The ALP needs to move with the times and let its MPs speak

If the ALP wishes to win the next election it has to become more like a responsive government, sensitive to the valid wishes of the population that it has vowed to serve and stop being a mindless, politburo led "ancien regime".

The rule or convention or whatever it is that forbids crossing the floor has to be modified, to allow people like Senator Fatima Payman to be the asset to the party that she clearly was capable of becoming.

Several other outstanding matters also need urgent attention, not the least of which is the shameful treatment of several whistleblowers, whose courageous actions have led to the exposure of illegal behaviour which the powers that be would prefer to keep hidden.

They include David McBride re Afghanistan and Richard Boyle re the ATO. The legislation designed to protect them is clearly inadequate.

Albo, show some true leadership. The times, they are a-changing.

Fatima Payman was elected to the Senate courtesy of the above the line vote for the Labor Party. Her personal poll was just 1681 votes.

If, as she claims, she is a woman of principle and has a conscience surely she will now resign from the Senate.

Whether or not you agree with her stance, she should now return the seat to Labor.

Senator Payman, in resigning from the Labor Party over caucus's stance on recognising a Palestinian state, has now made it virtually certain that no Australian government will do so except in the context of a two-state solution.

Labor will not now be able to modify its position, a Coalition government would never do so, and the Greens will never hold sufficient power to influence the actual policy pursued by any future government on this matter.

The conundrum remains as to how one has a two-state solution to the Israel/Palestine situation when you don't recognise one of the possible states that must be a party to the solution. Is it time to bring back King Solomon?

In my high school text To Kill a Mockingbird I read that "courage is not a man holding a gun in his hand".

Senator Fatima Payman has stood up for what she believes to be right. She has dared not to toe the party line on a matter of conscience. She has neither cowered down in the face of pressure, nor given in to partisan politics.

She has spoken up in defence of those that have had everything stolen from them.

For me, she is a picture of courage.

After being let down time and time again by Canberra's Labor representatives in Parliament House, it is such a relief to see the photos of David Pocock walking alongside his colleague Fatima Payman.

I voted for Labor thinking it would govern from the party platform. It's clear that was an error and it's the Pococks of the Senate that best represent Labor values there.

And Katy Gallagher thought last election cut it a little fine!

Our local MLAs keep reassuring us that if we follow the rules, we won't face fines for exceeding 40kmh down Northbourne, overstaying a one-hour carpark, or riding a scooter without a helmet.

On the other hand, when the Auditor-General or the Integrity Commission discover that an ACT minister or a government department head has breached the rules regarding a procurement oversight, HR system failure, or a project delivery mishap, instead of facing penalties, the responsible individuals often seem to escape any meaningful sanction or penalty.

Is it too much to expect a modicum of executive accountability in the ACT?

So the ACT Property Council is trying to carve out a more profitable "gung ho" development niche by demanding that the government waives licensing protections linked to built forms which are inhabited by the more vulnerable sectors of the population.

These are the people least likely to have the ability or means needed to complain about and have minor and major building defects addressed, as well as attention paid to any long term deteriorating physical and visual amenity that also arises from poor quality design, materials and workmanship ("Call to exempt retirement villages from developer licences ", July 4).

The argument that building outcomes would somehow be safeguarded because many of the developers would manage the aged care, build to rent and student accommodation complexes is a furphy, given the ways in which many residents of such complexes are captives of the operators.

Many would have little choice about leaving or the savings to do so. They could therefore have to endure living conditions that are not "value for money", especially if needed improvements take years to resolve as has been happening elsewhere across Canberra for a long time now.

Strong, front-end standard setting, regulation, licensing and then monitoring is needed to better protect everyone who needs to buy into or rent any form of residential accommodation.

Thoughtful, patriotic and conscientious Ms Nova Peris has expressed her dismay and disgust at the desecration of memorials on Anzac Parade.

She notes 8000 Jews have served in the ADF. That is nearly twice the number of ADF personnel serving in the Canberra region, mostly as uniformed public servants.

