Ross Gittins may well bemoan the “era of gutless government”, but perhaps he should direct his criticism to the people responsible, the electors of Australia (“Era of gutless government is here”, December 11). Labor has never forgotten the 2019 election at which it offered extensive reform in a number of areas including overdue tax reform but the “gutless” electorate delivered Scott Morrison, the leader of possibly the worst government of all time. Albanese achieved government with a softly-softly, uninspiring approach, then spent a considerable amount of political capital on the failed Voice referendum, hence his caution about change. The Australian electorate is not one for extensive change but seemingly prefers to react to the negatives of an increasingly shrill Coalition with no policies and even less leadership. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne
Era of gutless government Credit: Simon Letch
You know you’re not getting bang for your vote when politicians shamelessly prioritise their parties over their so-called policy positions, those policies being the reason most people voted them into government. It is rare for a politician or a political party to take a position, hold the line and lose the fight with dignity. Ross Gittins is right. Lyn Savage, Coogee
Ross Gittins’ disappointment in the Albanese government is shared by many. With their election, there was the opportunity for substantial action on climate change. While the rollout of renewables and associated reduction in coal-fired power generators has progressed, the growth in our fossil fuel exports has continued unabated. With the prospect of a Labor defeat at next year’s election, the hope is that the teals and Greens are able to hold the balance of power. Otherwise, Dutton will remove support for renewables and ensure protracted exploitation of fossil fuels with his costly long term government-funded nuclear project. Roger Epps, Armidale
To say that the Labor government has been unimpressive is an understatement. We know that the Liberal Party cannot do any better as they have proven over the last decade while in power. Both parties remain tied to the fossil fuel industry and are greenwashing us all into believing they can tackle our climate issues. Both parties tell us what we want to hear during the pre-election but both are not able to deliver while in power. It’s time all Australians look to the Greens as an alternative who may be able to shake things up and achieve some positive outcomes for the planet. Daniela Catalano, Haberfield
Gittins concludes that our duopoly effectively dictates the course of government, fully justifying Simon Holmes à Court’s push for an increase in independents. What does it matter if the ALP or Coalition lose the balance of power in parliament and have to debate legislature rigorously to convince the independents? Thankfully the ALP’s bill to reform election fundraising – a “thinly disguised plot to knock out Clive Palmer and the teals’ funding from Climate 200 while ignoring the political duopoly’s funding from the unions and big business” – failed. Phil Schmidt, Newrybar
Australia’s economic position reflects political decisions taken across decades, including the Howard government’s introduction of middle-class welfare. Howard also enlisted Australia in the Iraq and Afghan wars, costing Australia billions of dollars. In 2013, at the Rudd government’s handover to Tony Abbott, post-GFC debt was $250 billion. As of 2022, after nine years of Coalition government, debt had blown out to a trillion dollars.
This was certainly not all COVID-19 related. Yet there was nothing concrete to show for it, not even an effective energy or climate change policy taken to the 2022 election. Under PM Scott Morrison and treasurer Josh Frydenberg, businesses which didn’t qualify for almost $30 billion in JobKeeper funding were able to keep that money, increasing the national debt. While the Coalition seemed most engaged in factional infighting, Australia, its economy and its climate challenges atrophied. The Albanese government has repaired substantial damage, including to trade relations with China impaired by Morrison and Dutton. Barbara Chapman, South Yarra (Vic)
Unfortunately, as we have seen in other countries, there is a problem with voting out a “not good enough” government if the only alternative is a “not even trying to be good enough” government. Bronwyn Bryceson, Mangerton
Lesson for Dutton
