Wednesday, May 10 (2)

Congratulations, Mr Morrisson, on the birth of your second offspring. It's clearly healthy and seems to have a good future. But, are you sure you're the father? It doesn't seem to have many of your attributes: mean-spiritedness, deference to the rich, etc. There's one snide dig at the young unemployed, one of your favourite targets but, apart from that, It looks to me a lot like the old Malcolm. Has he involved himself a bit more than he is admitting?

Word of advice for Mr Shorten.

Hi, Bill,
This seems to be a pretty good budget. A bit dodgy around the edges but, surely, you could live with it. Instead of playing the usual negative game, what about a bit of bi-partisanship. You've acknowledged that we, the public, are sick of the political game. Well, don't play it! Support Malcolm in this; you might be surprised at our reaction. We're crying out for a statesman. It might as well be you. I'll even give you some lines to use.

'We're pleased Mr Turnbull is at last listening to the people and has given us a budget which starts to address some of the problems facing Australia today.'

'It's good that Mr Turnbull is finally standing up to the reactionary wing of his party and is putting the needs of the Australian public in the forefront.'

If you're worried, Bill, that you might be giving comfort to the enemy, Malcolm has to be better for the country than anyone else in the LNP. In any case, your support might encourage his right wing to bring back Tony, or promote Perer Dutton, and you know, as we all do, that can only end it tears.