Last Post, May 8, 2019

“I’m very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy this morning, a very healthy baby boy.” Alas — not for the healthy birth of a child — but for the end of the Queen’s English and English grammar as we know it. When the Queen’s son, a Prince of the Realm, mangles his pronoun usage, loyal pedants of the English Grammar Empire may well weep, and along with W.H. Auden, “… with muffled drum, Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come…. For nothing now can ever come to any good.”

Deborah Morrison, Malvern East, Vic

As the son of a school teacher, Bill Shorten should respect, not disrespect, the principle that the dumbest question is the one that was never asked.

Mandy Macmillan, Singleton, NSW

How wise of Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd to stand facing Bill Shorten. Obviously their memories are still fresh from their previous problem of turning their backs to him.

Allan Caton, Mount Eliza, Vic

How dare Chris Bowen try and ram the mandate theory down our throats. Here is the party that prevented the last three prime ministers implementing policies the Coalition put to the electorate at elections (“Cross-bench senators to reject ALP tax grab”, 7/5).

John George, Terrigal, NSW

Labor would get its tax and economic changes through the Senate, if elected, according to Chris Bowen, with a mandate and moral authority. It gets worse. Pauline and Clive will have to save us because the LNP can’t.

David Hall, Coombabah, Qld

When Bill Shorten picked up his copy of The Australian yesterday and looked at the photograph of Anthony Albanese’s death stare drilling into him, he might reflect on where the Labor Party campaign would be if Albo were, indeed, the Leader of the Opposition. Opinion polls for preferred PM would be much closer. Albo can take comfort in the knowledge that he will be the Leader of the Opposition come Monday, May 20.

Mike Flanigan, Toowoomba, Qld

The accusation by the unions and Labor that the government cut penalty rates is a lie. Wage rates are determined by the Fair Work Ombudsman, an independent statutory authority set up by the Labor government under the Fair Work Act of 2009. Governments cannot and do not set the wages.

Carryn McLean, Kingsley, WA

Palestinian warriors send more than 600 missiles into Israel over two days. Israel retaliates. ABC news is all about the effect of the Israeli retaliation. Whose side is the ABC on?

Robert Harcourt, Hahndorf, SA