First Tony Abbott, then Malcolm Turnbull, struts around on the world stage boasting of Australia's "uncompromising" border control policies and suggesting other nations should follow suit. But Mr Turnbull's spiel was more sophisticated: that the indefinite incarceration of 2000 innocent asylum seekers in tropical hell-holes is necessary to create "confidence" in the community, which enables the government in turn to lift the annual refugee intake from 14,000 to 19,000.
Few would be convinced by this specious argument. Both men are trying to whip up support from right-wing elements globally in a bid to justify their crimes against humanity of Australia's detainees, many of whom are already beyond breaking point. The idea that we accept detainees imprisoned on tropical islands in Central America while leaving our "own" imprisoned refugees in limbo rubs salt into their wounds. Now that Nauru will be without management after December and Manus has been declared illegal by the PNG government, the time has come to quietly include all detainees in this year's humanitarian intake and work towards a genuine protection framework in our region.
Jill Sanguinetti, East Brunswick
A stain on our history
It was extraordinary listening to Mr Turnbull try to apportion blame over asylum seekers and border control. Even Mr Abbott has suggested he erred in not supporting the Malaysia solution, arguably the most humane anti-smuggler model. Gillard, Rudd, Abbott and Turnbull are all to blame over this stain on our history, but only Mr Turnbull can end the torture of the remaining 2000 people locked on off-shore islands. Mr Turnbull, don't harp on about saving lives at sea when you destroy them on land.
Julian Druce, East St Kilda
Show some humanity
Don't play the innocent card, Mr Turnbull. Historians will mark Australia's "legacy of shame" and the "worst policy failure" in our country's history as the Howard government's decision to invade Iraq on false pretences unleashing the instability we see today in the Middle East with the resultant vast numbers of refugees. It's now time to close the camps and show some humanity.
Erica Mehrtens, Northcote
Murderers get better treatment
Last night I met a young man fluent in three languages despite never having had the opportunity to go to school. He wants to work but he can't. He should be having the time of his life but he isn't. He should have a country to call home but he doesn't. He has no choices because he has no freedom to pursue things we take for granted. Why? Because he is touched by the curse of being an asylum seeker. He lives temporarily, without hope, in community detention in Dandenong, treated for a depression that no amount of medical intervention will ever cure while he lives in a state of limbo. More than 850 others left on Manus Island can only hope for illness or death, so they, too, can leave. A murderer is given more rights and due consideration as to his/her fate than an asylum seeker in this country.
Sylvia Karakaltsas, Malvern East
THE FORUM
Stand up for us, PM
Mr Turnbull exhorts the world to "follow us", yet seems beholden to "requests" from whichever country he is visiting. When in China he appeared to accede to that country's interests, enabling Chinese students as young as 6 to attend Australian schools, with the consequent increase in whole family migration from the country that already has the highest migration rate to Australia. (At the same time, shadow treasurer Chris Bowen warns we are becoming "a nation that can no longer house its own children".)
And when in America, the PM bends to Barack Obama's "request" for Australia to take in Central American refugees fleeing the violence caused by drug wars. While it's a worthy request, it is of concern that Australia's Prime Minister is so acquiescent to the demands of foreign powers, rather than representing our best interests on the global stage. We're now free of cultural cringe, let's not replace it with the political version.
Deborah Morrison, Malvern East
Still angry about Ute-gate
Mr Turnbull just had to have a dig at Kevin Rudd about "boat people" while on the world stage, describing it as "the biggest policy failure in the history of the Commonwealth". Really? Bigger than stealing Indigenous kids from their parents? Bigger than the many deliberate massacres of Indigenous peoples by the Crown? Than sending young men to be crippled and die in the pointless trade war that was World War I? Bigger than sending troops to Vietnam or to Iraq to engage in the illegal invasion and occupation of that country, which has led to such disastrous results? Is Malcolm still harbouring anger about Ute-Gate after all these years?
Conrad John Corry, Fairfield
We have our own wall
I used to laugh at Donald Trump's plan to build a wall to keep refugees out of the US until I realised we already had one in Australia. Ours is made of warships and troops but it is a wall none the less. I'm not laughing any more.
Malcolm Fraser, Oakleigh South
Exaggeration not scare
It is beyond belief that the Liberal Party is so hysterical about Labor's "Mediscare" campaign. This outrage comes from a party that claimed our backyards were in danger from native title claims; that a carbon tax would wield a wrecking ball through the economy; and that house prices and the stockmarket would crash if negative gearing and capital gains tax provisions were watered down by a Labor government. It seems it's OK if the Liberals scare voters by exaggeration, but it's an outrage if Labor tries to do the same.
