Credit: Badiucao
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REPUBLICANISM
Thomas Keneally used up a lot of words to say that he favours a republic for Australia, but not like the one that America has (“Call this a geriatric rant if you wish, but at 90, I’ve decided enough is enough”, 17/10). But that is just the problem that will not be easily resolved.
Firstly, there are more pressing issues for us to worry about and there are only so many balls that one can juggle.
Secondly, how do we choose a model that provides the stability and wisdom that we have been blessed with up to this point?
Our governors-general have almost always been hugely successful, without being voted for directly, by Australians. Same with our prime ministers, although that does bring politics into it.Please, can we stop harping about whether we should become a republic and recommence the discussion about how we do it, and with what sort of model?
Clyde Ronan, Yarrawonga
Maybe we should look to Ireland’s system
Thank you, Tom Keneally for “Call this a geriatric rant if you wish, but at 90, I’ve decided enough is enough” (17/10). While I am not yet 90, Keneally has encapsulated my position on the issue perfectly. And I’m just so pleased that he made the point, largely unknown to many who object to Australia becoming a republic, that 36 nations which are members of the Commonwealth are in fact republics.
In a recently reported musing, the US President Donald Trump, who claims to be “a big fan” of King Charles, posited the possibility of the US joining the Commonwealth. Not that I’d support that application, but as I understand it, it could be a done deal, assuming any such application met the criteria, as to which I am in complete ignorance but if it included that the applicant country was a former British colony then the US obviously qualifies.
As for Australia, the issue, as Keneally clearly defines it, is about maturity. I agree that the models proposed in the past have proven unacceptable to Australian voters. Perhaps we might have a closer look at the governance system in the republic of Ireland. That’s always looked like a good model to me.
Judith Taylor, Emerald
Look, it’s complicated
Thomas Keneally’s rant is not so much geriatric as childish. It’s too much hard work for him to organise a second referendum to resolve the issue the way he wants it (and perhaps other people may not want things the way he wants them), so he just pretends we can each individually decide the matter for ourselves.
It’s nothing other than the philosophy of a sovereign citizen. If republicanism has proponents like Keneally, it needs no enemies.
Samuel McMahon, Parkville
Prince Andrew is looking for port in storm
The Duke of York is no more and Andrew is no longer a Knight of the Garter, but he remains a prince and will “keep living at Royal Lodge, on the Windsor estate” (“Charles cut his brother adrift for the sake of his son”, 19/10). I wonder if that’s far enough adrift to avoid future embarrassment.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills
Decouple our royal connections
Far from a geriatric rant, Thomas Keneally articulates precisely why Australia should be a republic. The constitutional link to the British Crown is past its use-by date and doesn’t reflect the country we are nor the future we should aspire for ourselves.
Bravo Tom Keneally.
David Brophy, Beaumaris
Prince’s eligibility as head of state
Does it not concern the PM that Andrew, still eighth in line to the crown, remains eligible to be Australia’s head of state, ahead of all 26 million of us colonial commoners?
Greg Pyers, Daylesford
THE FORUM
Rare earth stash
It’s time for sense to prevail. Let Australia start a sovereign wealth fund – for all its citizens (not just politicians superannuation) – and fund it with a tax on our rare earth minerals, rather than letting American interests or other wealthy individuals take everything again. And while we are at it, please abandon the AUKUS deal and boost the wealth fund with the savings.
Anthony Palmer, Southbank
Bearing gifts
With Anthony Albanese about to have to genuflect to Donald Trump, what should he hand over as tribute? A gold-encrusted Akubra? A lump of rare earths, gold plated of course? On the other hand, laughing kookaburras, a flock of cockies, or a mob of kangaroos would seem more fitting as the Americans are looking a little short in the top paddock of late.
Mark Kennedy, Sebastopol
Morrison’s legacy
The recent Robodebt SBS documentary showed the appalling and unethical conduct of former prime minister Scott Morrison – probably the worst by any PM since federation.
Unless the Liberals and Nationals’ successors remove what ex-PM ″perks″ Morrison is otherwise usually due from the party and the parliament, their state and federal levels will carry the stain of Morrison’s unpunished conduct for multiple generations.
