‘Shouty’ Greens a party of agitated activists

Henry Ergas’s pertinent sentiments regarding the extreme ideology of the Greens demonstrates why he is something of an elder statesman of Australian journalism (“It’s time for Labor to junk the crazed Greens”, 20/9). It seems remarkable to say so, but it is almost possible to feel a modicum of sympathy for Bob Brown, for his traditionally environmental movement is now so dominated by the self-righteous ramblings of shouty, socially agitated activists.

The metaphor that comes to mind with the party’s endless barrage of demands for retrospective apologies, accessible suicide, super taxes, the removal of statues, the changing of municipal names and its demonisation of Israel is that of a child consistently picking at a scab and not letting it heal. Whether the issue be nuclear concerns, parental rights, the Lord’s Prayer in parliament, economic parity, gender issues or now the aftermath of October 7, the Greens have shown themselves to be a political movement of perpetual malcontents, spurred on by an assumed moral superiority.

They champion a vision for Australia underpinned by grievance and ungratefulness. Indeed, they are a direct threat to the civil pillars of our nation. What is most remarkable in recent months is that despite the dedication of this movement to equality for the LGBT+ community and stamping out racism, they have shown themselves to be openly hostile to the only nation within the Middle East where a gay pride rally is openly organised and celebrated without fear of persecution. Here’s the rub: if the Greens MPs are so ashamed of our past and our national identity, they should either renounce their citizenship or, at the very least, as they have sworn allegiance to the British sovereign, they should refuse to be handsomely paid through the Westminster system while concurrently decimating our Australian flag and all it encapsulates.

Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn, Vic

The host-versus-parasite analogy by Henry Ergas in regards to Labor and the Greens is exactly right. The Labor Party is snookered. The Greens have changed from tree-hugging environmentalists to extreme racketeers. Meanwhile, Labor is seriously adrift from its natural habitat.

Biting the business hand that feeds, pandering to minorities and fence-sitting has left the party in a parlous position. One can only hope this conflicting relationship will eventually ruin both combatants akin to Kilkenny cats.

Gabrielle Baker, Carina, Qld

Miles scare campaign

The Queensland Premier, in a most desperate attempt to cling to power, has gone all-in with two well-known electioneering chestnuts – fear and abortion (“Miles in abortion attack on Crisafulli”, 20/9). In a perfect world no one would want to see an abortion but we do not live in a perfect world and the best we can hope for is to heed the words of Bill Clinton when he said abortion should be “safe, legal and rare”.

David Crisafulli has made it clear that there will be absolutely no change to the current abortion legislation. He needs to continue to make this very clear to the voters and not allow Miles’s fear campaign to become successful like Labor’s Mediscare campaign a few federal elections ago. Miles will continue to sow fear within Queensland communities and it is up to Crisafulli and his team to continually knock this on its head.

This is little more than a distraction. The abortion debate in Queensland is done and dusted. Attention now should concentrate on easing the burden of the ever increasing cost of living. Unfortunately for ordinary Queenslanders, the well-heeled populace in the inner-city suburbs are not affected by this cost and will continue to vote Labor, Greens and now teals.

Peter D. Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

Labor abstention from UN vote ‘troubling’

Setting aside the fact Labor’s abstention on the UN vote regarding Israel undermines Australia’s longstanding bipartisan policy, it also sends a troubling message to our key ally and AUKUS partner, the US. One might expect the government to heed the advice from Washington.

While Penny Wong may express disappointment with the vote, many Australians are likely dismayed that Labor appears to prioritise inner-city electorates with their Muslim and Green presence over sound foreign policy. If a crisis arises over Taiwan or another location in the Indo-Pacific, will this Labor government show the same disregard for our AUKUS partnership?

John Kempler, Rose Bay, NSW

The recent abstention of our government at the UN vote on “Palestine”, so harmful to Israel’s survival, is another step towards the extinction of Israel, the only democratic land in a sea of dictatorships. It shows Labor’s true colour and is another example where “morality” is sacrificed for an additional “1 per cent of their votes”.

Michael Adler, Mt Waverly, Vic