Credit: Alan Moir
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MIDDLE EAST
Re Jenna Price “Jews are being torn apart. If my sister were alive, even we wouldn’t be talking,” (10/10). I’m a non-Jewish atheist. Whatever a person’s views on the situation in Gaza, Israel or Lebanon, on Netanyahu and the actions of the IDF, I think that responsibility for people’s inability to separate Jews from Zionism falls most heavily upon those people themselves.
I think that any fair-minded Australian would, and should be able to avoid falling into antisemitism regardless of whether a Jewish person is for or against Zionism or the actions of the Israeli government and the IDF.
It really shouldn’t make a difference what a Jewish person thinks about it, it’s inevitable and understandable that Jewish people will often hold strongly different views on a matter they are deeply affected by.
The rest of us should be able to hold an opinion on it without making any Jewish person feel unsafe or unwelcome, whatever their views.
Jeremy Hewett, Cheltenham
Jewish leaders need distance from Netanyahu
Jenna Price in her opinion piece has the courage to condemn the actions of Netanyahu and his government. Jewish community leaders need to follow her example.
We all condemn Hamas for October 7, but we cannot condone the killing of more than 40,000 Palestinians.
The Israeli government is out of control. For the sake of Australia’s Jewish people, its leaders need to distance themselves and their organisations from this folly.
Peter Semple, Campbells Creek
David and Goliath contest
The conflict between Israel and Iran, on paper, is truly a David and Goliath contest.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has a population 10 times larger than that of Israel. Its (ballistic) missiles take only 15 minutes, from launch, to reach Israel’s major population centres. It’s an intolerable situation for any nation state.
Michael Gamble, Belmont
Israel boycott undermines academic freedom
I am shocked that the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), the supposed representative of staff in universities, has declared an institutional academic boycott of Israel.
I believe this is the first such boycott for any country in the world by the NTEU. I note that there is no boycott for Iran and no boycott for Russia.
The role of a good union is to protect the working conditions of its members.
This boycott does the opposite for some members. Unions should stick to their core business and not take partisan positions on international issues.
This is an attack on academic freedom and the integrity and
role of universities. Vice-chancellors, who have no choice but
to negotiate with the NTEU, should be objecting to this
en masse.
Emeritus Professor John Rosenberg, South Melbourne
THE FORUM
The word is kakistocracy Your correspondent (Letters, 11/10) suggests that we need a new word for rule by incompetent time servers. Well, the rich English language already includes the word he seeks, it is kakistocracy – ″government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state″.
Tony Guttmann, St Kilda West
Stop slouching, act
To critics of the quality of elected representatives such as your correspondent (Letters, ‘Slouching towards ochlocracy’, 11/10). I have two suggestions. The first is to join a political party so you can participate in the selection of candidates and the formation of policy. The second is to stand as a candidate so you can get into parliament and not be an “incompetent time server”.
I am fed up with armchair critics and armchair warriors.
Ken Rivett, Ferntree Gully
Payman’s party
Most Australians do not want our parliament or communities to be fractured by ″taking sides″ and importing fear and racist violence about divisive overseas conflicts.
But part of the problem is the comment made by Donna Scott (Letters, ‘Political Gestures’, 10/10) that this war ″is not just a binary choice, Jews or Palestinians, but a humanitarian issue″.
While most Australians would agree it is a humanitarian issue, and can grieve and feel empathy for all victims of terrorism and war, the fight for peace and security in the Middle East is wrongly characterised as a fight between ″Jews and Palestinians″, which has festered globally.
If former ALP member Senator Fatima Payman wants to start a new political party, she should, on principle, stand and get elected in her own right — not by gaming the system using preference deals, when she has not been democratically elected.
Carol Ingram, Doncaster
Opaque candidates
I dislike local elections for their lack of transparency. In federal and state elections I vote for a party and its values, not a personality. In the case of local elections, many candidates hide their political affiliations by calling themselves an “Independent”, when their political bias is quite clear only if you delve into their biography. Regulations should change so that if a candidate has a political affiliation, it must be made clear on all their marketing materials. Cynical use is often made of a particular colour to suggest a candidate is actually of one ideology when in reality they are of another.
This is disingenuous and is particularly unfair on people who don’t have time or the tech to delve into each candidate’s ideology.
Judy Hungerford, Kew
Lift your game
Another day, another allegation of bullying or of a toxic workplace in parliament. Whether it’s Labor, the Greens or the Coalition, they just can’t seem to get it right. They dismiss or trivialise allegations while mouthing platitudes such as having zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour – and yet, it continues. Could all MPs and their staffers please undergo emotional intelligence training, where they learn the skills to be not only a valued team member but a caring human being because they seem to be in short supply.
Samantha Keir, East Brighton
Listen to experts
Your correspondent (Letters, ‘Milton’s alarm rings for all’, 11/10) rightly applauds warnings by the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group about the existential threat climate change poses on the back of the disastrous hurricanes that have wreaked havoc on Florida.
Unfortunately, governments tend to ignore ordinary citizen climate activists when it comes to acting on climate change. It is too easy to label them as opponents of economic growth.
What we need are respected scientists who have evidence and data of the catastrophic effects of ever-increasing global warming, filling our media with cold, hard facts; knocking on the doors of our politicians to warn them of the disaster awaiting us if we don’t take drastic action to reduce our carbon emissions.
