On Dean Smith’s parliamentary committee

Dave Plumber writes: Re. “When he’s not fighting homophobes, he’s fighting recalcitrant bureaucrats” (Friday)

Sadly, the accountability and performance culture of the Australian Commonwealth public sector has been in steep decline for a decade or so. Management culture-setting is dominated by callow and venal self-interested hacks. Moronic thought bubbles from Ministers are waved through with little critique, and much public heraldry. I hope people like Senator Dean Smith can turn it around.

Mary Wood writes: Re. “When he’s not fighting homophobes, he’s fighting recalcitrant bureaucrats” (Friday)

Wow – an intelligent member of parliament who has integrity. And who does the job he is paid to do. If only there were more like him – even a dozen would make for a different government, and more than twelve might just give voters hope.