GetUp is subverting the nation’s political system

Paul Kelly’s erudite commentary on the approaches of Clive Palmer and GetUp leaves one to conclude that Australian politics has lost what is most important to voters — straight and well-reasoned talk without overinflated claims and promises (“Twin blights on our democracy”, 27/4).

The introduction of negative innuendo and even fake news, as well as the ever-increasing bombardment of advertisements meant to sway voters does no more than confuse the already confused. It detracts from real analysis rather than assists.

This deeply polarised way of electioneering is not what Australia should adopt because ultimately it will negatively affect the way this country is governed.

Michael Schilling, Millswood, SA

Paul Kelly’s excellent article and your equally incisive editorial clearly outlines the dilemma facing the electorate. While the obscene spending by Clive Palmer is out of proportion to that by the main parties, the spending by the trade union movement in support of Labor and GetUp to thwart the re-election of selected Liberal MPs cannot be dismissed.

The campaign being mounted by the ACTU and its affiliates is to reinstall Labor and make members of the parliamentary Labor Party beholden to its demands.

GetUp and its army of predominantly young activists will use abhorrent and blatant falsehoods in its advertising, talking points and volunteer scripts with the avowed aim of ridding MPs who have challenged the Left’s orthodoxy.

Hopefully, voters will see through the spin being peddled by Palmer, GetUp and the union movement and exercise commonsense on May 18.

Hugh Francis, Portland, Vic

As Paul Kelly points out in his detailed analysis of GetUp, its sole aim is to destroy the Morrison government, and its method of achieving this is to demonise Liberal ministers and MPs by branding them hard Right.

GetUp’s propensity for misinformation was further amplified when its leader, Paul Oosting, asserted that Josh Frydenberg was part of the coup that removed Malcolm Turnbull. So it is reasonable for voters to question GetUp’s claim that a human-induced climate change catastrophe is set to befall us, and that to avert it we must adopt 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030. With its band of slavish followers, GetUp is a cult-like organisation that wallows in head hunting, is devoid of integrity and will deceive in its quest to have a Labor-Greens alliance governing the country. Voters should be wary of the group because if the government is defeated, GetUp’s destructive influence on the nation’s destiny will know no bounds.

Dale Ellis, Innisfail, Qld

Paul Kelly could have made a very good case against GetUp’s assault on democracy without mentioning Clive Palmer. Since when have men of wealth in a free society been prevented from using that fortune to promote themselves? And why should organisations such as the Labor Party or the Liberal Party have their advertising budgets capped when publishers have no such caps placed on their charges?

GetUp does not represent the ugly face of American anything. It is a foreign-funded organisation channelling the foreign influence of Karl Marx’s universal homogeneous state; totally un-American, totally European. Kelly’s iron law of society, “your politics will follow your culture” is not a law. It reflects the influence of the German jurist Carl Schmitt who thought culture subsumed politics when the opposite was the case. Schmitt assisted in the rise of national socialism until he fell out of favour.

David Long, St Lucia, Qld

Your editorial should cause great consternation in the electorate (“GetUp trolls stalking election”, 27/4), and together with Paul Kelly’s explicit article, both highlight that GetUp is no ordinary political organisation. It is a well-oiled, dangerous, fully-financed political entity, ready and willing to subvert our political system. GetUp is the perennial boil that will never heal until it is lanced.

The senior Liberal ministers GetUp is targeting are the foundation of the next opposition, should the Coalition lose. And that should give the voters in those electorates something to consider before they cast their votes. GetUp is a quasi-political organisation and an inquiry into their operations is seriously required. Indeed, it should be a political promise to do so.

Lesley Beckhouse, Queanbeyan, NSW