Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s ‘second way’ offers new hope, path to reform

Nampijinpa Price’s ‘second way’ offers new hope, path to reform

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price hits the nail on the head with her reference to “ideological nonsense”. The trouble with progressive ideology is that it’s crafted by academics and politicians who, having written their theory down on paper, see no reason why it shouldn’t work in practice. A perfect example is the reversing of the alcohol bans and the debit card quarantining 80 per cent of Centrelink payments in remote communities.

Such professionals cite human rights and racism as reasons for the reversal, when community elders, many of them women who have seen and experienced first-hand the effects of alcohol on their communities, understand that imperfect as they are, they do ensure children are fed and not subject to quite as much family dysfunction.

Caroline Thomson, Kew, Vic

The ready support expressed for Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s vision for a second way to close the gap, including endorsement from Nyunggai Warren Mundine (“Mundine backs ‘spot on vision’”, 11/7), is wonderful.

It demonstrates the faith Australians have in Senator Nampijinpa Price, who has never let them down and who has worked tirelessly to find a way to resolve the endless violence in and disadvantage of remote communities, as well as to achieving the unity of all Australians regardless of origin. Senator Nampijinpa Price deserves the support of every Australian in her endeavours.

She is a leader for the age and must have, from all quarters, the support needed to achieve her vision.

Ian Dunlop, Hawks Nest, NSW

The opposition to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s “second way” calls for more personal responsibility and integration has already begun.

Megan Davis, architect of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, says the voice referendum only referred to constitutional change, and other activities, like “truth-telling”, should continue. Others, like Mick Gooda, have labelled Nampijinpa Price’s plan “simplistic”, when it is anything but. After decades of following the advice of Davis and Gooda, we’ve gotten nowhere. It’s time to try another approach, and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has shown the way.

Doug Hurst, Chapman, ACT

Conservative values

Considering recent experience, the Coalition should not need Peta Credlin’s warning, but it does (“Take note, Libs: UK shows lurch to left is no way to win votes”, 11/7). Although the UK’s first-past-the-post system makes the effect of splitting a party’s vote more dramatic, we have already witnessed the process here in Australia.

After the malaise of the Malcolm Turnbull years, Scott Morrison pulled off his “miracle” in 2019, then disappointed the hopes of many. Like Reform in the UK, the United Australia Party of Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly in 2022 attracted disaffected voters who had grown disillusioned with the Liberal Party.

Morrison’s collapse on energy and surrender to the states on Covid-19 policies undermined his authority, making him more vulnerable to attacks from the opposition. With the so-called “moderates” now weakened under Peter Dutton, the Liberals must regain the conservative vote, rather than surrender to the progressive zeitgeist.

John Morrissey, Hawthorn, Vic

Biden’s blunders

Joe Biden’s teleprompter opening address at the NATO summit would have provided some relief to his supporters in the wake of his disastrous presidential debate (“Democrats fail the US and the world”, 11/7).

But the underlying issues remain: chief among them is his inability to present as coherent when he is “unplugged”. Further, there is evidence Biden is straying into an area that he often accuses his nemesis of – overreach.

His claim at the summit that he had an influence in convincing a further 14 NATO members to increase their defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP over his presidency – when Donald Trump and the Ukraine-Russian War were clearly the main drivers – is evidence of that.

Kim Keogh, Claremont, WA

NATO expansion

Adam Creighton is on the right path. It is appalling to think that the whole Ukrainian-Russian war could have been avoided if NATO had agreed to not admit Ukraine to membership (“Bigger isn’t better: An expanded NATO risks wider war”, 11/7). It is even more appalling that there is no attempt to engage Russia and Ukraine together in joint peace talks.

Brian Povey, Churchlands, WA

Adam Creighton’s analogy of Taiwan and Ukraine is false. Ukraine is a sovereign nation, recognised by the UN, which has democratically chosen to join the European Union and NATO. Taiwan is an island off mainland China not recognised as a sovereign nation.

Paul Poinkin, Darlinghurst, NSW