There’s still unfinished business for Coalition after robo-debt

One didn’t have to be directly impacted by robo-debt to feel its impacts (“Robo-debt will haunt Libs, unless ...” , September 27). Imagine – a stubborn prime minister hell-bent on a self-idealised agenda, someone whopretended to have no accountability burying scrupulous public servants who were opposing it. We should never just ask, “Remember robo-debt?” On par with Malcolm Knox’s message, we ought to be entitled to also say, “Yeah, remember how Morrison, Tudge, Porter and Robert got kicked out of their broad church”. That would be leadership. And some peace for the masses. Ted Bush, North Epping

Malcolm Knox has examined the elephant in the room, the issue that haunts the current Liberal Party like no other. Robo-debt is, and will remain, the low act that destroyed the heart of the Liberals. To turn against Australia’s most vulnerable in this way is inexcusable. When Scott Morrison swore an oath as social services minister, accepting ministerial responsibility, he understood the onerous task ahead. Robo-debt became the vehicle for his rise in the Coalition cabinet, his opportunity to gain kudos as the “new welfare cop on the beat”. Everything he did after that was to gain the top job, consequences be damned. His lack of integrity and “Pontius Pilate” act to deny knowledge of the illegality of the scheme flew in the face of evidence before the Royal Commission. It is unlikely the Liberal Party will expel Morrison or Tudge because it is a party without heart or unity. Justice in this saga is illusive. Geoff Nilon, Mascot

Nail-gunned it again, Malcolm Knox. If that Christian happy-clapper ScoMo had thought to run the idea past “Jen and the girls” and, say, the Salvos, then robo-debt, that act of sheer bastardry, might never have condemned so many innocents to persecution. Kent Mayo, Uralla

Liberal governments have a particularly awful track record when it comes to honesty and integrity. Our cause of involvement in Vietnam, the fate of the original Medibank, the Tampa and “children overboard” incidents, the non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, the wheat board kickbacks saga, the “never-ever” GST, the dog-whistling and divisiveness over race and immigration, the hollow “no cuts to anything” election promises, the abandonment of the French submarine deal and the gaslighting over the seriousness of climate change are but a few. Add to that list the disgraceful and indefensibly callous robo-debt scheme, with the subsequent half-hearted remorse and non-existent consequences for the perpetrators, and a “gesture” of just expelling a handful of has-beens from the party doesn’t go anywhere near removing the continual taint. Contrition should be made of sterner stuff. Adrian Connelly, Springwood

Two outstanding articles in one day: Malcolm Knox on what’s wrong with the Liberal Party, and Peter Hartcher (“Aping Trump will slay Coalition”, September 27) on what’s wrong with Trump (how long the list is!). I’m waiting to see if the Libs have the courage to take Malcolm’s advice and expel Morrison and Tudge. Only then can we feel that Australia has a soul. Dick Barker, Epping

“After a royal commission, numerous other inquiries and legal cases, the government has offered a record $1.8 billion settlement” (Malcolm Knox). That is 1.8 billion reasons to vote against the Coalition until they accept responsibility and face consequences. Greg Bugden, Armidale

Unfortunately, robo-debt is not the first time a federal Liberal government has been responsible for pursuing a cohort of people falsely accused of being paid welfare payments they were not entitled to. In the early hours of April 1, 1978, the Commonwealth police raided the homes of 181 people, arresting and charging them with attempts to defraud the social security department with bogus invalid pension claims. The authorities asserted there would be at least a further 1000 arrested on similar charges, and within days hundreds of people in receipt of an invalid pension had it cancelled and were left with no payments for years. Every one of those charged and who had their pensions cancelled shared a common similarity – they were all migrants of Greek background living in Sydney, which was made public to the media. This resulted in calls from radio shock-jocks for a whole ethnic group to be deported and slandered with accusations they were crooks, bludgers and a burden to the country. Unlike the victims of robo-debt, there was no media investigation into the validity of the claims of a massive fraud, no royal commission to scrutinise why the then-government allowed it to continue, and no compensation settlement for all those Greek victims who, after several years at court, were found to be innocent of conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth; and, sadly, there were attempts at suicide, one successful. Only the term “Greek conspiracy” remains to be remembered. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury

PM our watchdog

Peter Hartcher manages to skewer both the opposition and Trump on policies and values (“Aping Trump will slay Coalition”, September 27). We can thank our lucky stars that we have a PM who will defend our interests and values at all costs. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

Witch trials relived

The accusation that censorship was instigated and primarily practised by the “left” has been trotted out again (“After celebrating censorship, left talks up free speech”, September 27). There can be censorship across the inevitably imprecise categories of left and right, but if we look at the traditional establishment as against “progressives”, censorship was certainly practised by the traditionals, with laws against blasphemy, sedition, “inappropriate” language and sexuality. Recently we have seen serious literature banned or attempts to remove books from libraries and schools in both Australia and the US by right-wing groups and governments, as well as attacks on anti-government protesters. Here, Stan Grant and Yassmin Abdel-Magied were not hounded out by the left. Trump’s US is now taking this to levels similar to the Salem witch trials. Al Svirskis, Mount Druitt

Pokie pull ignored

For those who cannot, or will not, recognise the problem that NSW has with its 88,000 pokies: substitute every face in the crowd at the NRL grand final with a pokie, and have another 5000 pokies queued up outside. More strength to ginger groups (“ALP big guns turn on their own over pokie reforms”, September 27). Col Shephard, Yamba

