Australia needs to stand up for democracy

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US ELECTION:

Australia needs to stand up for democracy

In Iran in 2009, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed victory in the Iranian elections with only two-thirds of the vote counted, a move that led to widespread attacks against his opposition for continuing to protest against the result, and eventually, the arrest of Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who contested the election against Ahmadinejad. Rightly, Australia, alongside the EU and our US allies, condemned this as non-democratic. Votes need to be counted, the people need to be heard before one can claim to ascend to the leadership.

Australia’s political leaders have an obligation to stand for our values on the world stage. It’s with this justification that they launch critiques against China’s actions in Hong Kong, because we supposedly believe in democratic values. Morrison should either condemn Trump’s early claim to victory, or he can choose to abandon principles he once gleefully weaponised to attack China, purely because it’s his mates destroying democracy this time. I hope for the former, but I expect nothing but the latter.
Conor Siryj, North Essendon

A sign of American moral decay
The US election has again resulted in queries as to how the polls were wrong. Throughout his term in office Trump has enjoyed consistent support from about 40 per cent of the population. However, at election time he receives a further 7 or 8 per cent of votes that don’t reflect polling. This may happen because a significant number of people know that Trump’s attitudes and behaviours are unacceptable. However, they secretly like it.

In the same way that some members of the community are addicted to certain things, they are not going to admit it to family and friends, let alone to a pollster. The significant numbers involved are indicators of moral decay as America continues to decline as the world’s leading superpower.
James Young, Mount Eliza

A fractured populace easy to manipulate
Let this election in the US be a warning to other nations. Underfund health, education and infrastructure, while pouring billions into the war machine, and you have a fractured, unhealthy, uneducated populace. The poor who work three jobs to survive do not have the time or ability to read past the headlines or go beyond TV sound bites; they are prime fodder for the much-needed boots on the ground in the military and easy to manipulate at home.

Trump has gained 10 per cent in minority votes since the 2016 election. He is a symptom of the problem; not the problem. The problem has been building along with the US empire. Both parties need to take responsibility for the dystopian nation that affects everyone in our world.
Patricia Philippou, Charlestown, NSW

President’s speech shows immaturity
I agree with Peter Hartcher (‘‘A stand against democracy’’, 5/11). Why did Donald Trump declare the election in his favour and then claim democracy was mortally wounded, unless he thought he was going to lose? Otherwise, he would have been comfortable to let it play out. This was not some attempt at victory, it was a feeble, immature attempt to blame those Americans who voted against him.
John Rome, Mount Lawley, WA

Supporting life or death when convenient
The hypocrisy shown by some of the rusted-on evangelical Christian Republican supporters astounds me. They believe they had to support Trump because he espoused protection of the unborn child, and at the same time they ardently advocate the death penalty.
William Wallace, Ascot Park, SA

Second term would have expunged Trump
If Trump wins this election at least he will use up his second term, and although it sounds terrible, if he had failed to deal with COVID-19 by then he and his Republican cronies would have been dispatched to the wilderness in 2024 – assuming the US is still a democracy.
Bruce King, Malvern East

THE FORUM

The bias of polling
Salvatore Babones (‘‘Why polls were wrong – and will never be right’’, 5/11) makes some perceptive observations on why opinion polls are so often wrong. He notes that ‘‘very few people answer calls from unlisted numbers, and even fewer want to talk to a pollster – who … may be a fraudster in disguise’’.

This may well have been a factor in the consistent failure of polls to predict the likely outcome of the November 3 US presidential election.

As I see it, an equally, perhaps more important, factor was Mr Babones’ ‘‘social desirability bias’’. Many Americans simply did not want their friends, neighbours and workmates to know they intended to vote for a man about whom the 27 psychologist and psychiatrist authors of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump wrote ‘‘anyone as mentally unstable as Mr Trump simply should not be entrusted with the life-and-death powers of the presidency’’.
Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin, ACT

Focus on our neighbours
It’s high time Australia stood on its own two feet, recognised its closeness to Asia, and stopped being subservient to the US President who decries the rule of law and claims ‘‘frankly, we did win this election’’ while votes are still being counted (‘‘Respect the result: MPs call for count to continue’’, 5/11). We need good relations with China, we need Indonesia, we need to be able to work with our neighbours. So let’s get on with it, and dispense with those who incite violence and disaffection and disrespect for the law.
Peta Colebatch, Swan Reach

