Credit: Illustration:Cathy Wilcox
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TWO-STATE SOLUTION
The US supports Israel with arms and money. For 60 years, Australia has supported the US approach. Now, our government has acted as if we were an independent nation. Well done, Penny Wong.
Penelope Buckley, Kew East
Dutton is out of step with Commonwealth colleagues
Peter Dutton regularly departs from bipartisanship on international relations, contrary to convention. Dutton criticises Labor for Australia voting in favour of a UN resolution for a Palestinian state because it’s not “bipartisanship in relation to votes at the UN″.
That’s nonsensical. Dutton is violating bipartisanship. He is an outlier; out of kilter with Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations colleagues. And, out of kilter with many in the European Union, which were part of 157 countries voting in favour.
Carlo Ursida, Kensington
The company we do not keep
As Peter Dutton jumps in condemning Australia joining the vote for Israel to withdraw from Gaza, here are some of the countries who did not support withdrawal: Argentina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Palau, PNG and US.
Rob Park, Surrey Hills
Labor’s UN vote promotes more discord at home
Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong are advocating for a Palestinian state prematurely, before any agreement by the powerbrokers and negotiators, Hamas and Hezbollah, that they unequivocally relinquish their aim of the total destruction of Israel.
In so doing, they are not only supporting further conflict and harming the cause of a two-state solution, which is desperately needed, but also promoting further discord in the Australian community
Instead of immediately stomping on the antisemitic behaviour at the initial pro-Palestinian Sydney Opera House protest, enough was not done. This gave the green light to more of the same, which we have seen in abundance.
As a Labor voter all my life, I cannot vote for this government, which is providing such self-serving leadership, and endangering the well-being of our community, despite Australia’s opinion counting for little in the Middle East peace process.
Ruja Varon, Malvern
UN vote rewards Hamas’ terrorism
The latest UN vote should be viewed in the context that every year the UN passes more resolutions against Israel than all other countries combined, despite Freedom House rating Israel in the top third of all nations on its human rights record.
That the Australian government has switched to supporting blatantly one-sided resolutions, which put all the obligations on Israel and none on the Palestinian side, will do nothing to bring about peace, but can legitimately be viewed as rewarding Hamas’ terrorism, and driven purely by domestic political considerations.
Geoff Feren, St Kilda East
Ayelet Shaked has no moral standing
The views of former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked are not merely “controversial” (“Lobby groups not helping own cause”, 30/11); they are extremist and profoundly racist. Shaked has promoted the war crimes of the forcible displacement of Palestinians and inciting genocide by stating that “we will turn Khan Younis into a soccer field”.
Shaked blasted the decision to refuse her a visitor visa as “shameful” and “a stain on the Australian government’s moral standing”. It is Shaked who has no moral standing. And shame on the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council for inviting Shaked to spread her hateful rhetoric at its so-called “Canberra-Jerusalem Dialogue”.
Angela Smith, Clifton Hill
THE FORUM
Media, try harder
I think the headline writer of Niki Savva’s article, ″PM should step aside even if he wins″ (5 /12), extrapolated too far. Anthony Albanese is certainly not a charismatic leader, but steady he is. His government has chalked up some significant victories, all of benefit to the community at large. More equitable tax cuts for all Australian taxpayers being the big one, in addition to legislation to make home ownership more affordable for many struggling to get into the housing market.
Savva is correct when she asserts Peter Dutton gets off ″scott free″ with his negative politics and non-costed announcements (e.g. his nuclear powered fantasy).
How about the Canberra press gallery being more forensic, a little more active in pursuit of LNP non-policies, instead of decrying a prime minister who tries hard to create a fairer and more equitable Australia?
Maurie Johns, Mt Eliza
Time to step down
Re Niki Savva’s column. I, too, call ″time″ on Albanese as leader. Plibersek, Gallagher and Chalmers are star Labor performers and all are ready to step up as leader. ″It’s Time″ Albo.
