Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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POLITICS
Paul Fletcher’s tirade against the teals as a “giant green con job” reeks of desperation and misses the point entirely (“Coalition frontbencher says voters conned into backing independents”, 1/12). The Liberal Party’s catastrophic losses in 2022 were not the result of trickery but were a profound rejection by voters disillusioned with a party that has moved further to the right and abandoned the values of its traditional base.
Contrary to the image they attempt to portray as sound economic managers, the Liberals’ record of poor financial stewardship speaks for itself. From the robo-debt debacle to their inaction on housing affordability and rising cost-of-living pressures to name but a few, they have proven themselves bereft of talent, morals, and vision. Their obsession with corporate tax cuts and fossil fuel subsidies while neglecting the needs of ordinary Australians underscores
this failure.
Fletcher’s rhetoric only highlights how out of touch the Liberals are. If they want to regain trust, they must stop the confected rage and the politics of division and focus on effective policies that address Australians’ needs instead of aligning with vested interests. The blame lies with them, not the voters.
Sue Barrett, Caulfield South
Seeking fresh ideas
Paul Fletcher, I was definitely not “conned” when I voted for Monique Ryan to become our community independent for Kooyong. How demeaning to make such a suggestion regarding the 30 per cent of the electorate who spurned the two-party system.
I chose a person who would canvass and represent her community’s views and not the intransigent policies of a political party. A person with fresh ideas and who was not afraid to challenge the system with common sense and to fearlessly address the issues that beset our environment, economy, welfare, women and political integrity.
A representative who has lived up to her promises, unlike members of our current government. Not for me a representative who will be hamstrung by the policies of party politics.
Jennifer Quigley, Balwyn
We’re not so gullible
It’s quite revealing how the federal Liberal MP for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher, in his speech to the Sydney Institute, fancifully asserted some form of plot regarding the community independents and formerly safe Liberal seats.
Instead of engaging in productive introspection as to why voters in these formerly safe Liberal electorates shifted their votes to independent candidates and presenting a policy platform to compete on actual substance, figures like Fletcher awkwardly assert that the voters who voted for the independents are apparently gullible and politically illiterate. I don’t believe insulting your constituent voters for simply utilising the preferential voting system and exercising their agency to make their own informed vote, is going to win back these voters.
Anthony Warren, Yarraville
Happy with the result
So Paul Fletcher thinks previous Liberal voters were duped into voting for independents at the last election. It sounds like he is questioning their intelligence and has failed to speak to them of their motives. Fletcher, like many on the right, does not understand people’s concern about climate change. The Coalition was instrumental in turning climate change into a political issue and making it difficult for their constituents to express their views in favour of greater action.
Other well-publicised policies of independents were greater integrity in parliament (robo-debt, lobbyists, donations?) and better treatment of women across the whole political scene.
I think voters knew exactly what they were voting for and most are very happy with the result.
Glenda Simpson, North Fitzroy
THE FORUM
Reality check
Sean Kelly (“How a meaner Australia treats its kids”, 2/12) highlights some of the bizarre absurdities of the new Queensland government’s draconian measures against that state’s juvenile offenders (despite, as Kelly notes, a significant drop in youth crime over the years). Underpinning all such measures is the false notion that increased penalties reduce crime.
Having spent my working life as a lawyer, teacher and, most particularly, 20 years as a youth worker in Victoria’s juvenile justice system, I can assure every reader of the utter nonsense of the proposition. But one doesn’t need my experience to realise this. Ask any parent if their 10-year-old is less likely to misbehave just because the penalty has been increased. Very rarely, I would suggest.
I never met a juvenile offender who gave the slightest thought to possible sentence outcomes as they set out on their particular crime. Reality check: most don’t expect to get caught in the first place. Somehow, I really can’t fathom a 10-year-old deciding not to commit a particular type of burglary because a life sentence may be the outcome if caught. (That possible sentence is a fact of the new laws, not hyperbole.)
At the turn of the 18th century, England had over 200 property offences that could attract the death penalty. Those measures – and daily public hangings to advertise the penalties – so “reduced” crime that the authorities had to start a penal colony in Australia to relieve its overcrowded prisons. Similarly, Queensland’s new laws will not reduce crime, but will merely increase the number of juveniles behind bars, in some cases – as admitted by the Queensland government – for longer periods of time than allowed for adults committing the same offence.
