Political defectors are thumbing their noses at the electorate

Sydney Morning Herald

2 days ago

There is currently no legislation or requirement in Australia that addresses political party defections or imposes sanctions (' PM defends Greens defector after allegations ', June 3). And yet I'll wager, if you ask the average person they'll say there should be. Lidia Thorpe, Fatima Payman, David Van, Tammy Tyrrell and now Dorinda Cox – all yanking the voters' chain, one after the other. Trust in elected officials is hard to find as it is, more so when politicians decide to switch parties midterm. Politicians should be discouraged from changing parties to avoid leaving voters with buyer's remorse. Turning against the platform that got them elected shouldn't be up to the politician's discretion. Party switching must be done with voters in mind, not on personal whims or (wait for it) to gain more power. Change in this system is especially necessary amid this string of high-profile politicians switching parties to ensure elected officials do represent voters' needs. With trust so scarce, anything that can reassure confidence should be implemented. Inconsiderate politicians need to prioritise their constituents and, if they won't, rules must change to hold them accountable. Bob Konig, Shell Cove
As a member of the Greens, I say good riddance to Dorinda Cox. Labor can have her – she clearly shares their values more than those of the Greens. To defect so soon after Environment Minister Murray Watt made the egregious decision to approve the North West Shelf extension indicates she doesn't care a fig about the Murujuga petroglyphs on the Burrup Peninsula. As for the accusations of bullying her staff, they may have been dealt with, but losing 20 staff in three years says a great deal. Jenny Goldie, Cooma
Once again I am astounded that electoral rules allow someone to be elected as a member of one party, and then they can change parties. And don't start me on the ethics of Dorinda Cox's situation. Glad I'm not a WA Green. Aidan Cuddington, Umina Beach
The prime minister's welcoming of that political turncoat Dorinda Cox to the ranks of the ALP adds insult to injury and begs the question of what he promised her to defect, and whether her memory is so bad she cannot remember why the people of Western Australia elected her to the Australian senate in the first place. Labor should respect the wishes of the people of WA and refuse to accept
her vote in the senate. James Fliece, Kensington
'The elected Australian legislators' (Letters, June 3)? Hardly. The teals will have zero real influence over this government and get to legislate precisely nothing. Which is why Greens senator Dorinda Cox saw the light and jumped into a party where she could. Peter Thornton, Killara
I suspect that many people who voted teal would never have voted Labor in a fit, but their decision will probably keep Labor in power for decades to come because the teals only targeted conservative seats. But try telling them that. David Sayers, Gwandalan
Where there's (cheap) smoke
It is hard not to shake one's head at the boneheaded approach taken in Australia to curb tobacco consumption, principally by introducing the 'world toughest regulations' and the 'world's highest' taxes' (' Premier calls for tobacco tax review ', June 3). Then, fearing tobacco companies might find a market for vaping, a safer alternative to smoking, Australia introduced the 'world's toughest' vaping laws. Now Australia is awash with cheap illegal tobacco and unregulated but now more expensive vaping products. As a result, smoking is, at least anecdotally, on the rise. Australia's response to smoking takes the cake for politically motivated, dumb policymaking. Peter Barrett, Woonona
It seems that the illegal tobacco operators have worn the state government down by flooding the NSW community with their outlets, while the government claims it is too hard for the Health Department to regulate and too disruptive for the police to investigate. Perhaps penalties and a few tweaks in the areas of law are required so that judges and regulatory authorities aren't left without any meaningful paths for prosecution and significant financial penalty. Donald Hawes, Peel
Bad values, good response
Peter Hartcher's article on Donald Trump's bastardisation of 'American values' and redefinition of 'natural rights', and attempts by the US administration to directly interfere in the politics and policies of other countries, is another chilling indication of the liar-in-chief's megalomania and wrecking-ball lunacy (' Team US redefining megalomania ', June 3). We should be thankful that Australia's democracy was robust enough to overwhelmingly reject the promotion of Trumpist right-wing 'big thinking' in our recent federal election, and that Anthony Albanese has the quiet courage to stand up to the would-be despot in Washington. Rob Phillips, North Epping
