Instead of electing Matt Canavan as their new leader, the Nationals should have put him out to paddock to clean up David Littleproud’s mess (“Canavan perfect to fight One Nation – but a Coalition risk”, March 12). How Canavan will handle the leader’s role from the Senate remains to be seen. His defence of fossil fuels and steadfast opposition to renewables will continue the Coalition’s now 15-year record of holding back Australia. People now powering their cars, houses, sheds, factories, offices, greenhouses etc by green energy owe nothing to Canavan. While detesting what he stands for, I acknowledge how he frankly states: because other countries aren’t doing enough to counter climate change, why should we? Imagine telling the Australian soldiers along the Kokoda Track that because most of South-East Asia had collapsed before the Japanese invasion, so should they and Australia. Or tell the Rats of Tobruk, throw your weapons down and raise your arms because the Germans and Italians vastly outnumber you. How can he be elected leader of a political party with that attitude? What a mess the Coalition has left us in. Howard Charles, Annandale
How many more nails can be driven into the Coalition coffin? A man who opposes renewable energy but also uses Labor subsidies to install solar panels and battery systems in his own home to save money? Doug Steley, Heyfield
Newly elected Nationals boss Matt Canavan has said we need “more Australian jokes”. And right on cue, Clive Palmer announces his re-entry into the Queensland political arena. Laugh? Did I what! These two are our very own homegrown Abbott and Costello (the comedians, not the Liberal … oh, never mind). Patrick McGrath, Potts Point
The Nationals have elected Senator Canavan as their leader. The way – the only way – forward for the Liberal Party is to immediately leave the Coalition and try to rebuild. It is on life support as it stands, and it might still not survive. But staying
with the Nationals guarantees it will continue its slow slide into oblivion. Peter Morgan, Brooms Head
No, Matt Canavan. We have had governance by the larrikins Abbott, Joyce and others from your Coalition with confected immigration fears hiding a lack of planning, policies and the ability to make better public education, housing and welfare outcomes for ordinary Australians. We need more focus, empathy and intelligence in our political class and less leverage from billionaires. Greg Thompson, Bega
Matt Canavan’s opening populist wish-list called for “more Australian everything”. If the Nationals’ policy of abandoning net zero is ever enacted, it would certainly result in more. More heatwaves, more bushfires, more floods, more “unprecedented” weather events, more outdated, broken-down, coal-fired power turbines, requiring more and more taxpayer funding to maintain, and more energy unreliability and uncertainty. Australia already receives all the free solar and wind energy we could ever need from the largest free nuclear reactor there is: the sun. That free, unlimited energy is delivered straight to us, without any risk of it being stopped by overseas conflicts or sea-lane blockages. All we need is the infrastructure to deliver it effectively, and that requires the Coalition to stop obstructing the inevitable progress to renewable energy, and look to the future instead of desperately trying to hold on to their coal-powered past. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
According to Matt Canavan we need “more Australian everything” – including jokes. As a promoter of fossil fuels, including for all those Australian barbecues we need, Canavan must be congratulated on himself being a good laugh for us, particularly where his chance of appealing to anyone with an ounce of good sense is concerned. On ya, Matt! Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown
I did enjoy (Letters, March 12) the use of “perdidi”, from which is derived “perdition” – to leave with utter ruin or spiritual destruction. Will the Nationals realise that rejuvenation depends on moving left, and leaving One Nation for
the rednecks? Jo Rainbow, Orange
Matt Canavan is elected Nationals leader and calls for “more Australian babies, more Australian everything”. I agree. I, personally, need more yachts, jet skis, more apartments by the water, more cars, more motorbikes, more travel and more wives, please. The question is: how? Unless he is going to give every Australian a gift of $5 million? Mokhles Sidden, South Strathfield
In a letter recently published in the Herald, I wrote that while Sussan Ley might be the problem, Angus Taylor was not the solution. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, if David Littleproud is the problem, Matt Canavan is certainly not the solution. Grahame Marks, Manly
Matt Canavan as leader of the Nationals? I bet Anthony Albanese can’t believe his luck. Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield
Local matters matter
I had a bit of a laugh at your heading “Canavan urges caution over war in Middle East” (March 12). Thanks for your wisdom, Mr Canavan. Meanwhile, we have floods all through the northern area of our country – a lot of which you represent in the Senate and not in the House of Representatives where the government of the day not only recognises climate change but also is dealing with making us self-sufficient with our energy and fuel resources after the disruption in the Middle East. I suggest you take a close look at what is changing dramatically in the rural areas of the state you represent before you advise the actual government on foreign matters. Ken Pares, Forster
Matt Canavan is right to argue that Australia needs to be self-sufficient in its energy needs, but he totally misses the boat when it comes to solutions. He argues for fossil-fuel backed energy while abandoning climate goals. Does this make any sense when sun and wind power are free, available and are not threatened by world events, versus oil whose reserves are declining and continue to induce changing weather patterns? Wouldn’t it make more sense to continue developing abundant sun and wind energy sources to become energy independent, something not possible if we rely on fossil fuels? Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge
Queen Allegra
I had thought of the teals as just conservatives, but with a social conscience (“Spender’s bold plan to slash income tax, lift it on assets”, March 12). But this idea of Allegra Spender taxing the rich is a major departure from the Liberal idea. And it may explain the reluctance of John Howard and others to have women in positions of power. Good on Allegra; Long may she reign. Peter Bourke, Rockdale
Profit before housing
