Another political donations scandal only leaves the public short-changed
Sam Dastyari. Another NSW political operative demonstrating that we have the best politicians that money can buy.
Sam Dastyari. Another NSW political operative demonstrating that we have the best politicians that money can buy.
It's time to ban political donations so as to avoid any inference of fear or favour.
Ross Gittins makes the important distinction between capital and recurrent expenditure accounts in the budget ("Super tax fairness is the key to getting the budget back on track, September 5). He points out that the nation's recurrent expenditure is close to being in balance, and that it is legitimate for the capital cost of long-lasting infrastructure to carry the burden of debt.
The Dastyari affair has shown the creeping risk soft power's influence poses to our country's politics and economy. ("Riding the red dragon express is an insult", September 3-4.)However, this concern shouldn't stop with China. Businesses in the country are equally guilty of using donations to buy influence. From favourable re-zonings and tax exemptions, to labour reform and market regulation, Peter Hartcher's observation that "it is a polite fiction that donors will give money to politicians without expectation of a return on investment" rung true long before the Yuhu Group got involved.
If the Turnbull government cannot manage its own MPs in order to field a team in the House of Representatives, then how will it manage the economy?
The article by John Watkins on Alzheimer's disease highlights many of the problems for carers and their charges. Carers of relatives with dementia deserve our unreserved admiration.
The state government has jumped the shark. Having half built one rail line, it is drawing lines on maps like they are spaghetti strings.
The revelation and subsequent admission by Senator Sam Dastyari makes it quite clear he has no moral authority to remain in the Senate.
The announcement of the same-sex marriage plebiscite brought Tim Wilson to tears. Now he's pushing for it. This neatly encapsulates the mess that is Australian political leadership.
I would have expected that someone with the political experience of Vanstone would know that "lost" in the context of politics, is a relative term, like "promise" and "mandate". Perhaps she should have indicated whether or not the loss was core, or non-core.
It's no wonder Mike Baird has seen his popularity slip ("Baird crashes back to Earth", August 27-28). Since he won the election he has ridden roughshod over not only the voters of NSW but his own party.
It is glaringly obvious that not only have the Olympic Games failed in their mission ("Games must chart a fresh path", August 21) but the obsession of elevating sporting individuals to hero status is clearly counter-productive and dishonest.
The French approach to banning burkinis on beaches raises a few issues. Let me deal with just one. I am offended by the sight of Tony Abbott parading in his budgy smugglers but I have no desire to infringe upon his right to look like an idiot.
I was thrilled to hear that in Scott Morrison's "economic headland" speech he will address the problem of the "taxed and taxed-nots".
Should two people of the same gender who love each other be legally permitted to marry?
If it's right to hold a plebiscite on gay marriage, why not hold plebiscites on other issues that upset people, like the niqab, circumcision, abortion or the right to die?
Sports and playing games may not be the cake, but they are the icing.
Chloe Esposito has gone against the mantra that has prevailed in these games where administrators, coaches and commentators have built up expectations to such a level that too often we have been disappointed.
I feel for the wife in the $200 million marriage break-up ("The wife, mistress and the $200m break-up", August 14). I don't know how she can possibly manage on a mere $15,000 a month.
Congratulations on publishing some well reasoned letters giving a different perspective to the Vietnam conflict in general and Long Tan in particular (Letters, August 19).
Sure, in Rio there was Usain Bolt v Justin Gatlin, but on the Letters page this week, we had Malcolm Roberts v Lucy Turnbull.
May I respectfully point out that the emphasis of the Long Tan anniversary should not be on the 18 Australians who lost their lives, but on the hundreds and hundreds of Vietnamese who were destroyed by the unbelievable violence.
To be fair, even on a clear day it would be difficult from Point Piper to see the dust rising from the demolitions at Haberfield.
Olympic finger-pointing and the lack of e-cigarette research.
New Zealand Labour's David Shearer is right. Our treatment of refugees is disgraceful.
For whatever reasons Scott Morrison may have had for rejecting the Chinese bids for control of Ausgrid, ("Treasurer raises China fears in Ausgrid rebuff", August 13-14) his decision was the right one.
Guy and Jules Sebastian's charitable donation to women's refuges is inspirational ("Refuge refit plan keeps families together", August 7).
If Peter Dutton believes that some of the incident reports from immigration detention centres are trivial and/or false ("Refugees accused of false abuse complaints", August 12) may I be so bold as to offer a simple solution: transparency of information - allow press scrutiny of the centres (currently denied) and remove the threat of jail for centre staff who speak out.
I'm with Scott Morrison on blocking the sale of Ausgrid to Chinese interests.
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