One was that in the past year there was a significant emergence of new writers, journalists and authors who had lifted the standards of the printed word in newspapers (including their inserted magazines) and other publications.

But more importantly, from writers of letters to the editor.

The latter, so my contacts add, is particularly notable in what we refer to as the editorial and comment pages of newspapers similar to those two facing pages in the Daily Advertiser's early general news pages.

It would seem to me, and so my contacts say, many more Australians are prepared to put their thoughts in letters; to express their views on a wide variety of matters.

It might be argued that increasingly many Australians are becoming exasperated by major political parties and their MPs ignoring their messages.

There were two examples in recent weeks that the column shares with you today which underline that many Australians are demanding change about how our nation should be governed, managed and, above all, developed.

One, from Chris Morrow, in the DA's letters of May 26, was headed "Time to boost manufacturing".

Morrow wrote: "What Australia wants are manufacturing opportunities and jobs.

"What Australia needs are water, electricity and Australian ownership of these.

"We can't make more water, but we could store more.

"With electricity, we need to produce more, using all our assets from gas, solar, wind, thermal and even coal."

Morrow advocated a transcontinental high-voltage direct current grid from east to west to use our longitudinal differences, as is done in Europe and China.

It is significantly cheaper to construct and more effective over long distances.

A day before publication of Morrow's view, David Ball, also in the Daily Advertiser letters, wrote with equal concern: "Times are serious.

"Can we afford the indulgence of politicians who follow the Trump/Abbott practice of oral defecation as frequently as possible.

"How can energy minister Angus Taylor have any credibility (when) everything he does as minister seems like more excuses to delay effective action?" Ball added: "The Reserve Bank, the states and the Australian Industry Group have all called for a post-pandemic renewables push."

Ball urges Australians "to quicken our stride" - investing in a more sustainable future offers opportunities, he wrote, while we should be able to see from the horrific pandemic toll in some other countries that if we downplay issues and don't pay attention to experts, eventually we can be overwhelmed.

That brings me, again, to the Prime Minister's decision to scrap COAG and continue with the national cabinet, following its relative success in dealing with the COVID-19 virus.

He has described the cabinet's performance as "congestion busting". He should use plain language, not his marketing spiel.

Let's be frank. Much of the "success" in holding COVID-19 at bay in Australia has been due to the direction of the states' premiers and the excellence of their health administrations - chief health officers and their departments, doctors, nurses, researchers, hospital staff, police, paramedics. There are no doubt many other professions who may not have been as high profile.

Certainly, we cannot relax on the pandemic issue any more than we must not forget the real issue that in the likely event, according to the experts in the area, there is a place for the national cabinet to control any repeat of the national bushfires calamity or any other disaster.

The column is yet to be convinced, as are a number of constitutional lawyers including George Williams, who wrote that "we need to think more deeply about the long-term implications of the national cabinet and make sure it includes the normal rules of governance - transparency, serving the public good and accountability".

The national cabinet is a start towards constitutional review and change.

There are, initially, to be seven subject areas - regional Australia, skills training, energy, housing, transport and infrastructure, population and migration and health.

That's a significant start, but the battle of the pandemic is far from finished.

What's important, perhaps vital, but is painfully obvious to the column's readers is what Darcy Hare of Wakool, said in his letter to the Daily Advertiser: "I almost scream in anger and frustration at our political system which forces farmers off the land, hurts struggling rural communities ... and is led by a water minister who lacks understanding of the issues".

The job's way from over, PM.