Overseas visitors may be welcome but not to all states

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ labelling of Freedom Day protesters as extremists is a hyperbolic smokescreen, apart from being an insult to the majority of those attending the marches (“Premier steps up battle with PM”, 22/11).

I attended the march in Adelaide, where a peaceful crowd of 10,000 walked in solidarity against mandatory vaccination. Many of the people in attendance, myself and my family included, have personal experience of living under repressive regimes where one has no choice and no voice. The misrepresentation of voters like us, ethnically diverse and from all walks of life, in this way by the ideologically driven Andrews leaves me (almost) speechless.

Helen Ivich, Skye, SA

It is time for Daniel Andrews to be called out for his unprecedented public damning of Scott Morrison. The Prime Minister logically pointed out that although there were some extremist radicals among the protesters in Melbourne, the majority had reached the stage where they had enough of governments being entrenched in their lives. Andrews claims he does not doublespeak. Well, there are two ways one can take this – he is the master of doublespeak or he says nothing of consequence, as when he fronted the farcical inquiry into the hotel quarantine scandal.

It is time for members of the federal government to start going in to bat for their boss.

Peter D. Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

Congratulations to non-Australians journeying to Australia (“Finally, we open to world”, 22/11). Sadly there are those Australians like my partner who’ve been stuck overseas, caught Covid, recovered, and according to basic immunology are far better protected than the vaccinated. They still can’t return without an expensive quarantine.

When will our government catch up to the modern age and let those with the least danger to the community return?

James Hein, Hackney, SA

As the only national newspaper perhaps you could have factored the situation in the largest state into the construction of your headline “Finally, we open to world”. Out west we remain shut off and isolated, not only from the rest of the world but also from the vast majority of our fellow Australians, an unjustifiable situation that is likely to continue for months to come.

Maggie Woodhead, Swan View, WA

Your editorial advising government policy for increased visa numbers and business calls for skilled migration to recommence needs open debate (“Reopening borders will help economy roar back”, 22/11).

All political parties and candidates prior to the next election need to advise their policy on immigration to allow proper consideration of the benefits and problems of increased immigration by the whole community. It should not be left for Treasury, universities and business leaders to determine immigration policy.

Charles Stanger, Manuka, ACT

If Anthony Albanese is elected to the Lodge at the next federal election how is he going to deal with the varying policy positions of his state counterparts?

On one hand we have the Victorian Premier wanting to restrict the powers and influence of the Victorian chief health officer, while in NSW the Labor Opposition Leader is criticising the state government for not fully complying with the NSW CHO advice on restrictions for the Greater Sydney area. Add to this the general silliness coming from Queensland and WA. This is head-spinning stuff and I am curious as to what Albanese thinks about all this as he sits perched on the fence.

Robert Mills, Belrose, NSW

Daniel Andrews is absolutely correct; matters pertaining to Covid-19 regulations are at the sole discretion of the states. The federal government cannot demand that anything related to Covid is done. That also means the responsibilities for the outcome from all Covid decision- making rests totally with the state government.

It would therefore be appropriate if Andrews and Queensland’s Annastacia Palaszczuk took responsibility for their mistakes and the over-regulation they have enforced, and stop trying to pass the blame on to the federal government and the PM in particular.

Tony Hennessy, Casino, NSW