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RULE OF LAW
Attorney-General Christian Porter’s denial of the historic rape allegations was emotional, emphatic and unequivocal. What cannot be denied, however, is the need for the Australian people to have absolute confidence and assurance in the character of our highest law man in the country – the attorney-general. Without an independent investigation, he alone cannot prove his innocence any more than the deceased woman who made the allegation can return from the grave to establish his guilt. All the more reason for an independent inquiry, chaired by a retired judge, to clear his name, if indeed that’s what the inquiry finds. Without such an inquiry, this issue will haunt Christian Porter to his own political grave and irrevocably damage the federal government.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris
Flawed law system crying out for reform
In lamenting what she sees as the destruction of the judicial system (“Hunt for justice must not erode law,” The Age, 8/3), Amanda Vanstone fails to both grasp the nuances of sexual offending and to see the necessity for systemic reform. Vanstone suggests we should question why the complainant did not confide in her friends sooner and implies a lack of trust in them as individuals is to blame. What we know, however, is that people often wait 20 years or more to disclose sexual violence and that such delay comes from shame, fear, and a lack of belief in the so-called justice system. The same system that, as it stands, allows victims to be cross-examined in their sexual histories, for example, often twice, at both a committal hearing and a trial. Or that holds a lack of CCTV or eyewitnesses against the victim’s credibility instead of seeing such evidence for what it is – incredibly rare in the contexts where most of these crimes occur.
Perhaps we ought to consider that what the victim could not achieve individually, her friends (and many other hard-working advocates) may be seeking to achieve systemically. The criminal investigation in this matter cannot proceed but there is room and need for the justice system to be critically examined and updated. No system should be above scrutiny, or above reform when such scrutiny demands it.
Catherine Reidy, Carlton
Unfair attacks on the Morrison government
Rather than just having “a nasty smell of politics”, as Vanstone writes, much of the response to and commentary about Christian Porter is dripping with politics. Many of the people demanding that allegations about Porter’s past be investigated have more motivations than simply a search for truth and justice. They do not like the Morrison government and see the allegations levelled at the Attorney-General as an opportunity to weaken the government and destroy the career of a rising star of the Liberal Party. Similarly, the government does not want to agree to the demands of people it dislikes, such as some progressive parts of the media. While the legal aspects of the situation should be fully examined, they are not at the core of the matter.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills
Hopes for integrity in politics
I really hope that Christian Porter returns well from his sick leave and manages to resume the upward trajectory of his political career, to serve notice to the traducers trying to destroy him that integrity in politics, which has almost vanished from the body politic, still lives.
Brian Sanaghan, West Preston
Political inquiries
Vanstone says the Porter allegation has “a nasty smell of politics about it”. I can’t seem to remember her expressing the same opinion on the “pink batts” inquiry or the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption brought on by her side of politics in an attempt to smear political opponents.
Les Anderson, Woodend
Vanstone on target
Amanda Vanstone in her column was clear and precise. She talks such clear sense, the government should take heed.
Diana Goetz, Mornington
National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line: 1800 737 732. Crisis support can be found at Lifeline: (13 11 14 and lifeline.org.au), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467 and suicidecallbackservice.org.au) and beyondblue (1300 22 4636 and beyondblue.org.au).
THE FORUM
Royal servants
The constant references to “service” by royals, incumbent and ex (“Before Harry and Meghan interview, Queen speaks of ‘selfless dedication to duty’,” The Age, 8/3) call for a bit of examination. If it is your well-rewarded job to lend your support, and occasionally your presence, to charities whose staff and volunteers do the real hard work, that looks more like a privilege than service.
Tony Haydon, Springvale
Seen it all before
We should not be surprised that the Queen will reportedly not watch the Harry/Meghan interview. She’s seen it all before, when her uncle (who was king, not just a mere prince) married American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Ultimately that couple was exiled to the Riviera. Los Angeles makes a 21st century glitzy replacement, without the glamour. This whole story just emphasises how irrelevant is this monarchy today, save as food for the gossip columns.
Lee Palmer, Albert Park
Drama without dignity
“Commoners” do not air their family’s dirty washing in public. The firm and its ex-members are hell-bent on a royal blue to be aired around the world. Why we continuously tug our forelocks to this privileged lot is beyond the dignity of ordinary people. Subjects, we should never be.