Very disappointing to hear about another great and hardworking Liberal politician, Paul Fletcher, leaving politics (“Retiring MP Paul Fletcher continues attack on teals”, smh.com.au. December 11). He works tirelessly across the Bradfield community. Maybe it’s time for Peter Dutton to reflect on matters and to start discussions on serious issues that concerns and impacts Australians, rather than making attention-seeking noise! Susan Chan, St Ives
Paul FletcherCredit: Louie Douvis
Paul Fletcher was quoted this morning as saying that “we had one period of minority government, 2010 to 2013, and that was a very bad, chaotic period”. In fact, there were 570 bills passed by the Senate under PM Julia Gillard, including the Gonski education funding, the NDIS, the child abuse royal commission, rollout of the NBN, implementing a carbon pricing scheme via the Clean Energy Act, a revised Mineral Resources Rent Tax, a budget surplus in 2012-2013 following the GFC, and paid parental leave, just to name just a few. If the period seemed “chaotic” it was due to the extreme negativity of Tony Abbott, whom Peter Dutton appears to be mimicking. The misogyny she suffered was disgraceful and showed that, like now, nothing is too low for the Coalition to say or do in their desperation to regain power. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
As an Elizabeth myself (with a different spelling) and happily married to Elisabeth Goodsall of Wahroonga’s son, I’ve always been delighted when my patients mistake me for her in your letters pages. But never have I been as thrilled about the confusion as I am now, after her sharp, eloquent take-down of Paul Fletcher. Her letter resonated with such wit and precision that it’s hard not to attribute at least some credit for Fletcher’s resignation to her pen. She has shown the true power of fearless and articulate commentary. Elizabeth Goodsall (II), Kotara
Australian legends
The late Maggie Tabberer is also notable for her friendship with film producer Jill Robb, who predeceased her (“Ageless style defied fashion industry’s career-limiting odds”, December 11). Maggie attended Jill’s model school in Adelaide and they both married car salesmen – Maggie, Charles Tabberer and Jill, Bob Dempster. But Adelaide couldn’t hold either of them. Jill got a job on a film, Dust in the Sun. When offering to help out in the production office, she said, “I can do 60 words a minute typing and 120 shorthand”. Her life in the film industry had begun. While Maggie’s career got a start with photographer Helmut Newton, and Maggie went on to become a fashion icon and household name, Jill produced award-winning films such as Careful, He Might Hear You, established Film Victoria, and sat on major industry boards such as the Australian Film Commission and Screen Australia. Jill became the SA Film Commission’s first head of marketing, helping to sell many of our early film treasures at the Cannes Film Festival. A fabulous pair of Australian women.
Sue Milliken, Queens Park
Jill Robb in 1983 as the producer of Careful, He Might Hear You.Credit: Syme International Productions
Farewell, Terry
Terry, I have enjoyed your restaurant reviews for many decades (Letters, December 11). However – please tell me that your partner Jill Dupleix is not retiring! What would I do without things like her wonderful basque cheesecake recipe which stunned our dinner guests? And being the worst cooker of rice in the world, tonight I am still using her instructions, published in Good Food a few years ago, “How to cook fluffy rice (no rice cooker required)”. Helen Atkins, Hamilton South
Ross MacPherson, Terry Durack has kept his “svelte figure” all these years because he listened to Jill Dupleix, as I did, and always left room for the scone! Ann Babington, Thornton
Health system sick
Last week my husband spent time in Bankstown Hospital after slipping and fracturing his lower vertebrae (“Hospitals ‘failing half of seriously ill patients’”, December 11). The ER was standing room only, most often with minor ailments, short stay was bed-locked, and the assessment ward was full of seriously ill patients, many with dementia. Those with serious emergencies and in pain were lost in the milieu. It is difficult to establish exactly where the system was failing, but it was failing. Until you are placed within the system as a patient and are ill, it is hard to understand. I suggest Ryan Park, doctors, nurses and other health professionals spend some time as a simulated patient, including overnight in an assessment ward, in an attempt to understand the conditions and the problems.
Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
Shame on Dutton
All those letter writers complaining about Dutton not wanting to stand in front of the Aboriginal flag are wasting their time (Letters, December 11). He is doing it for all those people out there who don’t give a hoot about that flag, climate change, multiculturalism, Aboriginal issues and LGBTQI issues. Those people only care about their hip pocket and hark back to a past when they considered life was not so complicated. If Dutton is able to attract a good number of them, he might be the next PM. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury
As Dutton limbos lower toward election 2025, we can only hope his divide and conquer political tactics will prove repellent to the Australian electorate. His latest pledge to remove the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags erases all hope that we can elevate debate and make progress toward overdue reconciliation in this country. Never has the job title “leader of the opposition” fit so snugly as it does with Peter Dutton. Janet Argall, Dulwich Hill
My thoughts, Stephane Kerr, on “just who does Peter Dutton stand for and represent?”, are that it is quite simple – with his constant negativity, shamelessness and disparaging remarks, it is himself. It is despicable and cringeworthy that he refuses to stand in front of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, especially as he is aiming to become our next prime minister. Shame on you, Peter Dutton. Christine Helby, Forbes
It’s funny that whenever I get enough reasons to not vote Liberal at the next election, Peter Dutton always manages to give me one more. Ray Smith, Guyra
Will potential PM Peter Dutton now promise on day one of his prime ministership to award King Charles an Order of Australia? Christopher Borton, Darling Point
I am pleased that Peter Dutton has taken the stance to appear in front of only the Australian flag. There has been a creeping undermining of Australia as one nation in past years. Anthony Albanese’s mealy-mouthed response to everything, the continuing rejection by some sections of the nation of the result of the recent referendum combined with the continuous “Welcome to Country” rituals have done more to divide the nation and create unsympathetic and disrespectful feelings towards our Indigenous population than Peter Dutton’s declaration of one flag. Susan Durman, Pyrmont
Stick to the job
Jayson Gillham is a remarkable pianist (“Artistic freedom must be protected and not silenced”, December 11). He is also an individual entitled to whatever views he wishes to hold. But let’s not conflate the two. If I were to go to the doctor or the hairdresser, I go to check my health or have my hair cut – not listen to their political views. If I go to his concerts I go to hear his music, not his political views. What’s the difference? Manuela Epstein, Pyrmont
Pianist Jayson GillhamCredit: Simon Schluter
Jayson Gillham says he felt the need to explain what the piece he was playing was about. He could have simply noted it was dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza. People have the right to attend a concert without having objectionable political propaganda shoved down their throats, and the MSO has the right to enforce that to protect its audience. How would Gillham like it if he turned on a news program and the host was playing the piano, badly? Danny Samuels Malvern (Vic)
Jayson Gilliam is a concert pianist according to his description. He was engaged by the MSO to play in a concert. The audience paid to hear the concert and not to listen to his political views. If he has strong political views it’s OK, but there are other platforms to air them. The MSO had the right to cancel his contract and it’s nothing to do with his freedom of speech. Judy Davies, Rose Bay
Poor policy
I once worked for the most respected insurance organisation in the country, the AMP (“The fantasy revenge of CEO’s killing”, December 11). It was part of our culture that the only reason we were in business was to pay claims. All AMP policyholders participated in the profits generated by the investments department. The actuaries ensured the correct balance between premiums and claims, and the claims division went out of its way to ensure the society’s raison d’etre was observed. This happened for the 150 years of its existence as a mutual society. Then came greed. Roger Hallett, Toowoomba (Qld)
Couldn’t agree more with Jenna Price. Personal experience of a third-party claim where an insurance company spent about a million dollars on surveillance and court action to avoid a payout of several thousand dollars makes me think that there must be untold numbers of dissatisfied, angry and worse, victims out there, willing to take similar action. Don Leayr, Albury
Trust eroded
I recommend to the organisers of the next CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) event that they ask Rupert Murdoch and Gina Rinehart to conduct a session on the theme of “How to develop happy family relationships” (“Empire’s fate cloudy after legal fight divides heirs”, December 11). It should attract a very large audience and media attention. Bill Johnstone, Blackheath
There is a beautiful irony in Rupert Murdoch taking a huge gamble on a trust case and losing the decision in Nevada. Tony Doyle, Fairy Meadow
Raising the bar
I love Wednesday’s paper: Jayson Gillham on his cancellation by the MSO, Jenna Price on the reactions to the murder of an insurance company CEO, and Elizabeth Knight on Murdoch’s failed attempt to change that irrevocable trust. Not to mention your leader on Dutton and the Aboriginal flag (and the many readers’ letters on that last subject). I worry about the future of newspapers, but this sort of writing gives one hope. Susan Jones, Hamilton
- To submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.
- The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.