Wildlife on the brink
Certainly, there are animal welfare issues to be addressed in horse racing, but at least the horse is not in danger of extinction. This is not so in the case of our neglected wildlife, with many iconic species on the brink, due to the distorted values of politicians and, yes, the ignorance and apathy of the public.
Michael Read, Carnegie

Kudos for Capp
Congratulations to Sally Capp on being re-elected as the Lord Mayor of Melbourne. She is well deserving of this win as she has shown her ability to be steadfast and strong in her leadership, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. She has shown that during adversity, you must listen to experts, give clear and frank communication to the public and gain their support. She has always been optimistic about the future, especially in regard to the CBD and has a workable plan that can achieve the outcomes needed to return Melbourne to the vibrant city it was before the outbreak.
Glenise Michaelson, Montmorency

Vouching for arts
JoAnn Griffiths (Letters, 5/11) is surely right to advocate vouchers to get children back into their usual drama, dance and music activities, all found to promote co-operation, confidence, and a range of physical and social skills. Now that the state has recorded zero new coronavirus cases for six days in a row, children’s sports are being encouraged, and even Labor MPs call for a return to Parliament, the state government should act. We don’t want to emulate the federal government’s indifference to the arts.
Darryl Emmerson, Ballarat

Up the racing age
The letters on the breakdown of Anthony Van Dyck in the Melbourne Cup, regardless of which side of the debate they lie, seem to overlook one obvious and vital point. An immature horse that has, by age three, already worked hard enough to win a major race in his own country and then travelled half way around the world to enter another, has got to have compromised bone function.

Regardless of whether you support racing or not, a simple change to racing age will no doubt have a major impact on the health and welfare of racing horses.

Perhaps if those anti-racing and pro-racing started to look for real solutions to horse welfare in racing, together, the industry could stay supported, and supportive, and horses would benefit. Simple. Not easy.
Susan Campbell, Taradale

Ethics of mink fur trade
The heartbreaking article (‘‘Denmark to kill 17 million mink linked to possible COVID-19 mutation,’’ 5/11) highlighted the appalling treatment of semi-aquatic animals confined in cages in factory farming, once again causing adverse human health outcomes and compensation from the Danish government. Mink farmers and consumers should be held accountable for their greed.
Civilisation is judged by how it treats its animals and weaker members of society. There is no ethical way to kill for fur. Humane Society International-Europe has described it as ‘‘an animal welfare tragedy’’ and says fur farmers now have a clear opportunity to pivot away from this cruel industry.
Diane Cornelius, Seacliff Park, SA

Exports in one basket
If the federal government and exporters had the foresight to seek a diversified group of trading partners rather than putting everything into China, our exporters would not be in the position they find themselves today (‘‘Exporters fear $6b hit from China goods ban’’, 4/11). Until this government can establish the reasons behind the continuing rejection of our produce, it’s ludicrous for our produce to leave Australia. This is brinksmanship at its worst and not to be tolerated.

Perhaps it’s time for the government to say fine, don’t take our produce, but don’t expect to receive our iron ore, and expect tariffs to be imposed on all Chinese products. Irrespective as to how this situation plays out, the government must work harder alongside exporters to find new markets without delay.
Sue Bennett, Sunbury

The Race that Stops
I know a nine-year-old who was extremely upset at the death of Anthony Van Dyck on Tuesday. Racing Victoria had better start taking this calamitous pattern of deaths seriously or, for the next generation onwards, it may be The Race that Stops.
Rosemary Clerehan, Armadale

Toothless tiger
A lot has been said about a Commonwealth Integrity Commission but the overriding fact that seems to be clear is that under a LNP federal government a CIC will either never see the light of day or will be a toothless tiger.
Colin R. Walker, Heidelberg

Mail merry-go-round
On September 3, I posted a baby gift via airmail to the UK. It was processed in Melbourne on September 6, cleared and awaiting departure on the 17th, processed by the carrier on the 19th and arrived in Auckland on the 27th where it again awaited clearance on September 28. Processed (again) in Melbourne on October 23, then in Perth on the 30th where it was processed on November 2 and awaiting international departure. On November 3, it has been processed by air carrier.

