Credit: Illustration: Cathy Wilcox
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FUTURE FUND
The treasurer’s decision to instruct the Future Fund to “consider Australia’s national priorities in its investment decisions (“Future Fund told to sink cash into homes and green energy”, 21/11) is both unnecessary and dangerous.
This looks like a government using the hitherto independent Future Fund to make a big political splash on the housing shortage without compromising its own budget management.
This intervention is unnecessary because, as Future Fund chair Greg Combet says, those priorities align with the fund’s own goals; in other words, it is unlikely to change the fund’s actual investment decisions.
And, it is dangerous because by making the Future Fund’s investment strategy align with government priorities, it opens the door to the Coalition to do the same when it, one day, returns to power, bringing with it their nuclear dreams.
Chris Young, Surrey Hills
Why is our Future Fund so low after long LNP rule?
The new mandate for Australia’s Future Fund requires it to consider national priorities in its investment decisions (21/11). Affordable shelter is plainly a priority. As for the financial return remit, any analysis must consider the socio-economic costs of housing-related poverty.
Before airing its morbidly predictable concerns about “Labor priorities”, the Coalition should explain to taxpayers why the fund stands at only $230 billion.
Norway, with a population of 6 million, knowing the North Sea oil would not last forever, has a sovereign wealth fund of $1.5 trillion.
The Howard government preferred to blow the proceeds of the first resources boom on unsustainable tax cuts. It failed to negotiate equitable taxpayer returns from the sale of mineral resources. An example was that royalties from LPG exports were about $9 billion in 2022, and about $14 billion in 2023. Qatar, which exports similar volumes, receives about $26 billion each year.
The fact that a majority of survey respondents still regard the Coalition as superior economic managers represents one of the greatest confidence tricks in recent political history.
Norman Huon, Port Melbourne
Demand to see the detail in Dutton’s plans
The federal Coalition’s bombastic pronouncements regarding cuts in international student numbers and immigration levels matches their equally “light on detail” so-called policy regarding a nuclear power alternative to renewably sourced electricity generation.
Donald Trump’s imminent return to the US presidency sees him lean heavily on the same populist nonsense as is now being replicated by Peter Dutton as “policy”.
It is hoped that Australian voters at the forthcoming federal election will demand the detail they deserve to see instead of falling for a Trump-inspired “shell game”.
Mark Bennett, Manifold Heights
All will be revealed, at some point
Has Peter Dutton just hinted at the Coalition’s 2025 election policy handbook title? In reply to journalists’ questions probing for any detail or substance behind his rambling about election issues, the answer is always, ″in due course″. Obviously, all will be revealed in: ″In Due Course″.
Denis Young, Sandringham
Dutton must start landing blows
Anthony Albanese and his government are on the ropes. Ordinary Australians have been KO’d by high living costs and housing shortages. It’s time for Peter Dutton to step up and tell us Aussies what his plans are to save and revive Australia.
Get going, Dutton. Australia needs a leader, before businesses begin leaving our shores.
Eugéne deGrey, Maribyrnong
THE FORUM
Basking in our mess
Mike Foley, (“Buying fruit and veg without plastic wrapping? You’re paying extra for it”, 21/11) delivers a piece of chilling news in these 14 words: “Within 30 years plastic pollution will surpass the weight of all the world’s fish”, and yet we humans charge forward not wanting to recognise the looming disaster.
We are not leaving this mess for a future generation, it’s so close now we all will have the opportunity to bask in the mess.
Pieter van Wessem, Balwyn
China vision
Sad to see that the normally clear-eyed economics writer Ross Gittins can be believe China is seriously interested in the world’s climate (20/11). They are building numerous, coal-fuelled power stations at an astonishing rate every month, and laugh at our puny, futile and costly efforts to lower emissions.
Tim Nolan, Brighton
Musk’s bad taste
Like a black fly in your chardonnay, it’s getting more and more difficult to swallow the irony of Trump’s cabinet picks (″Musk hosts Trump for SpaceX launch, as misconduct claims swirl over picks″, 20/11).
For a party that likes to spruik traditional values, allegations of sexual misconduct don’t seem to be an issue. I’m not sure what’s worse – the blatant hypocrisy, or the fact none of us are surprised anymore.
