Cory Bernardi stresses the value he places on his principles. His actions [on Monday] show his true principles. He has demonstrated that he is greedy, a coward and a narcissist. Greedy because he waited until he was guaranteed another six years with his snout in the Senate trough. Cowardly because he waited until after his election as a Liberal before declaring his hand and narcissistic because he is only thinking of himself and thumbing his nose at the Liberal voters who elected him. Just when you think the bar on the moral behaviour of politicians couldn't get any lower, MPs like Bernardi show we have not yet reached the bottom.
Ross Hudson, Camberwell
Long-time betrayer of values
Why the crocodile tears now, Senator Bernardi? You have been betraying true liberal values in very deliberate ways for many, many years.
Sue Dyer, Downer, ACT
No right to hold the Senate seat
At the federal election 2043 people voted specifically for Cory Bernardi to be a Liberal party senator, while 329,516 people voted for a member of the Liberal Party to be a senator. He is no longer a member of the Liberals. Who can reasonably claim the right to occupy this position?
John Murphy, Aberfeldie
Manifest anger poses a danger
Journalists may ridicule Cory Bernardi's creation of a new party and deride One Nation and its anti-intellectualism, but both represent developments in Australian culture and politics that need to be taken seriously. Bernardi and One Nation are receiving considerable coverage in the popular and more highbrow media, much more even than the Greens, who at least have coherent policies. In part this coverage is because our political journalism thrives on colour and conflict, but also because so many people are seemingly welcoming a move towards an inchoate right wing legislature.
But this shift is dangerous because it will attract support simply on an emotional level as it is adversarial and seemingly in cue with "common sense". The absence of policies will not concern these kinds of supporters. Second, the two main "conservative" parties, Labor and Liberal, will react to the ground swell of the Bernardis and Hansonites by moving further to the right to appease a large populist group whose anger is manifest but inarticulate.
Greg Bailey, St Andrews
What a dream run
I had a great feeling yesterday morning. Cory had started a new party and Tony became his deputy. Even Pauline joined in. Meanwhile Malcolm and Labor and the Greens formed a coalition and bills were being passed in record numbers in the next Parliament – all marriages became legal, the Adani coal mine was blocked, we became a republic, refugees were resettled in Australia, employment soared through jobs in wind and solar. Malcolm became the most popular prime minister ever and was re-elected for the next three terms. Alas it was only a dream.
Ralph Frank, Malvern East
Take some MPs with you
Could Bernardi possibly take Scott Morrison and other supporters of the Australian (so-called) Christian Lobby with him? How much has the ACL paid into the coffers of the Coalition – and Bernardi - to avoid a vote on same sex marriage – using funding from the good old US of A? I am a practising Christian, but the ACL is in no way either Australian or Christian – although lobby is completely accurate.
Doris LeRoy, Altona
THE FORUM
Befuddled MPs
After what seems like years of being a sniper within the party to which he owes his political existence, Cory Bernardi is finally ready to launch his own show. One assumes that such a man, who parades his morality with a megaphone, will resign the Senate spot he secured as a Liberal and offer himself as a new candidate.
Meanwhile, far-right mate George Christensen says, "We need to reconnect with our core constituency and with the people at large." George, your "core constituency" and the "people at large" are two wildly differing groups. It'd be foolish to assume the advice you receive from the hot-house world of your adherents is supported by the far less ideologically driven people at large.
Ian McKendry, Kew East
Why worry? Be happy!
The latest Newspoll shows One Nation with 8 per cent support and the Coalition well behind the ALP on the two-party preferred vote. To top it off, Bernardi does a Brutus. I am encouraged by these events. Some 92 per cent of Australians are opposed to One Nation. That the Coalition is slipping further behind Labor shows that voters still do not care for the Abbott-era agenda the Coalition follows, and that it is heading for a mammoth electoral backlash. Meanwhile, One Nation already has the disaffected vote. Bernardi may be re-elected, but as a party of one.