It has taken two months and it’s still in Australia, admittedly in Perth via Auckland – not good enough. It is no longer a postal service.
Linda Hagar, Glen Waverley

Australian identity
What is happening to Australia? It appears that it is now confirmed as the next US state. Television and radio together with printed media are completely saturated with every minute and meaningless (to Australians) detail. Certainly, we should show an interest in the final result, assuming that there will be a satisfactory result, but all the exposure is most definitely unnecessary and over the top. Please Australia, retain your identity and most of all your individuality; it’s what makes us proud to be Australian.
George Rettie, Foster

Tell of other news
I am heartily sick to death of the reporting on the US presidential election. It would appear that all the national media think that we are interested in the minutest details of the election; Joe Biden is three points ahead in Wisconsin (who knows or cares in Australia where Wisconsin is) or similarly that Trump is two points ahead in Nebraska. Personally, I don’t care how these states are voting. All I am interested in knowing is, in a few days/weeks when the results are known: who is to be the next president of the United States.

It would appear from the reporting that the US presidential election is as important to us in Australia as is our own federal elections. If some social strife should arise from the election, then treat this as separate news loosely associated with the election.

Get back to me Australian media when you know who the next US president is; in the meantime, give us news of local and international interest to Australia.
Ray Martin, Creswick

An insular peninsula
The announcement yesterday that the Mornington Peninsula Shire will ban camping over December and January continuing the ‘‘them and us’’ paradigm that it has embraced during the pandemic is disappointing.

There are numerous ways the shire could have had some camping with suitable distancing of sites and if necessary, limited numbers of residents at each site. Throughout the lockdown, the mayor has said he prioritises ‘‘locals’’ over other ratepayers, while still taking rates from all. At the same time, he and so many locals have complained of being classified as metropolitan zone for lockdown.

No resident in the Mornington Peninsula Shire is unaware it is a holiday destination, whether for a day tripper, holiday house owner or camper. To fervently seek to exclude these groups when restrictions are lifted, exhibits a sense of exclusivity beyond the reasonable.
Jenni King, Camberwell

No one deserves flogging
I’ll believe that ‘‘the whip doesn’t hurt’’ when Peter V’landys allows Kerrin McEvoy to sit astride him and flog him ‘‘21 times in total’’ (‘‘Forget the whips, Victoria, stop Melbourne Cup deaths, says V’landys’’, 5/11). Jockeys choose, horses don’t.
Angus McLeod, Cremorne

AND ANOTHER THING …

Credit:

Politics
Time to get on the Doughnut Bus, ScoMo.
George Reed, Wheelers Hill

Will the planned CIC pass the pub test or the club test?
Ralph Tabor, Pakenham

US election
If a man can believe you reduce the impact of a pandemic by testing fewer people, then he can believe he can win an election by not counting every vote.
Lance Lawton, Cooma, NSW

Even though Biden is on track to win, it’s alarming that nearly half of America prefer lies and conspiracy theories to truth and reality.
Henry Herzog, St Kilda East

How good would it be to have a government you could simply trust.
Jim Spithill, Ashburton

There’s a Bid(en) of No Trumps, but can it win?
Wendy Knight, Little River

USA: The United States of Acrimony.
Alf Bailey, Wendouree

With premature claims of a great victory, and fraud, has Trump gone overboard?
Andrew Remington, Travancore

Maybe the US should change the title of President, to Emperor, then the comparison to Nero would be more accurate.
Bruce Cormack, Kilsyth

What is the point in the Western world being led by a president who has no faith in democratic processes?
Kevan Porter, Alphington

Donald Trump is starring in America’s No.1 Unreality TV Show! Gripping viewing!
Joan Segrave, Healesville

It’s over when the fat lady sings, not when the fat guy wails.
Chris Lane, Boronia

Select the appropriate slogan: Make America Great Again; Fake America, Great Again; Make America Fake Again; Fake America, Fake Again.
Dennis Richards, Cockatoo

While Trump was trumpeting, there was Biden biding his time.
Bruce Dudon, Woodend

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