Credit: Illustration: Megan Herbert
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MIDDLE EAST
The Australian government’s current policy of appeasing Israel and the pro-Israel Australian lobby groups has only emboldened Israel. Failure to take decisive action against Israel has resulted in it extending its mass killing of civilian non-combatants from Gaza into Lebanon.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s lukewarm response to the International Criminal Courts issuing a war crimes arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (“Wong silent on Netanyahu arrest”, 23/11) stands in stark contrast to the enthusiasm with which she greeted Vladimir Putin’s indictment. What has happened to Australia’s commitment to upholding fundamental rules of international law?
Israel must be held to account for the killing of tens of thousands of Gazans and Lebanese and for the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.
Instead of enabling Israel’s war crimes, Australia should use the same powers that it has deployed against Russia and immediately cut all military ties and place travel bans on Israeli officials and sanctions on Israel.
Peter Martina, Warrnambool
Coalition support for Israel embarrasses us
Are Peter Dutton and James Paterson aware that their energetic support for Israel, as recorded in your report, puts them sharply at odds with many Australians calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, not to mention the vast majority of UN.members? (“Coalition to throw Australia’s support behind Israel in campaign pledges” 24/11)?
Have they not yet grasped the fact that academic experts on genocide say unequivocally that Israel is committing genocide? Can they bring themselves to recognise these realities? If not, how can we prevent them from continuing to embarrass Australia?
Caroline Graham, Cromer, NSW
Israel is now a compromised democracy
This time last year, the damage to Israel’s global image from its response to Hamas’ October 7 attacks was just emerging. It’s still true: the Jewish state is no longer so widely viewed as a small brave victim of hateful Arab and Muslim terrorism – despite October 7.
Today, it’s at least as likely to be perceived as a militarised, callous and expansionist bully-boy, whose heavily-compromised democracy is called out, rather than applauded.
This much has resulted from Israel’s own actions, including increased settler violence in the West Bank.
James Paterson, (″Coalition to throw Australia’s support behind Israel in campaign pledges″, 24/11) registers none of this; the LNP is so right-wing as to never even caution Netanyahu, now wanted by the ICC.
Paterson would rather issue arrogant challenges to international institutions needing Australia’s support, and sweep all criticism of Israel into the anti-semitism bucket.
Another consequence of the Gaza tragedy is that the world has become more brutalised and more confrontational. Sabre-rattling and growing arms budgets are all the go.
We sadly need a government (and opposition) that can learn from history, and stands and works hard for peace. But don’t look to James Paterson for that.
Ken Blackman, Inverloch
ICC arrest warrants
The overdue announcement of the warrants for the arrest of Israeli PM, former defence minister and Hamas official for war crimes is the very reason why the ICC was set up.
Predictably the US, refuses to acknowledge the professionalism of this body.
Sadly, the coalition’s Sussan Ley has mimicked the US in condemning the warrants.
Rob Park, Surrey Hills
THE FORUM
Made in the USA
In 1997, I joined a small crowd gathered around the TV in a Los Angeles restaurant to be transfixed by the live images as NASA’s Mars Pathfinder landed on the planet.
I spoke with a young American there who explained how her grandfather had designed, prototyped and commissioned some of the Saturn 5 fuel flow components that had put “man on the moon”.
Millions of Republicans have direct or indirect family connections with NASA’s achievements, or whose ingenuity, creativity and work ethic provided faith in a Boeing 747-400’s reliability. This company created our 1970s lawnmower, oscilloscope and other “stuff” all still operational and inscribed “Made in the United States of America”.
Consider these Americans’ emotions when witnessing the SpaceX rocket returning to its launch cradle.
Ridicule the “great unwashed” (Letters, 24/11) at your peril. They understand Apollo 8’s Earthrise image and are thoughtful, considerate and fed up.
Ronald Elliott, Sandringham
Poor US candidates
Your correspondent’s letter (“Trump Appeal”, 23/11) succinctly summed up the reasons for Trump’s overwhelming victory. The question is how did he do it. Trump gave the electors what they wanted to hear in language easily understood. After repetition, people believed what they heard. As for Kamala Harris, after cutting through the glitz and glitter, people found nothing much of substance. The electorate was more concerned about domestic issues than “saving democracy”. The Biden/Harris administration had already fallen short.
