‘Illuminating but depressing’: responses to Morrison’s lies series keep coming

Our three-day series highlighting the lies and falsehoods of the prime minister produced so much feedback from readers, we needed two editions of Your Say to cover it all. Here are more of your thoughts on the dossier…

Cheryl Parkers writes: Thank you so much from the bottom of this 72-year old heart! This is so needed. I just want to acknowledge all the thought, time and effort that went into this important body of work (to say nothing of what you and your team do every other day) and also your beautifully crafted words delivered with just the right amount of wit and irony.

Tom Western writes: Your report was long overdue. I don’t agree with all you have to say but the “lies” piece is fully warranted.

Donald Latter writes: Fantastic! Well done, Crikey. I hope this gets a lot of media coverage and forces Morrison to make some attempt at justifying himself … I can’t think of a single member of this government whom I have any respect for. As soon as any of them open their mouths I’m thinking, “What bullshit are we going to get now?” I’m never disappointed. Watching Morrison has become almost as nauseating as watching Trump. However, what’s even more depressing is the fact that the majority of Australians seem to have their brains shoved so far up their rear ends that they don’t bat an eyelid at anything this government does. I don’t doubt that these liars and hypocrites will be voted back in again at the next election.

David Mawdsley writes: Thank you so much for this important and rigorous work. I’ll admit I’d become complacent with the overwhelming barrage of lies, mistruths and shocking self-serving behaviours of our leaders in government. I’d thrown my hands in the air and resigned myself to Morrison’s unrelenting march towards a likely victory at the polls. But surely your insightful and brave publication of what’s going on has revitalised my consciousness and enthusiasm to strive for better. Hopefully there are enough like-minds to tip them out at the next election.

Ian Harris writes: I just love the irony. You suggest that I send a letter to my local member asking him to question the PM about his lies. My local member is Andrew Laming.

Dr Deb Campbell writes: This “scoop” seems to be a list of lies those of us who give a shit already know about. So what? Do you want praise for, as you yourself say, “collating” a list of facts? If you want a scoop, Crikey would probably be making more of an impact just sitting in on and reporting on Senator Penny Wong’s performance in Senate committee [last week]. She is making an excellent case for Morrison’s deliberate abrogation of responsibilities over the COVID pandemic on quarantine and the return of Australian citizens, and in fleshing out the Morrison government’s position on the “drums of war”.

Instead of the current non-scoop, please instead ask and get answers to, and/or comment upon the lack of answers to, these questions — why is no one discussing and questioning the PM on how his personal belief system is affecting the “policies” he drives? In particular:

• on women — women’s role is and is designed to be “secondary”; to be “the other”
• on welfare — the rich are the godly, the poor are not godly enough
• on climate change — the end of times: bring them on
• on war with China — ditto.

As James Boyce and Allan Patience have pointed out in 2019 and in 2021, Pentecostal theology directly shapes his approach to all these matters. These are important and relevant questions and to continue to let him off Scott-free is not at all good enough. Someone somewhere has to be brave enough to ask these questions … all Australian PMs are public officials who are answerable to us. Squeamishness about asking “personal religious questions” is in no way good enough.

Given that the Murdoch press, among others, have no qualms about slagging off ALP and Green members about what are only perceived to be their personal beliefs, why this timidity about discussing what are clearly known to be the PM’s true beliefs? Things in Australia are getting very politically scary and as yet sadly no Australian media are making this clear in my view.

Lois Arrowsmith writes: Thank you, Crikey, for making a great effort with your wonderful team of journalists. I am saddened and disappointed at Australia’s third-rate leadership, especially given the pay and conditions of our politicians. I think our last great leadership team was probably Hawke and Keating. I look at Norway with envy for its sovereign wealth fund. As I have said many times, Australia appears to be a giant quarry, much of it owned by a few mining magnates and our politicians at least appear to do their bidding for the most part. Add to that Rupert Murdoch’s stranglehold on our media, and the defunding of the ABC, and it’s no wonder our democracy is so badly served.

Diana Vukovic writes: Stop name-calling our prime minister. In the past nearly two years, the government has done a brilliant job protecting the people of Australia. This COVID is a war against humanity. Give him credit where it’s needed. What would a Labor government do? My opinion is they would open the international borders and let this COVID run out of control.

Ivor Undara writes: Lies et al for sure. But where is Labor? And the Greens? I feel wedged with nowhere to go and few caring. Votes should be worth something. I don’t know in which direction to waste mine.

Miles Little writes: A very illuminating series, but depressing. Government by deceit seems to be increasingly common everywhere you look, and revealing the deceit doesn’t seem to have had much impact on its incidence. Nor does it seem to have much impact on the support garnered by deceitful governments. Are we part of a drift toward a new form of government, replacing democracy, aristocracy, meritocracy and all the other -ocracies that we are familiar with? Greek terms for deceit were apatia and dolos. Crikey‘s series suggests that we in Australia live in an apatocracy — but I’m afraid that we’re not alone.

Has something in Crikey got you fired up? Send your thoughts to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say section