Credit: Illustration: Alan Moir
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FEDERAL ELECTION
What have we heard from Peter Dutton over the last few months? Desperate distracting tactics to keep our evolving climate disaster out of the news with a farcical discussion on nuclear power as an alternative to renewables.
Dog whistles and fearmongering (think race, religion) to keep us divided as a community and distracted from pressing emergencies such as our unfolding health crisis, flowing on from climate change.
Most telling though, a complete lack of serious new policies, other than those that protect his rich friends and delay change in energy policy.
It was particularly sad to hear in his budget reply speech that he would like to undermine Labor’s fairly modest renewables policies. Every day, doctors are confronted in their practices with rising rates of climate-related illnesses: Respiratory and cardiac disease, heat stress, trauma from floods, cyclones and bushfires, to name a few. This week’s ″policies″ were indeed sickening. The remedy is to follow the science.
Dr Don Serle, Geelong
How will Coalition make housing more affordable?
The party that campaigned against tax changes for housing investors claims they will make housing cheaper. I think they need to explain themselves. Why did the LNP campaign against proposed changes to the capital gains tax in 2019? Why did they campaign against limiting negative gearing? How do they propose to make housing cheaper without changing these?
They are also against the current housing policy of building 1.2 million homes. How does the LNP plan to house everyone without these?
Eileen Ray, Ascot Vale
Dutton’s clarity offers genuine alternative
Peter Dutton’s magnificent budget reply on Thursday was a striking statement that he is indeed not going to die wondering, as he presents a genuine alternative government come voting day.
While it is easy to mock Dutton as the hard man of politics and portray him as cold-hearted and indifferent to human hardship, that is precisely what makes the leader of the opposition look like a prime minister-in-waiting.
Although Anthony Albanese stated that he would be a safe pair of hands, promised modest change and would promote a more conciliatory tone of politics, there is a sense in which our nation has never been so divided or tribal.
Whether the issue has been the monarchy, Indigenous affairs, immigration, rampant antisemitism, Australia Day or environmental issues, there has been so much open domestic hostility that has been allowed to fester in the absence of moral clarity from our Commonwealth leadership.
Add to this garish mix the punishing effect of cascading interest rate hikes, and it is no wonder so many citizens have felt despairing of our country’s circumstances.
It will serve no proper civil purpose if Labor can only form government with the support of the minor parties, as it now puts its boasted credentials to the people for electoral judgment.
Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn
The way it was
I wonder what Ben Chifley would have thought of Labor’s federal budget this week.
He would, no doubt, wonder why so little emphasis was placed on reducing the increasing inequality, poverty, homelessness, and overfunding of private schools. Why tax cuts and power subsidies are for rich and poor alike, and why a so-called commitment to address climate change and the environment are put to one side in the run up to an election.
Why has integrity, decisiveness and vision disappeared from the Labor governments of today and been replaced by the retention of power as its main purpose?
Those of us who remember the Chifley and Curtin governments despair. We now have to hope for a suitable independent candidate to vote for in our electorates in the coming election.
Rod Mackenzie, Marshall
No appeal in excise
The reduction in fuel excise only helps those people who drive a lot. We are retired and drive very little. We also have a hybrid car and so use even less fuel. Our children commute by bicycle or public transport. It is not going to help them. This is a dud policy, Pete. We are more interested in an increase in bulk billing at the doctor. Working from home saves on fuel use. These and the top up of the tax break offered will help our family more.
Bronwyn Hunt, Kerang
Public service cuts
With the election date now locked in, Peter Dutton has confirmed that he will sack 41,000 workers if elected as prime minister. If you vote LNP, you are voting for 41,000 fellow citizens to lose their jobs and income and for reduced services that they provided, in veterans affairs for example. That’s OK I guess, if you’re not one of the 41,000 or a person reliant on the services that they provide.
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
THE FORUM
Healing the world
It is no surprise that antisemitic sentiment and actions grow globally in reaction to Israel’s inhumane, scorched earth treatment of Palestinians both in Gaza and the West Bank. Because of this, it is important to differentiate these as the acts of Netanyahu and the Israeli government, not Jewish people as a whole.
These genocidal actions are in line with ideologies of hatred which are mirrored globally throughout history. When another country systematically murders journalists, expels international aid organisations, and starves an ethnic population, international outcry is encouraged.
I am an Australian Jew. Both sides of my family hail from Poland. My mother’s side lost many in the Holocaust, and my siblings’ grandparents wore the marks of their survival. The concept of Israel as a homeland was taught to me at school, however it was the concept of tikkun olam (the notion of working to heal the world through our actions), and the importance of education, that were stressed as core tenets of being a modern Jew in a modern world.
To save a life is to save a world. And as such it is crucial that communities work together to divest of the notion that to condemn Israel is an antisemitic act. Never again means never again.
The greater existential threat to Judaica is not speaking out against Israel’s actions and calling for their end, but rather the failure to do so.
Nom Blashki, Lilydale, Tas
Age of euphemism
The recent US security breach reminds us of how readily the forces of death, destruction and vengeance can be unleashed in any corner of the world. Euphemisms such as ″operations″ and ″strikes″ are used to disguise the realities of murder, maiming and displacement that are inflicted upon the innocent.
