Last post, January 3 - The Australian (blog)

Jenny Macklin claims she can live on the Newstart allowance of $35 a day ("I could live on the dole, Macklin declares", 2/1). If she runs out of bread, she can always eat left-over Christmas cake.

Michael Stanbridge, Bonnet Bay, NSW

I am confident that if an unemployed person was offered a cabinet minister's wage of $6321 a week to live on, their response would definitely be audible.

Peter J. Penglis, Kambah, ACT

Marie Antoinette reportedly said of the poor, "Let them eat cake". While it is doubtful she ever said this, Jenny Macklin is on record as having said that she could live on the Newstart allowance.

Elizabeth Chandler, Napoleon Reef, NSW

Let's all hope that Jenny Macklin has the opportunity to prove that she can live on the dole, say after the next election.

Geoff O'Brien, Eltham, Vic

Jenny Macklin's claim is easy to make when she knows for a fact she will never have to live on the dole.

Andrew Buchanan, Holloways Beach, Qld

I suspect that after the next election Jenny Macklin will be putting her claim to the test.

Justin Baulch, Graceville, Qld

Now we know where the Gillard government gets its policy ideas from ("Beijing acts to muzzle media", 2/1).

Iain Rae, River Heads, Qld

After the US overcomes the fiscal cliff issue, who will Wayne Swan blame for the budget not achieving surplus?

Rob Hurdwell, Port Macquarie, NSW

If the fiscal cliff is about taxes going up a little, wasteful government spending being cut back a lot and national debt being paid off, we need one soon.

FW Pike, Abernethy, NSW

When will the Prime Minister promise the date of the next federal election ?

John Donovan, Chapel Hill, Qld

BOB Hawke has got it all wrong. To make government more effective and efficient we don't need to abolish the states, we just need to abolish the Labor Party.

Fabio Scalia, Windsor, Vic

I DON'T care what levels of government Bob Hawke wants to get rid of - local, state or federal. As long as Labor is not in charge of the Treasury benches, it suits me just fine. My business can't afford another year like last year.

Rick Highman, Toowoomba, Qld

What a great photo of Bondi beach on New Year's Day. I spent most of the day trying to find Wally!

Harold Hayward, Normanhurst, NSW