Harry Kowalski, Ivanhoe
Revolution's begun
I have a contract that offers me two hour shifts at $28 per hour. It is a 50-kilometre round trip to the client's home and back. I cannot claim travel expenses because I am going to and from my place of work. The Tax Office estimates the cost per kilometre at 78 cents, which means it's costing me $39 to earn $56. The "fair" work commission informs me I can be expected to travel 50 kilometres for one hour of work, in which case I would be paying for the privilege of working. Does Barnaby Joyce seriously believe that people in regional areas can save for a house deposit while earning $8.50 per hour? The lack of understanding shown by the political class and the casualisation and insecurity of work is leading to great frustration and desperation. I'd say "bring on the revolution" but judging by the rise in problem gambling and mental illness, the overfull prisons, drug dependency rates, the rising incidence of domestic violence and violence generally, I think it has already started.
Debra Shill, Nicholson
Trading places
Perhaps our Prime Minister really is Mr Trumbull, which is why he bears no resemblance to the former backbencher and member for Wentworth, the principled Mr Malcolm Turnbull.
Phil Bennett, Brunswick
True representative
Mr Turnbull is used to dealing with career bankers and professional businessmen. He is not used to dealing with juvenile egocentric politicians from both sides of the chamber, from across the Pacific and from self-interested cross-benchers. Thank you for being a true representative of the people.
Winston Keith Anderson, Mornington
Ban US citizens
Should we suspend the entry of US citizens into Australia? As they kill with guns 10 times as many of their people each year as terrorists killed on 9/11, surely they must be regarded as highly dangerous. And given they do it without the usual political or religious motivations of terrorists, the only way we can protect ourselves is to ban them all.
Michael Meszaros, Alphington
Trump plays man
It seems the main way Donald Trump undermines the veracity of an objection to his actions or statements is to play the "man". For example, he called Meryl Streep "one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood", a CNN reporter "... fake news", and Buzzfeed "a failing pile of garbage". By criticising the person, gender or organisation, Trump distracts from his indiscretions and draws attention away from important issues in an attempt to prevent debate.
Steven Sommer, Highton
Disease is spreading
Christine Vickers is right regarding Donald Trump's "sense of entitlement in relation to other people" (Letters, 7/2). But he's not alone. Narcissism and psychopathology have been spreading rapidly. American studies of college students have found a 40 per cent drop in empathy and a 50 per cent increase in students exhibiting narcissistic personality traits since the 1980s. In 2016, joint Australian and American university research found one in five chief executives exhibit clinically significant psychopathic traits, about the same figure as found in prison populations.
Australia's primary concern should be the damage being done in workplaces, homes and society by these phenomena, including the traits promoted in our US-style corporatised culture.
Barbara Chapman, Hawthorn
Church has lost its way
The revelation by the child abuse royal commission that the Vatican has refused to provide information on clergy abuse that it holds is telling. It highlights the church's disingenuousness, its sense of being above the law and its commitment to protect its own and its brand. The church has lost its way, dangerously so. Its behaviour is an affront to our rule of law, an insult to our citizens and an obstruction of justice, all the more disgraceful for coming from the followers of Christ the good shepherd, the prophet of love and forgiveness. The state must intervene to protect its citizens.
John Murphy, Anglesea
Don't include me
Why does Francis Sullivan state: "As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame"? I am an ordinary Catholic and I am not ashamed of it. I had nothing whatsoever to do with these criminal abuses. However, I am deeply ashamed of the Church leadership for the decades of lies, cover-ups and callous treatment of victims. Besmirching all Catholics just muddies the waters and takes the scrutiny off those who are truly responsible for criminal abuses. It makes true change and real accountability less likely.
Garry MacCreanor, Bundoora
Get what you pay for
Vanuatu and China are paying CSIRO for its climate change expertise to alert them as to what is likely to be happening in their parts of the world ("CSIRO science proves its worth after cuts", 6/2). Perhaps Australian farmers and energy producers might like to put in funding, too, so we can also be prepared.
