Coalition has no ideas

Karen Middleton and Paul Bongiorno both paint a gloomy but accurate picture of the Liberal brand (“Exclusive: While women marched, the PM was doing factional deals”and “A sad tale of two cities”, April 3-9) as a party that has forgotten how to govern: all faction, no action. Sound bites, photo ops and cabinet reshuffles simply provide a distraction, with no sign of any responsible leadership underpinned by real-world principles and policies. Major issues (climate, energy, health and aged care, education, housing, infrastructure and development) degenerate into squabbles over tactics: one step forward, two steps back. Ministers show no signs of realising there are problems that need to be resolved in order to move on; they take cover and keep mum, only opening their mouths to change feet. With Scott Morrison steering the ship, if it’s heading anywhere, it’s straight for next year’s electoral iceberg. Let’s hope Labor’s craft is more seaworthy.

– Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale, Vic