham Hills
Sydney is itself
Michael Koziol suggests Australians should accept a denser living space because Hong Kong, London and Paris are more crowded (“Three great cities, one big lesson on space for Sydney”, May 18). Such arguments are emblematic of our cultural cringe; just because it is the norm overseas, we should adopt the same standard. I suspect the answer would be in the affirmative if he had spent his time in the respective cities asking the residents if they would like more living space. Thiam Ang, Beecroft
Hong Kong: How much space do you need?Credit: Zoe Samios
Michael Koziol cherry-picks three cities and spends two weeks (total) in them, and (gasp) finds they reinforce his view that Sydney needs more people and more dense development: “To accept more density, we must accept more people and less space”. It’s reminiscent of Harry Triguboff’s infamous view that we should develop coastal national parks for housing. Sydney is Sydney. No way we should ape those older cities. Norman Carter, Roseville Chase
Tax sweet stuff
Taxation going up in smoke
The revenue the government collects from tobacco excise taxes is likely to keep declining as more smokers quit (“Budget runs out of tobacco puff”, May 18). However, this would be offset by corresponding savings in the budget due to a reduced strain on our health system. To compensate for the revenue shortfall, it might be time to consider introducing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. John Kempler, Rose Bay
Their true toll
Although I appreciate the friendly advice, Transurban (“Toll road shake-up will cost: operator”, May 18), I believe the public will benefit most if you hand back all 11 contracts to the state government. Peter Mahoney, Oatley
This is the problem when governments sell off assets to enable them to fund election promises. Using toll roads in Sydney is nearly unavoidable; Transurban realises this and will squeeze every cent it can out of motorists. This, after the announcement by electricity suppliers that they will charge users of solar energy, will simply add more pressures to households struggling with the cost of living. What we need in Sydney is better public transport, but it seems that is becoming privatised, too. Back to the drawing board. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury
Mouths of babes
That’s the way it’s done.Credit: Sydney Morning Herald
Yes to your correspondent (Letters, May 18): those little people don’t contribute much for the next 20 years, but they are instantly huge consumers. Consumption is the real driver of our modern capitalist economy. Little people even provide the opportunity for politicians to redeem their poor public image by kissing babies. Another win-win outcome. I’m not sure that kissing immigrants is a vote winner. Paul Gannon, Coopers Shoot
Service game
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, competed in a suburban tennis competition. The PM said, “It was a good game played in great spirit” (The Fitz Files, May 18). Such a stark contrast to a “has been” and a “wannabe” photographed outside gold doors. How lucky it is to be Australian. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong
G’day Bruce
In the days of the infamous Monty Python Bruce sketch (Letters, May 18), I was often called Bruce, Bruce and Bruce at work when I was the only Bruce there. Bruce Johnson, Lakewood
Just deny it
First we had “the Streisand effect” (“The Fitz Files”, May 18), soon we’ll have the “Trump effect” – if you are accused of various crimes and face the courts, blame everyone else including the judge, jury and opposition. Never apologise and never admit guilt. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill
Chasity belt
An iron chastity belt - made in the style of the early 17th century - not making a comebackCredit: Press Association Photos
I’m wondering how many all boys’ schools the chastity pusher Jason Evert is talking at (“Travelling chastity preacher at schools sparks backlash”, May 18). Or is this just a female issue? Maybe he needs to attend an Australian state school himself to learn that this is the 21st century and chastity belts are not making a comeback. Susan Griffiths, Gerroa
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