Shorten’s gift to Morrison

This will be a pyrrhic victory for the Labor Party

Graham Richardson (“Man on a mission takes fight up to Bill”, 13/2) demonstrates there are still some on the Left with common sense. Richo points out there are millions of people across the planet who want to be treated as refugees so they can transfer from a developing country to one likes ours, and they outnumber those who want to get away from armed conflict or persecution.

It is just common sense that Australia can only take a small proportion of those who want to come and live here. So how do we choose which ones? The Left seems to think the criteria should be to select those who can afford to pay people-smugglers. On the extreme Left, the Greens think we can take them all.

R. Watson, Sunnybank Hills, Qld

Graham Richardson speculates that at last Scott Morrison has hit his straps and will take the fight up to Bill Shorten, aiming it at his weakness: border security. How many times have Liberal supporters been waiting for a hard-hitting campaign that would exploit Labor’s inconsistent policies, only to see it evaporate?

Bruce Collison, Banks, ACT

On the contrary, Graham Richardson, many Australians now understand the value of independent MPs to our democracy when we have a Government incapable of making the right decisions for Australia because it is out of touch with the electorate, ravaged by past mistakes and consumed by dismal re-election prospects.

Sue Lester, Grange, SA

Paul Kelly’s article (“This is a bill written to empty the offshore centres”, 13/2) should be read not only by politicians, but by everyone who will vote in May. One sentence rings the bells loudest: “Morrison will say that Labor has weakened border protection and this proves its inability to secure the borders in office.”

There are 15,000 asylum-seekers in Indonesia, waiting for the signal from people-smugglers that the borders are open again. Not just in Indonesia, but other countries where thousands are hoping for a better life — and who could blame them? But then we have many homeless hoping for the same.

Lesley Beckhouse, Queanbeyan, NSW

It is unfortunate but the defeat of the Government over bringing sick detainees from PNG and Nauru to Australia is more about politics than the provision of medical help. As always, Paul Kelly identifies the action of Labor and independents for what it is — a blatant use of political muscle, gambling that there will not be a resurgence of asylum-seeker boats.

Medical help is and should always be available to detainees, and the transfer of critical cases to Australia is possible now. Therefore, the bill that was passed contrary to the Government’s wishes is clearly ideological rather than based on real need.

It may have been a win for Labor, the Greens, and the independents, but it is a loss for Australia.

Michael Schilling, Millswood, SA

There is no doubt that taking immigration power out of the hands of governments and handing it to doctors is a retrograde step. The independents have ruled the day. The ironical part about all of this is that Kerryn Phelps, Julia Banks and Cathy McGowan will all most likely be gone after the election. What a tattered legacy they will have left behind.

Peter D. Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

Spare a thought for poor Bill Shorten. Here he is, desperately trying to become prime minister and he's got a room full of screaming toddlers to deal with: the hard Left in Labor, the Greens, the unions, Kerryn Phelps and GetUp, all wrapped around his legs, demanding his attention.

Dale Ellis, Innisfail, Qld

The medical activists and their attempts at political involvement in the Manus Island shambles have done great damage to the reputation and image of the medical profession. They would be better off sticking to their knitting and returning to personal obscurity and medicine.

(Dr) Richard Tomlins, Bundaberg, Qld

Derryn Hinch must also believe in the tooth fairy if he believes the incoming Greens/Labor/CFMEU/GetUp government will not, within six months, simply extend the medivac legislation to all new boat people, genuine refugees and economic upgraders alike. How can he be complicit in the resumption of human trafficking and the inevitable deaths at sea of innocent children?

John Shailer, East Lindfield, NSW