Credit: Illustration: Cathy Wilcox
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FEDERAL POLITICS
Contrary to Shaun Carney’s view, (″Albanese’s achievements? Er ...″, 10/10), I think that many Australians would, in testing times internationally, prefer a PM who does not indulge in catastrophic tropes and reflex politicking.
Decency is too underrated in this nation. Albanese does lack polish in his speech-making and can mangle sentences. But, if one listens to archival recordings of historically great Australian PMs like John Curtin and Ben Chifley, as examples, such defects do not preclude substantive national leadership.
Our current PM does not make a practice of promoting quixotic nuclear schemes or stigmatising Muslims or asylum seekers or slandering our ABC national broadcaster. He does not promote irresponsible ″quick fixes″ in relation to housing schemes, unlike those Australian politicians who are potentially prepared to unravel life-time superannuation ″compound interest″ preparation. He does not indulge in peddling visions.
In a world where the Middle East is imploding and Trumpian disinformation is rife, he might just be the leader we need.
Jon McMillan, Mt Eliza
Slouching towards ochlocracy
Shaun Carney (10/10) sums up Australian politicians and the electorate’s attitude towards them perfectly. On both sides, party apparatchiks are selected for election by unelected others. When elected, they promise everything to stay elected. The electorate is made cynical by their protection of position, promotion and re-election ambitions. The 2nd century Greek historian Polybius described the ruling cycle as ranging from anarchy to monarchy, aristocracy, democracy and finally, ochlocracy.
Perhaps the Australian electorate needs a new word for rule by the incompetent time servers.
Peter Roche, Carlton
Albanese wastes political capital
In a depressing piece on the state of Australian politics, Shaun Carney (10/10) muses that ″A terrifying thought is that what’s happening in our politics is the best this country can do″. He highlights the lack of passion of the Albanese government and the lack of serious policy articulated by the opposition.
The function of a political party, when elected to government in Australia, must be to use the three years it has been granted, to spend the political capital it has accrued through its electoral success; it has an obligation to make good on election promises and to implement the reforms outlined in the party’s manifesto.
This expenditure of political capital was best exemplified by the Whitlam government, which dealt with a number of significant electoral promises, even before a cabinet was established. According to Carney, the Hawke, Howard, Rudd and Abbott governments all managed to achieve significant legislative change, consistent with their electoral promises.
Following Labor’s electoral success, Anthony Albanese has been preoccupied with planning his next three-year term, rather than spending Labor’s political capital in this term. It is not surprising that many regard this behaviour as an abrogation of Labor’s electoral agreement and will treat Labor accordingly at the next opportunity.
Maurie Trewhella, Hoppers Crossing
Politically unacceptable language
Australia has always had ockers, knockers and mockers.
In 2015 Peter Dutton joked about the timeliness of Cape York Indigenous communities and the concerns of Pacific islanders facing rising seas levels; he apologised two days later.
This week in parliament Anthony Albanese made a thoughtless quip that insulted Tourettes’ sufferers; he immediately apologised.
Both men grew up in an age when such “humour” was commonplace. Both realise now that it is politically unacceptable. Australia has progressed.
Joan Reilly, Surrey Hills
Be kind
I read James Hughes’ article with interest “Let’s not get too snotty about Albo’s Tourette’s slip”, 10/10. When he quoted “D..kless wonder”, I presumed he would proceed, as a male, with finding it a sexist comment. After all, the female equivalent said by a male would immediately be regarded as misogynistic.
He then goes on to defend both Albanese for his thoughtless use of “Tourette’s” and the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas for the inappropriate use of “schizophrenic”.
We may all be inclined to make mistakes, but I, for one, don’t agree with his inference that insults are just a harmless part of life. They may be deeply hurtful to people, and as a society we have a responsibility to treat others kindly and with respect wherever possible. Especially if we are a public figure. Let’s do our best to make Gandhi’s idea of civility a reality by simply being mindful of how we use the gift of speech.
Christine Harris, Mordialloc
THE FORUM
Political tragic
I’m a political tragic. I rely on The Age and the ABC for truth in reporting and usually sensible analysis. I don’t do TikTok, Instagram, X, so I’m living in an echo chamber of like-minded people, including Age letter writers.