Lorraine Williams, Parkdale
Asleep on the job
I'm befuddled. As an ageing worker in financial services I assumed the rules covering cash payments for securities had been extended to property. Or maybe a politician just made noises about doing it.
Anyway, I must have it wrong as we now hear reports that 35 per cent or more of Chinese buyers of apartments are settling with cash. I could have sworn the Chinese government banned the transfer of cash amounts of more than $50,000 and that those who were making transfers needed to sign a document declaring how the funds would be used and that they would not be used to buy securities, property or insurance. Apparently the Chinese authorities think some of the funds leaving China are, let's say, irregular.
So it seems Austrac is concerned if a local walks in with a crumpled bunch of notes and buys some Telstra shares, but it's a different story if a Chinese citizen who may or may not have residency status can settle, no questions asked, on a $700,000 apartment with cash. It's all very confusing. I'd better go back to sleep – like everyone else.
Richard Campbell, Toorak
Pulling wool over eyes
Thousands of gentle sheep pay the highest price for factory farmed ultra-fine wool production for high-fashion garments mostly made overseas (Letters, 7/2). Sheep are kept indoors with their bodies covered to keep their fleece clean, confined in tiny stalls, causing them to chew the bars, pace and rock in frustrated boredom. Deprived of their normal sensory stimulation and the ability to socialise and graze in the open air.
They are made to stand year after year on hard slatted floors, which causes feet deformities. Considered wool-producing machines, they are genetically manipulated to produce more wool than they would naturally. Plenty of beautiful, warm, durable fabrics are available to designers. Consumers who buy wool are supporting a cruel industry.
Diane Cornelius, Seacliff Park, SA
Endless postal woes
I can beat all the letters regarding Australia Post so far: a small, correctly addressed parcel was sent airmail to my post box in Newport from Finland, taking three days to reach Australia. It then spent two weeks being shunted from one delivery centre to another around Melbourne. I spoke several times to AP's customer service, and was even called by the manager at the Sunshine delivery centre who knew about the parcel and that I was looking for it, yet it never arrived at my post box. At the end of the two weeks it was returned to the sender in Finland – by seamail. That took another eight weeks. The sender couldn't be bothered re-sending it, so I never saw the (very rare) item that I had paid for. So much for "powering online shopping".
Jim Picot, Altona
AND ANOTHER THING...
Cory Bernardi
The Liberal Party becomes stronger when its lunatic fringe goes away.
John Hensler, Tesbury
Cory's doing his little bit to try to make the Liberal Party great again.
Ian Bell, Fitzroy
Does catalyst-for-change Cory realise that the catalyst is commonly destroyed by the reaction it causes?
Gary Sayer, Warrnambool
Is his silent, moral majority an alternative fact?
Brigid Maiden, Coburg
And history repeats itself. Bernardi forms his own Christian party, just as the DLP split from Labor in the 1950s.
Vita Mezzatesta, Pascoe Vale
At least Cory may save taxpayers some money by being able to have a party meeting in a telephone booth – or at home.
Alan Inchley, Frankston
The A-Cons. Sounds to me like a bunch of nuts.
Bryan Fraser, St Kilda
The road to the political graveyard is paved with the corpses of people like Bernardi who have ratted on the party that kick-started their careers.
Brian Sanaghan, West Preston
Politics
Any chance the Coalition might find time to govern the country?
Annie Wilson, Inverloch
How apt to revisit Maxwell Smart (7/2). "Your brand of Kaos is weak and confused, only in my country is there pure Kaos!"
Aitor Orive, Hampton East
So will Josh Frydenberg get his emissions trading scheme now?
Andrea Bunting, Brunswick
Fake news used to be called Disinformation.
Bob Greaves, Mt Eliza
And finally
Melbourne City Council wants to ban any item from being left unattended. Does that include cars, trucks, buses, trams, bicycles and grandparents?
Bruce McMillan, Grovedale