Best of your comments on The Australian this week

Malcolm Turnbull listens intently as his deputy Barnaby Joyce speaks at the Liberal National Party state conference in Brisbane last weekend. Photo: AAP

Hello readers and welcome to the column that curates the best of your comments from the week that was. Prepare to engage...

Comment of the week, among the 232 comments and counting inspired by Niki Savva’s analysis on why, unlike the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce will never be BFFs, came from Phil, inspiring 55 likes from fellow readers:

“Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Turnbull will never be buddies now that the PM has lurched to the left; blaming Abbott for the party disunity shows just how hypocritical the Liberal left is. The disunity began when 54 senators and MPs led by a duplicitous deputy elevated Turnbull because they thought his pre-elevation polling guaranteed their job security proving that the party room is no different to the Labor caucus. It’s the remnants of the perfidious 54 who are now the left of the party who are the problem not Abbott.

‘Horse says you are a spirit walker. A man who cannot be killed in battle’. Eric Lobbecke

“Christopher Pyne opened a can of worms when he claimed that the left of the party had won the factional war; the truth is that the left of the party has morphed into a fifth column at the heart of the Liberal Party and is destroying the brand with their lurch to the left. Furthermore, Mr Pyne’s claim that the plebiscite on marriage equality could be dumped confirms just how traitorous Turnbull’s left supporters really are ...

“Mr Turnbull’s claim that he intends to be PM for a very long time is on very shaky ground indeed because he’s lost Abbott voters, lost parents of Catholic schools, lost a heap of married heterosexual couples who object to being vilified by pro-SSM politicians and lost a swag of retirees who object to the Treasurer making retrospective changes to Centrelink payments after they had planned their retirement budgets on conditions that had been established for years.”

Nico summed thing up more succinctly, summoning Cervantes’ original odd couple:

“It’s more like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, particularly after his new Homeland ministry which no expert endorses. Windmills all the way and not those that make electricity.”

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The redoubtable Richo had all hands on deck with his opinion piece on how new Liberal president Nick Greiner’s bid to mend fences between Turnbull and Abbott was destined to be deep-sixed. Charles earned 49 likes with his mixed nautical metaphors:

“Greiner can rearrange as many deck chairs as he likes. He can even have a love-in with Abbott and Turnbull. It won’t change the facts, that Turnbull and his policies are utterly repugnant to most long term Liberal supporters, and most have jumped ship taking their donations, their support and their volunteering experience with them.

Political wizards or walking the plank? Eric Lobbecke

“If Turnbull gets out of the way maybe it can be saved, but the Turnbull shipworms are still on board, and now deep into the hull planking. Even the rats don’t seem to have woken up to the situation, but I’m betting there will be some energetic jumping over the side at the eleventh hour.

The shoals and rapids of the election will finish the job and HMS Turnbull will go down with all hands.”

Ken, too, thought things were less than shipshape at on board the SS Libs:

“It is a pity to see Dutton allowing himself to be persuaded by Turnbull to join the crew of the ship sinking under his command. As a previous Liberal voter of 40 years I can’t wait to see that ship sink beneath the waves.”

Jim, meantime, earned 50 likes recalling an encounter with the Libs’ Great Helmsman:

“Back in late 1992, I had been preselected as the Liberal candidate for the 1993 Federal Election ... I attended a Shadow Cabinet after a function in Queensland and was introduced to each of the shadow ministers. They all told me how wonderful they were and what they were doing, except one. This small, bespectacled guy ... simply wanted to know how he could help me and my campaign. I was staggered. Naturally, it was John Howard.”

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The Greens’ fake senators scandal elicited plenty of light and heat, with many readers believing the not-actually-senators should be made to pay back their perks. Wrote Kevin:

“People I know have been chased mercilessly by Centrelink for as little as $3000, even if it was a Centrelink mistake in the first place that caused the discrepancy. Seems like there is one rule for politicians and one for the little people. That never ends well.”

From Ian:

“If I, as an old age pensioner fall foul of Centrelink for whatever reason, I would have to repay all monies I was not entitled to! They should be made to pay it all back. Obviously not in one lump sum (who could?) but through some type of time payment.”

