Credit: Alan Moir
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CANBERRA
As a long-time supporter of Labor, I am absolutely dismayed with our current Labor prime minister. The shelving of legislation to create Australia’s first national environmental protection agency whilst also determined to pass election funding reforms shows just how self-serving Anthony Albanese is (“Albanese intervenes to scupper Plibersek’s negotiations with the Greens”, 27/11.)
Australia is the “extinction capital of the world”, and Albanese appears to have caved in to special interest groups and short-term politics instead of making meaningful reforms to protect our native flora and fauna.
At exactly the same time, his pursuit of election funding reforms - albeit thwarted at least until next year - could prevent any additional independents being elected to federal parliament.
Can’t anyone within the ALP see that by being a “don’t break any eggs attempting to make an omelette government has allowed opposition leader Peter Dutton and his negative politics in?
This type of politics demonstrates the need for more, not fewer, independents in our parliament.
Tanya Plibersek for prime minister or opposition leader at the very least.
John Walsh, McKinnon
Who gets to dictate our nature laws?
I initially had respect for Anthony Albanese, but this has been shattered by his action in shelving the Nature Positive laws.
Who is the prime minister serving – the Australian people who want their nature and disappearing wildlife protected, or the multinational mining corporations?
Many of these corporations are largely overseas-owned and pay little or no tax in Australia for exploiting our resources. Why should they dictate our nature laws? This is an obsequious betrayal for many Australians.
John Renowden, Point Lonsdale
Betrayal is never pretty
Was the assurance Tanya Plibersek had from the prime minster better than the assurance he gave a number of MPs to reassure them that Labor’s commitment to creating an environmental protection agency was not dead? They would have to be pretty naive to believe it is.
Betrayal is ugly. What is the path forward for a minster if she cannot trust the leader? What is the path forward for a prime minister if he loses the trust of his ministers?
Adrian Tabor, Point Lonsdale
Need to keep our leaders accountable
The proposed bill to change political donations, which is supported by Labor and in principle by the Coalition will mean we could, in practice, possibly end up with only a two-party system of democracy in Australia, similar to the United States.
Is this really what we want? Democracy is about more than a contest between two major parties. We gain so much benefit from independents and minor parties “keeping the bastards honest” to quote a well-known adage.
Jenny Callaghan, Hawthorn
Back to the wall
Earlier this week columnist Shaun Carney wrote that “Peter Dutton gets early media honeymoon”, (28/11).
Whether or not that’s true; it is also evident that the PM has a gift for self-sabotage.
On Thursday, he told Australians that he and his government “have your back”. Did he or his advisers recognise the danger in using that phrase in his interview on ABC’s 7.30, when many Australians “have their backs against the wall”?
Alun Breward, Malvern East
Senate review needed
The shenanigans that went on in the Senate this week suggests it’s time that we had a national conversation about the utility and future of this institution.
Many see it as an anachronism in desperate need of reform. Initially, it was created as a house of review for the states, but it has long ceased to perform this role.
Nowadays, it operates purely on a party basis. It is hardly a chamber representative of Australians; for example, Tasmania with significantly less population than NSW or Victoria returns the same 12 senators as both these states.
The Senate’s quota system is a sham, whereby candidates trade preferences often resulting in the election of senators with astonishingly low primary votes. For example, Senator Payman’s primary vote was 1681. These arrangements retard the overall effective operation of government as no government has achieved a majority in the Senate now for a number of years.
Six-year terms seem excessive compared with a three-year term for legislators in the lower house.
Time for a critical review of this institution. This is not democracy in action.
Martin Newington, Aspendale
Thorpe’s antics
Your correspondent (Letters, “Loud, Cantankerous, and Loving it”, 29/11) is mistaken. Some people confuse making a big noise with progress.
Lidia Thorpe’s greatest contribution to politics thus far, was her assistance in bringing down the Voice – which has been disempowering for Indigenous people.
Her recent antics, as loud and cantankerous as they are, will do nothing to help the plight of the Palestinians because the story is all about her. And, most of us are not loving it.
Jane Robins, Moonee Ponds
Easy ride to Senate
Much as I dislike Pauline Hanson, at least she remains a member of the (unfortunate) party she was elected under.
I have little to no respect for those who ride into the Senate on party coat-tails just to leap off and blow their own trumpets (at taxpayers’ expense, no less).
Kristen Hurley, Seaholme
Canberra whirlwind
I’m growing awfully fond of Lidia Thorpe. It’s about time we had someone in parliament speaking truth to power.
Sure, she’ll be dismissed, but I think she’s a whirlwind of fresh air. Keep up the great work Lidia; some of us are right with you.
David Jeffery East Geelong
Not safe at work
All Australians have a right to feel safe at work, said Penny Wong after Lidia Thorpe threw papers at Pauline Hanson. Fair enough, but how can all the name-calling and vilification that occurs between various parliamentarians be called safe? It wouldn’t be accepted in any workplace that I know of.
Kerry Bail, Beaconsfield Upper
THE FORUM
Social media ban
Has the government overstepped the mark by banning social media for kids under 16?
We live in a technological world, and we need to educate kids to use technology properly. This is an educative process, and it takes time to develop these skills and build upon them. Given this hideous new law, all forms of social media will just be dumped on kids at 17, and they will be expected to navigate it.
Perhaps our prime minister should focus on more pressing issues? Countries are at war, and he bans social media for kids. Other countries must be laughing at Australia.