Garry Meller, Bentleigh
Punished at the polls
Recent elections here and overseas have resulted in strong swings against incumbent governments and major parties. Politicians identify a "trust deficit" as one cause but are not prepared to acknowledge that while they refuse to tackle issues of transparency and integrity around political donations and access (lobbying), this situation will only get worse.
Their legacy will be continued instability, as more alienated citizens increasingly lose faith in the political system and its ability to solve problems in an efficient, equitable manner. More people will vote to punish those whose behaviour reflects double standards and is all too often seen as aggressive and self-serving.
Andrew Payne, Geelong
To those that have
Education Minister Simon Birmingham wants to correct problems with the Gonski funding. He believes some poor schools are receiving less money than other poor schools. So he will redistribute funds from poor schools to other poor schools. But what he will not do, but should, is reallocate funds from the wealthy, less needy schools to poorer schools. This way the wealthy schools can still get their heated pool and he keeps his masters in the private school lobby happy.
Ross Hudson, Camberwell
Lifting the lid
The angst surrounding the release of the film Snowden is a reminder that many of us are uncomfortably aware that both governments and big business do dirty deals behind our backs. Government anger about Snowden is not so much about security issues but about dirty tricks being revealed.
John Hensler, Tesbury
Locking them up
Clare Kermond's article "Dealt a double punishment" (News, 18/9) powerfully demonstrates why so many people with disabilities should not be jailed; it's disturbing to read that research indicated 42 per cent of male prisoners had an acquired brain injury compared with 2 per cent in the general population.
Sadly, leading up to state elections, both main parties often get involved in a bidding war to prove who's toughest on crime. With a 68 per cent increase in the prison population between 2004 and 2014, prison infrastructure sucks up so much money that little is left for services, despite evidence that early access to housing support is critical. Too many people accept the hardline attitude pumped out by conservative media that the best policy is "out of sight, out of harm's way".
Father Kevin Burke, Eltham
Have a care for young
I am outraged that after years of looking after loved ones, young carers are vilified for remaining in the welfare system. Perhaps the question to be answered is whether it is acceptable that people of school age should be expected to take on the role of carer? Clearly the answer is no. Young carers should be helped to ensure they can attend school and complete their education so they are prepared for a future after their caring duties have ceased.
Joy Agnew, Mitcham
The us-and-them way
A familiar form of racism is denigrating a person because of their skin colour, tribe or race. It should always be condemned. Another form, one that gets little publicity, is where a minority racial or religious group favours their own people above outsiders. It is us and them. This type of racism is usually practised quietly so attracts less public attention. Lip service may be given to the idea of equality for all but the behaviour is tribal, is another form of racism and also deserves to be condemned.
Bruce Chambers, Hawthorn
Tighter train targets
If the government awards Metro Trains another contract, here are three changes I'd like to see made. Halve the time in which a train can run late and still be regarded as "on time" from four minutes and 59 seconds to two minutes and 29 seconds; rate the "on time" performance on a line-by-line basis rather than across the network, as few commuters travel on multiple lines, let alone across the network; and ensure compensation when targets are not met is automatic for registered myki holders instead of making commuters apply for it.
Theo Mackaay, Williamstown
Let's talk about death
I stumbled upon the Exit International conference and wandered in to watch Dr Philip Nitschke's closing address. The small audience of mostly over-60s left me startled. As death is the only certainty in life, I wonder why aren't more of us involving ourselves in an important discussion about end-of-life options. Most of us are scared about the prospect of death, but we don't also have to be scared of talking about death.
Ceira Barr, Northcote
Learn the anthem, boys
The AFL: an original Australian game. Has a huge following, is a huge money maker and offers huge salaries to players. So could they please show respect to our country and our only national sport by learning the national anthem.
Meg Biggs, Hawthorn
Move with times, AFL
America's NFL is incorporating microchips into the leather bag its sport uses. The devices can be monitored to show unequivocally the precise trajectory of the ball, avoiding the need for endless video replays (and goal umpires?). Time for the AFL to join the 21st-century technical revolution?
Roger Leslie, Pakenham
Do not blame parents
As if sports gambling ads were not bad enough now we have the blame-the-parents ad – the one that exhorts parents to teach their children to "Love the game not the odds". Are you kidding me! How about you just stop advertising gambling to my kids.
Kelly Reed, Clifton Hill
A fair bargain?
I don't understand all the fuss about the lower wages paid to women compared with men. The pay variance is more than balanced out by the fact that women get a better tax deal than men; pay less for public transport; receive discounted entertainment tickets such as movies, concerts, sporting events; pay less for airline tickets ... Hang on, no we don't.
Rosie Elsass, Brighton