Until recently I was planning to go to the USA this year with a sibling to visit our relatives in New York. However, having read of travellers arriving there and being asked to give access to their phones and social media, plus being taken away to be body-searched, I have decided it was too much of a risk. My social media is littered with anti-Trump material and I don't want to waste my money and time on the possibility I could be put back on a plane, having only be allowed to set foot in their airport. How many others will be censoring themselves from going to the USA? Con Vaitsas, Ashbury
With the US playing fast and loose with human rights, it is high time we passed our own Human Rights Bill into law. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer
Human cost
People in Kennett City, Missouri are up in arms about the arrest and potential deportation of Carol, a popular resident (' A Missouri town was solidly behind Trump. Then Carol was detained ', June 3). So they should be, but one of their responses is instructive: 'No one voted to deport mums … just the gangs'. In other words, 'We are OK with him being mean to people we don't know or whom we disapprove of, but not to us or people we know'. Farmers who are going to lose their farms because their workers have been deported will be feeling buyer's regret, but they still support Trump. His supporters still have a long way to go before they return to humanity. Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba
Your correspondent who accuses Donald Trump of 'falsehoods, bullying, tantrums and intimidation' in his attempt to achieve regal stature needs brush up on his history (Letters, June 3). Weren't the ancestors of Charles III ruthless plotters and 'thuggish despots' determined to get their bottoms on the throne, and once there, ruled using the same insidious methods of which Trump has been denounced? Who knows, if the dear Donald manages to establish a US House of Trump, in a few hundred years his descendants may have wangled the same level of media manipulation and public acceptance the House of Windsor currently enjoys. Grant Heaton, Port Macquarie
Cheap tech gives defence more bang for buck
Defence Minister Richard Marles could learn a few things from Ukraine's incredible bomber-destroying mission (' Anger over drone attack shows Ukraine hit Russia where it hurt ', June 3). First, it proved that today's wars can be won by nimble, cheap kit. Expensive bombers and nuclear submarines can be destroyed or thwarted by cheap drones and clever use of information technology. Doubling Australia's defence spending, as the US wants us to do, will not necessarily make our defence force twice as effective. We should emulate Ukraine and aim to get good bang for our buck. Second, the Ukraine attack demonstrated that military intelligence is essential to military success. Ukraine did its homework and knew where and when to hit Russia to inflict maximum damage. Most importantly, however, was the ability of Ukraine to keep its plans secure. This had to be a surprise attack. The mission was 18 months in the making but, crucially, no one leaked it to the Russians. Just as importantly, Ukraine did not share its plans with its allies. Zelensky obviously calculated the risk of telling the US, in particular, was too great. Loose lips sink ships, and there are none looser than those of Putin's good friend Donald Trump. Mike Reddy, Vincentia
I wonder how much of the 3.5 per cent or 5 per cent increase on defence spending demanded by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth do the Americans expect to flow to their military/industrial businesses. A nice little earner behind a hidden agenda (' Albanese won't just roll over to Trump on defence budget', June 3). Ross Coleman, Glenbrook
The USA wants us to spend more on defence. Sure, maybe we should. But let's buy all our new defence material from Europe, not expand the American arms industry. After all, with all these tariffs, anything 'made in USA' will be more expensive. Barbara Grant, Castle Hill
I don't want my PM taking advice on national defence spending from an ex-Fox News presenter and a draft dodger. Wayne Fitness, Rankin Park
Identity, crisis
Another marvellous pairing of Herald articles today. In the first, by Roby D'Ottavi, he surmises that the young and culturally diverse people who have been converging on Paris have seemingly altered the outward French persona for the better (' Parisians shattered my stereotype. How rude ', June 3). And in the second, according to Sophie Gee, this is what Seamus Heaney is 'asking us to think about national identity as changeable, volatile and complex' (' Trump fears Harvard's excellence ', June 3). We are all now 'in a moment of crisis' if we allow Dangerous Don to enforce his warped idea of monoculture on esteemed institutions or, indeed, anywhere at all. Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi
Reading Sophie Gee's delightful defence of universities reminds me that it's not just populist American presidents that take aim at centres of educational excellence. Knowledge is power, but for many politicians power is sadly an endgame in itself. We've had our fair share of pollies who have promised to stamp out any dissident thinking within universities – especially when it questions the veracity of their own thinking, ideas and values. The paradox is that some of these individuals (but not the US president) were themselves a product of the very culture they aim to cancel. Cleveland Rose, Dee Why