However, there are many people who do not engage with politics, who do not care, who do not know, and who vote on whatever vague notion they have lately come across.
When I see analysis around whether John Pesutto can or should survive a leadership challenge, I ask how many people care about the Liberal Party’s issues raised in public? How many even know about Moira Deeming and John Pesutto’s legal battle?
My suspicion is the state Labor government will lose the next election regardless of the Liberal leader, or both parties’ policies because life is tough, and it must be the government who has caused it, whether that is true or not.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster
Keep Pesutto
Apart from voting Liberal in a state (SA) election in the late 1960s (the foolishness of youth), I have been a lifetime Labor voter. Nevertheless, I feel Victoria’s best interests are served by a moderately progressive leader of the opposition committed to the civic virtues of courtesy, mutual respect and thoughtful policy development.
This leaves John Pesutto as the only credible current choice if the Liberals put the interests of Victoria above personal ambition. In fairness, Sam Groth seems to embody the traditional Liberal leadership criteria (post Bolte) of being a top bloke who looks good in a suit.
Alas, in politics as in his tennis, he currently lacks the all-court game needed at the very top. Other potential candidates seem to either be right-wing Dutton proxies or, in one case, an embittered “has been.” If the Liberals wish to throw away a winning position by discarding Pesutto, that will be their biggest selection blunder since preselecting Tim Smith over the awesomely talented Mary Woolridge.
John Carmichael, Hawthorn.
‘Corporatocracy’ rules
With respect to recent letters complaining about the need to govern in the best interests of the people of Australia, Australians would do well to remember that for the purpose of elections this country is a democracy, but for the purpose of good governance it is a corporatocracy.
Graham Bridge, Morwell
No means never
It is nearly a year since the failed Voice referendum, and by things both measurable and anecdotal, we have not seen any progress in Indigenous issues. In fact, most things have gone backwards.
The NT proposes to lower the age of criminality and the local Liberals have dropped their support for treaty and truth-telling are but two examples. There seems little will or imagination to address the serious issues from any of those in power.
One of the main proponents of a No vote, Peter Dutton, has not introduced a private members’ bill to introduce regional voices. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price merely suggests harsher law enforcement, whilst ironically lamenting that Indigenous voices aren’t being heard. Warren Mundine has disappeared from view, and Lydia Thorpe has made little contribution of any worth.
Significant numbers call for the abandonment of Welcome to Country. The likes of Gina Rinehart and Advance Australia celebrate their “victory” and propose further winding back of, and changes to the way we approach Indigenous affairs. Many of us feared that a No vote would be a vote for the status quo which was not working.
Unfortunately, it has turned out to be far worse than that, as matters have gone backwards, prejudice has been greenlit, and the dismantling of many measures that were working proceeds in haste.
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
Party about nothing
I’m not critical of Senator Payman because of her political or religious beliefs, I’m critical because she got in on a Labor ticket and now stands for…well, who would know what she stands for?
It’s the Seinfeld party. It’s a show about nothing.
Michael Carver, Hawthorn East
Price of flying too much
Will a third runway at Melbourne Airport ever be used — if we Victorians want to avoid the acknowledged catastrophic consequences of breaching the Paris Agreement?
A single one-way ticket to the UK would emit our remaining per person aviation CO2 emissions budget, if we use the IPCC’s Paris Agreement estimates.
But if we subtract from their budget the non-CO2 aviation emissions, that are, per flight, twice as warming as the CO2 emissions, then we can’t even get that far.
Furthermore, the IPCC’s budget has a 17 per cent chance of actually breaching the Paris limits — which, given we’d probably think twice about crossing a bridge that had the same risk of collapsing, is unacceptably risky. For an acceptable chance of staying safe, of meeting the Paris limits, should we even take a single one-way ticket to Sydney?
Even if every Victorian did, a two runway Melbourne Airport could handle their flights.
Mark Carter, Chewton
Federal leadership on rail
The Melbourne-Canberra-Sydney-Brisbane high-speed rail (HSR) proposal requires agreement on the method of funding. State, ACT and Commonwealth governments have a common interest in providing a modern alternative to currently inadequate rail and air transportation on this intensively busy route. However, proposals only to tax lands and towns adjacent to the HSR route are unduly restrictive and costly. A funding impasse seems largely to explain inaction on what constitutes an essential Australian infrastructure project.
