Labor should consider preferencing the Greens last

While One Nation has done itself no favours with Steve Dickson and James Ashby’s fundraising venture in the US, I applaud Scott Morrison for holding firm and not caving in to the intense pressure from the Left to agree to preference One Nation last.

The Greens are far worse than One Nation, yet nobody is insisting Bill Shorten preference them last. Morrison should call Shorten’s bluff and tell him to put up or shut up. Morrison should tell him he would agree to preference One Nation last if Shorten agrees to preference the Greens last. It won’t happen because Shorten won’t do it, but just imagine if he did — we would be spared the irritants that are One Nation and the Greens. Call me a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.

Gary Carter, Leeming, WA

Before the debate about preferences for One Nation — or any other minor party or independent for that matter — becomes altogether silly, a reality check is in order.

Of the 151 seats to be contested at the coming federal election, the final count in at least 140 of them will be fought out between the Coalition and Labor. In the remainder, the final count will probably be between one of Coalition or Labor and a minor party or independent.

So in the majority of seats, no preferences from Coalition or Labor voters will be distributed, let alone their last or second-last preferences.

In fact, Liberal voters for the most part could put Labor second and it would make no difference to the result. And whether they, or Labor voters, put One Nation last or second last matters not one jot.

David Kelly, Bermagui, NSW

We are all indebted to our ABC for broadcasting the disgraceful behaviour of senior members of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. I look forward to the illumination that would result from the ABC’s long investigation into the activities of the Greens and GetUp.

Peter Smith, Double Bay, NSW

Niki Savva tells us we should put One Nation last (“It’s not the time for PM to let Hanson ride shotgun”, 28/3), yet Ben Packham gives a bleak picture of the Greens policies, those in addition to other aspects of their intolerance. The Greens would be far more damaging to the country than One Nation ever could be, so why aren’t we hearing from advocates for putting the Greens last in preference deals?

Garry Sharp, Regency Downs, Qld

You have to hand it to One Nation operatives — they may be short on brains, but not on chutzpah. The fact is they were conned into attempting to cadge support from the egregious US National Rifle Association. In this respect the motives of Al Jazeera are not important.

In this age of gotcha journalism, public figures who do not check the credentials of anyone who approaches them with seemingly beneficial offers is asking to be taken for a ride. One Nation is repeating the tactic of shooting the messenger, not the message which is that the party is too dumb to earn anyone’s vote.

Tom Smith, Bowral, NSW

Pauline Hanson continues to peddle her politics of fear — it is her modus operandi. She aims to create a sense of unease within society. According to Hanson, September 11 was an “inside job “, the Port Arthur massacre was not the result of a deranged simpleton, “it was something deeper”.

Surely such comments are delusional. What is she trying to say? This scuttlebutt is little more than the politics of fear, innuendo and intrigue. Is Hanson implying corruption at the highest levels? Is she advocating conspiracy theories? Are these sad events inextricably bound up in her xenophobic obsessions? Does she support Fraser Anning’s reference to the “final solution”? In these enlightened times, the Hansons of this world are anathema to our vision of the future.

Noel Butterfield, Montmorency, Vic

The smear campaign being run against Pauline Hanson’s One Nation shows how fragile is Australian democracy. Democratic processes are being damaged by powerful voices belonging to those who will brook no dissent with their parochial views.

The denial to freely express ideas without being labelled as suffering from a mental phobia smacks of George Orwell’s novel 1984. Anyone who takes time to read One Nation policies would see their merits when compared with those of other parties.

Lindsay Hackett, Macleay Island, Qld