A different path

The long saga of the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial (Rick Morton, “‘Please don’t make me look like a cheap tabloid journalist’ ”, December 16-22) should cause us all to reflect on the role, number and influence of political staffers at all levels of government. What’s become increasingly clear is the key role staffers play in the balance of factional power between members of parliament and the pressures and power at play between MPS, staffers and the party machines. Doubtless this is replicated in the ALP. What’s a whole lot less obvious is how the employment of staffers benefits the Australian community as a whole. Could it be that a pool of independent public servants randomly allocated to MPS while in Canberra may actually provide both better decisions and a greater level of professionalism from all involved? Of course, it will never happen, as the gravy train from staffer to MP is one most MPS themselves have travelled on, and their loyalty to the respective party machine is much greater than their commitment to good government.

– Colin Hesse, Marrickville, NSW (as occurred with the League of Nations), by terminating the present UN formed at the end of World War II by the victors, and setting up a reformed and global representative UN that enables a Security Council to pass resolutions on, say, a 75 per cent majority vote of an expanded permanent group. Nine permanent members could constitute the number required for passing a Security Council motion, while more than three permanent non-supporting members or non-voting members would constitute the equivalent of a veto. Australia could emulate Doc Evatt’s UN dedication and initiate advocacy or action, perhaps through the UN General Assembly.

– Geoff Henkel, Farrer, ACT