ANTHONY Albanese said recently that "I believe it [politics] is an honourable profession".
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All Australians would like "honourable politicians", at all levels of government: Federal, state and local, but particularly at the federal level, which is definitely on the nose at present. Many of us think that the term "honourable politician" is an oxymoron, i.e., there is no such thing. Why is this?
I am sure that nearly all people who enter politics have honourable intentions. But in order to become elected as a political candidate by their local party branch, they soon find that they need to join a faction and possibly organise a bit of branch stacking. Having won preselection as a candidate, they will need campaign money from financial backers to run for parliament. If their party is in government, and they are trying to win a marginal seat, they may rely on pork-barrelled money to win the seat. After they are elected, especially if their party is in government, elected politicians will need to do "favours" for their financial backers.
There are individual politicians who are incorruptible and honourable, and who work hard for their constituents. But the way political parties operate could easily give rise to dishonourable politicians. How many politicians end up beholden to their financial backers rather than their constituents?
Australia needs reform in the way people become politicians, and the way political campaigns for individual politicians and parties are financed. Australia needs to criminalise branch stacking and pork-barrelling. Once acceptable and unacceptable political practices have been established, we need an anti-corruption body to enforce these standards. Bring on a federal ICAC with teeth! Maybe then we will have more honourable politicians.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Labor dominance to our detriment
THIS is my view for those, living in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley regions, voting in this most critical forthcoming federal election.
Our regions, since federation (120 years now), have been Labor strongholds, and I must say to our collective detriment. Therefore, Labor can safely be put somewhere near the bottom without adverse effect. The Greens, a dangerous and, really not a proven legitimate political party, should be placed similarly.
A "protest" vote, against the major parties, at No.1 spot, say perhaps a minor party or independent, who in all probability won't get a guernsey, but their preferences will determine the election result. So the most effective vote is who you put in at No.2, a major party preferably, so there's some stability and predictability in who forms government.
Allan Searant, Charlestown
Leopard won't change its spots
SCOTT Morrison started his campaign saying you didn't have to like him, but you knew who he was. Now he's saying he can pretend to be someone else, if it will make you like him.
With the country facing a multitude of challenges, all he's offering is to change his personality. He wants another term as Prime Minister - not because it's a great deal for us - but because, he says, he's "just warming up". After four years. It's all nonsense of course. He will never change. In fact, if he's re-elected, he'll be worse, because it will confirm in his mind he can get away with virtually anything. The bullying, hypocrisy, fibbing, fudging, fumbling, blame shifting, incompetence, and failing to rise to the occasion will all get worse.
The only way to end it is to vote him out.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Our coal just a drop in the ocean
HELP! The sky is falling! Climate change - the end of the planet! This is all we hear from the "Climate 200" teals, and of course, the unhinged Greens.
Here are the facts; around the world there are now over 3700 coal-fired power stations, with a further 1800 or more under construction. This will give us over 5600 of them. And our two groups think that if we close our six coal stations we will be saving the planet.
Grow up! China and India will have over 4500 between them. Until these two change their policy, whatever we do means nothing.
Don Fraser, Belmont North
China following US-UK lead
PERHAPS it's time for a bit of reverse scaremongering. Let's regard Peter Dutton's announcement of the presence of the Chinese ship near WA.
Firstly, timing. I thought this government didn't want to talk publicly about "on water" matters. To make these statements about this ship in the last week of an election campaign is grubby politics and unnecessarily provocative to the Chinese. Does anyone think we haven't been monitoring this ship for the last couple of months? This ship has not entered our territorial waters, what's the big deal? Do you think China and other countries like Russia have not carried out similar surveillance for at least the last 50 years? How is it all right for Mr Dutton to send our ships into an exclusion zone in the South China Sea, but it's not OK for them to do the same?
Secondly, this whole campaign about China, by this government, is exaggerated, grossly hypocritical and ultimately dangerous.The Chinese are taxing our barley and wine, so what? We should compensate those producers, while we find new markets and move on.
Name me one thing, Mr Dutton, the Chinese have done recently that the UK and the USA haven't done to us before. If you want your children to be conscripted into a catastrophic conflict that may be avoidable, then vote these clowns in again.
Tony Emanuel, Pomona
Eye-opening trip on highway
WE have just returned from a trip to the Gold Coast. What an engineering masterpiece the new Pacific Highway is compared to what it used to be.
We did the run from Warners Bay to Burleigh Heads in just eight hours, including two five-minute pit stops and a lunch stop without breaking any speed limits, and exactly the same on the trip home.
The only complaints I have are the number of drivers who sit in the outside lane doing 100km/h or less in a 110km/h zone, including P-platers who are limited to either 90km/h or 100km/h and really should know better than to hold up other drivers.
The other annoyance I found is where there are roadworks and the speed limit drops down to as low as 40km/h and there is no sign to say "end of roadworks" and a sign indicating the back to normal speed limit when it is obvious the roadworks have finished.
How fortunate we are down here not to have suffered the flood damage that occurred up north. There would be lucky to be 20 shops open in Lismore CBD. Lismore Square shopping centre is no more and the number of empty houses that had water in them up to the second storey ceiling is unbelievable.
Ballina seems okay, but Byron Bay also has quite a number of empty shops due to flooding.
Let's just hope these poor people can get back on their feet soon and resume a normal life again.
Ian King, Warners Bay
SHORT TAKES
THERE is a saying that countries get the governments they deserve. On that basis, I reckon Australia deserves a bad government. It seems to me that most Australians are too apathetic, too ready to hitch onto short-term populist spruiking, and too susceptible to scare campaigns. Consequently, governments dare not implement any big picture innovations that would have long-term benefit. We talk about teal-coloured candidates, but I'm more concerned about our underwhelming beige governments.
Tony Ryan, Merewether
I JUST wanted to write and thank you for the story published regarding the "Vote the Majors Last" rally at the Foreshore, ("'Positive change' push", Herald, 16/5). From what I understand, from those I have met, this was a well balanced and pretty accurate description of the concerns of many people in the area (some of whom attended the rally). There seems to be a growing groundswell of opinion that none of the four major parties (Lib/Nat, Lab/Greens) really have our best interest at heart.
Kat Baker, Lambton
TO retain power all political parties use the same strategy. Keep people poor, i.e. do not support a living wage. Keep people sick i.e. underfund health e.g. hospitals, mental health care, aged care and of great importance preventive medicine. Keep them stupid i.e. underfund education especially TAFE. Australia's only real wealth is its people. And as an afterthought forget about women (at their peril). Is this political plan one you will support for the future of your country i.e. you children and the generations to come? Remember those who sell the panic also try to sell you the cure.
Arthur George, Adamstown Heights
AS of May 9, we have been allowed to pre-poll. For those of us who have, we're fulfilling a legal requirement to vote. So my question is, why is it necessary for some electoral officials to ask why we're pre-polling? It's no one's business but my own.
Andy Ward, Newcastle
THIRTY-ONE times ScoMo instructed the Coalition to vote down an ICAC in the federal ranks. Could there be a rat hiding under our doorsteps?
Gary Hayward, Cardiff
SCOMO, in my opinion, came to power for things he wasn't. The Libs elected him leader because he wasn't Peter Dutton, and he was voted in at his first election because he wasn't Bill Shorten. I think it's fitting he is now voted out for what he wasn't. To me, the fact he wasn't prepared to take responsibility for the shortcomings of his administration. We need to start focusing on what people are rather than what they are not.
Ian Osborne, Rathmines
FIND a place to put a 'y' in the word bulldozer?