The world is on a path that threatens to destroy us all. In the words of Pope Francis: ″Each day in which the weapons still roar is a day of defeat and of senseless and culpable suffering″.
Terry Harrison, Mount Waverley
Post-parody era
Re ″Is Trump’s America a safe place to visit?″ 28/3). I definitely would not go – Pitcairn Island, the world’s most remote island would be my choice. Free from megalomaniacs, idiocy, and dumb and dumber foot-in- mouth Trump sycophants.
The recent photo of the Oval Office and its glazed over Trump administration occupants could be likened to a situation comedy. I wouldn’t risk deportation on entering the States as my accent would give me away. Nah, a dot out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean will do just fine
Margaret Skeen, Pt Lonsdale
Private school rules
When will the government, any government, provide adequate funding for our public education system? I read Nick Feik’s article (″School in office building fails test″ 28/3) with sadness and anger. The budget promises $12.2 billion nationally for government schools. Non-government schools are being allocated $20 billion.
The latter will be well positioned to build more auditoriums, and heated pools and squash courts whereas the public sector will continue to struggle with portable classrooms and the most basic of amenities.
And then there is the totally inappropriate solution to inadequate funding illustrated by locating part of University High School in a CBD office building with no opening windows, no opportunities for sport or other activities and in fact open space at all.
Well done to PLC and others in the private school lobby. Once again, self-interest has trumped equity.
Jenny Macmillan, Clifton Hill
Teacher support
We can’t afford to underestimate the incendiary effects of extreme economic inequality (“The missing thread in our debates about Adolescence”, 27/3), but also consider the role of schools in providing appropriate education programs on sexuality, values and respect for the young, for both boys and girls, and have adequate support for teachers providing these programs. Supporting the teaching staff is paramount, unlike that seen in Netflix’s show ‘Adolescence’.
These school supports may help build a society of civic conscious, respectful and tolerant young adults, irrespective of each family’s economic status.
Shanta Perera, Camberwell
Remember Goldstein
Rachael Dexter’s report on Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece’s election promises is vast (“Nick Reece’s big-spend agenda in doubt as Melbourne’s debt reaches historic levels” 27/3). However, there is one pre-election promise that should be added to the debt list. And that’s the council ’s commitment in November 2023 of a statue to honour Vida Goldstein, Australian feminist and suffragist.
She was chosen by council, after recommendation by a five-member advisory panel to be the chosen female to balance the gender of statues in Melbourne surroundings.
At the moment, the sculpture has been denied attention due to cost and location uncertainty. If ever erected, there won’t be any income from Vida’s statue, apart from the acknowledgement of who she was and what she achieved as walkers pass herby.
Peter Whelan, Gladstone Park
Railway benefits
The Age reports ″Updated cost estimates on Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop were requested by the nation’s peak infrastructure agency but were not provided by the Victorian government, Senate estimates have heard.″ (27/3).
This failure is disappointing. But does it mean the project is a bad idea? I don’t know. My local railway line, the Sandringham line, was built in the 1860s when Tommy Bent was both transport minister and a developer of land in Brighton. I suspect ‘objective’ economic analysis might have led to its rejection.
Over 150 years later, it provides vital transport, not just for Brighton residents. It has underpinned urban consolidation near its railway stations – with much of the value captured by private developers. What is that worth?
If economic analysis discounts future benefits at even low rates, benefits beyond a few decades are ignored. If a government captures some of the increased land value created by new infrastructure, is that a bad thing?
We need to be very careful how we calculate the value of assets with long lives.
Alan Pears, Brighton
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Federal election
Election promises are politicians’ taxpayer-funded job applications, akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. And we know how that ended.
Doug Perry, Mt Martha
One way to avoid the mind-numbing media speculation about the election date is to have fixed-term elections.
Sarah Russell, Mt Martha
I did not hear the words ″woman″ or ″child″ mentioned once in Peter Dutton’s budget reply speech. What does this say about Coalition priorities?
Rod Moran, Brighton
How can saving a few cents at the petrol bowser help those who cannot afford to put a roof over their heads, let alone a car to drive to the bowser?
Wendy Brennan, Bendigo
It would seem that Peter Dutton is applying for the wrong job. He doesn’t want to be prime minister – he wants to be police commissioner.
Ciaran Crehan, North Balwyn
When being interviewed on policies, I wish our politicians would stop saying ″I’ve made it very clear″ when they never do.
Ron Mather, Melbourne
Trump
Why are we inviting a convicted felon to Australia? Have we sunk that low?
Janet King, Strathfieldsaye
Trump the ringmaster is in full play: Deny, delay and attack. And the show goes on.
Gary Bryfman, Brighton
Real men can admit when they are wrong (″President’s team just can’t admit a mistake″, 27/3). Trump can’t take responsibility for anything. There’s something in that.
Colin Smith, Dandenong
Rail loop
The rail loop. Should it be built or not? If not, in 10 or 20 years the bleating will start: ″We need this rail loop. It should have been in place years ago. Why not?″
Anne Flanagan, Box Hill North
Building roads in Melbourne and repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome – just build the SRL, and bring on more underground rail.
Damon Ross, St Kilda East
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