Credit: Illustration: Megan Herbert
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Broad church
Poor John Pesutto. While he doggedly continues on as leader of the Victorian Liberal Party and tries to campaign in the Prahran byelection, his internal enemies continue the disruption.
Maybe it would be better for Pesutto to surrender for his own wellbeing.
Or, it may be better if the far right faction broke away from the Liberal Party and formed its own party. A broad church can only stretch so far.
Ken Rivett, Ferntree Gully
Times have changed
Many years ago, a very admirable Liberal leader used his casting vote to end his leadership. On Friday, John Pesutto used his casting vote to block Moira Deeming’s return to the Liberal fold.
How times have changed, that a leader’s self-interest is placed above the party. When the vote was tied at 14-14, Pesutto should have seen the writing on the wall and called for a leadership spill. Because of his ineptitude, his leadership is now untenable.
Rob Prowd, Box Hill South
Liberal business nous
If the Victorian Liberal Party was a business, and a staff member sued the boss for defamation, would you want to continue to employ that staffer even if they won the case?
There is no way the organisation would want them back. The boss who defamed the staffer would, in all likelihood, be sacked as well.
Garry Meller, Bentleigh
Rabble rousing
So, Pesutto won’t step down because he wants to get rid of Labor. And give us what exactly? A disorganised rabble that is the LNP? I don’t think so.
John Cain, McCrae
Will luck run out?
As a Baby Boomer, I have to agree with Nick Bryant’s summation of Donald Horne’s A Lucky Country (21/12). I have benefited from the best years to be an Australian. A good education, excellent quality food, Medicare, affordable housing and, for the most part, a plentiful supply of employment.
I live in a beautiful part of Australia and enjoy life in retirement, however I fear for what is ahead for my grandchildren.
Do our leaders have the vision and inspiration to carry Australia forward? Are we as a nation really serious about solving the housing crisis, making education equitable and doing something about the dangers of climate change?
Or, are we still, as Donald Horne said, ″A lucky country run by second-rate people″?
Marilyn Hoban, Mornington
Can’t keep growing
The growth imperative that is driven by economics (″Population tip to hit 31.3 million next decade″, 21/12) is on a collision course with our environment.
Our quality of life depends on maintaining an environment that is suitable for habitation. Human overgrowth is evidenced as the changing climate leads to higher temperatures and more fires, floods, droughts and pollution.
There is also depletion of resources such as water and food and social effects including insufficient housing and facilities such as hospitals and transport.
The general consequences of overgrowth are clearly demonstrated in a laboratory setting when human cells, for example, are grown in a closed system, initially with ideal nutrients, atmosphere and other conditions. Over time, the cells deplete their nutrients and end up poisoned in their own waste products.
The cell culture model is a stark example of the consequences of uncontrolled growth in a closed system. While humans are not at this endpoint, symptoms of overgrowth are clearly apparent in our closed system, planet Earth.
We must recognise that we cannot keep growing forever.
Leigh Ackland, Deepdene
Live without regret
Does anyone remember why we are trying to get off coal and gas? The impact of its burning has outlived the usefulness of its easy release of energy. Its greenhouse effect is now damaging our planet in so many hideous ways that life as we know it is becoming impossible very quickly – such as dealing with 50 degree summer heat which is unliveable. Many cannot protect themselves from this.
We can produce clean energy now without this impact. How is it that we can be fooled into waiting for a tricky new solution for another 10 years while pumping up the problem? Just do what’s right, so we might live without regret.
Carolyn Ingvarson, Canterbury
All I want for Xmas
Re Malcolm Knox’s wise and timely advice “Forget presents. I’d prefer presence”, (22/12).
On Saturday, a small CBD procession labelled “Mothers Rebellion” offered a similar message on placards proclaiming “The best gift ever? A safe future” outside St Paul’s Cathedral.
Who could disagree? Thanks, too, to those rebels and the others who present themselves to remind us of that simple truth.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all – hopefully full of pro-climate legislation and action all over the world.
Lesley Walker, Northcote
War and peace
Barney Zwartz’s article (22,12) about peace on earth forgets Christianity’s enthusiasm for war as a means of imposing its hegemony.
This includes the major crusades, the Albigensian crusade, the Hussite wars, the Thirty Years war, the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the French wars of religion, colonial wars and missionary expansion, and the Inquisition. These wars involved millions dead and tortured in the name of God.
Doug Dew, Aspendale
Credit card fraud
I am a savvy user of banking services and an earlier adopter of tap-and-go over cash. I am careful and keep abreast of possible scam scenarios. Yet, my credit card was scammed.
My bank refuses to accept any responsibility and says the fault is mine because they assumed this happened while I was online shopping. I was not.
I have no idea how the scam occurred and conclude that the scammer accessed my funds through the bank’s system. I have now minimised my use of credit cards and reverted to cash.
Banks have proved through error, incompetence and poor design that their digital banking platforms do not keep our money safe.
Banks must be held accountable for the rampant misuse of their platforms by bad actors. I urge government legislation compelling banks to better protect their customers and compensate them for losses incurred.
Robin Rowe, Melbourne
Trump resistance
Has Peter Dutton been sufficiently emboldened by Donald Trump yet to join him in describing climate change as a “hoax”?
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
AND ANOTHER THING
Elon Musk
Elon Musk was born in South Africa, so fortunately he can’t become US president (Letters, ″The power of Musk″, 22/12).
Wayne Robinson, Kingsley, WA
President Musk and Vice President Trump. The dynamic duo.
Geoff Charles, Mt Waverley
It’s not surprising that Musk donated a mere $US380 million to Trump’s campaign. Like his changed version of Twitter, his actions and motives are X-rated.
Hank Dikkenberg, Glenorchy, Tas
Espy angels
What a beautiful piece of writing to wake up to this morning (″Espy Angels″, 22/12). A perfectly timed reminder that there are indeed many good people in the world.
Miriam Pohlenz, Highton
What a fabulous story of kindness, compassion and care by Raimond Gaita (22/12). It raises our spirits in these troubling times.
Anne Sgro, Coburg North
Leunig
Perhaps The Age could refer to a batter scoring a duck in the Boxing Day Test as a Leunig for the duration of the match? I’m sure Mr Curly would applaud.
Mike Pantzopoulos, Ashburton
Thanks, Golding, for your touching tributes to Leunig.
Martin Hengeveld, Research
Leunig’s piece ″How to get there″ (21/12), along with Golding’s finishing touches, is a deeply moving work that really touched me.
Joy Foster, Ascot Vale
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