Last Post, February 16, 2019

There’s no incentive to vote on election day.

It is obvious that there is no point in rolling up to the polling booth on election day as the doctors and the lawyers are now running the country. What a very bleak future Australia faces.

Helen Thomas, Mt Claremont, WA

While I feel for the plight of the black-throated finch, if the Adani project doesn’t get off the ground there’ll be flocks of noisy miners sounding a lot of tweets to Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk over what should have been a done deal by now.

Ken Johnston, Rochedale South, Qld

Regarding your story about the 21 year-old inmate in Barwon Prison who allegedly tried to kill Tony Mokbel (“Mokbel accused marked his 21st”, 15/2). Could someone please explain to me why prisoners are permitted to have and use Facebook accounts?

Robyn Manoy, Darling Point, NSW

Is Christopher Pyne’s seat in parliament really worth $50 billion (“We might sink decades before these subs fly”, 14/2)?

B ryan Welsh, Tea Gardens, NSW

The money might have seemed well spent, or not, on the people on Manus and Nauru. However, a more local tragedy has overtaken us, and that money should now be diverted urgently to our own folk up north.

Rosemary O’Brien, Georges Hall, NSW

It’s ironic that a nation built by criminal transportees should fear the legal status of asylum-seekers.

Les Shearman, Darlington, NSW

I understand why many people don’t have private health insurance. (“Private hospital cover hits 11-year low”, 15/2). My private insurer just told me my premiums will increase 4.5 per cent to $348 per month.

Riley Brown, Bondi Beach, NSW

Ginger Gorman’s article on trolls outlines the devastating psychological effects and at times physical harm that comes from the perpetrators (“Predator trolls driven by psychopathy and sadism”, 15/2). She says something needs to be done but “it’s not the internet that’s the problem”. It’s interesting that her argument is aligned with the gun lobby’s — that “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”

Mike Young, Swanbourne, WA

With a bit of a drop in house prices, some people are worrying about the value of their homes (“Reality bites for million-dollar club”, 15/2). Unfortunately they are still too expensive for too many, especially those on an average wage.

Con Vaitsas, Ashbury, NSW

Donald Trump’s national emergency is that he hasn’t got his own way (“Trump to declare emergency on wall funds”, 15/2).

Louise Whelan, Chatswood, NSW