Nadine McMaster, Port Melbourne
Wishing Musk well
The department of government efficiency (DOGE) in the US led by Elon Musk should be the biggest Western government event this century.
Watching Musk take $2trillion out of the US federal budget inside 18 months will hopefully become the blueprint for smaller government across the Western world.
For those of us that have been advocating smaller government in Victoria and Australia and elsewhere, these are very exciting times. I wish Musk well. If successful, it reintroduces fiscal policy as a genuine option to reduce interest rates and inflation and provide greater room for the private sector to grow and create jobs.
Anton Whitehead, St Kilda
Tariff consequences
Your correspondent identified that it will be US citizens who will likely pay most of the inflationary cost of the proposed Trump tariff increases on imports of consumer goods from other nations to the US (Letters, “Unintended consequence”, 28/11).
However, there are unintended adverse consequences for US manufacturers from Trumpian tariffs on intermediate goods exported to the US for use in production in the US – such as high-tech office equipment from China, and oil (used by truckies or in production) from Canada, and auto parts and vehicles both from Canada and Mexico.
The latter particularly reflects the integration of US vehicle manufacturers with suppliers from those two nations (“Trump about to shoot himself in foot with tariffs”, 28/11).
The big US local auto manufacturers are sure to complain heavily to Trump if they face rising costs of production resulting from such tariffs.
Thomas Hogg, East Melbourne
State cash gift
As a parent of two school-age children, I am appalled at the blatant attempt to buy the votes of Victorian families through the $400 payment for school textbooks and uniforms.
Wrapped up as cost-of-living support, the payment in most cases gets directed straight back to the school, who often are the sole supplier of uniforms, or hold accounts for excursions.
Why not give that money directly to beleaguered schools, and save them the administrative costs of managing this farce?
Tim Singleton Norton, Reservoir
Just a nurse
As a registered nurse of more than 30 years’ experience, I cannot ever recall a time during my career in both the public and private systems, when I have not been called upon and/or pressured to do double shifts and overtime.
As I enjoy a week of annual leave, I am trying to unsee all the pleas in my work messages for staff to pick up extra shifts at my current ICU – “anyone available ... we’re desperate”.
I cannot comprehend how slashing the rostered hours of any nursing staff makes any sense, either financially or clinically. Then again, I’m just a nurse.
Michelle Goldsmith, Eaglehawk
Slow trains
I too, was on the XPT last Monday from Sydney to Melbourne (Letters, “Bad Trip”, 29/11) Yes, it is farcical in 2024 that we have to accept a 1960s train service. A very fast train service will probably never happen in Australia.
No wifi is one thing, but not even phone coverage in many places along the route, and cash needed to buy food. In my experience, the train is never on time. On Monday, I missed two connecting train services to my regional town. A very long day. But, if we have the time, it is a much better alternative to a car or plane for the climate. The passing scenery is lovely and there is time to read, sleep and think.
Gryff Jamieson-Ballard, Castlemaine
Graffiti trail
It’s disappointing that authorities appear to given up in solving Melbourne’s graffiti problems. As a regular bike rider I am constantly dismayed at the extent of graffiti I encounter on Melbourne’s bike tracks and rail trails. In some places, it appears to go on for kilometres on buildings, fences, doors, bins – almost every flat surface – so much so that there is literally no space for further additions.
Having travelled widely overseas I believe Melbourne is one of the most graffitied cities in the world. Rapid removal, designated graffiti walls, mural programs, surveillance cameras and other deterrents have all been tried and failed. There are no easy solutions, but it’s time councils and governments prioritised this problem by addressing the primary issue of why this sector of society feels so disconnected with their community that they must continually vandalise it.
Bryan Long, Balwyn
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Art sales
Descendants of the supplier of the paints for the Mona Lisa have been bemoaning their financial ill-fortune for centuries. (″Vendor distraught after 35 cent banana sells for $9m″, 29/11).
Ian Powell, Glen Waverley
Politics
How sad to see Simon Birmingham leave politics. He has been the only voice of balance in the right-wing LNP for many years. Well done, Simon.
John Walsh, Watsonia
It’s the sibilant season for Labor, with all the stitch-ups, scuppering and scheming. Let’s hope it all leads to success in the future election.
Robin Jensen, Castlemaine
Dutton leading the polls with no policies, no vision; it’s Abbott again! What could possibly go wrong?
Terry Mattison, Mentone
Unfortunately, Lidia Thorpe’s behaviour in the Senate this week is likely to lower public opinion of all women in parliament.
Penny Garnett, Castlemaine
How about climbing Mount Arapiles is allowed, and I am allowed to climb the outside of St Patrick’s Cathedral? Fair, I reckon.
Jack Morris, Kennington
Nature is neglected once again in Australia as is careful debate and common sense in our parliament. That’s something our grandchildren will all regret in the future.
Paul Chivers, Box Hill North
The absurdity of these two Age headlines, (29/11): Page 3, ″More junior nurses have hours slashed″, and page 8, ″Cash-strapped state hands over record $130m to F1 organisers″?
Anna Davey, Ringwood
Antisemitism is criticism/hatred of Judaism, not criticism of the genocide by the Israeli government.
Stephen Baldwin, Frankston
Furthermore
Should anyone wish to contact me, please do so. Please do not ″reach out″ to me.
George Stockman, Berwick
In response to ″And another thing″ (26/11) and using ″humthey″ and ″humwoman″ to replace ″human″. I suggest this is continuation of the ″enshittification″ of the English language. Word of the year in a sentence!
Ross Neilson, Maffra
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