Arsehat of the Year Scott Morrison Peter Dutton
(Image: AAP/Lukas Coch)

On the Crikey Awards

Stephen Wigney writes: Thanks Crikey for your wonderful annual initiative. May I commend your editors on what must have been a lengthy and arduous task in winnowing the enormous number of contenders down to the shortlist. Initially I was puzzled by an obvious exclusion (hello Mr Morrison), but I realised that would make it just too easy. And I assume that Albo missed the cut-off date by a whisker with his last minute dash to spruik the coal export business while the rest of the country is in flames. Next year perhaps we’ll have the opportunity to vote for some bright spark (see what I did there) talking up the prospects of the charcoal export business.

I wish I could’ve voted multiple times for the heroes. Without giving away my vote, I can honestly say this year was the only time in my life when I wanted to be Kenneth Hayne.

John Attwood writes: Arsehat of the year is a difficult one… so many choices, so little time. On the other hand, person of the year is easy! Jacinda Ardern — the Prime Minister that we in Aus can only hope to have one day! I should hope to live that long!

Glen Davis writes: I voted A for Gus… but only because Christian is a puppet. The police state issue is the greatest this year, as it was last year, and every year since Little Johnnie and Alexander concocted this bastardry. Crikey got the top nominations all wrong — but a huge thank you for not giving the Beetrooter a mention at all.

Draco Houston writes: Go Eggboy! Keeping alive the long, proud Western tradition of throwing messy food at public figures.

Roger Richards writes: I thoroughly agree with the Awards — Especially the ARSEHAT — but you could’ve put ScoMo (getting there in a bloody canter — like Don Quixote or the Marlboro Man) in there somewhere. After all he chose (and sticks to) Taylor and Porter.

On the UK election results

Jim de Burca writes: It’s not all Jeremy Corbyn’s fault. A Brexit election would’ve been hard to win, even for a leader who actually tried. Tony Blair bears much of the blame: if only he’d admitted that invading Iraq was a mistake, both he and Corbyn would be remembered more fondly. (Even better if Blair didn’t invade Iraq at all!) Blair’s ongoing refusal to admit wrongdoing was an insult to Labour Party members, who thrust Corbyn into the leadership. Corbyn refused to exercise that leadership. He’s been an absentee landlord, debating semantics in his ivory tower while the wolves raided the lambs and ate the odd baby. Now the wolves have been handed the deed to the farm (let me know when this allegory starts getting out of hand). Like those other 2019 disappointments Benioff and Weiss, he should have recognised that his heart wasn’t in it and passed the baton (to Tom Watson, amirite?). Corbyn: dustbin, history. Good night and good riddance.

On Scott Morrison’s attitude towards protesters

Roger Clifton writes: The PM wants a mechanism to criminalise climate protest. However it is ourselves who need a mechanism to criminalise climate denial. It would help if carbon dioxide was legally defined as a pollutant. Then anyone encouraging emissions could be challenged as committing a crime against the commons.

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