• OCTOBER 29

John Hewson puts a spotlight on our preoccupation with the politics of fear. ("Turnbull can beat the politics of fear – if he dares", October 28.)

• OCTOBER 28

Jacob Saulwick's useful comment on affordable housing explains how massive numbers of affordable rental homes in the US have been built by incentivising developers through tax credits.

• OCTOBER 27

The Governor-General needs to step in and dismiss the Attorney-General.

• OCTOBER 26

The resignation of Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson is another sign of the weakness of Malcolm Turnbull.

• OCTOBER 25

Unfortunately Scott Morrison's belated attempt to do something about the housing crisis is too little too late.

• OCT24

As a so-called "empty nester", I would point out that many of us do not have empty bedrooms gathering dust. There's the joy of finally having our own study or work space, as well as these rooms doubling up as somewhere to put the exercise bike to renew our ageing bodies.

• October 23

Arthur Sinodinos believes that a strong economy is the key to relieving child poverty in Australia. Australia has had a strong economy for more than 25 years. Yet for some reason that hasn't helped.

• OCTOBER 22

The role of government should be to look out for the public interest, and while the health of the private sector is important, the cannibalisation of our public services is hardly an innovative use of private capital.

• OCTOBER 21

Whatever your politics, you'd have to admit the Abbott government attempted to deal with the major issues facing Australia.

• OCTOBER 20

A large number of Adler rapid fire rifles will inevitably find their way into the hands of criminals and terrorists if this firearm is legalised.

• October 19

Four Corners showed the cruel and inhumane treatment of refugee children on Nauru.

• October 18

Where is the evidence that new terrace housing in Sydney's middle ring suburbs will be more affordable?

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• October 17

The public school system runs the risk of opening up back-door privatisation.

• October 16

Adam St James may well rail against the protests about animal cruelty in circuses ("The circus conundrum", October 9) but his assertion that the circus owners are doing nothing wrong is surely incorrect. The owners may well be doing nothing illegal but that is a long way from doing nothing wrong. Wild animals should not be locked up in cages for most of their lives simply for human entertainment.

• COMMENT

There's never been a more exciting time to be Tony Abbott.

• COMMENT

With conflicting accounts from Attorney-General George Brandis and Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson, the Senate committee will probably have to decide on the balance of probabilities whether Brandis misled the Parliament.

I doubt the word "pussy" has ever been used on the Letters page except in the context of a discussion about pets until now.

• October 13

Since the marriage plebiscite will not proceed the savings could be used to restore the funding cuts to science research.

• OCTOBER 12

Premier Baird's recent fall down the stairs didn't just damage a vertebra as was initially reported, it is now apparent he lost his entire backbone.

• OCTOBER 11

Just locker-room banter. Is this how some men speak about women when their wives and girlfriends are absent?

• OCT10

Your article quotes the prepared statement delivered on behalf of those young men who returned home through Sydney Airport ("Chastened revellers keep their pants on", October 8-9). The statement concluded: "We'd like to take this opportunity to ask you to please be respectful of our families' privacy at this time." This would be the greatest piece of hypocrisy that one could possibly hope to encounter. By their very position in life and their conduct, they had negated any right that their families and they may have had to privacy. Don Landers Northbridge

• October 9

What a wonderful example of human kindness - vets treating the pets of homeless people ("Hope for homeless as vets waive their fees", October 2). What a great pity the state government does not show the same compassion to their owners.

• OCTOBER 8

Malcolm Turnbull truly jumped the shark by announcing he would establish a new tribunal before the bank inquiry even had a chance to report.

• COMMENT

Predictably, the appearance of the bosses of the big four banks before Parliament this week generated a sustained stream of correspondence. Expectations were low and appear to have been met.

• OCTOBER 7

The banning of commercial greyhound racing is about animal welfare.

The behaviour on show at the parliamentary inquiry into banking indicates a sick corporate world.

• OCTOBER 5

His appearance reminded me somewhat of King Charles I, and his attitude to the English parliament, which did not end well for him.

• OCTOBER 4

Jessica Irvine's column is not a fair analysis of either of the issues she raises: immigration and refugees.