...AND ANOTHER THING

Tony Abbott

WE TEND to criticise others most trenchantly for the traits we don't like in ourselves. Julia Gillard a liar is that projection, Tony Abbott?

Marion Rosetzky, Red Hill

WHILE Tony Abbott is into diagnosing the PM, is there agreement that he fulfils the criteria of oppositional defiant disorder?

Joan Segrave, Healesville

THE one factor improving the stocks of the ALP is Tony Abbott. As long as he is Opposition Leader, Labor believes its cause is not hopeless.

Noel Howard, Heathmont

Politics

IT SAYS a lot for democracy in Australia when Mason, Barwick and Kerr can decide behind closed doors what government we can have.

Don D'Agostino, Boronia

BEATRICE Blyth (27/8): forced-labour camps are the sort of thing Australians fought to rescue people from, not inflict on those fleeing persecution. Or are democracy and freedom now privileges reserved for the fortunate?

Tony Morton, Coburg

IN SPITE of the authoritative Gonski report, the government and opposition will maintain or even increase funding for private schools. So my taxes will continue to support schools I can't afford to access. How is that fair?

Craig Reichenbach, Briar Hill

LEGISLATORS in the 19th century recognised that education would provide employers with better workers. Hence "free, compulsory and secular education" in 1872. Ross Gittins says it all (BusinessDay, 27/8).

Gael Barrett, North Balwyn

Sport

CAN Garry Lyon stop writing positive articles about the Swans? We seem to do much better when all the news is less affirming.

Andrew McCarthy, Yarraville

GOLD Coast watched the Suns rise Carlton watched the sun set.

Francis Bainbridge, Woodend

CARLTON'S slogan used to be: "They know we are coming." Does anyone yet know when they will get there?

John Walsh, Watsonia

IF USADA can do that to Lance Armstrong, can't the IOC retrieve Raelene Boyle's gold medal?

Doug Perry, Mount Martha

Elsewhere

WHAT a relief to see a real hero on The Age front page instead of a "champion" footballer.

Alex Shabs, Elwood

MARIUS Kloppers refuses to acknowledge that coal-fired power is in global decline. The sooner BHP diversifies into solar the sooner its followers will see the light.

John Bowman, Ocean Grove