On the Finkel review

Les Heimann writes: Re. “Matthewson: Turnbull should crash through on Finkel — he’s crashing anyway” (Thursday)

Far be it for me to wish anything else but ill to a conservative government. However, above all I do care for this country I live in and every so often something comes along that should be above politics; something that requires leadership.

So it is with the Finkel review. This is a fair plan to tackle the nation’s power issues whilst allowing for a genuine transition from the old to the new — as well as providing for transitional acceleration if required. So what happens? Tony Abbott, now as relevant as an extinct volcano, gathers his spoilers and the opportunity slides silently into the fog of what might have been. This is Turnbull’s last chance and a good one at that. He can rescue his party and himself from oblivion by staking everything now on backing Finkel and resigning if he fails.

In my view, and it galls me to say it, were he to risk all now by going flat out in support of the Finkel plan he would almost certainly get the support of the vast majority of Australians and with that under his belt he could deconstruct all the flat earthers in his party and come out a hero and win the next election he would call in a few months from now as a national hero. Of course that will not happen.

On foreign donations

Patrick Low, General Manager External Communications Coca-Cola Amatil writes: Re. “The government wants to ban foreign donations — except the significant ones, of course“(Tuesday)

Thanks for providing a great news outlet. I saw this article on political donations which mentions Coca-Cola Amatil. Wanted to pass on that Coca-Cola Amatil has a strict company policy of no political donations, including through any third-party organisation. We also don’t contribute anything “in kind” (for example we don’t donate drinks, or venue hire, for political activities).

The prohibition on donations is part of our Code of Conduct, so it applies to the company as a whole, and also to any staff member acting on behalf of the company.

On an unrelated issue, we’re also not a subsidiary of a foreign company. Coca-Cola Amatil is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and has an independent Board. Hope that’s useful info.