Dennis Dodd, Shepparton
Drover’s dog theory
George Brandis warns us that Labour should not make the mistake of thinking of Peter Dutton as unelectable (“Demonising Dutton will backfire for Labor, just as it did for Harris with Trump”, 2/12). I tend to agree, after all we have a history in Australia of electing the unelectable, also known as the drover’s dog theory. More often that not in Australia it is governments that lose elections, rather than voters enthusiastically embracing the opposition.
Howard Duncan, Ocean Grove
Aiming low
While George Brandis articulates the importance of presenting your case and not simply demonising the alternative, he fails to acknowledge the techniques that Donald Trump wantonly used in the recent US election. Trump’s focus was mostly on deriding Harris as being stupid and not very good at her job. Apart from pushing the xenophobic button of immigration and China he had little to offer in the way of policies, which contradicts Brandis’ argument. The sad reality is a lot of “low-information voters” are attracted more by negative three-word slogans than they are to positive information-based policies. Trump is a master manipulator of those he sees as vulnerable and continues aiming low. These same tactics have been successfully employed by the LNP in recent times, “ditch the witch”, “no more taxes” and its last successful campaign when they raised doubt over Bill Shorten’s integrity without presenting much in the way of policies itself except for tax relief for the “wealthy”.
David Conolly, Brighton
Learning from success
More than “missing a golden opportunity”, by dismissing Joe Rogan, Kim Williams has missed a great learning opportunity (Comment, 1/12). In his National Press Club address on Wednesday it was easy to see Williams’ mistake: learning from Rogan’s success doesn’t have to mean copying his approach, style or manners or transforming the ABC into a Rogan clone. It means to find out what makes people tick these days, what are the issues that get listeners going back for more, and what style of broadcasting prods people into thinking deeper. And the ABC has for a long time failed to do this by failing to bring about alternative, different, even controversial, points of view that would provide new insights on the issues of the day. Consequently, the ABC is losing audiences of all ages, not only young, as evidenced by the stats. We should all, and especially our public broadcaster, learn from what the others are doing to do our job better. Anything else is simply being lazy.
George Fernandez, Eltham North
ABC losing ground
David Swan says the ABC should be doing more to attract young Australians who are increasingly turning off the national broadcaster in favour of podcasts and video content that speaks more directly to them. This implies that the ABC once had widespread appeal to the sort of audiences who now listen to the Joe Rogan Experience. But apart from Triple J radio and Rage, it is hard to think of much ABC content that has ever appealed to males aged 18-40. The suggestion the ABC can now build a significant audience with this demographic seems far-fetched.
Swan also says the ABC is losing its Play School audience to YouTube. So, even in a market where it faces little competition from commercial networks, the ABC now has challenges. A crunch time is coming. The ABC cannot continue to broadcast to dwindling audiences and expect taxpayers to pay.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills
Failed diagnosis
Misdiagnosed primary school teacher Nikki Purtill is spot on re medical misdiagnosis (“The medical bias that affects half of Australia”, 2/12). After being prescribed with two lots of painkillers for what turned out to be a herniated disc in my back, and being told I had a virus that turned out to be whooping cough, I’ve changed my doctor. Never be afraid of getting a second opinion – I was swabbed immediately for whooping cough by my new GP. We know our bodies, and we know when something is not right.
Pam Kershaw, Collingwood
The art of listening
Notwithstanding the evidence for “medical misogyny”, as a retired GP I see an underlying theme in the cases of delayed or failed diagnosis mentioned in this article that remains applicable to all patients. The time pressure on doctors in general practice and in emergency care, the increasing complexity of presentations, and increasing administrative obligations all lead to pressure on front-line physicians to bypass the basic clinical skills of history taking, and physical examination in every consultation. The adage for doctors applies equally to male and female patients: “Listen to the patient! They are trying to tell you what’s wrong with them!”