Troubled waters: Greens Senator Larissa Waters (left) listens to Brisbane City Councillor Jonathan Sri speaking to the media after she announced her resignation in Brisbane on Tuesday. Picture: AAP

From Brian:

“When (Larissa) Waters became a senator she spent $400,000 of taxpayers money to redecorate her office in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington. The snouts in the trough with many parliamentarians is offensive, we only need to think of SHY’s taxpayer-funded whale watching family holiday as reported last week. When most welfare recipients or employees are overpaid, even public employees, there is usually an attempt made to get that money back. The snowflakes and princesses of the Greens Party should not be exempt from this.”

And from Richard:

“Come on Mr Di Natale. Both these senators have made false declarations; innocently perhaps, but not necessarily — at the very least negligence is at play with both false declarations.

Centrelink would not forgive debts in these circumstances.”

Court jester James Jeffrey noted in his Strewth column how Brisbane Greens councillor and slam poet Jonathan Sri was auctioning off his rainbow scarf to raise money for the homeless. This prompted more Green rage, with Beverley noting:

“The people who vote for the Greens who want to feel all warm and fuzzy inside by just putting a tick on a piece of paper once every three years.”

To which Ken replied:

“You can achieve the same nice warm feeling by peeing down your leg.”

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Janet Albrechtsen tapped into a tsunami of Trumpian tirades with her column suggesting the free world leader and man-tanned fan of the female form had been playing the media like a Stradivarius. For Stephen, everything was coming up trumps:

“Behind the bluster Trump is quietly changing America — unemployment is trending towards 4pc, the stock market is at record high, Obama’s stifling regulations are being dismantled and business confidence is high, the US abundance of cheap energy is being utilised, a more pragmatic stance on climate change/renewables has been adopted, a huge military force has been moved offshore to Nth Korea under China’s nose and clear progress is being made in Iraq and

Syria and other parts of the Middle East. Most important a black letter judge has been appointed to the Supreme Court, with probably more to follow — this is already showing dividends.

Trumps achievements are going to be more obvious as time goes by. Impeachment is a nonsense.”

Air on a G-string: Eric Lobbecke

Andrew begged to differ:

“It’s like coming home and noticing my six-year-old boy has scribbled all over the feature wall in indelible ink and proclaiming his Jackson Pollock-like genius.”

Mary earned 46 likes for her say:

“Gratifying to see the pompous, born-to-rule media constantly ranting on the periphery of the playing field because their self-anointed as opposed to appointed players are overlooked or their well-worn and unreviewed shibboleths ignored. It is a delight to see them banded together in mutual disbelief and abandonment.”

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State of Origin repercussions are still rumbling as calls for Blues coach Laurie Daley’s head grew louder in the wake of the Booze Brothers incident. Says Les:

“The cultural divide between Qld and NSW is massive. Going out drinking before a game or arguing with the coach about where you are to be played would not be tolerated in the Qld camp, you would just be asked to leave regardless of how good a footballer you are ... until NSW gets to understand that they will never beat Queensland.”

Booze brothers: Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan. Picture: Getty Images

Ripostes conspiracy-theorist and bruised blue Stephen:

“What a lot of rubbish. Laurie Daley is not the problem. It was obvious in the 2nd Origin game that the referees made up the 2nd half to be a soft as possible on Queensland to make way for the 3rd money-making game in Queensland. Rugby league is engineered to make money, not refereed to the rules ... Fake game, fake rules and it’s all about ratings and money are destroying the game I have followed for 60 years. LD is a straight shooter and should stay and insist that the game is played on its merits with real rules.”

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You’re so vein: Tour de France rider and legs

Honourable mention goes to William for his left-field take on the rather gross photograph of a Tour de France rider’s legs revealing the brutal reality of the great race:

“Cook slowly for 120 minutes in a medium oven, basting with olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper, garlic and rosemary. Increase oven heat to high for 10 minutes before removing from heat and standing to relax for 20 minutes. Serve on warm plates with roasted vegetable, natural gravy and a tangy mint sauce. Dog will enjoy the bones.”

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And finally, Margaret’s reaction to this column’s debut last week raised a smile:

“Are we entering some kind of vortex: commenting on a commentary on comments. It’s all too much.”

Each Friday the cream of your views on the news rises and we honour the voices that made the debate great. To boost your chances of being featured, please be pertinent, pithy and preferably make a point. Solid arguments, original ideas, sparkling prose, rapier wit and rhetorical flourishes may count in your favour. Civility is essential. Comments may be edited for length.