No matter the ALP sins – failure by the Coalition to publicly impose what penalties are available for Morrison’s Robodebt conduct, then the party is confined to generations of electoral desolation.
Justin OHalloran, Clifton Hill
Qantas, again
Qantas’ behaviour over the enormous and wide-reaching data leak potentially compromising the security of millions of Australians is inexcusable (“Protect our data or pay a proper penalty”, 18/10).
As customers, we have to put ourselves and our privacy in the hands of businesses and giant corporations such as Qantas. It demands our personal details otherwise we can’t sign up to it.
Its PIN requirements exist of only four digits and there is no way of changing them to a multi-digit, mixed character PIN. This is grossly insecure for customers and leaves us exposed to fraud.
Qantas refuses to pay any compensation to customers whose data has been leaked, instead directing us to ‘seek advice’ from government sites. Qantas seems to want to not only outsource our private data, but also to do their work for them.
Its arrogance is extraordinary and it should be punished so that it finally takes our security seriously.
Judy Hungerford, Kew
Drive dollar further
I received the annual car insurance for a private vehicle that insured the vehicle for a value 14 per cent less than the previous year, for a premium 9 per cent higher. Upon calling them, I was provided with a 23 per cent reduction.
We all know what’s going on there – if you don’t complain, they will happily and lazily take your money. Get your act together, insurance industry. Use the client information you already have on file. Or maybe there is an opportunity for a company to use current technologies to bring the industry into this century?
Bruce McLean, Blairgowrie
Trump’s hollow plan
There is much to digest in Michael Koziol’s article “Greatest reason Gaza war ‘will not end’: Why Hamas isn’t going anywhere”. Truly, the future is still uncertain for Gaza, and Hamas is obviously a key factor. It is only half of the equation, though, the other half being Israel and its backer, the US. In July 2024, the Knesset demonstrated Israeli implacability to a free Palestine by vowing that there would no Palestine state west of the Jordan river.
If the future holds an Israeli “defensive perimeter” around Gaza, the IDF continuing to terrorise and dispossess Palestinians in the West Bank, an increase in illegal settlements, and the world silently watching, we will see how hollow the Trump 20-point plan really is.
Lorel Thomas, Blackburn South
US arms sales
Donald Trump wants to relabel his defence department as the war department. It would be more honest if he called it the sales department – America controls 43 per cent of world arms sales. The next biggest seller is France, at just under 10 per cent. The countries that start wars are the ones with the most guns and also the slickest PR people to blame their opponents.
Tony Haydon, Springvale
Show some respect
Tony Wright’s article (18/10) on the impact of the bombing of Dresden had me in tears. My parents lived through the bombings of Holland. I cannot understand why so many people worldwide, in Gaza, Israel and other war-torn countries can be so cruel to others. When will society change and humankind treat each other with respect and love?
Maria McKinnon, Northcote
Treaty imperative
The commencement of the treaty process in Victoria represents a profound and long-overdue moment in our shared history. I am immensely proud to witness our state stepping forward to formally address the foundational issues of the past (“Treaty long overdue”, 19/10).
This is more than a political negotiation; it is a moral imperative. It is a necessary act of acknowledging the truth of colonisation and committing to genuine reconciliation for the dark history of dispossession and injustice. We can no longer treat this history as a footnote – it is central to who we are.
As an Australian of European descent, my strongest conviction is that this process must be driven by deep, respectful listening. We will have a formal mechanism to engage with and value the voices, knowledge and stewardship of the world’s oldest continuous culture. Their perspective holds invaluable insights for the future health of our land and society.
The Treaty is a collective commitment to building a more equitable, honest and mature Victoria. This defining chapter deserves the wholehearted support of every Victorian.
Tim Singleton Norton, Reservoir
Identity uncertainties
Unless anyone has been living under a rock for the past few years it would not be possible to be unaware that the issue of hormone therapies in children and adolescents with gender dysphoria is controversial and is contested.
As this treatment is relatively new, the current evidence base of claims of efficacy is not clear. There is conflicting evidence.
Your article “Black market for DIY transgender drugs sparks health warning”, 18/10, cites two studies only (a 2023 systematic review, published in Nature Human Behaviour, and an unnamed 2020 study) supporting the claims hormone therapy improved quality of life, and mental health, and halved suicidal intentions in those with gender dysphoria.
