Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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POLITICS
It is with great dismay that I read that senator Fatima Payman has been suspended from the Labor caucus because of her principled stand (“Rebel ALP senator on indefinite suspension”, 1/7). Surely on this issue the Labor Party could have exercised a little discretion, flexibility and compassion. Just because senator Penny Wong compromised her principles and did not cross the floor 10 years ago does not make it correct. As Payman so eloquently put it, the Palestinians don’t have another 10 years to wait. In addition, both major parties should take note that this country is in the minority 25 per cent of nations of the world that do not recognise a Palestinian state. Are they both afraid that if they support a Palestinian state, some of their members would abstain from voting or even cross the floor? This rigidity is the reason voters are swinging to minor parties and independents. People who take a principled stand in the way Payman has done deserve our support and admiration, not suspension and condemnation.
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
Viewpoint deserves scrutiny
Insiders host David Speers unfortunately allowed senator Fatima Payman to get away with yet again deflecting any responsibility for the Palestinian tragedy in Gaza to be the responsibility of Hamas. The current crisis is all about Hamas. Long-term recognition of Palestinian rights and a two-state solution are important, but no nation can accept a neighbour firing thousands of rockets into its territory, massacring its citizens, and stating repeatedly and formally its intention to destroy that nation. And why use a phrase such as “from the river to the sea” knowing it is so open to misinterpretation. There is no doubt what Hamas means by this phrase.
David Court, Glen Iris
Speaking her mind
When the next federal election rolls around, I hope that here in the seat of Menzies, we have a strong, thoughtful, proud and passionate contender such as Fatima Payman. A woman who speaks for the like-minded electorate and will not be muffled by the determination of “head office” of the American and Australian politicians, too cowardly to speak their mind.
Robert Saunders, Box Hill North
True diversity
Speaking to ABC radio yesterday, Labor minister Anne Aly said she supported diversity within the Labor Party, adding “and when I say diversity, I mean different kinds of diversity whether it be diversity of background, ethnicity, age, gender, a whole range of different diversities. I think our party is better for that diversity.” Notably, Aly did not mention diversity of views or opinions. However, as James Massola says, with increased diversity comes increased diversity of views (Analysis, 1/7). Many would argue that’s the whole point of having greater diversity of the type Aly approves. But it seems the Labor Party only wants a shallow kind of diversity which focuses on outward appearance.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills
Crossing the floor
Suspended ALP senator for WA Fatima Payman follows in the footsteps of Edith Cowan, who was the first woman elected to an Australian parliament in 1921. Cowan also crossed the floor, resisting the discipline of the parliamentary whip of the WA Nationalist Party, by voting on issues according to her conscience.
Malcolm McDonald, Burwood
The power of individuals
Many years ago, the science fiction author Robert Heinlein described democracy as having a significant fault because it assumes “1000 men are smarter than one man!” Does the same apply for a caucus of 103 members? Are 103 members smarter than one person? If 1000 men were smarter than one man then we would not have a “theory of relativity” or even several medical breakthroughs where treatments proved successful against the medical consensus of the time. Perhaps the Heinlein rule applies.
Kim Hassall, Thornbury
THE FORUM
In dollar terms
Shane Wright states: “In dollar terms, a middle-income earning household will be paying more income tax in 2025 than in the 2023-24 financial year despite the deep tax cuts that start from July 1.” (“Stage 3 tax cuts value ‘to disappear’ after election”, 1/7). This is the same language used by governments saying they have spent more in a particular portfolio than the previous government. It does not take into account how much more the individual is now earning or how much more income a government receives from taxes and other means. “In dollar terms” hides the fact that the individual may well be much better off due to wage rises in the interim.
Alan Inchley, Frankston
Tax reform the answer
Your article “Stage 3 tax cuts ‘to disappear’ after election” is a beat-up of taxation reform that has nothing to do with the election. The figures and arguments were not worthy of the space they occupied. Not until the end do we come to the nub of the problem, that government income depends too much on income tax. Barely mentioned are the ways that tax might be more fairly collected.
That the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer is largely due to the fact that non-wage income is not adequately taxed. So many areas need reform, including royalties, subsidies and deductions, yet neither major party is prepared to tackle the problem.
