Libs at all levels take note: achievement comes with hard work

Peta Credlin provides priceless insider insight into what’s needed in Victoria for the Liberals to regain power (“Lazy Liberal team needs to pull its weight”, 20/11). With a state election one year away, there’s time enough to perform a near miracle. With the state a complete basket case in need of a federal bailout, if the Libs can’t run the mother of all scare campaigns, out-Laboring Labor, they don’t deserve to govern. But, as Credlin points out, they also need to do “the work to create a contest and to become a credible alternative”.

Common sense should tell them that with people leaving in droves (heading to sunny Queensland), Victoria is in such structural decline that the question is not whether its economy will collapse, but when. And along with the collapse go their sleepy jobs.

Peter R. Tredenick, Laidley, Qld

You are spot-on, Peta Credlin – it doesn’t matter whether it is a political party or a community organisation, if everyone is not on the same page working together, then nothing happens. Pandering to the woke mob is not going to achieve anything; you have to give the electorate something to vote for that will put both the state and, for the feds, the country back on track.

Most of my generation born in the 1940s and ’50s were given nothing but expected to get on with it, and being on the dole was not an option. Any job was better than no job. And many were not given the opportunity to pursue a different career until later in life when they had the opportunity to go to university. We have a great country with incredible resources, I wish I could say the same about our political parties.

Glenys Clift, Toowoomba, Qld

Regions need a strong voice – not an arm of the city-centric Liberals. Regions need a voice to get in the face of city MPs about so many aspects of the regions that are neglected and overlooked.

The regions and the people are the backbone of the nation in many ways. The Nationals should change their name and be a voice for those who vote for them and identify with their seats.

Stuart Davie, Corowa, NSW

Pope misguided

Pope Leo XIV’s latest criticism of Donald Trump for his immigration policy is yet another disturbing personal attack on Trump from his days when he was Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago.

The Pope appears to be focusing on the supposed sins of the leader of the US, while ignoring or even supporting the closed border immigration policies of ruthless leaders such as Xi and the open border policies of the UK and other European countries. I say this as a Catholic and a Trump supporter who views Trump’s immigration policy favourably as a good balance between compassion for genuine migrants and keeping the American people safe.

John Bell, Heidelberg Heights, Vic

Trump betrays Ukraine

The recently revealed Witkoff-Dmitriev 28-point “peace plan” represents another in a series of craven capitulations to Putin’s corrupt dictatorship by the Trump administration. This cowardly plan seeks to have Ukraine cede even more territory than it has lost already, despite valiant defence, cripple its armed forces and fall into line with Russian doctrine. More and more it seems Putin has an unexplained hold over Trump.

Given what the world knows about this war and its causes, the US is demonstrating its lack of morals in betraying Ukraine, the strongest bulwark against Putin’s neo-imperial expansionist ambitions. Trump is very sensitive about protecting US borders but prepared to throw Ukraine to the wolves for economic advantage. Hopefully the EU can step up.

John Heugh, Kardinya, WA

Education standards

Former federal education minister John Dawkins upgraded colleges of advance education to become universities, although most, at that time, were not ready for the upgraded status. Now, Australia has some 44 universities, most of which are public. In addition, Australians can do external courses through overseas universities, such as Herriot-Watt in Scotland. The Australian Tertiary Education Commission has a major challenge to keep standards high, encourage amalgamation and rationalisation, and mandate recognition of prior learning. The call this week for “quicker, cheaper degrees” does not sound like the maintenance of high standards. The old system had a lot going for it. Now, there is a flood of university graduates, many of whom are unable to obtain employment commensurate with their qualifications, with a shortage of tradespeople.

Ken Moore, Chapel Hill, Qld

Debate debacle

Our government seats are increasingly filled with those who put self-esteem and ambition before the public good. The standard of debate is woeful. Sound reasoning and the grace to listen to alternative arguments have given way to straight out hostility and potential defamation.

Stephanie Summers, Turramurra, NSW