However, other studies have found no evidence of improved mental health outcomes from hormonal treatments, but they have highlighted adverse effects that can occur from them.
Honest discussion of these issues is critical so affected persons and their families are aware of the uncertainties that currently exist in this contested area.
Dr Larry Hermann, South Yarra
Church steps forward
Excellent article on the Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally (“Why this holy war? Sarah is in charge”, 18/10). Her appointment reminds us that women can hold equal positions in the Anglican Church, and that God is represented in both the feminine and masculine.
The authority held by the new archbishop will be refreshing as she leads the church with kindness and love. It is about time the church leaves the antiquated beliefs that women should complement men, and now recognise the rights of women as human beings.
I wish her well as she leads her church, as she faces the criticism of many conservatives who can tend to forget that the church community is made up of both male and female.
My only hope is that the Catholic Church may take a great lesson from the Anglican Church; however, sadly, it will not be in my lifetime.
Julie Ottobre, Brunswick East
Fashion fails
I’m so glad someone has finally said it out loud about the impracticality of women’s clothes (Jaqueline Maley ″Pubic hair g-strings and rib ‘remodelling’: why does fashion hate women?″ 19/10).
I would like to go even further and wonder why women’s bathing suits almost require a Brazilian wax before you can wear them. Who designs these ridiculous things? Fortunately, they now have ‘boyleg’ pants which are designed more like shorts, unlike the high cut of women’s swimsuits. But they’re actually just ‘human leg’. We all have pubic hair. Why doesn’t anyone complain?
Claire Cooper, Maldon
Road block
Do the latest self-driving electric vehicles also have the capacity to avoid pot holes? Last week, I joined thousands of Victorian drivers in losing a tyre when my car disappeared down a pot hole on a main road. I think a pot hole sensor is an essential feature of modern cars in Victoria, given the state of our roads.
Peter Heffernan, Balaclava
Gambling season
Here we go again. Were it not for institutionaliced gambling, few would be interested in horse racing.
Bryan Lewis, St Helena
Miserable Melbourne
In the 1880s, a visiting British journalist to the city coined the phrase ‘Marvellous Melbourne”. No doubt, if he visited the ill-governed, crime troubled place now, (“Victim’s slow recovery from stabbing”, 18/10) he would probably describe it as ’Miserable Melbourne”.
Dennis Walker, North Melbourne
AND ANOTHER THING
Barnaby Joyce
Barnaby Joyce to join One Nation? The unelectable in hot pursuit of the unrepresentative, the pot chasing the kettle from the frying pan to the fire.
Jenifer Nicholls, Windsor
Great to finally see politicians engaging in the off-season trade period. Good luck to Barnaby, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Andrew Hastie at your new clubs.
Craig Jory, Albury
Pauline Hanson and Barnaby, a cartoonist’s match made in heaven.
Jayne Lilley, Torquay
Now that Sir Les Patterson is no longer available, One Nation’s interest in recruiting Barnaby Joyce is a no brainer.
Tony Devereux, Nunawading
Barnaby has been on a downward path for a while. After One Nation, is there anywhere lower to go?
John Walsh, Watsonia
Hanson shouldn’t be content with just snaring Joyce for One Nation. I hear Prince Andrew is looking for a new gig, and as English royalty he has the best credentials.
John Laurie, Riddells Creek
Furthermore
The birds may have chirped in Vonnegut’s novel about Dresden but I wonder whether the birds are chirping in Gaza, or indeed if there are any alive there. (Tony Wright, ″There is nothing intelligent to be said after a massacre″, 18/10).
Jim McLeod, Sale
As a child of two primary school teachers who taught before the days of computers, I am pleased the Victorian education department is returning to basics.
Susan Munday, Bentleigh East
Triple O debacle: O for obsolete, O for ’opeless and O for offline. God help us during the fire season.
Tony Danino, Wheelers Hill
It is sadly amusing that we should worry about the Bengal cat (″Claws out over push to import more Bengal cats″, 19/10) when about 20 million birds and small animals are taken annually by wild cats already out there, which the government does nothing about. And we still allow duck shooting!
Roger Vincent, Fitzroy, SA
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