Property developers are largely responsible for the lack of affordable housing (“Cheap units to be replaced by luxury penthouses”, March 12) because private enterprise, by nature, wishes to maximise profits, and a small percentage of stock set aside for affordable housing won’t cut it. The government must rein in this profit-gouging and the sale of units to overseas investors to have any hope of providing homes for young adults, and to prevent the increase in homeless older women and low-income families. The quickest method is for governments to build housing commission units and flats. I can’t understand why they refuse to do what has been proven effective in the past and in other countries. I diagnose ideological constipation in Canberra. Anne Matheson, Gordon
Nothing will erase robo-debt hurt
Former PM Scott Morrison argues that his hands are clean over the introduction and implementation of the illegal robo-debt scheme (″Morrison in the clear after robo-debt investigation″, March 12) because, as social services minister, ″I had no involvement in the administration of the robo-debt scheme, and it commenced after I had left the portfolio.″ However, he was, as prime minister, responsible for overseeing its implementation for almost two years, from his swearing in on August 24, 2018, until it was closed down in May 2020. Morrison’s self-serving argument calls to mind the Biblical verse, Jeremiah 5:21 ″Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding, which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not″. John Payne, Kelso
It’s not hard to imagine the smirk of satisfaction on Scott Morrison’s face over the findings of the NACC’s investigation into the robo-debt scheme. He might have been cleared of acting corruptly, but that doesn’t absolve him of his rightful share of the blame for its illegality, cruelty, callousness and injustice. The victims of its heartlessness and their families won’t ever forget it and nor should the rest of us. But I fancy that won’t weaken the smugness of his countenance
one bit. Adrian Connelly, Springwood
Well, let that be a lesson to all public servants. Never “engage in seriously corrupt conduct”, lest you be blamed for it, even if it was a politician’s idea in the first place. Senior public servants will always be held accountable, rather than the politician they work for. Morrison is totally blameless in the former Coalition’s robo-debt disaster. At least that’s what he continues to say and that’s what this report has been made to say. Hmm, somehow, I thought that’s what it would say. Kathleen Molloy, Thornleigh
Two senior department officials “engaged in serious corrupt conduct” yet will not face criminal prosecution because there is not enough admissible evidence for a likely conviction. Am I alone in thinking this is puzzling? Given the statements of corruption from the NACC are so crisp, how can the many people who suffered terribly feel justice will prevail for one of the most egregious government failings of all time? I don’t get it. Bruce Hall, Avalon
What happened to the Westminster convention of ministerial responsibility? Scott Morrison is found innocent of any liability for robo-debt. I can just see his disingenuous Cheshire Cat smirk from here. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle
The NACC has cleared Scott Morrison of corruption for his role in robo-debt. The Australian public, however, have not cleared him for being callous, arrogant, heartless, entitled and mean. John Bailey, Canterbury
Thirsty work
Infrastructure Australia has issued a timely warning about the pressing need for “climate independent sources of water” for our major cities (“Our growing cities will not have enough water”, March 12). The urgency of providing housing for the nation’s expanding population demands a commensurate investment to safeguard the supply of drinking water. Not mentioned in Shane Wright’s summation is the eagerness with which governments and investors are promoting data centres, whose thirst for ample, reliable and high-quality cooling water is immense. It’s one thing to insist they provide their own renewable-sourced energy, but water is something else. Without a convincing plan that protects Australia’s precarious water supplies, data centre enthusiasts should be treated with caution. Tom Knowles, Parkville (Vic)
Set up to fail
Your correspondent (Letters, March 12) is correct that the ATAR system is under threat by early offers, but that process will continue, and one way to make universities more accountable is to force them to cover the HECS- HELP debt if these early offer students drop out. Let’s force university management to support these students to remain on the books past census date for at least the first year and, if not, cough up for their tuition fee. Michael Blissenden, Dural
The ATAR is seen by universities, and to a certain extent by the community, as a tool to predict future success at tertiary studies. Universities have statistics that demonstrate this. The corruption of this system, by offering early entry based on other criteria, is a dangerous overstep. It puts students in a situation where they are being set up to fail. They do not have the academic readiness to embrace or even survive their course’s requirements. They are left with a HECS debt without the employment benefit of a degree. In a previous age students were required to matriculate, i.e. reach a benchmark before a university offer could be made. As an example, the offer could only be made if students were in the top 50 per cent of ATAR recipients. Let’s save the taxpayer and unprepared students with the same policy. Eric Sekula, Turramurra
The write stuff
As a long-term contributor and a retired teacher (Letters, March 12), I have particularly enjoyed the correspondence about other retirees. However, a persistent sobering thought is the first group of students I taught are now in their early 70s. Nevertheless, as other correspondents have mentioned, the Letters Pages provide unexpected chances to recognise familiar names. I was at uni with MM of MM; and I know Max. Tony Everett, Wareemba
Our cohort of retired Maclean High School teacher letter writers lost an exceptional member this week, George Wills. George hasn’t written to the Herald for a while due to declining health, but while still able, he would contact me when one of my letters was published. He was also loved and appreciated by his students. Karen Joynes, Bermagui
My frustration at my letters not being published is somewhat eased by friends saying they haven’t seen my name in the paper for a while. Aidan Cuddington, Umina Beach
I attended a birthday bash dinner a couple of months ago and guests had their name cards for seating. A lady sitting next to me recognised my name and said very quickly no politics would be discussed. Peng Ee, Castle Cove
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