Dr Geoff Francis, Doncaster East
Keep trying
We should be excited by The Age’s report on groundbreaking research to prevent heart attacks (“Paramedic Kelsey lost her dad to a heart attack. She now hopes for ‘exercise in a pill’ to save lives”, 1/12). Meanwhile, don’t be disappointed that there is a low success rate when it comes to reviving those who have had out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. It can be addressed, with measures such as the roll-out of cardiac defibrillators through the community, and better ambulance response times. After a long career in rural general practice, probably the most dramatic life saved for me was that of an extremely fit and apparently healthy man in his 40s who collapsed at work. A shop assistant with first aid training long ago single-handedly commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation until I arrived, and then an ambulance. The necessary manoeuvres were deployed, including intubation of his airway, and defibrillation. He is now a fully functioning member of the community, and his family are no doubt grateful. Keep trying to improve at every opportunity, starting with prevention measures of course, and more attention to general practice.
Dr Clyde Ronan, Yarrawonga
The case against Thorpe
Reflecting on James Massola’s article about Lidia Thorpe, your correspondent asks, whether you love her or loathe her, why would you expect her not to rock the institutions that continue to oppress Indigenous Australians? Perhaps the answer to that is because her strident opposition to the Voice referendum was an act of political bastardry against her own people.
Bill Pimm, Mentone
The wrong critique
Your correspondent (Letters, 1/12) likens Lidia Thorpe’s behaviour to a “petulant disruptive schoolgirl,” a phrase that infantilises her and undermines her authority as an adult and elected senator. This comparison also perpetuates harmful stereotypes about schoolgirls, implying their voices and actions are less valuable or credible. A schoolgirl reading this might feel belittled or dismissed, as it reinforces the idea that strong opinions or disruptive actions – especially from women or young people – are not worthy of respect. The writer could have critiqued Thorpe’s actions without language that relies on gendered and age-based stereotypes.
Tina Berghella, Edithvale
Muzzle the Musks
I admire the federal government’s tenacity in going after “big tech” (“Tech giants face $50 million fines in app store battle”, 1/12). Obviously there is much detail to be developed, and to evolve. They won’t get it all right and they will have to face down the jeers of the Elon Musks of the world, but it is high time the tail stopped wagging the dog.
Fiona White, Alfredton
Sunshine cleaning
It is not necessary to ask New York or Chicago how they manage graffiti. (Letters, 1/12). On a recent trip from Darebin to Sunshine I was so impressed by the absence of graffiti I visited council offices to ask for their “secret”. The answer was simply that they ensure it is removed quickly. I recommend that other councils look at Brimbank’s Graffiti Management and Prevention Policy 2019.
Lesley Walker, Northcote
AND ANOTHER THING
Trump appointments
With Trump appointing family members, their in-laws, and cronies to positions of great responsibility, I can’t decide if I am watching an episode of Succession, The Sopranos or The Osbournes.
Peter Heffernan, Balaclava
It looks like Charles Kushner, the father of Donald’s son-in-law, has, in the immortal words of Paul Keating, decided for “the Paris option”.
Max Nankervis, Middle Park
With Trump’s appointment of the father of his son-in-law to the post of ambassador to France, one can only wonder at an appropriate French response. Perhaps they’ll ask for the return of their gift, that icon of freedom – the Statue of Liberty.
Les Anderson, Woodend
Shopping
With Black Friday and then Cyber Monday’s massive spending spree almost fading away, one now wonders about the inflationary effect from this bonanza. Could this extravagance be the final straw that persuades the Reserve Bank to delay an interest rate cut for yet another quarter?
Graeme Daniels, Balwyn North
Black Friday sales on Saturday, Sunday and still on Monday – it’s like having New Year’s Day sales in February and March.
Myra Fisher, Brighton East
Forget Christmas, Easter is apparently almost here. Hot cross Easter buns on sale at a bakery in Oakleigh.
Mary Fenelon, Doncaster East
Furthermore
More workers for World Central Kitchens and Save the Children are killed in Gaza (“Israel says charity worker killed in Gaza airstrike was an October 7 attacker”, 2/12). The world is losing its heart.
Mark Bradbeer, Brunswick
Bad urban planning is bad urban planning regardless of the socio-economic status of an area (“Brighton baying over development plans”, 2/12). Remember Docklands?
Belinda Burke, Hawthorn
Swallowed-fly count so far this season – five. Looking for a possible PB.
Greg Lee, Red Hill
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