Despite the valiant rhetoric, why would a Harris/Walz administration be any better? Americans were seeking strong leadership to solve domestic problems and take on potential international adversaries. They found little in Harris.
The tragedy for world democracies is that the best America could do on candidates for the role of “leader of the free world” was Trump or Harris. The only people left smiling are Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un.
Jim Lamborn, Doncaster
No Trumpism here, please
As an ordinary Australian citizen, I am tired of the duplicitous conduct of the opposition. I hope that such Trumpian behaviour will not be worshipped by voters here. What a refreshing change it would be if we could have a parliament that could work together for the good of the people instead of the pre-election posturing we are witnessing at present.
Judith Hudson, Elwood
COP 29 and other copouts
As COP29 ends, the failure of “developed” nations to act on climate change is glaring. Backed by billionaires and the fossil fuel industry (″Wrecking Ball″, 23/11), these governments prioritise short-term power and profits over humanity’s survival, leaving a toxic legacy of greed and cowardice. At the same time, these megalomaniacs exploit the planet for profit while fantasising about colonising Mars.
This failure isn’t just environmental – it’s economic. Despite a tokenistic $460 billion agreed to help poorer countries deal with the impacts of climate change (″Back from the brink of collapse″, 24/11), the same unchecked corporate greed and political inaction fuelling environmental destruction continues to drive the cost-of-living crisis.
Rising energy bills, unaffordable housing, and food insecurity are all symptoms of a system where ordinary people pay the price for elite failures.
But resistance is growing. Grassroots movements and community-backed independents are pushing back. The power to demand a liveable planet and a fairer society is in our hands.
Sue Barrett, Caulfield South
Don’t leave on jet plane
The explanatory piece on how aviation protects its customers, “Leaving on a jet plane? Don’t worry, you’ll be back again” (24/11), starts with a description of a lovely “sunny day, 29 degrees, a gentle north-westerly breeze”.
So, it is ironic that aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. It is already responsible for 2.5 per cent of carbon emissions and, thanks to other pollutants at altitude, 4 per cent, or more, of current global heating.
Mark Wills, Northcote
Clean transport hopes
Like your correspondent, I dream of a world where public and active transport and green spaces dominate our cities (“Let’s dump the cars”, 24/11). Then I wake up. Cars seem to be here to stay, at least in my lifetime.
A world with only clean, efficient electric transport, however, is a more realistic imagining. With electric vehicles, traffic noise and fumes are curbed, and so is climate pollution. Going electric would allow all those suffering from the West Gate Tunnel’s toxic vents to breathe healthier (“‘We’ll cop full brunt’: Fear of tunnel fumes”, 23/11). That’s a vision worth dreaming into reality.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Tunnel fume fears
A possible solution to the West Gate Tunnel fumes issue is to only allow electric trucks and electric cars to use the tunnel. This would alleviate the pollution fears of local residents, reduce the need for the pollution filters and possibly remove the eyesore of the
$10 billion vent towers.
Vehicle manufacturers are transitioning to electric trucks, buses and cars quite quickly. Australia needs to get its act together and adapt to the change.
Tom Maher, Aspendale
Land claims, now and then
While walking along the Macquarie River amongst river redgums (some known to be more than 400 years old) in Dubbo recently, I reflected on how Indigenous land was acquired by settlers some 200 years earlier – it was often at the end of a gun.
It left me comparing that situation to now. Land to be used for the erection of wind turbines and to accommodate the transmission lines to connect to the grid is acquired by negotiation, and that comes with ongoing financial benefit for the farmers who own it. This arrangement has become contentious and sparked resistance and outrage.
The early settlers and their families were the few who benefited from their land acquisition, whereas the clean energy that would flow from today’s land transfers will benefit many thousands. It will help to negate the effects of climate change and, in doing so, provide another form of compensation for generations of farmers to come.
The term “for the common good” comes to mind. I presume the term “not in my backyard” was not in vogue 200 years ago.
