Personal attacks don’t invalidate evidence

Can someone advise Jim Chalmers that an ad hominem attack, attacking the man, does not defeat the logic of what he says? If Peter Dutton has evidence on his side, saying he is a nasty man does not make the evidence invalid.

Rosemary McGrath, Dulwich, SA

Jim Chalmers declares that Peter Dutton is the “most divisive leader of a major political party in Australia’s modern history”. Labor politicians seem to have trouble with hyperbole. Julia Gillard could not pronounce it. The Treasurer cannot recognise it.

Ross Heslop, Kiama, NSW

Of course Peter Dutton is dangerous (“PM’s offence minister: ‘Dutton is dangerous’ ”, 27/8). Primarily because he wants to steer Australia away from the mediocre, costly, union-dominating, socialist dogma that Jim Chalmers and his Prime Minister and colleagues are hellbent on trying to force upon our nation.

Peter M. Wargent, Mosman, NSW

To go for the man and frame Peter Dutton as the “most divisive leader” is a clear signal that Jim Chalmers has no rational policy alternatives or answers and is a poor candidate to be a future Labor leader.

Peter Balan, St Peters, SA

If I see another gaggle of politicians (of all persuasions) and nodding bureaucrats fronting the media in hard hats and hi-vis vests, I’ll have to reach for a bucket. Memo to this same mob: we’ve overdosed on hard hats and yellow vests and, importantly, we’re not impressed by it. You’re all starting to look like parodies of real achievers.

Roy Stall, Mount Claremont, WA

Nick Cater’s commentary piece about SunCables’ AAPowerLink project, which is planned to cover a massive 120 square kilometres of the Northern Territory with solar panels, made me wonder about land restitution (“The sun is setting on our renewables ‘superpower’ fantasy’ ”, 26/8). New mining projects are approved today only with strict conditions about restitution of the land. Will Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek impose the same strict conditions on SunCable, and if not, why not?

Peter Pitt, Potts Point, NSW

If this were the 1970s I could picture Anthony Albanese, Chris Bowen and others wearing white shoes trying to sell us their energy policy.

Steve Wiblin, Hermit Park, Qld

I think it’s high time folk learnt that “government subsidised” means ‘taxpayer funded”. In other words “your tax at work”.

Mark Sproat, Lyons, ACT