Enclaves of moneyed

While your correspondent (Letters, September 27) seems to think only the wealthy should be entitled to live in the city, surely he does not expect them to do the work that keeps it running? It is the cleaners, the garbos, the nurses and medical staff, and the teachers and transport workers, who keep the city running and often have to work antisocial hours. We cannot afford to make homes within reasonable commuting time of their workplaces unaffordable for them. Even people from Terrigal may need to use city hospitals, which are kept running by the underpaid. Jennifer Killen, St Peters

Remember sacrifice

National Police Remembrance Day (September 29) will be particularly difficult for the constabulary as they mourn the recent killing of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart in Victoria. Today provides a special opportunity to thank police, who run the risk of insult, injury or worse, and have the unenviable duty of attending all manner of tragic and stressful incidents. David D’Lima, Sturt (SA)

Teaching is all about the passion

Congratulations to Sienna Clarke (“A career in medicine lost out to lure of a classroom”, September 27) for choosing to go into teaching. Teaching is never about the money, nor the holidays, but about having a passion for helping others to learn. The best job anyone can have is when someone pays you to fulfil your passion – in Sienna’s case, it’s maths. She will get to pass on her knowledge and skills, while being paid to do it. And her whiteboard work is extremely neat. Better than I could ever do. Mia David, Wollongong

I wish Sienna all the success in the world in her chosen career. She is right when she says medicine can be attractive because of some perceived prestige, but it’s still a huge mountain to climb. After leaving school you will need (for most medical schools in Australia) a three- or four-year undergraduate degree, followed by four years of medicine and a compulsory intern year. Then you can start your training in either general practice or some other field, which will take a minimum of three years but more likely five or six. Only then can you start to practise in your chosen field. Most of your pals who left school with you are now classified as mid-career. It’s a hard road. Ross MacPherson, Seaforth

China fired up

Your correspondent (Letters, September 27) refers to “the situation should Australia follow the path advocated by Andrew Hastie and Matt Canavan for establishing coal-fired generators on the one hand, while China is switching to renewables on the other”. While China is promising to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels (although not to the extent planned by Australia), it is also continuing to build new coal-fired power stations, essentially to ensure it has sufficient baseload power to keep its economy functioning. A lesson in pragmatism which we would do well to consider if we want to maintain a stable electricity grid that meets the future needs of our burgeoning population. Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills

Nuclear fusion is the power source of the future – and always will be. It’s been 20 years from practicality for at least 40 years, to my memory. Let China waste its efforts on it, maybe that means it builds fewer subs and missiles. Andrew Taubman, Queens Park

Your correspondent seems excited by China’s “58 operating nuclear power plants” and “a further 30 under construction”. What he did not mention is that nuclear generates only 4.5 per cent of China’s electricity and that percentage is declining due to the growth in renewables. Also, China’s oldest nuclear power plants will reach end-of-life in the coming decade and the ones under construction will not be enough to replace them. Brendan Jones, Annandale

Eight examples

Thank you, Virginia Tapscott, for your balanced views on working and child-rearing (‴⁣⁣People don’t want to have this conversation‴⁣⁣ , September 27). In a world where the latest “-ism” and fad must, according the various promoters, be slavishly followed, most of us carry on a life which acknowledges others but does not necessarily conform to the ideas of increasingly bellicose groups. My (dare I say, handsome) wife has managed to raise eight children, during which time she endeavoured to be at home for their formative and our chaotic years, while our house slowly attained a second storey. This didn’t stop her from attaining two degrees, as well as another later one, along with a diploma, and having paid work, sometimes part-time. Our beloved children, now grown up, appreciate their upbringing of encouraging curiosity, music and the arts in general, engineering technology and an appreciation of all sorts of non-aggressive people, no matter their social, religious, financial or gender situation. Our family views hardliners, left, right or looney, who try to regiment society into their narrow outlook, as irrelevant to a lovely, real life. Here’s to you, Virginia. Donald Hawes, Peel

Cash campaign

I hear you, fellow correspondents (Letters, September 27). Should contributors like us join forces in a campaign to go back to using cash, and starve out card providers? There’s no need for a campaign, just individual action to boycott their services. Seppo Ranki, Glenhaven

Family lessons

What a beautiful soul Millie Muroi has (“We can learn from Japan’s ageing society and my 99-year-old grandpa”, September 27). The empathy she displayed when she visited and spoke to and about her grandfather was inspirational. I was moved to tears. In an ageing world where longevity is due to better hygiene, better food and medical intervention, the knowledge and experiences of older people should be harnessed, valued and respected. All families take heed – read this article. Do not discard your parents and grandparents. All levels of governments should also read this article and learn from it. Nursing homes should not be purgatories where people are simply awaiting their end. Rita Zammit, Concord

Love, Joy, Connection is shown in the photo of Millie Muroi and her 99-year-old grandpa. She hopes Australians will value older people and assist them to keep active in their chosen ways. My grandparents died young, in their twenties, from pneumonia and heart problems. I have always felt a loss and envied others who had this special relationship. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong

Flower power

I read that the Trumpians are willing to be nice to us if we hand over supplies of the rare earth germanium (“Rare earths Australia’s ace in critical Trump talks”, September 27). Does anyone want to be in a sting to sell them geraniums instead? I’ve got plenty. Michael Donnolley, Kyogle

Ukes take a bagging

I refer to the Letters Postscript (September 27) and “The main ire was against ukuleles, which brought a fresh round of pro-ukulele letters. And the cycle continues.” Bagpipers and the lovers of bagpipe music have probably breathed a sigh of relief. Denis Cartledge, Tenterfield

May I remind the ukulele lovers that the Australian people rejected the uke, and its owner, in the 2022 election? Vijay Randev, Stanwell Park

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