Last Post, March 11 - The Australian (blog)

Labor in Western Australia can gain some solace from the fact that Julia Gillard didn't venture further west than Rooty Hill in her quest for votes.

Peter Hurdwell, Mount Colah, NSW

Federal Labor Trade Minister Craig Emerson said after the losses in the Queensland and NSW state elections that the results were because of local issues. Does that also apply to the Labor Party's flogging in Western Australia, Dr Emerson?

Peter Townsend, South Penrith, NSW

In view of the Liberal landslide in Western Australia it would be staggering to think the federal Labor caucus will simply follow Julia Gillard like lemmings into political oblivion.

Mark Payne, Secret Harbour, WA

Paul Kelly says the federal Labor government "assumes the Australian public are dumb and people in Sydney's western suburbs are the dumbest of them all" ("457 reasons Labor has lost the plot", 9-10/3). I must say I agree with Labor on this subject. Have a look at the government we chose for ourselves.

Mark Postle, Mundubbera, Qld

How much longer are Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor going to wait? It's time for them to pull the plug.

Eric Mullner, Cairns, Vic

Tim Mathieson should know that the Opposition Leader outranks the Prime Minister's boyfriend ("Man about the house", 9-10/3). His intemperate outburst about Tony Abbott's presence in the inner sanctum of the Richmond Football Club was as unseemly as it was ungrammatical.

H. Beech, Toowoomba, Qld

Humorist Peter Cook had an answer to Tim Mathieson's problem: "Don't you know who I am?" He simply said: "This fellow does not know who he is. Can anyone assist?"

Dean Banks, Noosa Heads, Qld

The fact that Tim Mathieson demands Tony Abbott not be afforded due respect as Opposition Leader while Mathieson benefits from the perks of office as the unelected partner of the PM speaks volumes about how out of touch the Labor Party is.

Ailsa Lennox, Hawthorne, Qld

It appears from your profile of Tim Mathieson that he has problems differentiating between proctology and protocol.

H. Casson, Foster, Vic

I recently had an ultrasound and asked the English technician if she had a 457 visa. She said she did and that after working here for two years she had the option of applying for residency. She is the type of immigrant we want -- not boatpeople.

Mauri Delbaere, Dover Heights, NSW