Angela Killingsworth, Abbotsford
Thorpe no distraction
Columnists David Crowe (“Senate votes to suspend Thorpe”, 28/11) and Jacqueline Maley (“It looks like the latest form of protest”, 1/12) cannot see beyond the obvious in Lidia Thorpe’s behaviour; both writers seem to regard her as simply a Senate distraction.
It is important to remember that Thorpe was passionate that the Voice was not the best process to achieve recognition of our Indigenous brethren. Rather, she argued strongly that “Truth” should be the starting point, a position confirmed by the referendum result.
The scant understanding of the persecution of Indigenous peoples, following colonisation, is a national scandal that has never been adequately addressed. Government ministers Ken Wyatt and Linda Burney are decent people but neither succeeded in adequately educating the Australian electorate about the severity of the destruction of Indigenous peoples and their culture following the arrival of colonisers.
Moreover, it is difficult to comprehend how ministers in a government subservient to a monarch who represents the colonising force that seized sovereignty from the Indigenous peoples, could possibly act in the best interests of Indigenous peoples. As Thorpe constantly reminds us, sovereignty was never ceded.
Maurie Trewhella, Hoppers Crossing
Don’t demonise Dutton
In his column (″Demonising Dutton will backfire for Labor, just as it did for Harris with Trump″, 2/12), George Brandis offers some sound advice and a warning to the government: don’t make the mistakes made by the Democrats in the recent US presidential election. Don’t try to demonise and focus on Peter Dutton. If the Labor Party decides to pursue this strategy, it could well give Dutton a path to the prime ministership at the next election. In the midst of a so-called cost-of-living crisis the current government has many positives it should be focusing on. Will Labor strategists take heed of the lessons of the past?
Bob Malseed, Hawthorn
Call an independent
There are many letter writers and confessed Labor supporters furious about the Albanese government’s lack of courage by not standing up to the ubiquitous gambling interests and the mining and resources sectors.
Starry-eyed Labor supporters have every right to feel betrayed. And the bipartisan immigration legislation which passed through the Senate last week was as draconian as we have ever seen. But protest votes can backfire. Rather than risk returning the Noalition/Coalition to government next year, disgruntled Labor voters can return an independent member or install one.
None of them is beholden to vested interests of any kind – gambling, mining, dog whistling on immigration, banking sector, nuclear dreamers, media monoliths. It’s what being an independent means.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris
Veteran injustice
While the government’s response adopting most recommendations from the final report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (″Government responds to veteran suicide royal commission″, 2/12) released by minister Matt Keogh is a welcome, long-overdue correction of injustice is needed in the failure to accept equal compensation for equal injury whether sustained in training or combat. The reason offered is that this issue is ″divisive″ among veterans, and the unequal treatment has been ″traditional″ for over a century.
As a former medico for 50 years, and as a son whose father’s scars from WW2 haunted him and his family the rest of his life, I understand the “brothers in arms” sentiment of veterans for others who shared their hell, as all wars are.
However, ″tradition″ is not valid justification for perpetuating injustice. How is someone’s paralysis, limb loss or acquired brain injury sustained in a training mishap any less deserving than the same injuries sustained in combat?
More constructive than merely pandering to their current perspective, would be a deeper engagement to help those objectors in the veteran community to understand that correcting this injustice and validating their mates’ pain in no way invalidates their own sacrifice and pain.
Joe Di Stefano, Geelong
No laughing stock
Re Letters, ″Social media ban″, 29/11. No, other countries will not be laughing at Australia – they will be pleased a precedent has been set, and will be quickly preparing similar legislation.
Children under 16 are not equipped to cope with the machinations of social media. It is causing enormous harm, sometimes fatal.
Of course some will find their way around a ban, but they won’t find their friends there, and won’t be able to pressure parents by saying “but all my friends are on ...″.
Congratulations to the federal government for enacting this badly-needed legislation, and refusing to be intimidated by the big tech companies. Many of these companies are bigger than individual countries, so Western democracies need to stand together to force rules and standards on them.
