Cbus scandal exposes naked hypocrisy of top Labor leaders

In October, ASIC announced Federal Court proceedings against Woolworths and Coles for alleged misleading and deceptive pricing practices. Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers immediately launched media attacks on both organisations and their executives. This month, ASIC announced Federal Court proceedings against Cbus Superannuation Fund for its alleged “systemic failure” to properly administer member death benefits. Albanese and Chalmers refused to criticise Cbus and its executives, citing “ongoing legal proceedings”. Albanese and Chalmers show great disrespect to the electorate in behaving this way. Hypocrisy is never an attractive attribute, but particularly when practised in such a callous fashion by elected leaders.

Jim Neville, Marrickville, NSW

What a COP-out

In her article in The Weekend Australian, Gemma Tognini rightly exposes the fact that the lives of millions in sub-Saharan Africa are put at severe risk by those who today deny those millions access to the same affordable electricity that has hitherto been available to us. Of course, this problem applies to millions more all around the world – even in China and India today, millions below the poverty line still burn dung to provide heat and light. That is why those countries are both building coal-fired power stations. At COP29 in Azerbaijan, our Energy Minister Bowen has been charged with responsibility to help map out a means of ensuring all developed countries, including Australia, today contribute to a fund that will distribute billions, even trillions of dollars in compensation to undeveloped countries, including China, for the effects of climate change ostensibly caused by the developed world. One would hope contributions to this fund do not bleed us entirely for in the post-2050 world almost certainly there will be another claim for trillions in compensation by those countries and peoples who have been forced to live in a world of energy poverty for the next 25 years while we push headlong toward renewables.

Geoff Ellis, Smithfield, Qld

Faux praise

There’s nothing like a bit of backslapping; one comrade to another (“Rudd ‘a person of significant substance’: Marles”, 16-17/11). When lacklustre Defence Minister Richard Marles heaps praise on twice failed prime minister Kevin Rudd, in the face of Rudd’s rude and insulting remarks about US president-elect Donald Trump, you have to say this has something to do with party loyalty and nothing to do with performance.

John George, Terrigal, NSW

Right man for the job?

The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy to Trump’s cabinet may turn out to be a very good one. His attitude towards vaccination is dubious and will be the main attraction of the media. His views on big pharma and the processed food industry, however, are spot-on and well overdue. I have a blood cancer and thankfully for me my medications are funded by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. If not, those medications would cost between $50,000 and over $200,000 per annum. In my case these costs are met by the taxpayer. The food industry has long been guilty of including too much salt and an array of chemicals in its products. This in part has led to the obesity problem we now have. Kennedy will face some very powerful and well-connected vested interest groups, both in the media and the bureaucracy.

John Hill, Willoughby, NSW

Paying your way

I am sick of vested interests bemoaning the decline in international student numbers. More recent reporting concerning the retail and hospitality industries complaining about the decline of international student numbers is a case in point. I understand the benefits of “exports”. My issue is the education sector pays minimal tax yet places huge demands on public infrastructure to accommodate the increasing population inherent in its business model. The education sector gets extremely generous tax concessions. All other large export sectors pay way more tax yet place much lower demands on public infrastructure than the international student sector.

David Cowie, Middle Park, Vic

Chaotic Libs

As a non-aligned South Australian voter, I feel I can objectively comment on the by-election for the seat of Black. Given the fact that several Liberal parliamentarians were subject to the law for various yet-to-be-finalised breaches, voters, most likely, would have lost confidence in the party’s credibility. Its performance as an opposition has been lacklustre and unable to hold the Malinauskas government to account. Without a major regrouping and more engaging policies it is likely to be trounced at the next state election

Michael Schilling, Millswood, SA