Don’t be mistaken: Coalition voters are frustrated with inaction on climate

Richard Alston in his attack on Simon Holmes a Court (“Revolution, no evolution, inimical to our way of life”, 1-2/1), adopts a colourful parliamentary debating style . It is an approach that is not helpful to his target audience. If he really thinks people contemplating a vote for one of the pro-climate, pro-integrity, pro-gender equality independents are citizens of nowhere afloat on some global magic carpet, he needs to think again. He should not underestimate the pressure of frustration at Coalition inaction that is driving voting intentions in the sensible centre.

Threats of high costs ostensibly associated with low-emission climate policies no longer scare voters daily witnessing the disastrous and escalating costs of inaction. If Mathias Cormann ever persuaded Europe that Australia’s credentials were second to none, the Europeans have now convinced Cormann that prime minister Tony Abbott abandonment of a price on carbon was a regrettable mistake.

The Prime Minister himself has his work cut out coming up with legislation to cap political donations and raise federal integrity standards, not to mention the distance to go in levelling up the status of women in the home of the national democracy and throughout the federation.

Voters need and expect results, and are prepared to bypass the cosy two-party system to secure a more creative balance of power in government.

John Gare, Kew East, Vic

Trump trashing

What incredibly honest words from former Labor politician Peter Baldwin (“Still the land of the free”, 1-2/1). Baldwin highlights some major concerns: the absymally selective reporting on America’s 2021 Capitol riots; the dangerous redefining of what poses a threat to the US citizenry, as in the exclusion of jihadist terrorists from lists of dangerous operatives; and the dedicated concentration on the “white supremacist” threat.

At the time of the Capitol riots, it seems we were all swept along with horror at the brazen, if clunky, efforts of mobs of disillusioned far-flung Americans with raised tempers, but lowered brainpower, creating one unholy shindig. Did Donald Trump knowingly and viciously encourage his followers to tear down the walls, and are those Trump supporters who still believe the last election was rigged really vile seditionists? Or are they patriotic Americans who, naively, believed Trump could make their country great again?

Large chunks of the media made that an impossibility from day one. Trawling stories of Trump’s worst excesses, while smothering his success stories, the media provided multiple lies from Russia, or anywhere else on the planet, from where they could dredge their increasingly inaccurate tales. Only now, over a year since the US election, have some of the facts been revealed of the media’s Trump-trashing, plus its lamentable silence on so many Joe Biden blunders. It will be writers like Baldwin, with a clear, unbiased and even gaze, who might influence the media to return to truth.

Rosemary O’Brien, , Ashfield, NSW

Cheap as houses

Housing affordability (“House prices 10 times wages”, 1-2/1) ought not be measured by price-to-earnings ratio but by mortgage cost-to-earnings ratio. Much-maligned baby boomers will recall the mortgage rates of 19-21 per cent of the late 1980s-early 1990s during the “recession we had to have”, as described by Paul Keating. Bank foreclosures were rampant, though mitigated by higher equity rates as a result of tougher bank lending policies.

Wayne Mills, Wangaratta, Vic

It is relevant both John Howard and Peter Costello have rebuked Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe for saying the official cash rate would remain near zero until 2024 (“Economy needs new year ‘reset’”, 1-2/1). Dr Lowe, who comes across as a mild-mannered banker, is taking an almighty punt that inflation will not be a problem in 2022 and 2023. If he is wrong and inflation does become embedded into the economic landscape, lenders will have to be compensated and interest rates must necessarily rise.

Such an outcome would putquite a dent in the budgets of those household members who, partly encouraged by Dr Lowe’s assurances, have borrowed big and entered the property market.

Bob Miller, Wembley, WA

Ridd’s call to arms

I was part of PLATOQLD led by Peter Ridd (“Education must never be left to the so-called elite”, 1-2/1). The reform of Queensland’s education shepherded by Ridd is a credit to him. There are many teachers eternally grateful for his efforts.

I agree with his comment, “If the community wants improvements in schools, we must mobilise.” The input of teachers and parents is essential. Driven by ideological zeal, the educational elites cannot use children’s education as their playground.

Maureen Anderson, New Farm, Qld