Geoff Dalton, East Malvern
End the anonymity
I wonder if the simple solution to our apparent social media problems is to remove anonymity. This will have multiple benefits in terms of legal responsibility and reducing the amount of fake news.
It will also limit the platforms available to ″flat-earthers″, political/social scare-mongers, climate change deniers and other misguided individuals that permeate the internet and needlessly spread false information, lies and mistrust.
Phillip Hames, Montmorency
Gambling ban
Congratulations to the Victorian minister Melissa Horne on her demand that the federal government ban gambling advertising. It is time for the prime minister to take on the role of leader in this matter and honour the legacy of the late Peta Murphy in deeds as well as words.
Juliet Flesch, Kew
Work from home works
The independent confirmation of the enormous economic, environmental, social and even fiscal benefits of working from home is most welcome (″Bosses want to kill off working from home. There’s just one problem with that″, 4/12).
Given all the scare-mongering about an ageing population depleting the workforce, and despite the ageism many brilliant vintage employees endure, COVID proved once and for all how easy and more equitable it was to allow staff to we work from home at least some of the time.
Add to that, the now effective expanded capacity of public transport in capital cities to cope with the now stalled growth in commuters. There is also the regional growth trend that offers far higher quality of life and value for money when it comes to housing. This offers a clear pathway to affordable housing and to preserving the last remnants of Melbourne’s liveability. If only the state government would take note. Instead, it seems determined to rack ’em and stack ’em, even though the developers acknowledge 20-storey towers at train stations won’t deliver affordable homes, and even though Melbourne has already lost too many mature trees.
Bernadette George, Mildura
Living at home
Re ″I’m 30 and living with my parents, how do I get back on my feet?″ (4/12). As an adult, I moved back in with my parents over seven years ago after a health crisis. I accepted the shift and soon came to enjoy it. I did not see it as a failure. Sometimes, life creates situations so difficult that they necessitate support at home. And no one cares about my status.
Ian Cameron, Chelsea
You have no idea. At all
Wanting to control is a characteristic of many Millennial parents bringing up children these days (″Millennials are changing the grandparenting rules – and not always for the better″, 4/12).
Some advice for grandparents: never criticise parents or provide unsolicited advice or offer opinions or make any statements of judgment, even if heinous offences have been committed. Never chastise or administer punishment. Be aware that although you had children, you have little knowledge about bringing children up. Your ideas are outdated or wrong. You have no idea what it’s like to be a parent.
These concepts should help you to navigate the tricky path to successful grandparenting.
Leigh Ackland, Deepdene
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Woolworths, bank fees
How touching to hear that Woolworths “Care for their customers”. Sad that it does not extend that care to the workers in its distribution centres. Bryan Lewis, St Helena
Hearing that the strike by Woolworths distribution employees is leading to possible shortages of alcohol takes us back to Christmas past when Carlton United brewery workers always threatened strike action at this time of the year.
Peter Roche, Carlton
I remember when banks focused on customers rather than shareholders and executive salary packaging. The CBA’s recent attempt to foist a $3 fee on account holders to withdraw their own money is indicative of how far the focus has shifted.
Stephen Dinham, Metung
The fact CBA bank has even considered a $3 charge for withdrawals means I will definitely leave it after 40 years of business, personal and mortgage banking.
Wendy Daniels, Hawthorn
I put my money in the bank. It lends it out to make a nice profit. It thought it was OK to penalise me when I asked for it back.
George Stockman, Berwick
Minimal service, maximum profit. Which bank?
Annie Wilson, Inverloch
Furthermore
Can federal treasurer Jim Chalmers now take “credit” for the Australian economy growing at the slowest rate in decades? My guess is that the tooth fairy or Santa Clause has caused this decline in our economic growth.
Ross Kroger, Barwon Heads
At last, Australia has had the courage to stand up for a two-state solution in the Middle East. Penny Wong is to be commended.
Reg Murray, Glen Iris
Well said, (Letters,“Business Cases,” 3/12) Much of the infrastructure we all enjoy today wouldn’t have happened if it had depended on a narrowly defined business case.
Gill Riley, Doncaster East
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