No conspiracy

David Havyatt writes: Re. “Conrovian ministry” (yesterday). “Clare put out a press release about the state of the NBN, and almost the entire press release was a quote from his predecessor, Stephen Conroy, from a Senate estimates hearing”. Why dear Crikey did you not consider the far more obvious answer that Labor’s Shadow Ministers and Senators work very effectively together in holding the Government to account?
Declaration of Interest: until June 2014 I was an adviser to Mr Clare, and prior to the election a adviser to Senator Conroy and Anthony Albanese when they were the Minister.

Hockey’s future

Joe Boswell writes: Re. “Joe Hockey’s failure dispels the myth of Coalition economic management” (Wednesday).

Ben Oquist is far too optimistic when he predicts “Joe Hockey’s term as treasurer will help forever dispel the myth that conservatives are better economic managers.” The key word here is “myth”. It does not have to be true to work its voodoo. Anyone familiar with the facts will know that over the past several decades, in this country and in others with a comparable two-party political system, there is abundant evidence of chronic economic profligacy, ideological derangement and reckless incompetence from the right-wing party. Oquist’s article gives some good examples, but several are nothing to do with Hockey, which does little to help Oquist’s argument. The point is it makes not the slightest difference: Conservatives are better economic managers and always will be in the same way Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. Myths are immune to facts.