Waleed Aly identifies economic confusion and an inchoate desire for change as drivers of voter discontent (“This is a mess with no easy way out”, October 9).
asserted
This → identify → way
The sense that concerns are not being taken seriously is surely contributing.
asserted
concerns → take → ?
With basic services struggling, why can’t Australians benefit from our gas exports as Norwegians and Omanis do?
asserted
Norwegians → struggle → exports
Why have we not properly debated the eye-watering and increasingly dubious AUKUS agreement?
asserted
we → debate → agreement
Why do so many big companies pay no tax?
asserted
companies → pay → tax
Why are we filling up the cities instead of decentralising?
asserted
we → fill → cities
Why are fossil fuel mines still being approved?
asserted
mines → approve → ?
One Nation has its fans but I believe there’s a more constructive option (“Greens celebrate wave of new members”, October 9).
asserted
Greens → have → members
New Greens leader David Shoebridge is unafraid to speak up on difficult issues, and people appear to be responding.
asserted
people → speak → issues
A recent YouGov poll has found the Greens are polling 41 per cent among Gen Z and younger.
asserted
Greens → find → Z
This voter wants the government to find its courage and honour its legacy, and that does not mean pandering to One Nation as the opposition is doing.
asserted
opposition → want → Nation
Alison Stewart, Riverview
Waleed Aly has provided a very good analysis of how complicated the world is in economics, politics and social cohesion.
asserted
world → provide → economics
It is ludicrous to expect that the solutions to any of these problems are to be found in simplistic policies and slogans that politicians present to us every day.
asserted
politicians → expect → us
Whatever the shortcomings of the current government may be (and there are quite a few), it is not a “terrible government” letting in “mass migration” and “destroying our way of life”.
uncertain
it → be → life
The vast majority of Australians are still very well off, and if we could promote the idea that those who are prospering could do more to help those who are struggling, we would be much better off overall.
uncertain
we → promote → those
However, it is not in the interest of politicians or their parties to appeal to our better natures because stirring up division is essentially the reason for their existence.
asserted
stirring → appeal → existence
Instead of fannying about trying to deal with our present global Gordian knot(s) (“We’ve reached a perverse moment.
asserted
We → fannye → moment
Things are only going to get worse,” October 9)
asserted
Things → go → ?
, maybe we need the intervention of another Alexander the Great, who in 333BC decisively cut through the complex knot with a sword.
asserted
who → need → sword
Unfortunately, he then spent most of his life in battle and reportedly descended into megalomania and paranoia.
uncertain
he → spend → megalomania
History does tend to repeat itself.
asserted
History → tend → itself
Judy Finch, Taree
Waleed Aly’s stimulating article omits a contributing factor to Australia’s inflation number.
asserted
article → omit → number
Interest rate increases reduce spending by those who have home loans, and fail to reduce price rises from petrol, energy and other inflation-contributing items.
asserted
who → reduce → petrol
Aly wisely acknowledges the value of productivity improvements.
asserted
Aly → acknowledge → improvements
However, the Reserve Bank should focus on measures that address cost-push inflation.
asserted
that → focus → inflation
The trimmed mean is not enough to isolate this factor.
asserted
mean → trim → factor
Parties seeking simplistic solutions to complex problems fail to address issues Aly identifies as wickedly complex.
asserted
Aly → seek → issues
Brian Dellit, Woonona
Revised immigration stance
Angus Taylor and Tony Abbott are rewriting history to try to justify their immigration stance.
asserted
Taylor → revise → stance
(“Taylor and Abbott say Bondi shooting drove the politics on migration,” October 8).
asserted
shooting → say → migration
The forward estimates for immigration numbers released under the Morrison government predicted higher numbers than eventuated under Labor; but
asserted
estimates → release → Labor
in an attempt to damage Labor’s electoral standing, the Liberals falsely accused Labor of engineering “mass migration” for political gain.
asserted
Liberals → damage → gain
That is when the toxicity started.
asserted
toxicity → start → ?
Graeme Finn, Campsie
Another fraught policy
One Nation’s latest promise to scrap independent assessment of major coal mines and hand decision-making power back to politicians because it would be “less susceptible to corruption” is another ill-thought-out and fraught policy (“One Nation vows to cut red tape on coal mining,” October 9).
asserted
Nation → scrap → mining
A party that refuses to accept the science of climate change, acting at the behest of profit-driven fossil fuel companies, that know that their days are numbered, is a recipe for a scorched-earth policy that would encourage fossil-fuel companies to maximise profits in as short a time as possible.
asserted
that → refuse → time
We’ve seen the dishonesty and misinformation before, regarding lead in petrol, the health dangers inherent in tobacco products and toxic chemicals, just to name a few.
asserted
We → see → few
Independent oversight is essential as big business has continually shown that profits come before community interests, and personal and environmental health and safety.
asserted
profits → show → interests
Think before you arm
It appears Chris Minns’ decision to set up a heavily armed response team highlights a decision based on appeasing a minority group, as opposed to one based on sound advice, common sense and practicality.
asserted
decision → think → advice
Some 250 heavily armed, specially trained officers driving high-powered vehicles to do what exactly?
asserted
officers → arm → what
(“Expansion of Jewish security groups’ remit still being considered despite new heavily armed police unit,” October 8).
asserted
Expansion → consider → unit
In reality, the chances of this squad ever being deployed to a real-life “Bondi Beach” situation are negligible.
asserted
squad → deploy → situation
…and 80 more, not listed.
The Aporia