Margaret Skeen, Point Lonsdale
Room for optimism
Unfortunately, China is continuing to mine and use coal as well as developing renewables (“China adds coal plants amid climate pledges,” The Age, 8/3). That is just like Australia, but China as well as America are superpowers, and it’s imperative they agree on climate action when it comes to leading and influencing the world. Without them, we would all suffer catastrophe. Thank goodness we can feel some optimism that China’s envoy Xie Zhenhua and his US equivalent John Kerry are likely to be able to negotiate the essential climate agreement; and that the world, including Australia, will follow their historic leadership. As Christiana Figueres famously said, “let’s stay stubbornly optimistic”.
Barbara Fraser, Burwood
Vaccine blockade
To those who criticise the actions of Italy, be mindful this is a country that suffered a lot more than Australia, and had many more cases. Wouldn’t you think it has a right to ensure its population is immunised first to avoid further crises before it is in a position to supply other countries with the vaccine?
Doug Springall, Yarragon
Money for men
Support for women who have lost jobs during the COVID-19 crisis has been minimal (“Call to boost equality in economic recovery,” The Age, 8/3). The big announcements have been building and construction works. Obviously these are male dominated. Why am I not surprised? Men are making these decisions and they dominate governments and they don’t seem to care.
Pauline Ashton, Maribyrnong
Real equality
It doesn’t surprise me that members of Julie Szego’s generation needed to be told that up until 1966, women could not join the Commonwealth public service if they were married (“We’ve come far, but not enough”, The Age, 8/3). Especially considering that, at the time, many men and some women did not realise it either. It was bad enough to fight discrimination to get a job, without having to choose between the job and marriage, and being further victimised if you made a fuss. Let’s hope our grandchildren’s generation will look back with the same wonder at the barriers to real equality that still underlie the current moves for reform.
Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale
Selective data
Data about the impact of the coronavirus on female jobs is very selective. Female-dominated occupations such as teaching, nursing and other healthcare workers, together with those in the aged care sectors had a stimulus. The state education department is employing hundreds of catch-up tutors who will be predominantly female. The public service is predominantly female and the pandemic did not cause them to lose their job. Hospitality, retail and tourism was adversely affected and these industries are predominantly female. But huge job losses in construction and manufacturing occurred and these are predominantly male. The effect of the coronavirus had a detrimental effect on many workers, female, male, young, and old.
Ian Bennett, Jan Juc
Privatisation
Your correspondent states that the stuff Jeff Kennett sold off while premier was surplus to requirements (Letters, 8/3). Really? Trains, trams, water, gas, power generation and transmission, the land beneath valuable schools (that are sorely needed now); then there’s prisons, roads, ambulance services and hospitals. The list of these “surplus to requirements” assets goes on. I’m not in favour of any asset sell-off, but let’s not rewrite history.
Matt McRobbie, Mont Albert
Political sale
Privatisation is the theft and conversion of public assets, with the proceeds usually used for political gain and the resultant profits being taken by private enterprise. And, as all thefts, the loser is the rightful owner.
Gary Sayer, Warrnambool
Hotel quarantine
The main problem regarding hotel quarantine contracts with private security companies isn’t about probity in how they were let (“Hotel security contracts in new spotlight”, The Age, 8/3). It’s the fact the contracts exist at all. It was irresponsible of the Victorian government to outsource such a critical function, leading to COVID-19 infection and death rates many times higher than the rest of Australia. Quarantine security should have been handled by Victoria Police from the outset.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills
Christian takeover
Your article on the Christian Right Conference (“Inside the Christian Right conference plotting a political takeover,” The Age, 7/3) highlights everything that’s wrong and bad about religion. Holding beliefs, no matter how illogical, is not good enough; those beliefs need to be thrust upon everyone else in sight. The Christian Right should understand that more than 50 per cent (and increasing) of Australians do not identify with any religion. A good start would be for the people in the electorates of Craig Kelly and George Christensen to show them the door.
Paul Kertes, Park Orchards
Charitable exclusions
Your correspondent (Letters, 8/3) cites Jesus’ comments about only coming to the lost sheep of Israel and not giving the children’s food to dogs, in the Gospel of Matthew, to suggest that Christian charity excludes outsiders. If he had kept reading, he would have seen that Jesus healed this outsider woman’s child as she asked, and went on, out of compassion, to heal and feed the thousands from everywhere who had come to hear him. He never refused anyone. That is Christian charity.