Properly taxed, we would mitigate the current situation of lack of government funds for infrastructure, health and welfare. Unfortunately, it won’t happen with the two major parties beholden to vested interests.
John Pinniger, Fairfield
Inflation limits
There has rightly been much discussion about the futility of relying solely on interest rate increases to lower inflation (“Why we’re going into the new financial year carrying last year’s problems” 1/7). It unfairly puts the burden of taming inflation onto those with mortgages. Plus, current inflationary pressures are largely supply related, which rate increases aimed at crushing demand will not address.
Another point to consider is why the RBA is so wedded to its 2-3 per cent inflation target. Yes, low inflation must be the goal, but why are mortgage holders sacrificed on the altar of a target that stems largely from an off-the-cuff remark made by New Zealand’s finance minister in the late 1980s? His point was that low inflation is essential over time, but somehow central banks around the world adopted the target as gospel.
Economic conditions have changed significantly since the 1980s. Surely there is a strong argument for reassessing whether this target inflation figure is realistic or attainable and, if yes, at what cost.
Lisa van Campfort, Eltham North
The business of price rises
Inflation is proving sticky in Australia. Statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the particularly large increases in the annual inflation rate to May have mainly been in markets dominated by a few large companies, including insurance (up 14 per cent), automotive fuel (up 9.3 per cent), electricity (up 6.5 per cent) and food (up 3.3 per cent). Millions of households with mortgages are bearing the brunt of the Reserve Bank’s maintenance of high interest rates. The apparent profit-maximisation behaviour of large companies in uncompetitive industries is holding up the CPI overall and greatly hurting household budgets, depressing expenditure in other markets, and slowing the economy and the demand for labour. This is in nobody’s interests. All large companies in Australia should become more conscious of their obligations to society as a whole, while the Commonwealth and states should explore all opportunities to encourage new entrants to uncompetitive Australian industries.
Andrew Trembath, Blackburn
End the reading wars
Finally some common sense about teaching reading (“Topping NAPLAN, and phonics helped”, 1/7) after Wheelers Hill Primary School, which has been teaching structured phonics from prep upwards since 2017, achieved the best NAPLAN results in the state.
I am a retired special education teacher and educational psychologist, and find any argument between methods of teaching reading spurious. Since the English language has an alphabet of only 26 letters, it is obvious that each letter must serve a variety of roles in turning spoken language (that children learn automatically through exposure) into written language. An understanding of the many roles of those 26 letters in a wide range of combinations, crucial to being able to read and write, is called phonics. Teaching of phonics is essential.
However, Wheelers Hill principal Michael Ramsey made an important point, saying “we need to teach children to comprehend as well”. There is no point in children learning a wide range of letter combinations that represent the sounds of spoken language unless they make sense. That is where the meanings of words and sentences are as important as phonics. Picture books are crucial, as are sentences, both written and read, about the children’s daily lives and special events.
A modern problem is the keyboard. It contains the 26 letters, not phonics. Children need to write with pencils, pens, crayons, chalk or any other available implement. They need to use their fingers to form the combinations of letters, as this helps learning.
There should be no “reading wars”. Learning to read and write forms some of the foundations of a successful life. An understanding of letter combinations – phonics – and an understanding of the meanings of words and sentences are both essential.
Carolyn Hirsh, Ferntree Gully
Cost of disclosure
It is one thing for George Brandis (“Please, do not call Assange a hero”, 1/7) and Peter Hartcher to criticise Julian Assange, but no one has produced any evidence that the publication of the leaked information supplied to him did actually cost any lives, as alleged by the US. No doubt if lives had been “cost”, the United States would have disclosed it. Assange, by publishing the information supplied to him, did Australia and the world an immeasurable service. He exposed to the world the crimes, deviousness and dishonesty of the US which otherwise would have never been known. Assange does not owe Australia anything as Hartcher suggests. On the contrary, Australia owes Assange a great debt. He was not reckless as Brandis claims but very brave to do so. For that he spent 14 years locked up. The motto of The Washington Post is “Democracy dies in darkness”. The action of the US government in pursuing him (an Australian citizen) is correctly understood as sheer bastardry.
