Rather interesting that George Brandis is happy to regale us with a story of an old Liberal Party faction which was jokingly nicknamed “The Black Hand” and perhaps even more odd that Simon Birmingham uses the title for current factional meetings (“True history of the Black Hand, the Liberals who have kept Menzies’ flame alive”, July 15). The name is best known for a group of Serbian assassins who in organising the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary helped kick-start WWI and it is also a reference to a type of extortion run by the Mafia. One could have fun finding hidden meanings for its use! Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights
Sir Robert Menzies with the Queen.Credit: The Age Archives
George Brandis must have had a memory lapse when claiming “the Liberal Party does not really have factions”. Does he not recall the ironic laughter and jeers that followed then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s claim to the October 2015 meeting of the NSW State Council that “we are not run by factions”? As for his claim that the Liberal Party’s “identifiable networks of like-minded members …are nothing like Labor’s disciplined, quasi-official structures”, Mr Brandis should reflect on the treatment of then-foreign minister Julie Bishop who was viciously cast aside by her supposed group when attempting to succeed Malcolm Turnbull in 2018. We all know how that ended. Maurice Critchley, Mangrove Mountain
George Brandis denies the existence of factions within the Liberal Party, risibly dismissing them as “strands of opinion”. At least two factions are well known: the “Moderates” and the “Right”; some would argue that there is also the “Ugly Right” which rears its head from time to time.
Students of history will recall that the Black Hand was a Serbian terrorist group which was responsible for the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and in turn led to WW1; I hope he’s not suggesting that a revolution is in the works, as we have just witnessed one such attempt.
Dave Horsfall, North Gosford
It is worth not much more than an ironic belly-laugh when George Brandis, as Malcolm Turnbull had done before him, insisted that the Liberal Party “doesn’t really have factions”. Despite what he claims, factions among the Liberals seem to be alive and well. The ascendancy of the right-wing of the party has ensured its rejection by the majority of the Australian people and this factor and Peter Dutton’s continuing conservatism, might see it remain in opposition after the next election. Of course, this is not because Labor is generally more popular, but due to the presence of a significant number of teals and independents. Dutton and his right-wing colleagues’ support for the nuclear option has the potential to do the Tories more damage than Albanese and his party ever can. Derrick Mason, Boorowa
It is good to know that the Liberals’ Black Hand dinner was a success in the presence of the spirit of Robert Menzies. George Brandis may have been the co-founder of this august body, but is deluded if he thinks that Robert Menzies’ “liberal” spirit still exists in the party which he founded. The Liberal Party has long since ceased being liberal, indeed could be called illiberal. It should come clean with voters and change its name to what it is, the Conservative Party. Neil Buchanan, Waitara
The Black Hand might have been a private joke but to say it escaped into the Liberal Party’s bloodstream “like a virus from a Chinese laboratory” is a dangerous analogy following the ongoing discussion about the origin of the COVID-19 virus. Josephine Piper, Miranda
I have not read Mr Brandis’ column but was less than impressed by the accompanying cartoon. The Mr Menzies that I remember was always impeccably dressed in a suit with the coat double-breasted. Perhaps the cartoonist might reflect on 1960s standards rather than the more polarising standards of today. Colin Kilduff, West Ryde
Trump unlikely to tone down his rhetoric after shooting
If, as has been implied in the media, the “we” in Trump’s statement that “in this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined,” refers to all Americans, not just his own followers, the irony won’t be lost on anyone (“Under Fire”, July 15). For years he has encouraged and approved division and violence with apparently total disregard for the health of the US democracy or the safety of individuals. Though there is absolutely no justification for what happened yesterday, there couldn’t be a clearer example of “you reap what you sow”. But will it sober Trump up and cause him to tone down the rhetoric? I doubt it. Divisiveness, disdain and provocation are the currencies of his campaign and he’d be destitute without them. Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point
From left: Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, the rally at Butler, Pennsylvania, and a wounded Donald Trump.Credit: AP / Marija Ercegovac
