Credit: Illustration: Andrew Dyson
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DISCRIMINATION
What a travesty that a passionate and committed teacher like Charlotte (″Devastation, heated debate after teacher sacked for being gay,″ 14/06) was terminated so brutally, she felt like a pariah. Good teachers have a strong emotional relationship to their students, and to be unable to even say goodbye is damaging to students and teacher.
Rubbing salt in the wound is the fact that the school gets funding from the government. If schools want to have discriminatory policies, then they should be entirely self-funded.
Rohan Wightman, Muckleford
Sacked for others’ ancient beliefs
Another case of a person living in a modern society being legally discriminated against and sacked because of the reality of their sexuality by people based upon their faith in the interpretation of ancient scripture.
Russell Brims, Bentleigh East
Taxpayer dollars should not support homophobia
Your story about a gay music teacher being sacked from a Sydney ″Christian″ school for her sexuality is truly awful. I am appalled to think my tax dollars go to support this institution. The leaders of this school should be severely upbraided by the minister for education and Charlotte’s job restored.
John Fisher, Brighton
This action is not part of the Christian faith
It is right that faith-based schools should be able to hire teachers who support their religion. But regardless of that, contracts that make stipulations about any employee’s private life, relationships or sexuality must be illegal. This is an employment law matter. The beliefs that led a school to sack an excellent, religious, teacher are not part of the Christian faith. They are the beliefs of this particular school.
Caroline Miley, Heidelberg
Do the gods affirm it as right because it is right?
Charlotte’s sad story of being fired from a private Christian school because a parent had found out, via social media, that she was in a same-sex relationship, is yet another example of failing to identify the “elephant in the room”. Charlotte had ensured that her personal life remained separate from her teaching and, while extremely disappointed at her dismissal, professed her continuing strong commitment to Christianity.
Why should anyone have to hide who they are – let alone be fired for it – because of an ancient ruling that cannot be justified today? Once, sexual morality was based on presumptions – that sexual orientation is a matter of choice, for example – that have been conclusively falsified by science and experience.
It is past time for even the most extreme fundamentalists to confront the question posed by Socrates: “Is something right (or wrong) because the gods (or God) call it so, or do the gods affirm it as right because it is right?” Opting for the latter leaves room for religion and good thinking to co-exist; the former reduces religion to a mindless cult. Is that how religious schools see themselves?
Laurance Splitter, Oxford, UK
THE FORUM
NACC must act
It is hard to fathom the decision of the NACC not to pursue the perpetrators of the robo-debt scheme (“Anti-corruption body decided against robo-debt probe”, 14/6).
This monstrous example of political bastardry plunged thousands of people into despair, some to suicide, accused hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable in society of something the government could not prove had actually happened, and all of this was deemed illegal right from the start but ignored by those in power.
This was not a big corporate prioritising profit over people, this was our government, elected to look after the welfare of its citizens, prioritising the politics of envy to sell its ‘bludger’ view of welfare recipients.
How can such cold-blooded activity not be worthy of further investigation? The NACC has washed its hands of the scandal. Where is the accountability?
Stephen Farrelly, Donvale
NACC keeps us in dark
Why did NACC not make the public aware of our right to complain about their decision to not investigate public officials involved in the robo-debt scandal? Without social media, we would have remained in the dark.
Sarah Russell, Mt Martha
Dutton is right
International bodies like the UN attribute climate change to carbon emission arising from fossil fuel usage. The response was to set emission reduction targets, ban fossil fuel usage and opt for solar, wind and battery technology.
This approach has been adopted uncritically by Labor governments both state and federal without any consideration, whether this scenario was applicable to Australia given that historic patterns of fire and flood are caused by temperature variations in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
The consequence of the adoption of renewable technology as the basis of our energy system has been higher power prices, doubts over energy security and the degradation of our beautiful landscape and oceans at astronomical cost.
Peter Dutton is therefore right to challenge Labor’s orthodoxy. In particular, the opposition to nuclear power needs serious analysis.
This form of energy is a proven technology, is 24/ 7 reliable, emission-free and doesn’t degrade the environment the way solar, wind and batteries do. Cost comparisons can never be made until there is full and comprehensive disclosure of the cost of renewables, details which the government is loath to provide.
Labor’s response appears to whip a scare campaign rather than argue on the basis of facts or costs. Such an approach will reinforce doubts over current emission and energy policy.
Martin Newington, Aspendale
Coal for cold nights
On the coldest day/night in five years (13/6) thus far, it’s comforting to rely on coal and gas to heat my house, even for the 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening that we can only afford, thanks to Albanese and Bowen.
Imagine if we had to rely on wind and solar which only produces a fraction of what’s required. Anyone worried about that?
Corrine Whyte, Melbourne
Dutton’s missing logic
I struggle to understand the logic of Peter Dutton’s latest foray into energy policy, in particular his claim that cost of living pressures are somehow attributed to Australia’s planned transition to renewable energy.
