Wooing Chinese voters would be helped with a Lambing Flat memorial

Kevin Rudd speaking in Mandarin to woo Chinese voters gathered in cosy Chinese restaurants, in five Chinese-prominent electorates, is a little crude if not culturally insensitive (“Rudd rallies Labor’s lost Chinese votes”, 1/5). If Labor was fair dinkum, it should not have given Jason Yat-sen Li — born in Australia and a splendidly worthy candidate by any measure — the unwinnable third spot on its Senate ticket for NSW. Talk is cheap, especially when Chinese pay for the privilege of listening to a saviour. I suspect not a few might be persuaded if Labor should commit to a memorial to the Lambing Flat attacks to demonstrate its genuine desire to wipe the White Australia slate clean.

Chek Ling, Corinda, Qld

As Kevin Rudd beamed on voters in marginal NSW seats I couldn’t help recalling his visit to a New York strip club in days gone by. Like Steve Dickson, Rudd was apologetic when the news leaked in 2007 — but his approval ratings didn’t waver and no one suggested he should resign.

Roslyn Phillips, Tea Tree Gully, SA

Party out of control

I think it’s about time that Pauline Hanson hung up her boots. She is the leader of a party over which she has no apparent control. It is filled with men who are among the worst excuses for manhood to infest a bona fide political party. They are sleazy opportunists who have no respect for women in general, and Hanson in particular.

Hanson is a woman of conviction who made these mens’ careers possible. The sooner they are excised from the body politic, the better.

Brian Sanaghan, West Preston, Vic

I can well imagine Pauline Hanson is sick of it. But guess what? I am sick of what is going on with this election. I am sick of candidates promising us the world without having any idea of how they are going to fund it. I am sick of the lies and misrepresentations thrown in our faces on a daily basis. And I am sick of listening to candidates slander each other.

Glenys Clift, Toowoomba, Qld

Crisis point for rugby

The chickens are coming home to roost for Rugby Australia. After it violated Israel Folau’s right to free speech and treated his religious beliefs with contempt, other Pacific Island players are now threatening to make themselves unavailable for Wallaby selection.

I hope RA realises the way forward is to be truly inclusive and to treat all its players with tolerance and respect.

Tim Tunbridge, Collaroy, NSW

The Israel Folau fallout is an interesting social-attitude windvane indicating changes in social morality. The correct and righteous are those who uphold and espouse views or behaviour once excluded from the realm of normalcy, while views based on religious moral teaching, or views that go against the prevailing social morality, are treated as akin to a mortal sin, their proponents vilified.

At least, wherever we stand on the morality spectrum, we can be thankful that people are not crucified, burnt at the stake, stoned or beheaded for their views. Well, not yet.

Deborah Morrison, Malvern East, Vic

Lesson from Japan

The discussion of how retiring Japanese emperor Akihito’s emphasis on peace changed Japan is a reminder of how a focus on values can have a positive effect on a nation.

Australia has been searching for an identity since colonial times but even the republic movement foundered with a confused referendum in 1999. That confusion still reigns.

Japan has values and they’re steaming ahead. Even the US has values underlying its free-enterprise system. We must develop ours if we are to be a unified and successful nation.

Darian Hiles, Adelaide, SA