On Bill Shorten

Justin Harding writes: Re. “Bill Shorten can’t rely on Turnbull and co bungling things forever” (Monday)

So true Mr Keane. So why did you wait until the end to mention “policy”? All the nonsense about Sam Dastyari and David Feeney — who will soon be late and utterly unlamented — doesn’t make ha’porth of difference in the medium to long term, especially as the coalition is hardly scandal-free.

People regularly scoff when I say Shorten could be Labor’s John Howard. A largely colourless but highly competent fixer with a genuine talent for policy. People have been waiting two years for Turnbull to turn things around and he still makes nearly every post a loser. And that’s because he is a shithouse prime minister AND politician.

On Australia day

John Hall writes: Re. “Rundle: ‘Australia Day’ will fail for the same reason same-sex marriage succeeded” (Monday)

Good article. When I read about Abbott and his comments today I knew he had finally put a lethal nail into the 26’th. We can still have an Australian Day – but it must be inclusive of the original legal land holders. 40,000 years of habitation should stand for something. I expect the current Government will do nothing, however and be damned to history, just like Howard’s refusal to say ‘sorry’.