This is demonstrably false. The major factors driving high-power prices are the high cost of running and maintaining ageing and unreliable coal-fired power stations, along with high international prices for gas.
Furthermore, almost all of our current coal-fired power stations are due to close within the next 10 years, removing around 50 per cent of our current energy generation.
Given that we would not see even one nuclear power plant built before 2040, what is Peter Dutton’s plan for replacing this capacity in the meantime?
Simon Bennett, Hawthorn East
Electricity in limbo
Peter Dutton, has admitted that nuclear energy is very slow, and cannot feasibly be deployed in Australia before the 2040s. Under his leadership, the opposition has displayed deepening antipathy towards deployment of feasible renewable energy, bar Snowy 2.0, which is proving to be a difficult expensive laggard, even though solar, wind, and strategic storage is critical for progress on all three essential energy policy goals – affordability, security and climate mitigation.
We have been here before. The federal Coalition seems remarkably unconcerned about the prospect of an electricity system and market hanging in limbo for the next critical decades to benefit only a few select powerful vested interests. That exposes the rest of us to pain and chaos without incentive or other levers for timely replacement of coal-fired power generators that will age and fail or close well before 2040.
Jim Allen, Panorama, SA
Respect starts at home
I agree with the Yarra Valley Grammar School principal, Dr Mark Merry (″Competing with Andrew Tate″: Principal urges parents to teach respect to their kids″, 14/3) when he says ″Respect starts at home″.
I am convinced that children now have too much freedom and don’t even know what is ″good″and what is ″bad″. Parents have to pay more attention to their kids at home, before they go to school. Teachers are having hard times because too many students don’t have respect for anyone . Education is essential because it helps to understand life and have some dignity.
Mariano Coreno, Coburg
Teachers aren’t parents
Not a truer word is said about everything starting at home (The Age, 14/6). Schools should not be responsible for a child’s upbringing.
What does parents’ behaviour tell children when adults rush up to school for the smallest thing and abuse teachers and principals?
That is just one aspect of what is wrong today. Parents cannot accept that little Johnnie may need a talking to, and it is the parents’ responsibility to speak to them.
There is a difference between being taught how to live a respectful life and being educated. Parents need to look at themselves and make an effort, they can’t leave it to our educators to bring up their children.
Nola Cormick, Albert Park
Setka calls it out
The ignorant pile-on against John Setka of the CFMEU re his Steve McBurney comments is revealing and predictable (Letters, 14/3).
Setka is entitled to remind us all of the importance of protecting workers and their rights. His well-argued case resonates with the thousands of PAYE workers who go to the football.
McBurney earned a huge salary working for Coalition thugs who, not so subtly, want PAYE to remain as serfs.
Have these thugs ever supported the increase in even 10 cents an hour to the minimum wage? No.
Have these thugs ever investigated big corporate incompetence and why errors (incredibly always underpayments) occur only to low-paid workers’ wages or Super? No.
Have these thugs ever targeted minor indiscretions of union activity? Yes. Many times. McBurney’s old job has gone the same way as the robo-debt fiasco.
Much effort and taxpayer funds for zero convictions or outcomes. Just out-and-out oppression and heartache, because of misguided ideology.
Thank heavens, for worker unions that try and keep some balance in this lopsided attack on workers and the strugglers.
Tony Cosma, Rosanna
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Dutton’s climate plans
Please Peter, if you are going to keep saying what you are saying, could you please give Bill a call and ask him if you could borrow his speechwriter? It might make it a bit easier to stomach.
Winston Anderson, Mornington
Peter Dutton and the climate emergency. More positions than the Kama Sutra.
Martin Curtis, Sandringham
Scott Morrison took a chunk of coal into parliament and told us not to be afraid. Will Peter Dutton do the same with a lump of plutonium?
Geoff Allen, Mount Eliza
Gay teacher sacking
It’s not complicated. If private schools want to receive taxpayer funding, they should be subject to the same anti-discrimination laws as state schools.
James Proctor, Maiden Gully
Clearly there are not many Christian attitudes in Christian schools.
David Eames-Mayer, Balwyn
Furthermore
What’s new about phonics? In the 1960s, that’s how we were taught to read and write. It worked. Why did they stop?
Lauren Williams, Maldon
Yet another family threatened with deportation because of a child with a disability. Remind me, who is the minister for inhumanity?
Geoff Schmidt, Richmond
What sort of country deports a family because their disabled child is deemed too much of a cost to the community? Shame, Australia!
Lucille Forbes, East Brighton
Letter posted in Melbourne May 16, received in Sydney June 12. Just pathetic, Australia Post.
Yvonne Carr, Southbank
I’m with Cherryl Barassi. My body, my health, my decision when I want to head off to the departure lounge.
David Francis, Ocean Grove
William de Silva, (Letters, ″Season of Dim Sim″, 14/6) warmed my heart on a cold winter’s morning. Thank you.
Bronwyn Petrie, Portland
Finally
Goodbye and thank you, Paul Higgins. The weather will never be as interesting again. How will I count my doonas now?
Lyn Beaumont, Bentleigh
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