Jade Raykovski, Kew
Israel’s land policy
At last an article (Amin Saikal,″Middle East, Trump can’t have his cake and eat it too″, 21/11) that clearly spells out Israeli policy. It seems that it’s ok for the Likud party to have a Greater Israel policy that requires an expansion of its borders from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean, yet when Palestinians express the same view it’s deemed abhorrent. Let’s not pretend that Palestinians caught in this expanded Israel are, and will, be treated benevolently. How hypocritical can we be?
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
Israel’s land exchange
Unlike Amin Saikal, who has criticism only for Israel in its wars of self-defence against Hamas and Hezbollah (21/11), Trump’s foreign policy team understands the root cause of these conflicts is the refusal of so many in that region to accept the existence of the Jewish state. Israel has a long history of willingness to exchange land for an enduring peace, but is understandably not prepared to repeat the mistake of its 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. And Saikal fails to acknowledge that Israel’s conditions for a ceasefire in Lebanon are identical to what the UN failed to implement at the end of the previous Lebanon war.
Geoff Feren, St Kilda East
Graceless Jones
Should the charges against Alan Jones be proven, Andrew Bolt suggests it would then represent “one of the greatest falls from grace” in Australian history. (“Jones facing more counts as allies start to keep distance”, 20/11). This presupposes Jones had warranted the attribute of “grace” prior to these allegations being aired, a number of which are indeed of long-standing. Politicians, including previous prime ministers, mining and media magnates bear some responsibility for kowtowing to Jones and promoting him for their own purposes, creating an illusion that he was a man worthy of the term ‘grace’. On the other hand, if Jones is convicted, there will be ample justification in calling him out as a ‘disgrace’.
Edward Combes, Wheelers Hill
Company Jones kept
Aesop was of the opinion that, “A man is known by the company he keeps”; think John Howard, Tony Abbott, Peter Dutton, all happy to cosy up to Alan Jones, when it served their political purposes. Kudos to Malcolm Turnbull, who refused to be lectured to by Jones on his 2GB radio show. Jones was a blowhard bully and those men in power who were content to fall in with him and deserve our contempt.
Alan Whittaker, East Kew
Sovereign status
It is time to end the monarchy of Australia. Lidia Thorpe speaks of an urgent, undeniable righteous demand for justice, a recognition and just settlement with the First Peoples, the real sovereigns of the lands.
Nancy Hudson-Rodd, North Hobart, Tas
Transparency in IVF
Louis Taffs’ story is a moving one, (“At 26, I don’t know if my donor father is dead or alive – or if I’m ready to find out”, 20/11). The most interesting part, to me, is his story of the use of DNA testing by the now-adult IVF children, discovering they are not their parents’ natural children. The same has long been true in the world of adoption, of which the adoption rights movement in the 1970s, Jigsaw, set off the later identical movement to abandon secrecy in IVF. I led Jigsaw for its first years, during which we heard from very many adoptees, learning of their adoptions far into adulthood, having been denied that information. We found one underlying cause of the small fraction of adoptees going in search was that so many remained ignorant of the truth of their origins, a legacy of a long cultural history of secrecy. The adoption law changed in 1984, secrecy being largely abandoned in favour of openness. The dire predictions of family disintegration had no basis in fact, so we have transitioned to a society based in openness fairly painlessly.
Robert Bender, Ivanhoe East
Backwards planning
Analysis of Melbourne’s declining tree canopy (″City fails tree canopy test after count falls short″, 20/11), highlights the damage the Allan government’s latest planning announcements will do to our future liveability and amenity. With the activity centres announced seeing high-rise high buildings up to 20 storeys imposed across these areas, large volumes of established trees will be felled to make way for them. This will see the heat island effect in these areas worsen, along with air quality. Large amounts of local wildlife that occupy these trees will also be evicted, as the chainsaws ring out beneath them. And green recreational spaces that are the main stay of the quarter-acre block will become a rarity. It seems they are planning to take us all backwards.
Mathew Knight, Malvern East
How green was my valley
Come out to Knox and witness the disappearing gardens. A nearby home concreted almost its entire front garden leaving the tiniest sliver of weeds. A query (accompanied by a photo) to the council had this response: “Council can only use the powers that we have to ensure that properties are not excessively covered with hard surfaces (which could include removing gardens). Whilst I agree that removing gardens has a negative impact on our existing streetscape, council’s only leverage is to enforce the building regulations relating to site coverage and permeability. That said, if the properties do not exceed the triggers, removing gardens cannot be addressed”. Time to change some of those building regulations then? Or, au revoir more greenery.
