Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Saturday’s class action headline shows precisely what is wrong with the Liberal party (“ Furious Libs seek class action” , August 17). Suing their own machine for not doing what they should have done themselves anyway.
Strewth, some are complaining of lost councillors’ fees. I want no councillor who is there for the fees – there are far too many career politicians already. The debacle is simply the latest example of the incompetence that blighted the NSW government.
Massive cost overruns, planning failures, apparent corruption in some processes, iCare, the great toll road rip-off, unseaworthy ferries ...
the list is long. Jock Webb, Narromine Government in training. Credit: Alan Moir As reported, the omitted candidates are seeking damages for lost earnings.
Perhaps this preoccupation with financial rewards – coupled with party aspirations – shows the shallow commitment these people offer those they wish to represent. Surely a claim for damages for professional negligence or breach of party rules and procedures would have been more appropriate? Adrian Bell, Davistown How things have changed. In the former Pittwater Council, councillors may have had political affiliations, but in general, ratepayers voted for the individual who promised to address areas of concern.
Now, as a casualty of the Liberals-forced amalgamation into mega-Northern Beaches Council, Pittwater ratepayers are expected to vote for a political party. Sue Martin, Clareville Nothing screams privilege and an attitude of “born to rule” quite like suing the electoral commission because you felt doing some basic paperwork on time was beneath you (“ Libs lose last-ditch bid over elections ”, The Sun-Herald , August 18). Suck it up.
Peter Fyfe, Enmore I am no fan of the Liberal Party, but I do believe in democracy. The failure to register their candidates in the upcoming council elections was unforgivable and those responsible need to be sacked for their incompetence. However, those candidates who won pre-selection and put their names forward in good faith should, in my view, be allowed to contest the election.
There are times when common sense should take place over a rigid application of an arbitrary rule. To do otherwise could be seen as pettiness. Robert Hickey, Green Point I read with interest the state Liberal Party’s plan to take the electoral commissioner to court if he does not grant a seven-day extension to allow them lodge the missed nominations thus repairing their own self-inflicted injury.
If this is not granted (as it shouldn’t be) can we expect Trumpian demonstrations with mobs storming various council chambers chanting “the election was stolen”? Richard Watson, Pyrmont You’d think the gross incompetence that has left the Liberal Party without candidates in so many local government areas would be a humbling experience for the party, and perhaps lead to a period of reflection, and a resolve to do better next time. But no, you’d be wrong. Apparently the party of law and order, lifters and leaners, is considering suing the Electoral Commission for not bending the rules to accommodate them.
This will do wonders for their public image as born-to-rule, above-the-law, privileged private schoolboys. Richard Mason, Newtown Could the media in general please finally stop repeating the phrase of the Liberals being the better mangers of taxpayer funds and the economy in general? As this fiasco continues, and we now read of a class action against the Liberal leadership, it has been interesting to watch the scrambling around the legal table to regain lost councillor fees. The refund of nomination fees is fair enough, but I am yet to see the leadership and members, who will not appear on ballot papers, really address the fact that it will not be possible for Liberal voters to select their candidate at the ballot box.
There has been no real apology for this fact. Pursuing the money is more important than providing a voice for voters. I am keenly awaiting the next part of this story as the Liberals attack themselves over this issue.
I am even more intrigued to see what ballot papers in these electorates will look like as well as hearing interviews from Liberal voters as they leave the polling stations having no option to select their preferred candidates because they aren’t on the ballot paper. These ballot papers should be collectors’ items. The stories in paper on the Sunday morning after this election will be fascinating.
Robert Mulas, Corlette Ah, now I get it. The as-yet-unelected furious councillors have a claim for missing out on their fees, not for their inability to serve the broader community. Nick Walker, Springwood The word “omnishambles” comes to mind in relation to the Liberal Party council nominations fiasco.
Sue Ellis, Umina Beach I am delighted by Senator Fatima Payman’s honesty and I thank her (“ Rebel Payman has alarmingly poor grasp of role as senator ”, August 17). It takes a lot of work to fully understand proposed legislation. I remember Peter Andren, then independent member for Calare, saying that parliamentarians from all parties would ask him to explain the details of legislation they were preparing to vote on.
They knew he would have done the research. Money to pay research staff for independent members of parliament is well spent. Catherine Errey, Mortdale Newly independent senator Fatima Payman has discovered the price of defying the Albanese government and crossing the floor.
She finds herself without the resources that are available to members who stay within the fold. She now has to ask the prime minister for extra staff to help her consider legislation before she votes and may be forced to abstain through lack of information. The question is whether he will be prepared to go out of his way to help someone who has left the party.
Ian Adair, Hunters Hill Credit: David Rowe Of course, anyone who has a strong moral conscience and a dedicated work ethic, would be concerned about the lack of resources and supporting staff, which are creating barriers to achieving a successful and valuable role as a senator in the federal parliament. I recall senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie claiming in the early stages that their work was hampered by exactly the issues Senator Payman asserts are impeding her work. Her concerns indicate her integrity and desire to treat the role with great diligence, in contrast with many past senators who have just blindly followed the party line unquestioningly.
She does not deserve the unfair label pinned to her. Vanessa Tennent, Oatley It seems the former first-term Labor senator and now independent senator Fatima Payman is having problems dealing with the workload in her new role. Rather than asking for more staff, she should question her own actions when she quit the party that had helped enable her election to the Senate in the first place and who was, after election, there to support her in her new role as part of the Labor senate team.
Jan Boyd, Sylvania Most of your correspondents believe that we would be better off having non-aligned people as local councillors. However, it would be worth their while to read the editorial. Senator Payman, who was parachuted into one of the most demanding political roles in our political system, is criticised for her inability to grasp complex procedures and legislation.
