Last Post: Trump wielding the stick as a matter of policy

If the Labor government is returned, at least we will be spared of every answer they give starting with, “what the last government left us”.

Agnes Benstock, Vaucluse, NSW

How is Trump resolving conflicts? By speaking loudly and carrying a big stick.

George Fishman, Vaucluse, NSW

Some of the recent comments by our ex-prime ministers suggest to many of us that once they lose their job as prime minister, one of the conditions for getting a continuing salary should be that they use the two words “no comment” very frequently.

John Houghton, The Gap, Qld

The real story about Malcolm Turnbull’s comments on Trump is that he will not allow any criticism from anyone to go unpunished. Trump’s behaviour is, literally, straight out of the book, the Dictator’s Handbook, and that should make us all truly afraid. Worse behaviour may follow.

Geoff O’Brien, Eltham, Vic

I hope there is a vaccine for it, because yet again Malcolm Turnbull is suffering from RDS (relevance deprivation syndrome).

Rory Dredge, Stirling, SA

Elon Musk’s all-electric Tesla was the must-have virtue-signalling example of your green credentials until Musk aligned himself with Donald Trump. Virtue-signalling now seems to be not owning a Tesla.

Bruce Collison, Banks, ACT

The simplest way to avoid a hung parliament would be for Labor voters to be encouraged to give their second preference to the Coalition and for Coalition voters to be encouraged to give their second preference to Labor. Perhaps for good measure those voters should also be urged to put the Greens and teals as far down the preference list as possible.

David Morrison, Springwood, NSW

While China wants to educate its primary school students in using AI and is establishing a state fund to invest in cutting-edge technology, Australian governments and departments of education are teaching children to touch the ground and apologise for everything. Australia will be left far behind because of the governments’ lack of foresight and planning for the future.

Charles Stanford, Bondi, NSW

Our isolation and small population demand an urgent and substantial increase of our defence capabilities. Doubtless, with our great abundance of natural resources, China sees Australia as a juicy plum ready to be picked.

Frank Reade, Macquarie, ACT