Double the work
To imply that parliamentarians only work when they are sitting in parliament is facile (' Part-time parliament to make law for just 40 days ', June 3). All good MPs experience a doubling of workload when they return to their electorate offices, having to attend to both their parliamentary and electorate duties. Senator David Pocock is fully aware of this and is just taking a cheap shot that he knows will resonate with those members of the public who do not appreciate just how gruelling the life of an MP is. Gwynn Boyd, Mosman
Lesson saved and learnt
The University of Sydney allows students to harangue a captive audience with their pet political peeve at the beginning of lectures (' New rules for Sydney uni students ', June 3)? When I went to lectures I expected to be taught for the allotted 50 minutes. If students wanted to talk about politics – and believe me, there was plenty to talk about in the 1970s – they'd put up posters and invite people to a lunchtime meeting somewhere on campus. Taking time out of lectures or tutorials to wind up a few students, or distract and annoy the majority who couldn't care less, is, and thankfully now was, a dreadful idea. Andrew Scott, Pymble
Name the problem
Perpetrators of domestic violence are emboldened by a feeling of power over their victims (' What happens to men who have cause women harm?' June 3). Things need to change, starting with the practice of the wife taking her husband's surname, which suggests ownership and superiority. There could well be less domestic violence if this was no longer the case. Brian McDonald, Willoughby
Glebe fits the bill
Claims that Glebe Island is an important working port are a complete furphy (' Glebe Island firms as 'Plan B' for housing boost ', June 2). The Port Authority's own 2024 annual report shows that the number of trade vessels visiting Glebe Island last year fell by 17 per cent to 63 vessels, and accounted for 1 per cent of the total 5221 trade vessels visiting NSW ports in 2024. The principal use of Glebe Island over recent years has been leasing land to Sydney Metro, Infrastructure NSW (Sydney Fish Market) and the WestConnex project. The site is also being used for the Western Harbour tunnel construction project. WestConnex is complete, as will be the Fish Market by end 2025. With the planned completion of the Western Harbour tunnel in 2028 and the Bays West Sydney Metro in 2032, the site will fall into disuse again. To continue to argue that Glebe Island should be retained as a full working port, while housing supply in Sydney is at a critical shortage, flies in the face of the reality that Glebe Island is not used for any material industrial purpose. The redevelopment of harbour foreshore both east and west of the Harbour Bridge over recent decades demonstrates that a more functional, liveable city is possible for those with the vision to strive for it. Jennifer Owen, Pyrmont
Please, explain how building Sydney Harbour waterfront apartments will help young people get on the housing ladder. To this jaded eye, it seems more like an opportunity for the extremely wealthy to get even richer. Anne Cooper, Undercliffe
Yet more plans based on the cosy government/developer relationship. Private landowners caught up in unnecessary land zoning constrictions are again ignored. Thousands of small blocks exist on Sydney's perimeter, which could provide additional housing if freed of restrictions. If the government was serious about increasing housing supply it would consider options beyond their developer friends' wish list. Diane Davie, Summer Hill
Aurora's bad omen
Geomagnetic storms caused by coronal mass ejections (CME) from the sun can give rise to spectacular aurora at mid-latitudes such as Sydney (' Aurora's burst of winter colour ', June 3). However, these should not be taken as marvellous events to be looked forward to. They should be a cause for trepidation since they mean that the CME was massive enough to breach the Earth's protective magnetic field and showers of high-energy particles could be powerful enough to destroy the electronics of satellites and even disrupt our power grids. Apart from the serious effects here on Earth, there are now tens of thousands of GPS and communications satellites in orbit, and thousands more are being launched as part of Starlink and other internet providers. This creates the potential for a powerful CME to knock out these satellites, causing them to tumble out of control and even collide with each other. Each impact would create thousands of fragments of space debris, and soon there could be a complete barrier of high-speed objects that would make rocket launches extremely hazardous. This is not a highly unlikely scenario and is being taken seriously by many in the science community, though less so by entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, who are launching the fleets of vulnerable, low-cost internet satellites. So while we can enjoy the aurora, let's be aware that there can be serious consequences for our increasing reliance on GPS, internet and space technology. Dr Darrall Cutting, Forestville