Strong women get their chance

Three cheers for Jane Caro (“Running against Tony Abbott”, October 27–November 2). And are we seeing the first pincer movement on the hard right that has insinuated itself into the Liberal Party to the detriment of the national progress? First it was Cathy McGowan in Indi. More recently the electorate spoke out in Wentworth with Dr Kerryn Phelps. Jane Caro possesses the same qualities as these two strong-minded and capable women. Anyone who has heard her speak, read her columns and studied the demographics of the Warringah electorate would have to give her a fair-dinkum chance. It is interesting that the party’s dominating core of ultra-conservative males, who have seemingly shunned women as candidates, is to be challenged by strong women with progressive views and long-term socialbenefit vision. The ultimate irony is that the right-wing leadership has entrenched itself in safe Liberal electorates that are ripe to move forward on the social, global and environmental issues but are unconvinced a Bill Shortenled Labor Party would deliver the changes in a manner with which they would feel comfortable. Enter a middleof-the-road option with intelligent, well-thought-through views and a functional grip on reality and you have the makings of a perfect storm for the hard right that could send revitalising change around The Fatal Shore.

– John Mosig, Kew, Vic