To stronger or lesser degrees, HSR would increase land values across the whole of eastern Australia. For cost efficiency, and therefore, it should be the federal government which funds the project, as with the Trans-Australian Railway in 1917.
This could be done with the governments of Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland cooperating by providing the use of their current site value assessments in which increased value from the HSR would be reflected if hidden in land valuations. Using municipal valuations, a flat rate federal charge on site values could either be levied along with income tax assessments, or separately in monthly instalments.
The Commonwealth government has the power to levy such a tax, as indicated by the former federal land tax from 1910 to 1952, and it clearly has an overriding interest in having the HSR project completed successfully. HSR fares would then be a matter of agreement between the states and the ACT. It would be a welcome offset were any such federal levy to be introduced along with the Henry Tax Review’s proposals to abolish several far less worthy state and federal taxes.
Bryan Kavanagh, Mount Waverley
Violence against women
Thank you to Wendy Tuohy for reporting on the appalling lack of protection and support for abused women who are in Australia as dependent spouses under numerous visa categories (“When Fatima sought refuge from family violence, all she found was grief and tragedy”, 10/10.
A large number of women are thus without access to safe alternatives if they experience domestic violence.
The location of some women trying to escape violence has reportedly been given to the perpetrators, even by the police. This is outrageous.
A woman is now killed every four days in Australia, often in her own home. This shocking fact makes it even more incomprehensible that the women in this article have been left so vulnerable under Australian law.
Barbara Chapman, South Yarra
Milton’s alarm rings for all
Describing Hurricane Milton as a “once-in-a-century” event (“Mass exodus from Tampa as Milton closes in”, 10/10) when it’s hot on the heels of Hurricane Helene is disingenuous. The blunt warnings issued to the citizens of Florida to get out or die sound the alarm bell for us all. That wake-up call has just been repeated by the members of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, a self-described “non-partisan network of Australian security and policy professionals”. Their latest attempt to stir our timid government and complacent community into action, a short no-nonsense manifesto entitled “Protect, Prevent and Prepare: A Climate and Security Action Plan for Australia”, should be compulsory reading for every Australian. While describing climate disruption as “an existential threat to human civilisation”, their intent is not to paralyse us with fear but to provoke us to do what we must.
Tom Knowles, Parkville
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
World weather
We should name devastating hurricanes after climate change sceptics. For example: Hurricane Donald or Hurricane Dutton.
Ron Mather, Melbourne
Will Hurricane Milton find land, or Trump, at Mar e Lago?
Megan Stoyles, Aireys Inlet
World leaders
Instead of Trump offering Putin a Covid machine (″New book lifts lid on Trump-Putin calls″, 10/10), he should have followed his own public advice, stated early in the epidemic, of drinking disinfectant.
Barrie Bales, Woorinen North
Peter ″Trumpton’s″ modus operandi - divide and conquer. It worked for Julius Caesar, but we know how that ended.
Jane Ross, San Remo
You could compare Peter Dutton’s lack of information about the cost of nuclear energy and Anthony Albanese’s lack of information in regard to the Voice referendum. We all know how that ended. Does Peter Dutton really think the Australian public is that stupid?
Rita Reid, Port Melbourne
How could voters possibly like the LNP policy on tax breaks more than the ALP’s (10/10)? Surely, they all remember the trillion dollar debt left by Morrison?
John Cain, McCrae
I am screaming with you Donna Scott, as are many, many others (Letters, 10/10). The dirty may win, but how much is the prize worth when, in fact, the winners are morally and ethically bankrupt.
Margot Sharman, Carlton
Re ″Tourette’s faux pas shouldn’t define Albo″, 10/10). So many previously ‘proud to be unwoke’ people now declaring their outrage and wokeness. It’s good to see.
Peter McGill, Lancefield
Payman party
I suppose all the usual names for political parties had been used, but Senator Payman could have looked a bit further than using the word ‘voice’ in her new party name.
Murray Horne, Cressy
I’m sorry Senator Payman, Australia’s Voice will always be John Farnham.
Paul Custance, Highett
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