Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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HOWARD’S LEGACY
Your correspondent (Letters, 19/2) details a lengthy list of the damage done by John Howard as prime minister of Australia and then asks: Is this the man Peter Dutton wants to emulate? Of course, it is. That’s what he means by “getting Australia back on track”. And that’s what we all should be very afraid of.
Mike Smith, Croydon
Howard’s true legacy
Your correspondent (Letters, 19/2) is absolutely correct, John Howard is one of the worst prime ministers we have had to endure. As well as the list of evidence published, Howard changed us from a tolerant, egalitarian society to a selfish, greedy and racist society. If Peter Dutton hopes to be a prime minister like Howard, that’s just another reason to not vote for him.
Margaret Ludowyk, Brunswick
PM changed nation’s tone
The letter, “Why Howard?”, (19/2) is an excellent analysis of the years when John Howard was prime minister.
As a nurse, I experienced the changes in the workplace that have continued to enable the privatisation of all our health services.
But the most important issue and legacy that Howard enabled is the reawakening of racism. We were in Europe visiting family in 2001 when Howard declared “children overboard” and saw the impact of the news release on the local communities who all had family connections in Australia.
This proclamation – and his kid-glove response to Pauline Hanson’s maiden speech in September 1996 – was a pivotal moment in the rise of populist right politics in our nation.
Maree Williams, Kew
Inequalities reflect 40 years of policy
Modern Australia reflects 40 years of neoliberal economic policy, imposed via the Hawke-Keating “reforms”, and supported by John Howard and other Liberals. The wealthiest 20 per cent of Australians now hold 82 per cent of investment properties.
Meanwhile, at least one in six children and one in eight adults are in poverty. What policies on inequality are today’s politicians taking to the 2025 election?
Barbara Chapman, South Yarra
Terrible policy decisions
Thank you to your correspondent for reminding us why we don’t need another John Howard. The list of disasters he inflicted continue to damage the fabric of Australian society, promoting division and fear.
Remember the masked men with dogs at the wharves during the Maritime Union strike? The reminders “to be alert but not alarmed”? “Children overboard” and the Iraq war also rate a mention.
And the terrible policy decisions, including the privatisation of our aged care sector, which delivered large profits into the hands of a few entrepreneurs, and propping up private health insurance rather than spending the money on ensuring a good public health system for all.
That Peter Dutton wants to follow in this mould is something that should be remembered when standing at the ballot box.
Jenny Macmillan, Clifton Hill
A debt still being paid
Well done to your correspondent (Letters, 19/2) for listing the mistakes John Howard has made as prime minister but he forgot to mention that in 2002, Howard signed a deal selling our gas for a cheaper price to China than we pay ourselves without reserving any for domestic use. Now Peter Dutton wants more exploration and fracking just so we can supply the domestic market.
It’s worth noting Tony Blair admitted that following the United States into a war with Iraq was the greatest mistake he made as UK prime minister. Can you imagine Howard doing the same? Yet the Coalition trot him out as a great hero and an expert at managing money. What did the Iraq war cost us and the people of Iraq?
Marie Martin, Malvern East
THE FORUM
Church’s turn
At the very least, the monstrous paedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, had over the past 30 years repeatedly pleaded guilty to his appalling crimes. (“Paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale dies in jail at 90”, 19/2)
The Catholic Church which repeatedly enabled him, however, continues to deny its victims justice, essentially saying ″not guilty″ at every turn. Monstrous, on an industrial scale.
Michelle Goldsmith, Eaglehawk
Don’t forget victims
Let’s hope that the passing of Gerald Ridsdale gives some comfort to his many victims. Perhaps even some comfort to the Catholic flock who are happy to pretend that it’s OK not one member of the Catholic hierarchy who enabled the activities of Ridsdale, and priests like him, has ever taken responsibility for the Catholic Church’s industrial-
scale abuse.
Julian Guy, Mt Eliza
RBA semantics
Shane Wright says: “The RBA is not actively looking to throw people out of work.” (“Bullock follows rate cut with a bucket of cold water”, 19/2). Whether this is his interpretation of the Reserve Bank’s stance or paraphrasing what Michele Bullock has herself said, his next sentence refutes this view – “softness in the jobs market is pivotal” to getting inflation down.