Like it or not, local government is a proving ground for many would-be politicians who move onwards and upwards, learning along the way. There is always going to be room for independent and party aligned people at local government level. Ross MacPherson, Seaforth Can I be the first to say “I told you so” to motorway obsessed governments (“ Tap on ”, August 17)? The new Metro 1 promises everything the Rozelle spaghetti junction and the appalling Warringah Freeway under construction lack.
It’s convenient, fast, underground, futuristically environmental and super exciting. Less tangible is the way it brings people together in ways tollways, rat runs and road rage never will. Peter Farmer, Northbridge Now that the Metro Northwest is done, the next best thing for Sydney would be a new double loop metro on the north shore.
Run a line under Mona Vale Road from Pymble to the coast and south from Mona Vale to Dee Why, then west to Chatswood. Do a second loop joining Dee Why to Manly then west to Balgowlah, then south-west under Military Road to Neutral Bay, and south under the harbour to loop under the CBD and north back to Chatswood. This would not only get rid of hundreds of thousands of daily car trips, it would open the beaches to the people of the west.
Alan Stanley, Upper Corindi Sydney Metro train. Credit: Sydney Metro It is indeed enthralling to read of the saga that is the new metro train for Sydney. No shortage of funds, no problem that can’t be solved.
No problem either to provide rail transport for Sydney’s new aerodrome nestled by the Blue Mountains. State funds but Sydney centred. At the same time, if we in the Illawarra wish to travel south from Nowra, we must depend on a car, or a beleaguered bus service.
No train, not even a humble single-track version to take us on our journey. Why is this so? Why are we less important? Politicians are evasive, uninterested. The possibilities of a useful and also a superb tourist opportunity to travel along our beautiful coastline as far as Eden is not even contemplated.
Why? Nola Tucker, Kiama Millie Muroi provides us with an excellent account of the way the RBA goes about its job, seemingly straight from the horse’s mouth (“ Why the Reserve Bank thinks it’s too soon to cut interest rates ”, August 17). Inflation reflects too much nominal spending compared with available physical supply. The bank knows that the net impact of any increase in the cash rate would be marginal and that the task of getting better balance between aggregate demand and available supply is, as always, one for fiscal policy.
The treasurer seeks to blame the states for an overly expansive stance of fiscal policy but his job is to trim the Commonwealth’s sails to fit the situation. Mike Bush, Port Macquarie I recall the public outrage back in 2017 when the state Liberal government announced that the 29-year-young Sydney Football Stadium was no longer fit for purpose, to be demolished and rebuilt – at taxpayer expense, of course (“‘ It shouldn’t have happened’: Venues NSW vows to find problem after farcical Allianz Stadium scenes ”, August 17). Years of financial blowouts and urban disruption followed.
Last night we saw the result: while fans could buy a beer and a pie at multiple retail venues, the playing surface was execrable, a flooded field like a shallow river almost ruining a night at the footy for players and fans. Can we expect the SFS to be shut down again to replace the “new” playing surface and drainage system – with of course, the mandatory “commercial-in-confidence” contract securely hidden away from prying eyes? Sydney has become a big real estate board game played by developers – all of them winners, at taxpayers’ expense. Patrick McGrath, Potts Point A wet ground, we can’t have that.
More than 11 millimetres in 15 minutes is a fair bit, but a wet ground does not need an overreaction from VenuesNSW. John Harris, Goulburn As a parent I can’t help making a connection between lowering NAPLAN scores and the absence of nightly homework in primary school (“ Illiterate kids? Get with the NAH-PLAN ”, August 17). Sure, the kids are set a “project” once a term that may or may not get done, either with or without adult guidance in research or execution.
I am talking about practising at home those numeracy and literacy techniques taught previously in the classroom. If followed by classroom marking the next day, both kids and teacher can see their weaknesses and strengths and redirect learning. Homework needs to be a school directive from the principal, backed by the teachers, because believe me, no amount of parental encouragement, inducement, or even bribes will swap the entertaining screen for the benefit of homework otherwise.
Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi Seems like yesterday when there were countless boarding houses in the inner-city area (“ It’s the only place Rod can afford to live in Sydney. He may have to leave ”, August 18). As a former social security department employee for nearly 18 years from the mid-’70s I visited a few such places and admittedly most were squalid with many beds cramped into rooms that were further divided with paper-thin walls.
It was landlords maximising returns at the expense of the poor. Hopefully today’s boarding houses are of a higher quality, as they are unfortunately still required for those with little income. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury Your correspondent wants a brave government to intervene in the housing crisis ( Letters , August 18).
By this I guess he means a government made up of politicians who will finally acknowledge that housing is a basic human right, not a vehicle for wealth generation. These same politicians would make the ending of homelessness and child poverty one of the top priorities to be addressed while in office. They would also recognise those on JobSeeker payments should never be left behind.
They would acknowledge the rising inequality between rich and poor in this country and strive to address the glaring inadequacies in our health and education systems. They would be politicians who would speak their minds and publicly espouse the things that they truly believe in. Unfortunately, I do not see this brave government materialising any time soon.
Phil Peak, Dubbo Peter Hartcher is in trouble if he ever tangles with the supernatural underworld. Everyone knows a silver bullet is for werewolves, whereas vampires require a stake to the heart (“ Vote whisperer’s Harris game plan ”, August 17). Colin Stokes, Camperdown Peter FitzSimons deserves a gold medal for his essay on the thousands of miserable haters who have so shamelessly dealt with Raygun (“ What a bunch of miserable haters the 45,000 of you are ”, August 18).
Trying, and losing, is of far greater significance than winning, but sport has become another reflection of our deeply unpleasant obsession that winning is the only thing that matters. Kristina Vingis, Church Point.
