You helped make the passing of this wonderful man a most peaceful and respectful time.

Your dedication to his care and comfort was very much appreciated. Again, our heartfelt thanks.

Your editorial "Labour crisis must be a priority" brings to attention Australia's dire shortage of people to 'do the work'.

Everywhere you read or look, same story from business great and small. We can't find workers. We also have about a trillion in money spent and still spending - straight onto the credit card.

Here's a suggestion. There are still quite a few refugees locked up 'in detention' (since to call it what it is - in jail without crime, trial or conviction - actually might cause at least some to rethink).

They are potential workers, they are here, and they are costing us all thousands per person.

Let them go and let them work and stop channelling millions to LNP mates. Two birds (three?) with one stone!

Peter Dutton will be delighted - a great big stick to belt Labor with, 'I told you so, Labor is weak on illegal immigrants. The borders will come crashing down!'

Well, hang on, they are refugees and that is not illegal. And a good few of them came here from countries we walked into with guns.

Do we not have an obligation to resettle some of those people whose lives we have upended, and whose homes we have destroyed - simply to show willing to America?

And the 'mainstream media' will have a whole new issue to scream about - rather lacking since the election. Everyone wins!

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The bureau said it was four degrees (it felt like minus one) so what better to do than to watch the swearing-in of the new ministers of the new federal government.

A new experience, there's always something new to learn. After a while, things were beginning to strike me, so I thought I should compile numbers, starting with shaky ones I thought I'd remembered.

Starting with the executive council, at one stage they had eight women and only two men anointed, but at the last minute they found four more women and six men.

They rave on about equality, but I must have the figures wrong because 12/8 doesn't sound too balanced to me. I hope the Governor-General can sort out the "balanced" advice he receives.

As for the swearing-in, my count was 24 chose the "Oath of Allegiance", ie using nothing - no Bible, Koran or whatever it is the Jews use.

Of those, I'd say 30 per cent had very Irish names who I'd have thought would have a Roman Catholic upbringing but must have rejected that religious connection.

There have been writers to The DA over the years on that unfortunate subject.

The other thing I noticed was the ABC commentators relating the backgrounds of these various Labor Party people, that how many of them were lawyers, even barristers.

Shades of the old working class representatives. Obviously there is a need for such politicians in this modern age.

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