This is semantics of the highest order. The Reserve Bank has continually stated it believes unemployment must be higher to squeeze inflation lower into its acceptable range.
Any financial pain voters have suffered – and it has been considerable – should be laid squarely at the feet of the Reserve Bank who have screwed up their rates strategy badly over the past few years. Voters should be thanking their lucky stars the government has done so much to engineer a soft landing.
Peter Thomson, Brunswick
Missing the point
On ABC radio news, an economist commented on the social advantages of the Reserve Bank interest rate cut: “This will mean that investors might now be able to afford to buy an extra investment property.” What universe is this bloke living in?
The advantages of the interest rate cut for many families means that now they might be able to afford to buy a new pair of shoes!
Ellaine Downie, Balwyn
Going nuclear
Mike Foley reports that “Trump’s energy chief wants us to go nuclear” (19/2). In urging Australia to export more uranium and “maybe” going nuclear, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former executive of a fracking company, denied the science of climate change and suggested that the pursuit of net zero emissions is a “sinister goal”.
Opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien, trying to sit on both sides of the fence, says that Australia ’has a “moral obligation” to boost its uranium production and nuclear energy is critical to reaching net zero emissions.
The Opposition policy on nuclear energy, accompanied by dodgy costings and unrealistic timelines, means it says that Australia could continue to use fossil fuels unabated and still achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This is nonsense.
Rather than a rerun of the climate wars of the past dozen years, for the sake of future generations, we need a bipartisan commitment to fight climate change now.
James Young, Mt Eliza
What about waves?
“Trump’s energy chief wants us to go nuclear” (19/2) and so does Peter Dutton. Why are tidal and wave power plants not being developed? They are costly but less expensive than building a nuclear power plant.
Discussion of tidal power seems to have disappeared. Surely, it would be better to use another natural source of energy than to run the risks that come with nuclear power plants, especially disposing of their spent fuel?
Elizabeth Sprigg, Glen Iris
Policy vacuum
For the federal Coalition to be considered a viable alternative government, it is getting very close to the point where policy detail is urgently required.
Peter Dutton’s team have thus far been able to avoid legitimate questions from the electorate requiring a clear policy platform.
Surely, advice to the Coalition must be that “rock, paper, scissors” simply won’t suffice.
Mark Bennett, Manifold Heights
Independent thinking
Your correspondent (Letters, 18/2) states that independents “must say who they will support in a hung parliament”. But isn’t that precisely why they are independent – making independent decisions on each policy issue as it arises and voting with like-minded members of other parties to obtain the best possible outcome?
David Johnston, Healesville
Albo’s staff cut
Apropos Ross Gittins’ article (“When self-interest is bipartisan”, 19/2), don’t forget Anthony Albanese reduced the parliamentary staff entitlement of all independents from four to one just one month after his election.
Geoffrey Haughton, Sandringham
Feeling let down
I am writing to highlight a serious issue concerning crime and safety. On January 27, while at Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre, my car keys and personal items were stolen from the gym entrance.
The mall security team promptly traced the culprits, and obtained clear video footage of their faces and the car they used.
Despite providing all this information to the police immediately, no action has been taken. It has been four weeks, and the police initially didn’t even collect the footage, have not yet contacted me, or made any progress on the case. This lack of response is alarming and raises serious questions about the effectiveness of our local law enforcement.
This situation has left me and other residents feeling vulnerable and unsafe. The gangs continue to operate freely, harassing and stealing from community members without any repercussions. As residents who pay significant taxes, we deserve better protection and a prompt response to such incidents.
Dipanjan Ghosh, Mulgrave
Trump’s version of truth
The old joke is: “How can you tell when a politician is lying? Their lips move.”
US President Donald Trump is the living embodiment of the joke. He is now claiming he could have given Ukraine everything they wanted years ago through his ability to “deal”.
Trump, you had your chance in your first term and did nothing. Your new deal seems to be complete capitulation to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Pathetic.