Graeme Lechte, Brunswick West
Bracing for what’s next
As hurricane Milton unleashed on Florida, I couldn’t help wonder what will be next in store for we Australians (‘Deaths and flooding as Milton slams into Florida’, 11/10).
Just as modelling predicted the risks to Florida, we know Australia is in line for more extreme heatwaves, bushfires, floods, and droughts as our planet warms.
What do we do? Carbon offsetting programs are likely bogus (’Huge carbon credit plan “failing to have impact‴, 11/10), but the plethora of solutions that actually stop the destruction of nature and the burning of fossil fuels are not. Solar and wind power, batteries, electric appliances, electric cars, protecting forests, plant-based diets: all these opportunities can, and will, contribute to reducing our climate woes and leave us economically stronger for it. What, on earth, are we waiting for?
Amy Hiller, Kew
Carbon not captured
While the effectiveness of the Human Induced Regeneration Scheme is being debated, what is not contested is that it relies on increased tree growth to capture carbon.
In Victoria, by definition, most of the extensive public land forests are not contributing to a nett increase in carbon capture. They have reached maturity, except for those forests that have been harvested, are not yet mature, and the harvested material has been “locked” up in enduring timber products. Forests that regenerate following wildfire cannot be counted as the carbon being sequestered is replacing the carbon that has been burnt.
Ironically, in the future the only forested areas that will significantly contribute to carbon capture in Victoria on an ongoing basis (not once off) will be the extensive softwood plantations. One of the reasons given to cease timber harvesting in our native forests was about increasing carbon capture, which is simply not correct.
Peter Farrell, Point Lonsdale
NDIS invoice checks
Re ‘Millions spent on (NDIS) holidays’ 10/10. It is hard to believe that an average person in this country is surprised at this revelation. What is more surprising, and saddening, is that our government could not foresee the potential for such fiscal mismanagement.
I’m sure the great majority of Australians support the principle and, to a degree, the access to holidays for NDIS recipients, but the lack of responsibility of our politicians and public service for this situation is deplorable. Who doesn’t check invoices for work that is done? Can we trust them to get anything (else) right?
Geoff Williams, Wodonga
Team Groth
A comment in Letters (10/10) made the point that Sam Groth achieved higher rankings as a doubles player than as a singles player. This fact could indicate that Groth is a team player. A previous letter also questioned what Groth has achieved, but it must be remembered that little can be done in opposition. However, Groth does present well in the media.
John Guy, Elsternwick
Big bad dogs
Recent reports about fatal or debilitating dog attacks make me question why anybody wants, or needs big, powerful dogs that can do such harm. There are so many breeds of very small dogs that can give the same pleasures of dog companionship without the dangers.
Maybe the private ownership of dogs above a certain size needs to be outlawed, as we did with guns.
Ralph Böhmer, St Kilda West
Resisting change
What a fascinating article about the introduction of Bankcard 50 years ago (‘An Age Ago’, 10/10). To think that something as ubiquitous as a credit card was rejected by most institutions when it was introduced. Change is always resisted.
Michael Helman, St Kilda East
Book clubs sorted
Re ‘CAE book Closure’ (Letters, 10/10). All is not lost, by pooling the yearly membership fees, book club members will have a book buying fund. E books, secondhand online book buying, borrowing from your local library and buying from your local bookstore are all ways to ensure your book group can continue to meet each month.
Carolyn Reynolds, Lake Boga
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Weather
Yes, to naming extreme weather events (Letters, “World weather”, 11/10). Here in Australia, as summer approaches we sadly await Heatwave Woodside and Bushfire Santos.
Karen Lamb, Geelong
Your correspondent suggests names of climate change sceptics for hurricanes: Perhaps Bolt, as in Andrew, could easily fit with Trump and Dutton.
Bill Pimm, Mentone
Surely, Hurricane Milton wouldn’t have made landfall if Donald Trump had still been president?
Matt Dunn, Leongatha
Frightening and destructive though he may be, in terms of loss of lives and facilities, Hurricane Milton is not a patch on what humans are doing to each other in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Kevan Porter, Alphington
Middle East
I can support any country’s right to self-defence but, the way things are going, Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon appear to be more like attack.
Angus McLeod, Cremorne
Re “Letters, Dutton plays it divisive”(10/10). It’s a binary choice between Israel, a liberal democracy, and a theocratic terrorist organisation, Hamas – a clash of civilisations.
Barrie Sheppard, Brighton East
Politicians
All MPs in the Victorian Liberal Party should support John Pesutto. He is your best chance of winning the next state election. To challenge his leadership would be very foolish.
Christine Hammett, Richmond
In a(nother) year of Liberals behaving badly, Tim Smith finally gets off the fence but immediately hits the wall. Again.
James McDougall, Fitzroy North
Peter Dutton gives Richard Marles’ advice on how he should care for the morale of his staff; I bet Brittany Higgins is choking with rage over that one.
Russell McDonald, Norlane
Tony Abbott meets Liz Truss, the suppositories of all wisdom.
Annie Wilson, Inverloch
Furthermore
How many chemicals does it take to make something fake taste real?
Carmel Boyle, Alfredton
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