Michael Newton, Grantville
Private school bias
I have become increasingly disappointed at how AFL football commentators point out how this or that footballer from this or that private school speaks so well or is such a good leader. Many of them are parents of sons at such schools, or now coach at them.
I was the intermediate football coach at Balwyn High School in the 1990s. Amongst the players I coached were a Collingwood under-19 player who has risen to some prominence, an Olympic gold medallist and world champion pole vaulter, several boys from well-known Essendon and North Melbourne families and, briefly, an Indigenous player who went on to great things at Richmond and Collingwood. When the media arrived to cover that boy’s deeds, I was talked down to by one of these commentators who seemed to feel out of place on our state school grounds.
Recruiting has come a long way since then, but has something been lost? Where are the Billy Duckworths and Dougie Hawkinses? It is way past time that commentators should stop congratulating themselves that it’s the private schools that have produced good players.
John Whelen, Box Hill South
AFL origins
Talented young footballers are lured towards private secondary schools with offers of scholarships and participation in their football programs. Perhaps a stronger indicator of their footballing roots would be to list the primary schools the players attended prior to being drafted into the AFL system.
Chris McCallum, Nathalia
Outdated concerns
Some of the recent reporting on Alan Jones, including ″I asked Alan Jones about his sexuality and his alleged abuse of power″, has focused on his sexuality: Why didn’t he come out? Why did he deny it for decades?
These are very outdated concerns and irrelevant to the current issues.
There is no cause-and-effect relationship between being gay and becoming an alleged sexual abuser.
Let Jones’ alleged crimes be witnessed now for how they will be characterised in a courtroom, as alleged acts of harm – words not usually used to describe someone’s sexual preference.
Julianne O’Brien, Bacchus Marsh
Nurses’ pay inequity
We are currently in the birthing suite of St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Fitzroy. The wonderful midwives who have been looking after us are providing an exceptional level of care. They are all in high spirits despite what can only be described as a disastrous shift the night before.
Due to an unforeseen spike in patient admissions, the already exhausted sole midwife was forced to call in support as the ward was overwhelmed.
It is unbelievable that in our fortunate country a private hospital’s own enterprise agreement is far inferior to that in the public sector. The St Vincent’s Private Hospital agreement has a one-to-nine midwife-to-patient ratio, whereas the public system ratio is one to six.
I urge the hospital to make the justified amendments that the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation is requesting.
Anthony Palazzo, Hawthorn East
AND ANOTHER THING
Mind the gaps
The deplorable state of our roads may have a silver lining. Drivers must be far more vigilant in order to avoid potholes. Maybe this enhanced driver concentration will result in fewer accidents.
Pete Hickey, Albert Park
Michael McGirr (Comment, 23/11) raised some very interesting points on voting over 65. I personally take my right to vote very seriously and will continue voting hopefully for many years to come.
Christine Hammett, Richmond
The ″Bali Nine″ might be coming home. They did the crime and have served time. Most criminals do just that. They must be bemused as to how a felon became US president and won’t serve any.
John Rawson, Mernda
Dear David Astle, do not fret about ″streaky″ (Wordplay, 23/11). Remember, Shakespeare invented 1700 words including changing verbs into adjectives, and nouns into verbs, and bringing together words in a way never used before. Streak on, we cry!
Rosemary Clerehan, Armadale
On what may be the only bright side, those against Trump’s vision for the US are on the side of antidisestablishmentarianism.
Ross Tanner, Clifton Hill
Has Trump appointed a Secretary for Women yet? Perhaps Tony Abbott is available.
Rod Allan, West Melbourne
Furthermore
With the emissions from aviation making a significant contribution to climate change, many of us
are flying like there is no tomorrow.
Sarah Russell, Mt Martha
Your correspondent corrects us regarding the use of “mankind”, 24/11). They make the point well, but we should also consider using “humthey” instead of “human”. It avoids the generic “man” and rolls off the tongue easily.
Ian Muldoon, St Kilda
Finally
Kevin O7 said he can work with Trump 2.0. Presumably he wasn’t driving at the time.
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
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