Malcolm Turnbull is the leader of the Liberal Party ("You'll hear more from me in 2017, Bernardi promises", December 12). From this I can only assume that he has majority support within his party. But the media reports only on what is said by a minority in the party who oppose his views. Where is this majority of members of the Liberal Party who voted for a Turnbull leadership and presumably support him? It's time we heard from this silent majority of liberal Liberal members of Parliament. Come on, Turnbull needs your help.
Esther Scholem Macquarie Park
As the then vice-president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, I worked with Malcolm Turnbull on an advisory committee to the Commonwealth government, prior to the referendum seeking to establish an independent republic of Australia ("Turnbull buckles on effective climate action", December 12). Turnbull impressed me with his intelligent, forthright and independent arguments. I also enjoyed a half hour discussion over beers after each meeting. However, as the editorial suggests, he has lost his independence, integrity and most of all his courage.
Stan Sharkey Matraville
Sadly, I have to agree with your editorial and will not give Malcolm Turnbull any more chances unless he can find some courage in his Christmas stocking and stand up to the right in his party next year. I returned to the Liberal Party because of him but have run out of excuses to remain.
Ann Babington Shortland
I know who our Prime Minister is, but who is the leader?
Tim Schroder Gordon
Cory Bernardi asks: "Why is it up to me to call it out as dumb when the well-paid brains of the cabinet could not see it?"
Senator, it was only a proposal to consider an emissions intensity scheme. It was not dumb. This scheme is supported by experts, it's thought to be more effective than other proposals, to lower energy costs and to increase energy security. Surely such a scheme is worthy of proper consideration.
In politics of the past decade, rational debate has been replaced with slogans, misleading statements and straight-out dishonesty.
Hearing more from Bernardi and others who fear rational debate and evidence-based decisions is truly an ominous warning for Australia.
Keith Woodward Avalon Beach
So Cory Bernardi is going to be pushing his right-wing agenda even more. He boasts of stopping a limited emissions trading scheme to reduce carbon emissions by calling it "dumb". One would have thought that his unrelenting refusal to accept climate science was dumb, given that it has cost us $15 billion dollars. I wonder how much his more active role will cost us next year. Or is that a "dumb" question?
Steve Bright North Avoca
It appears that Cory Bernardi takes some delight in the election of Donald Trump. One may ask how a man who has been married three times; is a serial groper and bully of women; who habitually reneged on contracts with workmen; who promotes racist and religious bigotry; who lies constantly about anything and everything, even silly lies everyone knows are false; who has already stepped back from multiple campaign promises; and who has given a position as his political adviser to a white supremacist aligns with Bernardi's self-proclaimed conservative Christian values?
Neil Ormerod Professor of Theology, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield
So we'll be hearing more from Cory Bernardi in 2017? Only if the media give him the free kicks the US media gave Donald Trump. Every time he opens his mouth he gets an article (like the one on Monday). The man has a narrow platform, with an even narrower support base from an over-represented state. His views are those of an extreme ideologue. They "balance" nothing. Please stop giving Bernardi (and other self-serving, ignorant and aggressive senators such as Rod Culleton) the public voice they do not deserve.
Sally Irwin Potts Point
So our de facto Prime Minister, Senator Bernadi, wants his party to be more Trump-like. Just 26 per cent of US electors voted for Trump. If the LNP's vote dwindles to a similar figure, it can look forward to many, many years in opposition.
Tim Wilson Lapstone
2017, the Year of the Rooster, and already Bernardi's crowing.
George Manojlovic Mangerton
Good pay here for keen workers but where are they?
I can assure your readers there are businesses out there crying out for capable and enthusiastic staff and more than willing to pay above-award wages for the right person (Letters, December 12).
Our experience as a small manufacturer (staff of 25) desperately keen to employ design and trade-interested young people is that despite embracing the idea that "unpaid internships" or "trials" are not right for us or the individual, it is extremely difficult to employ young people, casual, part or full time. There is a chronic shortage of people (particularly the young) willing to try manufacturing.
We employ two undergraduates and a post-graduate student (all from the University of Wollongong) earning up to $26 an hour and are keen to employ more. These three people happily make the 50-minute commute from Wollongong to Moorebank each day.
As recently as last week we thought we'd secured a local school-leaver. Having agreed on a paid period of trial employment for two weeks through to Christmas at $22 an hour, we were disappointed to learn the day before he was due to start that he'd been offered a better position.
It is clearly wrong to abuse staff – particularly the young – however, it is also extremely frustrating as a genuine employer, to continually find ourselves unable to hire young people, the single greatest threat to growing our business after 130 years in operation.
Greg Penman managing director, EH Brett & Sons, Moorebank
Light rail claims get Bairder and Bairder
The government puts the blowout on operating costs for the light rail down to a "superior level of service" but passengers will spend an average of up to four minutes longer travelling from one end of the line to the other. ("Cost of running Sydney's new light-rail line blows out by 70 per cent to $938 million", December 12). Even a native speaker of Swahili would question the logic of that poor attempt at spin. These politicians have no conscience or contrition. It just gets Bairder and Bairder.
