Scott Morrison and Liberal MP Gladys Liu. (Image: AAP/Lukas Coch)

On improper election signage

Joe Boswell writes: This must be the wrong way to approach regulation of electoral cheating. The only reason the Liberals put out these misleading AEC-style signs was to affect how people voted. Whether they succeeded or not should be a moot point. If someone attempts a crime such as, say, perverting the course of justice — which I’d say is comparably serious to stealing an election — they face being prosecuted and punished whether or not the attempt succeeds. The Liberals cheated so as a minimum they should not keep the seat, before considering what penalties are appropriate. The only way to preserve any integrity in the electoral system is to rerun any election where the winner is found to have cheated. (What is it with Australian regulatory agencies — why are they all completely useless at enforcement? How about a royal commission to look into it?)

On drought relief

John Bushell writes: Subsidising the agriculture industry in drought from a government that refuses to effectively address the root cause of that same drought — namely global warming — simply reinforces the downward spiral that the Australian bush is on.

Barry Welch writes: Once again a billion dollars of taxpayer money is being lavished on “I stand on my own two feet with my hand out” corporate farmers. How many of these $100,000 Land Cruiser-driving, RM Williams wearing mendicants do you think will pay back even the interest on their freebie loans, matter the principal? Just another welfare rort by the big end of town!

Richard Shortt writes: Viability, the word never spoken when drought once again grips large swathes of the big brown land. After importing farming practices from a different hemisphere, climate and biological environment, Australia continues to tough it out when the reality of the land, weather and local biological factors tell a completely different story. Time to talk viability. Time to insist on changed practice.

On nation-building programs

Laurie Patton writes: It is to his great credit as a statesman (or his political acumen) that as incoming prime minister Robert Menzies retained and supported Labor’s Snowy Mountains scheme. It is to his great discredit that Tony Abbott didn’t do the same thing with the NBN, which is a nation-building infrastructure project of at least or perhaps greater significance. There’s still time for Scott Morrison to accept that the NBN is in serious trouble and work with Labor on a bipartisan rescue plan in the national interest.

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