Caroline Miley, Heidelberg
Tax loopholes
I’m sure I don’t speak for everyone Catherine Gerardson (Letters, 8/3) but I feel people would like everyone to pay their fair share of tax, instead of some paying more. Close the loopholes, get the noses out of the franking credits trough, ensure big earners are not able to pay less tax than those on low wages. Perhaps we will then have enough to look after all, even if the odd luxury car or third investment property will have to wait for some.
Wendy Hinson, Wantirna
Losing interest in saving
I thought it would be best to give my 13-year-old grandson cash for his birthday. I asked him what he was going to do with it and he said he might save it. In the old days I would open a bank account for him. His $100 would increase by $6 a year and get him into a savings habit. Now it increases by 10¢ a year due to government policy via the Reserve Bank. Now it’s best I buy him a wallet to keep it in a safe place; ″under the mattress″ perhaps. That also avoids an explanation if the RBA interest rate goes negative. But it does not teach him any concept of investing.
Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell
Think outside
Our state government appears ignorant of the basic arithmetic inherent in successful decentralisation policies. Billions of dollars are being dedicated to Melbourne while rural employment opportunities and infrastructure waste away. A change of heart would see people descend on these areas in droves. Small country towns would spring to life fed by the rural hubs of larger towns. Rural cities would grow and prosper as they became self-sufficient in the delivery and production of goods and services. In doing so, Melbourne-centric ideas around fast rail and airport links would give way to inter-regional transport connections.
Jaroslaw Kotiw, Strathfieldsaye
Confidence in government
In 2018, Barnaby Joyce announced his resignation as Nationals leader and deputy prime minister over his affair with a former staffer and a sexual harassment complaint. Ahead of the 2019 federal election, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton cut millions of dollars of funding from recommended projects and diverted the money to projects of his choosing – most in marginal and government-held electorates. In 2020, Bridget McKenzie resigned as deputy leader of the Nationals and from her portfolio after it was found she had breached ministerial standards in the “sports rorts” affair. In February this year, backbencher Craig Kelly quit the Liberal Party to sit on the crossbench, and in March, two ministers embroiled in scandals have taken stress leave.
The work facing the government is huge. It’s questionable whether it has the capacity to govern. While there is not a case for the Governor-General to “do a John Kerr”, there is certainly a case for a vote of no confidence, and an early election to hand over the reins.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
AND ANOTHER THING...
Politics
Not even the Prime Minister’s over-worked “Scott-Free” rubber stamp of ministerial accountability can resurrect the two missing ministers.
Ken Machin, Grovedale
Illustration: Matt GoldingCredit:
Our Prime Minister should know that when a void in leadership is created, scoundrels tend to fill it.
Henry Herzog, St Kilda East
Privatisation
I can only say to your correspondent (Letters, 8/3) that if the Land Title and Registry office and VicRoads Registry are “the good stuff” then I’d hate to see the bad stuff.
Neale Meagher, Malvern
It is to be hoped that the outsourcing of rego and related privacy details under the VicRoads privatisation proposal will not go to a Chinese company under Dan’s belt and road deal with the CCP.
Martin Newington, Aspendale
Furthermore
Let’s give Harry and Meghan the privacy they plead for with every endless interview they willingly give. Blimey, they’re just about reaching the saturation mark of Harvey Norman.
John Cain, McCrae
In regard to the lack of female sports statues, can I suggest looking at all the wonderful female swimmers we have had in the past and in the present.
Marie Nash, Balwyn
A new journalism? Surely Leunig hasn’t forgotten the hounding of a grieving Lindy Chamberlain four decades ago?
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
“Roadmap” appears to be a commonly used buzz word within politics, I just wish politicians would actually follow the map and not take too many detours or side tracks.
Nigel Beresford, Drouin
No, I don’t shoot ducks for fun (Letters, 6/3), I shoot ducks to eat. Like my father and grandfather before me.
Ian Russell, Queenscliff
Finally
Let all opinions, and even bigotry, contend, and be sensibly debated out, and not immediately be vilified and boycotted by puritan guardians. We are easy-going grown-ups and can cope by ourselves. Rod Matthews, Fairfield
Note from the Editor
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