US senator Marco Rubio has assured us that “God protected President Trump”. Presumably that’s the same God who chose not to protect the three other people who were shot at the rally in Butler. It would seem the Almighty is making some questionable calls of late, or Rubio is taking His name in vain. David Salter, Hunter’s Hill
All these declarations that “there is no place for violence” in one of the most violent societies on the planet? And Trump’s final words as he’s dragged off-stage are “fight, fight, fight”! These Americans sure do irony well. David Baird, Burradoo
Born, raised and educated in the US, I can claim to have some understanding from the inside. It has always been a violently murderous society. Beginning with the genocide of Native Americans, followed by 300 years of slavery, then a century of Jim Crow laws, and now the MAGA racist crowd, the US is clearly the antithesis of a “light on the hill”. America’s so-called “exceptionalism” extends to gun violence with more than 40,000 Americans murdered by fellow citizens in 2023 alone. Given its long history of violence, the attempted assassination of Trump is quite un-exceptional. Michael Davis, Balmain East
The sympathy vote will almost certainly swing the pre-polls in Trump’s favour and this will greatly diminish Biden’s prospects for re-election. Many previous elections worldwide have demonstrated that once the polling shows a likely winner, a majority of uncommitted voters will decide in favour of this candidate because they like to be on the winning side. The only good news is that Australia and indeed the entire world now has six months to prepare for a very likely Trump presidency. Geoff Harding, Chatswood
Once again a hopeless, hurt and confused American boy, with easy access to an assault rifle, decides his life is not worth living and sets out to show the people who dismissed him that he was significant after all. Jennifer Briggs, Kilaben Bay
Letting go of anger
Ray Nickson’s partner and family suffered unrelenting grief for the loss of their much-loved daughter, Edna (“Why these parents didn’t sue the hospital that killed their baby”, July 15). His wise words should be absorbed by all of us. “If you carry hate and anger in your heart, it becomes you.” Life often throws huge blows for us to endure and grief is part of that. Thankfully, these days trained professionals are available to talk through personal, sad problems. Ray’s words resonate with me. Your family will thrive because they are surrounded by love. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong
Press freedom
Over the weekend, I read the Herald articles on the CFMEU and watched 60 Minutes (Letters, July 15). Collectively, this was an instructive exposé of alleged corrupt trade union behaviour. It’s fortunate for the community that Nine is on the case – an example of continuing great investigative journalism and, as a Herald subscriber, I’m helping pay for it. It’s worth reflecting that it needs a newspaper to uncover corruption yet again. How interesting then that the presiding Minister Tony Burke says he’s waiting for “more information” before deciding on further action. Above all, freedom of the press is alive and well. Ray Witherby, Kings Langley
Construction workers Credit: Getty Images
As someone who worked on the de-registration of the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) in the 1980s, I feel a certain amount of déjà vu when I read how the building industry is “rotten to the core”, as I am immediately reminded of the activities of Norm Gallagher and Steve Black. One of the reasons the Hawke government was able to de-register the BLF was that its members could be transferred to another building union, the then BWIU. However, de-registering and/or breaking up the CFMEU would be a totally different matter as the behemoth union is now the only industrial organisation that covers building workers. Also it would hardly be fair to the other branches within the CFMEU (such as the maritime and the clothing and footwear divisions) for them to lose their representative rights. This is an issue where the government should take advice from the ACTU’s Sally McManus before rushing to take any actions that may disadvantage non-building CFMEU members. Pauline Croxon, Undercliffe
Hard truths
Sincere thanks, Meredith Williams, for your frank and heartbreaking letter about the lived trauma of surviving years of punishing domestic violence (Letters, July 15). As someone who always values reading your insightful and often-published letters, I was shocked. You remind us that it can happen to anyone. And in praising your children, you do them and yourself very proud. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon
Life and death
Dear Beth, I empathise with your birth experience but you need to realise that until perhaps 50 to 60 years ago in the First World, and still today in the Third World, pregnancy and birthing are inherently dangerous with high maternal and infant morbidity and mortality (“‘This is your fault’: Birth trauma still lingers”, July 15). A so-called “natural” birth includes a significant probability of misadventure including death. Your approach is fine, until it is not, with a sudden unexpected emergency as you experienced.
