EXPLAIN APPROACH TO SECURITY
Last week I wrote a letter which made clear that a change of leader does not necessarily mean a change of international policy when it comes to national security.
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Yet Scott Morrision continues to tout national security as his major policy platform.
The problem I have is that Scott Morrison has failed to elaborate what he means by national security beyond soundbites about China.
Well, the way I understand national security, within the Anglo-Saxon nation (of which Australian values and democracy are currently based), there has generally been two competing paradigms when it comes to national security.
One paradigm is focused on "building walls" and hoping the people abide by protectionism instilled - generally a US Republican ideology. Us and them.
The other paradigm is about empowering the people and "building safety through the defense of the love of his countrymen", both domestically and international - the French Revolutionary model.
Australia, as an island nation, has always been a mixture of the two paradigms.
We have been blessed with natural boundaries and isolation, so traditionally we as a country have had both major political parties focused domestically on public health, welfare, public housing, building strong institutions etc and internationally on strong relationships.
However, more recently, it feels, under Scott Morrison, we have moved significantly towards an ideology very similar to that of the US Republicans.
We are witnessing borders shut for almost two years. Tensions increase with major trading partners - French submarines, European nations on climate discussions, China. Our citizens are protesting in the streets about civil rights, workers are complaining about lack of wages and affordability.
I feel in my life "the love of fellow countrymen' has diminished, replaced by haves and have-nots.
So, the way I see it, Scott Morrison is right when he touts this election as an election of national security.
It is an election on both the domestic and international management of national security.
However, I would like both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese to explain their ideology on the topic in much more detail.
I can't be sure Labor offer anything different.
Greg Adamson, Griffith
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TERRIBLY MESSY, BUT NECESSARY
Recently there have been a number of early, major Australian coal-fired plant industry closure notifications.
The federal Coalition government has strongly voiced its displeasure regarding the announced coal-fired plant closures.
Surely our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, must realise that as long as we continue using coal to produce energy the escalation of climate change will remain with us.
Eliminating coal will be terribly messy and inconvenient but if life on Earth is to continue, coal simply has to go, and as the United Nations is constantly warning us, with extreme haste.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank, SA
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