Wendy Hinson, Wantirna
Driverless cars
Gary Nunn’s “Why I can’t wait for driverless taxis to come to Australia” (21/11) captures the optimism needed to embrace this technology. Having experienced Waymo in San Francisco, I can vouch for the efficiency, safety, and cleanliness. With its innovative, California-like culture, Melbourne is perfectly positioned to lead this revolution. Driverless taxis could cut congestion, lower emissions, and enhance mobility. Let’s seize this opportunity to make Melbourne a benchmark for a smarter transport future.
Victor Perton, Garden City
Future is now
In regards to your article on driverless cars (21/11), I can assure everyone they are well and truly here. They have just commenced in a large area of Los Angeles and seemingly can handle nearly everything. Admittedly, the first ride in one is an eye-opener, literally, but it is remarkable how quickly it becomes normal. They are all brand new Jaguars and cheaper than Uber or Lyft. I’m not sure where it will all lead but I suspect the future is here.
Neale Meagher, Los Angeles, USA
Micro-restaurants are go
Another year of winners and losers in The Age Good Food annual hat awards. Striking that the restaurant of the year seats just 12 and the top chef of the year helms a home-based six-seater. Kudos to both, but with their limited size and opening hours they are niche destinations that the majority of keen diners will never be able to experience. Does size count in the awards game? Should there be a new micro-restaurant category?
Sally Holdsworth, Malvern East
Purchasing power
Re your correspondent’s comments about five cent pieces (Letters, 20/11). I find them extremely useful as ball markers on golf putting greens and, due to their limited purchasing power, my playing partners are not inclined to pocket them.
David Smith, Cheltenham
Hawthorn apology
Hawthorn has apologised for the shameful way it treated a group of its indigenous players. It should also apologise to all football lovers for taking away the chance of watching magical players such as Cyril Rioli.
Tony Lenten, Glen Waverley
Uphill playing field
Re Peter Ryan’s report on the decline in the number of Indigenous players in the AFL. Who would have thought that deliberately fostering a cosy, intertwined, interdependent web of relationships between and among the worlds of AFL coaching, recruitment and commentary and the most expensive and elite private schools in the land would lead to a lack of diversity in the talent pool at the top level?
Scott McIntyre, Elsternwick
Laude cardigan
Wednesday’s temperature was a chilly 11 degrees in the morning but by 3pm it was 29. Cardigans are not nerdwear, (21/11). They are essential if you live in Melbourne. As the day heats up, you can shed your warm cardigan and be comfortable in your shirt or top. Woollen cardigans are practical, but they are not easy to find. Perhaps their new popularity with Hollywood stars will encourage clothing manufacturers to include more cardigans in their range.
Elizabeth Sprigg, Glen Iris
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Politics
For a moment, I thought The Age had reinstated the comics section when I saw the heading “Former celebrity chef Evans to publish cookbook with RFK Jr” (21/11).
George Djoneff, Mitcham
had a dream: New best buddies, Musk and Trump, took off sitting on a SpaceX mega-rocket and never returned.
Wendy Brennan, Bendigo
So, it’s all right for Russia to use Iranian, Korean and possibly Chinese made missiles against Ukraine, but it’s not all right for Ukraine to use US, English or EU made missiles against Russia. Go figure.
Anthony Palmer, Southbank
Has Trump appointed a secretary of culture yet?
Ruben Buttigieg, Mt Martha
Furthermore
Derailer Dutton must regret he cannot block supply.
George Reed, Wheelers Hill
Interesting articles by David Crowe, Nick O’Malley, Matthew Knott, and also The Washington Post article on China’s port in Peru. Thank you, more please.
Denise Deerson, Bulleen
Alan Jones; schadenfreude.
Barry Buskens, Sandringham
As a young biologist, I learnt that trees can’t move because they are rooted. Over the years, I’ve learnt that trees are rooted because they can’t move.
Dean Platt, Ocean Grove
I am currently in Morocco, and the roads here are excellent compared to Victoria. Shame on the Victorian government and local councils.
Vince Vozzo, Elwood
Having recently visited Vietnam, supposedly a second world country, I was impressed with the excellent condition of their roads. This puts Victoria to shame.
John Guy, Elsternwick
Friends recently visited from NSW. They said they didn’t need a sign to tell them they were in Victoria. The quality of the roads made it very clear.
Rob Willis, Eagle Point
Finally
Tigers draft: One Dusty leaves, another arrives.
Paul Gooley, Ringwood East
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