Peter Kamenyitzky, Castle Hill
Developers’ rules
Residents and councils have little say when it comes to the consideration of development applications or building procedures (“Building site means sleepless nights but noise deemed OK”, July 15). Noise/vibration is only part of the problem. Developers hire consultants before lodging the DA with the required reports. The developer has the right of appeal after 40 days. Councils and residents are hampered by the cost of the appeal and, from my experience in attendance at the Land and Environment Court, hearings generally favour the developer. After receipt of the approval, developers employ a Private Certifying Authority (PCA) which uses consultants who fear not receiving future work. The PCA has legal control over what can be inspected and the developer can nominate the time of inspections. In the case of the fish markets, the question is why has Infrastructure NSW failed to comply with the EPA noise/vibration guidelines? Brian McDonald, Willoughby
Gulay Oz, who lives opposite the new Sydney Fish Market, had sleepless nights during the worst part of the construction.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Right to disconnect
What a mean-spirited, judgmental piece of writing (“Lazy workers licking their lips at right-to-disconnect laws”, July 15). Certainly, there will always be some workers who seek to do as little work as possible but they are usually in the minority and recent studies have shown that working hours are, in fact, on the increase. O’Halloran argues that the definition of “disconnect” is detachment and withdrawal, however this is a literal definition and ignores the real meaning, in this context, that workers are often expected to be “electronically” connected 24/7. Surely, his example of workers dealing with cyber risk is one special case and does not apply to the vast majority of workers who are entitled to a reasonable work-life balance. Jan Boyd, Sylvania
Paul O’Halloran’s provocative column opines that lazy workers will take advantage of their generous bosses when new workplace laws allow them to ignore calls and emails outside normal work hours. He backs this view with a few extreme examples of particularly slothful workers. This argument ignores the fact that most workers have a contract with their employer to work set hours, usually seven or eight hours a day, and that for years bosses have exploited workers’ increased online availability to coerce them into doing extra work, unpaid, outside these hours. Certainly, there are those who must be available in emergencies but for the majority of workers all these new laws will do is free them from work responsibilities and demands that they work unpaid and beyond their contract hours when they are at home. The days of slavery, when workers were at the beck and call of their bosses 24 hours a day, are long gone and it’s a sad comment on the greed of employers that legislation has had to be introduced to force them to accept this. Merona Martin, Meroo Meadow
The right to disconnect Credit: Dionne Gain
Outrageous council policies leaving people homeless
It is totally outrageous that councils are allowing boarding houses to be closed and the land set to be used for multimillion-dollar dwellings (Letters, July 15). Where are these people, now homeless, expected to go? With meagre resources, they will end up sleeping rough. In our communities, there must be provision for those of less fortunate circumstances to live in dignity.
Janetta Gilbert, Kirrawee
New suggestion
Colombia’s struggling cocaine producers might want to focus on the Sydney market where, according to recent waste water samples, demand for their product is apparently insatiable (“Colombia is facing a new problem: too much cocaine”, July 14). Ross Duncan, Potts Point
Stay away
So the British King and his consort are to visit Australia (“King Charles III and Queen Camilla to visit Australia later this year”, smh.com.au, July 15). Why? It has been reported that their itinerary has had to be shortened due to his recent cancer treatment. I would have thought that for the benefit of his health and the British people, to whom he and the institution he represents are of importance, it would be best if he stayed away. Chris McKimm, Karangi
- To submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.
- The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.