THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT YOUR VOTE

I’M not meaning for this to be a mischaracterisation but respectfully from day one of the election campaign and contrary to conventional political wisdom it became obvious that Labor’s political choice of leader came in for serious questions, with history poised to judge.

With the election being a serious polarising event and as a middle of the road voter – independent of any political party on Wednesday 4th I fortuitously tuned into the Canberra Press Club luncheon debate between Labor’s shadow treasurer Mr Jim Chalmers and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

To give credit where it’s due, in my assessment Treasurer Frydenberg, with a dignified demeanour, articulated a reality based well-reasoned explanation of the pragmatism upon which the budget was predicated, along with an insightful focus on the threatening international inflationary headwinds imminently facing the nation and who came across as a well balanced person filled with intelligent energy.

Conversely in my opinion, the Opposition shadow treasurer Mr Jim Chalmers, in spite of his best opportunity to counter Josh Frydenberg’s delivery, instead adopted a persistent improper over zealous hypocritical rhetorical flourish directed at every aspect of the government’s past decision making.

Subsequently, because of this non-stop criticism he finished short on clarifying Labor policies, which was below contemporary standards and which left one wondering.

Apart from the perils of WW II, its pertinent to reflect on the indisputable fact that no government in the past 100 years apart from the Morrison government has had the misfortune to be so burdened and confront by such a challenging time in government.

When factoring in the Covid – 19 pandemic, state border isolation lockdowns, the requirement for workplace security via the costly government initiative of Jobkeeper and Jobseeker, plus the exceptional and devastating bushfires and widespread interstate disastrous flooding, and now the added cost of supporting the Ukraine war, is testimony enough of the Morrison government’s fiscal competency over the past difficult three years, which speaks volumes.

Proven good responsible economic management now has the nation enjoying the historic lowest unemployment rate in 48 years, an international triple (A) credit rating, along with Australia leading the pandemic recovery ahead of most G-20 countries, then contrary to Labor’s opposing negative assertions, fundamentally the government must have been doing something right over the past three years.

Any voter who misguidedly thinks that Australia has a monopoly over rising interest rates and inflationary cost of living with the magical fix being to simply change the government should be illogically advocating the change of all governments globally.

To conclude, I hasten to say that any disaffected voter harbouring a negative mindset against the government and who lashes out just to register a protest vote, needs an abundance of caution as the last thing that they would want, would be to awake on the Sunday morning following election day nursing sorry second thoughts about their misdirected vote.

R BENNETT, Aitkenvale.

Scomo will go down in Australian history as the worst PM since ‘leaking Billy’ Mcmahon and the least truthful since before ‘Toby Tosspot’ Barton. BILLY, WULGURU

The Libs must be very desperate. Just got my 10th letter from Phillip Thompson. Needless to say it went straight to the shredder. DAZZA, PIMLICO

Are the quiet Australians coming out of hibernation? On Wednesday mainstream media reported the gap had closed dramatically. Are they afraid of stuffing it up again? W WENCK, CURRAJONG

Not one more dollar spent on the Olympics until Palaszczuk fixes the health crisis. Unbelievable. JR, 4810

Wed, 18 May. The Olympic Games are more likely to be more important than the Qld Health catastrophe. Wake up Queensland. No vote for Labor. QGZ, 4810

Workers slugged yet again with another drop in real wages under Scott Morrison. There’s not much benefit to low unemployment if the cost is declining living standards. STEVE, BELGIAN GARDENS

How can we vote for Phillip Thompson if he can’t get veterans

Now the Coalition government is prepared to give money for lighting at Riverway Stadium. How convenient. Just before the federal election. What a joke.

processed to get help now. How will it be when they get rid of more people assisting in veterans’ affairs? GF, ANNANDALE

For those who can remember the absolute circus surrounding Rudd and Gillard where Australia was rudderless months on end, where they backstabbed each other, what do you think is going to happen with Albanese and Plibersek. Gillard was a backstabber who clearly could not be trusted. Plibersek seems much worse so good luck Albo. SYD, KELSO

There’s a hole in the health system dear premier, dear premier, the ambos are a-ramping dear premier aramping. Just fix it dear premier, just fix it right now. CAZ, KIRWAN

State health minister wants the feds to make the flu jab free. When will the Labor Party wake up to the fact that nothing is free. JLF, CITY

Seeing that the leader of the red team is spruiking about being able to travel around Australia on an electric vehicle can any members of that team tell me how do I recharge my electric vehicle if I am towing my caravan from Townsville to Darwin. After I leave Camooweal in Qld where can I charge my batteries? BOB THE BUILDER, 4811

It’s very easy to pick out the Labor voters now. The ones who are still wearing masks. D. BILTON, WEST END

Warren, 4814, Putin stayed away from Ukraine because Trump told Putin if he invaded he would bomb the hell out of Moscow. If Trump was still president Ukraine invasion would not have happened. JIMBO, 4814

Warren, 4814 if Trump was still president the war in Ukraine wouldn’t be happening, your Trump derangement syndrome is flaring.

PAUL, ALICE RIVER

MJ Reynolds please get your facts right. The accident on the Bruce Highway had nothing to do with the road. The driver had a medical condition. ALLAN, KIRWAN