08-05-2025
Liberals need to rethink core values strategy
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Ross Gittins says women are the key to the Liberals' future (Comment, 7/5). Even more fundamentally, however, a ″core value″ of the Liberals is ″small government and lower taxes″ – as recently advocated by Gina Rinehart (' Rinehart calls on Liberal Party to move further to the right and adopt Trump policies ', 6/5). Yet it has been clearly shown in recent decades that ″trickle-down″ economics based on this core value doesn't work because an inevitable consequence is even greater gap between the wealthy and the poor. Thus economists now understand that governments must provide support, services, a tax regime, and a climate policy to shrink that gap so ″no one is left behind″. These policies are what will attract women voters. If the small government core value remains part of the Liberals' platform, they have much thinking to do way beyond the tactics employed in last weekend's election.
Ian Hopkins, Aireys Inlet
Punching for championship: climate change
The boxing analogy of the editorial (7/5) invites extension to an opportunity lying ahead for Australia, Anthony Albanese and Labor. If defeating Peter Dutton, Michael Sukkar, Max Chandler-Mather, Adam Bandt and Clive Palmer in one night is heroic the Foreman-like final touch, the heavyweight championship, now lies ahead. The ambitious and long-lasting reform that beckons could well be winning a decisive bout with climate change. The opportunity was spelt out in 2021 by John Hewson's Climate Targets Panel in its updating of the Climate Change Authority's 2014 emissions reduction targets. Its analysis aimed at determining Australia's fair share of global emission reductions consistent with a 1.5 degree temperature rise. The answer was not net zero by 2050 but rather net zero by 2035.
John Gare, Kew East
Time to catch up with the times
Ross Gittins (7/5) has got to the heart of the Liberals' problem – Australia has changed but they haven't. What is extraordinary is that in our parliamentary democracy, the MP is supposedly there to represent their electorate. Yet Liberal MPs have basically held steadfast against that purpose, and that includes even the ″progressive″ Liberals like Tim Wilson. If you think back 15 years, you have Tony Abbott , a committed monarchist, who bestowed a knighthood on Prince Phillip. Scott Morrison who was a divisive and unpopular PM. Malcolm Turnbull, a possible progressive, who was rejected by his own party. Peter Dutton expressed views on immigration, climate and Indigenous issues that some of his own party members disowned. All the Liberal heartland seats were stolen by teal women who espoused the policies that appealed to the shunned Liberal progressives. As Age columnist Peter Hartcher has advised them – catch up with the 21st century.
David Fry, Moonee Ponds
Introduce a conclave to elect leader
I would like to suggest the Liberal Party be creative, and have a conclave to elect their new leader. The suggested contenders do not inspire confidence and will guarantee the party will be in the wilderness for many years. If the entire remaining members were all candidates, they could vote in secret and come up with the brightest star, who may not be one of the spoken-of contenders.
Lyn Anderson, Surrey Hills
No advice cred in Credlin
Chip Le Grand hit multiple nails on the head (″ Lessons for the Liberals: do the opposite of what Peta Credlin says ″, 8/5). To his list of rules I would add, ″Be transparent″. The Albanese Labor government ran a couple of weeks short of full term. Yet the Liberals continually promised to release its policies ″soon″ and its costings ″soon″. When a party has almost a full term to prepare policies and costings this tactic suggests to the electorate they aren't prepared, are hiding something or their maths is dodgy.
And yes, definitely do the opposite of what Peta Credlin says.
Mick Hussey, Beaconsfield
THE FORUM
Voice must be heard
Anthony Albanese is determined to reassure Australians that he's not about to capitalise on his massive electoral victory by embarking on revolutionary change. It's steady as she goes. Those who see a golden opportunity for bold reform are being encouraged to dampen their expectations. This applies as much to foreign policy as to domestic issues.
On Gaza, for example, Rodger Shanahan's conclusion that the government's ″first-term handling of the issue has not cost it politically″ (″ Israeli offensive risks enmeshing troops in 'forever war' ″,8/5) implies that Australia is unlikely to offer more forthright criticism of Israel's conduct of its war. The imperative to speak out, however, will only intensify as Israel advances its campaign of bombardment, starvation, occupation and displacement of the people of Gaza. Australia's voice matters. It must speak out in loud and clear denunciation of this inhumanity.
Tom Knowles, Parkville
Reduce salmon stocks
In all that is being written about salmon farming in Tasmania, the one point seemingly missed is that, since it began back in the 1980s, the industry has been supplying fresh fish to Australian consumers and now contributes 75,000 tonnes of our annual marine protein. High in Omega-3 fatty acids, and important vitamins and minerals, salmon has become an integral part of the nutritional intake (' Something distinctly fishy about the way Labor romped home in Tasmania ', 8/5).
There is no doubting the fish in the pens are becoming stressed by warming water temperatures.
To save the industry for Australian consumers and to protect the Tasmanian environment, surely regulated stocking densities must be reduced to the safe numbers of earlier times. It may reduce output and increase costs, but the option is to lose a vital part of our fresh food supply.
John Mosig, Kew