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Chamberlain revisited
In reference to “For Ukrainians like me, Trump’s ‘peace’ is a betrayal” (17/2), US President Donald Trump’s appeasement of Russia’s Vladimir Putin makes Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of Adolf Hitler before Hitler launched World War II look like a principled, courageous realist.
Trump’s phone call to the war criminal, more than three years into Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, is analogous to an imagined phone call by Winston Churchill to Hitler to “do a deal”.
Ben J. Witham, Warrnambool
Whose leader?
Maybe I’m wrong, or was possibly comatose during November 2024, but I really thought that the election held in the United States then was for the president of that country. That one country.
I don’t remember residents of Ukraine, Australia, Britain or any other country being invited to vote. Surely, I wouldn’t have missed that.
And yet, we seem to have a world president now.
Someone who can, at the stroke of a pen, affect the economy of every country, remove desperately needed aid from the most impoverished, back-track on efforts to reduce climate change, remove a whole national group from their homeland, and make decisions about the size and occupation of another sovereign state. How can this be allowed?
Yvonne Davidson, Williamstown
Robo-debt shame lingers
Good news that the National Anti-Corruption Commission will pursue investigations into at least six public servants with key roles in the robo-debt debacle (“Watchdog backflips on robo-debt officials”, 19/2). However, let us not forget that robo-debt came about as a direct result of the political ideology of the Coalition government and its obsession with so-called “welfare cheats”.
At least four Coalition government ministers oversaw and applauded the implementation of robo-debt, and some in the full knowledge that the scheme was illegal.
Alan Whittaker, East Kew
Out of the loop
Your correspondent’s observation on the future of taxis – “In San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, hundreds of autonomous cars ... negotiate busy city streets. Once ordered via the app, the car arrives and takes the passenger to their destination” (Letters, 19/2) – has profound implications for the viability of the Allan government’s Suburban Rail Loop.
Why bother with the SRL when essentially “door-to-door” autonomous mini-bus services will soon be available on demand?
Ronald Elliott, Sandringham
Lot for a latte
I’m unsure what sort of establishments Rachel Clun frequents when she buys a coffee in Europe. (“Want your local cafe to survive? Start paying $7 a coffee”, 19/2). My most-recent trip to Italy, seven weeks in total, saw us generally pay 99¢ for an espresso, with the top price being about
1.20 euros ($2).
This was in the middle of Rome, Florence and all over Sicily.
Australia pays the highest prices for a cup.
No higher, please.
Michele Callan, St Kilda West
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Matt Golding
Musk
America, and the rest of the world, is under threat from a serious viral infection of the mumps (Musk and Trump).
Terry Kelly, Coburg
There’s even been a slump in musk stick sales in confectioners across Melbourne.
Peter Dodds, Montmorency
Trump
“In politics, stupidity is not a handicap” is also a quote attributed to Napoleon. Many may actually consider it a virtue under the current US administration.
Craig Jory, Albury, NSW
Donald Trump states that it was his idea for elections in Ukraine, so perhaps he should propose free and fair elections in Russia.
William Wallace, Ascot Park, SA
In these difficult times, let us not forget Neville Chamberlain.
John Salmons, Sandringham
Palmer
Can’t wait to see Clive Palmer don his “Trumpets of Patriots” baseball cap, although I would have preferred “Bugles of Bulls---!”.
John Bye, Elwood
Did someone tell Clive the election date will be April 1?
Ralph Frank, Malvern East
I think Clive Palmer is more accurately described as
a Trumplet.
Rod Allan, West Melbourne
Furthermore
The tragedy and outrage that was robo-debt started because somebody, somewhere, decided a whole class of completely defenceless Australians were just expendable nonentities.
PJ Bear, Mitcham
To suggest it’s OK to pay an increase overnight of 40 per cent for a cup of coffee to save your local cafe is ludicrous. (“Want your local cafe to survive?” 19/2). May be OK in London. Not here.
Nick Jensen, Canterbury
Finally
Surely, there are only two types of eggs to choose from: large or small, and free range or the ones blithely described as “caged eggs”?
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
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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.