Criticism of prime minister turns to praise for some

To compare Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison is intended to be stinging criticism but in effect becomes unintended praise (“Here’s a secret about Albo and Scomo”, November 23). Using odious comparisons with one of their own (Morrison) as the ultimate insult to attack Albanese indicates just how desperate supporters of this once great Liberal Party have become. Secondly, this line of argument also indicates that Albanese’s long-game plan of repositioning the ALP to be the middle-ground “natural government” for Australians, and for the Liberal National Coalition to become the fringe alternative government, is obviously working a treat. Well done, Albo! Warren Marks, Richmond (Tasmania)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former Prime Minister Scott Morrison shake hands at Parliament House in 2024.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

It’s a very rare thing for Parnell Palme McGuinness to hold my undivided, non-cynical attention but, for once, I read with a great deal of sympathy. There are truths here that Albo needs to heed before his increasingly dull leadership, and compromised ideology, morphs into a long slow fade into insignificance. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell

A pesty issue

I know a lot of people look with disdain about how things are done in Canberra but in the ACT a building report, including a pest report and energy rating, are prepared by the party selling the house and are then paid for by the house purchaser on sale finalisation (“How shoddy building inspections are demolishing buyers’ dreams”. November 23). One building inspection report instead of having to purchase a report for every house you might be interested in. There may still be issues of impartiality and the actual report is mostly composed of statements covering the report preparer’s backside, but it is still a far superior process to NSW’s. Neil Reckord, Gordon (ACT)

Aspiring beauty

Azka Ishfaq’s exquisite poetry captures her great love for her mother and the essence of grief: the yearning, the “fragmented, overwhelming thing that can often trap us” in the desolation of bereavement (“Azka turns grief into moving book of poems”. November 23). Yet, as if by a gossamer thread, the connection remains with the person no longer physically with us and, expressed in the great beauty of Azka’s gift for language, there is hope. In her words, people can “see their own complicated emotions reflected on the page and feel a little less alone”. Azka has honoured her beloved mother with writing of profound beauty and, as an aspiring English teacher, her future students will surely be inspired by her gift for writing. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for Azka’s book and telling friends about it. Thank you to her for generously sharing a pathway through grief, something of great value and benefit to our society. Barbara Chapman, South Yarra

BoM a boon to puns

This disclosure is heating things up for BoM which now has to weather the storm of indignation of tax paying patrons over its somewhat foggy website design (“Bungled BoM website redesign cost $96m”, November 22). The economics and efficacy of the changes have proved as fickle as the proverbial. The original ease of access to its information has been left in the shade by this precipitous upgrade. Not to be missed out, I’m sure, on the design front the consultants are basking in the sun. Steve Dillon, Thirroul

There are people who don’t like and won’t accept change. Even if the change is a vast improvement on what there was before. However, that does not mean that a mistake has been made in making the change. I love the new BoM site. It knows where I am, and gives me the best it can for the exact place, balancing the weather between weather stations. So I get the weather for “Paddington”, and don’t have to choose the nearest weather station (North Head? Sydney?). Negotiating the site to find tide and wind in knots is no longer a complicated and frustrating search through endless pages. The full statewide rain maps are also a boon: helping to understand the bigger picture. Perhaps sticking to the original colouring and maps might have staved off some of the criticism, but there can always be tweaks made. It’s well worth the cost, and always remember, putting money by the state into the economy creates jobs and keeps it humming along nicely. Robert Hosking, Paddington

Refreshing investment

AUKUS subs will cost us $368 billion over 30 years (“Australia has $8b public pool problem”, November 23). What’s $8b for some pools that give us enormous recreational value as well as health benefits? Tim Schroder, Gordon

Lasting heartbreak

The Exclusive Brethren/PBCC can deny they are a cult until they are blue in the face, but I know different. Let’s be clear – the EB tick every box of key features of a cult (“Plymouth Brethren tightens its grip on members but rejects ‘cult’ claims”, November 23). I escaped the clutches of the EB over 50 years ago and was consequently cut off from my family forever. I recently discovered that my brother, aged 93 and still an EB member, had been moved to an aged care facility outside the EB control, so I grasped the opportunity to visit him. The poignancy of this sibling reunion was marred when food was served to us and my terrified brother could not share his meal with me as it contravened a basic EB rule of not eating with former members – such is the power of their brainwashing techniques. Many EB directives are cruel and heartless and cause family break-ups and the passage of time does not diminish the trauma and heartbreak experienced by countless excommunicated members. Joy Nason, Mona Vale

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