I suggest that up to 150 ADF personnel be assigned to guarding the various ceremonial sites (and the people in them) on a 24/7 basis. They should be dressed for the weather and ready for action. The AFP is stretched too thinly. Private security personnel are an unnecessary expense.

If Ian Morison (Letters, July 7) had done more research into nuclear power he might have discovered how much water is required to generate one megawatt hour of electricity. The Nuclear Energy Institute indicates between 1500 and 2700 litres would be required.

A typical nuclear power station would require up to 65 million litres each day. And before he suggests using sea water, it is not suitable because of the contaminants in it.

Senator Payman is regarded by some as having taken a principled stand when crossing the floor to recognise a Palestinian state.

The events in Gaza are truly shocking but let's not forget how it started on October 7, 2023.

It is worth noting that Senator Payman only received 1631 primary votes in her election to Parliament as a Labor party senator for WA. At no time during her campaign did she mention any views on Gaza.

As she is understandably concerned with the horrid events in Gaza it is curious that she has not made mention of events in Sudan where the UN Aid Agency has reported that 25 million people are suffering food shortages and slowly starving.

What Payman has done has become a catalyst for Muslim leaders to consider running candidates in federal elections on a religious ticket. This has the potential to be a very divisive strategy.

These people have forgotten the 2005 Cronulla riots or the graffiti attack on a Sydney Mosque.

To date there has been graffiti plastered on Jewish schools and some Jewish and non-Jewish federal Labor party MPs offices. If people stand for federal elections based on their Muslim religion it is likely attacks would be directed at them and associated buildings.

This is extremely disturbing a country which prides itself as pluralist and a peaceful multicultural society.

Senior ALP figures, from the PM down, are doing their best to tar and feather Senator Payman on her way out the door. Albo is making a big effort to portray the 29-year-old first term senator as a Machiavellian game player who has been plotting her departure from the ALP for at least a month

Could he come clean on what he said when he carpeted her for saying "from the river to the sea ..."? That seems to be what sparked all of this.

And as for Labor's concern she might be in breach of Section 44, spare us. You preselected her. If there's an issue it's your bad.

I agree with the Prime Minister. We should have no faith whatsoever in any political parties. That is what he meant, right?

The duly elected member of the Labor Party to the Senate was chosen by the people of WA to represent their views in the Senate. The fact she is a Muslim woman is not relevant. That she chose to vote according to her conscience demonstrates she had no business being a member of the Labor Party in the first place.

Mike Reddy (Letters, July 7) correctly says that solidarity is a key principle of the Labor movement - except when you happen to be the PM. Then you can apparently do as you please without caucus approval.

I must express my disgust at Senator Jordan Steele-John for his support of defacing war memorials "as an act of free speech". Does this mean that the Greens justify graffiti on any building if you feel strongly about an issue? I condemn this action and am appalled that elected members on the hill support this vandalism.

Canberrans will applaud minister Chris Steel's direction to the CIT board to seek the recovery of funds associated with "serious corrupt conduct". We will applaud even more if he is able to recover any of the $70 million lost through the failed HR project on his watch.

Last year Peter Dutton complained bitterly when Albo went to the NATO meeting. This year he is complaining bitterly about Albo not going to the NATO meeting. Presumably if Albo said he was going to build seven nuclear reactors Dutton would be out the next day complaining about what a rotten, poorly conceived idea it was. At least he would be right for once.

Brian Bell (Letters, July 4) wonders if the candidates' statements in the first Presidential debate "are going to be fact checked". The Washington Post, among several other US news media outlets, did just that. It found that Trump made "dozens" of false claims (as is his habit) and Biden "stretched the truth on occasion".

What is the average attendance for horse-racing events at Thoroughbred Park?

I have a sure fire way for the ACT government to raise enough money to fix its budget woes almost instantly. Install red light and speed cameras at the intersections of Ellenborough St with Cossington Smith and with Ginninderra Drive at Lyneham. It may even save lives.

Much to my mother's horror, most folks chose to reduce my Christian name to AL. Unfortunately, in mail today, I have been reduced to artificial intelligence (AI).