Barry Fox, South Melbourne
Confessed criminal
George Brandis substantially bases his criticism of Julian Assange on his guilty plea as part of his plea deal. He’s a confessed criminal, says Brandis. The next time a journalist pleads guilty to a criminal offence in China in order to escape politically motivated prosecution, will Brandis make a similar argument?
Dennis Dodd, Shepparton
Critical intervention
As a psychologist, I am witnessing first-hand the severe chronic stress experienced by clients left on waitlists after significant trauma and loss. Timely answers from the Coroners Court are vital for psychological healing and post-traumatic growth (“Family violence inquest fears”, 1/7). These prolonged waitlists create a stark contrast – a juxtaposition that challenges the significance of a loved one’s life against bureaucratic timelines. This state of limbo transcends a mere pause; it can foster feelings of futility and hopelessness, compromising one’s mental health and wellbeing. The government must promptly allocate resources and streamline procedures at the Coroners Court.
Beverley Tyrrell, Carlton North
Let off
I had to chuckle at David Whitley’s article (“Not so fast”, Traveller, 29/6). I was also apprehended some years ago by the US police in Washington state. After testing the limits of my rental Mazda 3 (considerably over the highway limit of 70mph, I must confess), I pulled into the small town of Concrete, one and a half hours out of Seattle. The sheriff pulled me over, and I thought I was done for. But he demanded to know why I was doing 30mph in a 20mph zone. He asked for my licence but declared he’d never seen one of those (international licences) before.
“Now you have!” I cheekily responded. He shook his head in confusion and declared in a drawl: “If you were a local I’d book you. But for now, you take it easy, OK?” “I sure will, officer,” I assured him, then hit the long straight highway once more, unable to resist the temptation to put the little Mazda through its paces once more. (You’ll be glad to know I’m now older, and more cautious!)
Sharon Hurst, East Brighton
Gas solutions
Your correspondent (“Still need gas in winter, Letters, 1/7) suggests Victoria should obtain gas from Queensland and we should be happy if there is a gradual reduction in the amount of gas used. However, as the IPCC has stated, on the basis of extensive research, the world is on “red alert” and we can have no new fossil fuel developments if we are to avoid the most dire consequences of global heating. Despite this, the ALP government has recently approved the $1b Senex gas development in Queensland, thus facilitating a massive increase in emissions.
New mines are not needed. Eighty per cent of the gas mined in Australia is exported. Rather than new gas plants, exported gas should be redirected to Victoria while we press ahead with new and emerging storage programs.
Peter Cook, Essendon
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Matt Golding
Biden
Why not allow the eloquent Dr Jill Biden to take over the talking if and when Joe is having the odd floaty moment. All in the one family.
Tris Raouf, Hadfield
Unkind people on social media are saying that Jill Biden is the Nurse Ratched of the White House, controlling every move of the president. It’s time she put the interests of global security ahead of her enjoyment of the role of First Lady. Tell your husband, Ma’am, to step down.
Kevin Rugg, Beaumaris
If Joe Biden is unfit to run for the US presidency then who’s in charge now?
Bryan Fraser, St Kilda West
If the Democrats don’t want to run with Joe Biden I hope they put up Bernie Sanders. What a breath of fresh air that would be in the US political arena.
John Walsh, Watsonia
Re: Biden’s age and abilities, octogenarians of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but irrational, unfounded ageism.
Eugene Schlusser, Carlton
Anders Ross says we need to learn from history, in relation to US presidential elections (Letters, 1/7). Indeed we do. Who can forget the first Trump presidency? It’s truly terrifying for the rest of the world that too many Americans seem to have skipped that lesson.
Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale
Thank goodness we live in a country where our votes are made on the careful evaluation of party policies rather than personalities or performances in TV debates.
Ross Crawford, Korumburra
Furthermore
Tax cuts like hair cuts, only last a little while. As hair (and inflation) grows. See you at the hairdressers.
Myra Fisher, Brighton East
What an impressive, articulate, principled, strong, young woman Fatima Payman is. There should be more like her in the federal parliament.
Jane Dezilwa, Bentleigh
Who ever thought it was a great idea to name a new housing development Millstone seems to have jinxed the project.
Marcia Roche, Mill Park
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To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.