Lyn Savage Coogee
The Auditor-General's report advised the Eastern Suburbs Light Rail has a benefit of $3 billion. With the extra operating costs, total costs now exceed the benefits. The audit report also advised the trams have a nominal capacity of 466: 108 seats with 358 passengers standing. These trams are the equivalent of two inner-west trams, or two of Melbourne's E-class trams.
Morning peak-hour maximum load surveys show the inner-west trams are crowded with just 140 passengers, and Melbourne's E-class trams average 100 to 120 passengers. The real capacity of the eastern suburbs trams will be around 250 passengers – and the benefits little more than half the cost.
Peter Egan Artarmon
Yet another of Mike Baird's "magic" tricks has been exposed in a damning report from the Auditor-General's office. Considering what Baird did to Commissioner Megan Latham and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Auditor-General Margaret Crawford had better watch her back.
Rob Phillips North Epping
Love and maths
As a past teacher of mathematics in secondary schools I have enjoyed the discussion on the best approach to teaching mathematics, whether that be the Socratic method of "drawing it out" (emphasising the Latin root "educere" of the word "education") from existing student knowledge, or a more traditional teacher-led approach, or a more explorative approach building on an inherent student curiosity and desire to learn (Letters, December 12).
However, I found the most successful teachers of mathematics were those who were themselves abiding students of mathematics, infecting students with their own curiosity and love of the subject. Perhaps the age-old adage, "You can say what you like, but you thunder what you are!" captures it best.
John Edwards Ryde
In praise of motorists
I've been cycling regularly for 18 years in various parts of the world, including Europe, Central America and Africa. I've cycled in Sydney for about four months. Thank you to the drivers of Sydney. You are courteous to cyclists, giving us a good berth when passing and allowing us our rights at intersections.
Trevor Reeves Padstow
No surprise there
President-elect Trump denounces the CIA report that Russia intervened to help elect him as "ridiculous" ("Call to investigate Russia role", December 12). To quote Mandy Rice-Davies: "He would say that, wouldn't he?"
Bob Barnes Wedderburn
Pride and terror on the cricket pitch
Much has been written on Spiro Zavos, the rugby writer (Letters, December 12). May I add that in New Zealand he played first-class cricket for Wellington. I met him recently and he said that he remembers with pride and terror the Wellington match against the touring MCC side in March 1959. Opening the batting, he faced the fury of Fred Trueman and Frank Tyson, who were among the fastest bowlers in cricket history. He scored only three and five runs but what a lesson he learnt from the speed maestros.
Kersi Meher-Homji St Ives
Spiro Zavos was much too kind to me ("The Last Word", December 10-11). A New Zealander, he knows pretty well all there is to know about rugby. I know a tiny bit. So I touch my forelock to him, the greatest rugby writer who ever lived, except of course The Guardian's Frank Keating (1937-2013).
Evan Whitton Glebe
Wilcox's polemic
Monday's Wilcox "cartoon" appears to be more polemic with pictures than a cartoon with a few well-chosen words. More important, Wilcox didn't name Bill Leak among those who "cut through the nonsense" or are "told to draw nice cartoons".
Other than that, yes, cartoonists are great.
Peter Thornton Killara
With just 96 square centimetres of space, Cathy Willcox has again managed to communicate volumes. May her voice never be censored or silenced.
Lorraine Hickey North Avoca
Airport must have rail link
It is unbelievable that Badgerys Creek Airport will begin construction without a rail link ("Sydney's second airport gets cleared for take-off", December 12). There will be hundreds of construction people working on site, and hundreds more once completed. I thought NSW was promoting the use of public transport. Work on the rail should start now and be completed before the bulldozers arrive.
Michael Webb Cromer
Opera theatre awaits upgrade
Sydney's new International Convention Centre opened without a world class opera theatre ("Sydney's pow-wow palace is ready", December 12). That was a lost opportunity but there is hope. Perhaps some of the proceeds from the NSW Ausgrid sale will go towards the long-awaited refurbishment of the Joan Sutherland Theatre (formerly Opera Theatre) at the world-class Sydney Opera House.
Hendry Wan Alexandria
Fifty shades of grey-haired Abbott supporters
The Herald reveals that the former prime minister's reading list included that notorious erotica by E.L. James; Fifty Shades of Grey ("Fifty Shades, thrillers and Western history: Tony Abbott reflects on his reading habits", December 12). Abbott is no perv; he probably thought it was about the old fogeys who form his supporter base.
Joe Weller Lewisham
It's said in jest that Tony Abbott's follow-up to his first book Battlelines could be called Battlescars, but Battlefatigue (common symptoms: indecision, disconnection from one's surroundings, inability to prioritise) would be a more fitting title.
Alicia Dawson Balmain
Tony Abbott should read Niki Savva's Road to Ruin about a lazy prime minister who handed over the reins to his chief of staff leading to his downfall. A must for anyone with leadership aspirations.
Julie Robinson Cardiff
I'm surprised by Tony Abbott's reading list, I thought it would have included Great Expectations.
John Bailey Canterbury
Three can be a crowd
Emma Chissett is a life-long friend of Costa Livven and now that Ella Trisitti-Pryces has joined in, Allan Young (Letters, December 12), the two friends will have their hands full worrying about how their new "friend" is going to affect their relationship,
Tony Everett Wareemba