War: Is there no limit to the savagery we inflict?

Credit: Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

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WAR

All decent human beings must be outraged at this latest atrocity in Lebanon. In 1996, under the laws of war, booby traps were expressly banned. The protocol ″⁣prohibited in all circumstances the use of booby traps or other devices in the form of apparently harmless portable objects that are specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material″⁣.
Israel is a signatory to that protocol. Have we so lost sight that we are dealing with human lives, including those of innocent children? Is there no limit to the savagery we inflict? Our government must immediately condemn this latest atrocity and demand its full investigation.
Marion Harper, Reservoir

Have we gone mad?
Will this week’s innovative Israeli attacks on Hezbollah personnel finally trigger initiatives to seriously review, extend and reaffirm commitment to the rules of international conflict embodied in the Geneva Conventions and the UN Declaration of Human Rights?
Coming after long-range, targeted killings by the US, Russia and earlier Israeli operatives in recent years, is Israel’s latest ingenious, but murderous, cross-border application of advanced digital technology.
It trashes any claim to adherence to the ″⁣rules-based international order″⁣ by its close friends, like Australia.
I look to the Dutton opposition and the Greens to work with the Albanese government in vigorously moving for much more than the ″⁣independent investigation″⁣ called for by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk (The Age, 19/9). This way, via Gaza and now Lebanon, lies a violent, anarchic world. Have we gone mad?
Stand up, Penny Wong.
Ken Blackman, Inverloch

What does this government not understand?
Penny Wong could not support a UN vote because it was too ″⁣contentious″⁣ to ask Israel to withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank within a year. What part of avoidable civilian suffering and death does this government not understand?
Jane Edwards, Peterhead, SA

Pager attacks were not terrorism
Your correspondent (Letters, ″⁣Act of terrorism″⁣, 19/9) should get his facts straight. The exploding pagers were not sold ″⁣randomly″⁣, but were a special order by the terrorist organisation, Hezbollah, for its terrorist operatives in Lebanon and Syria, to communicate its heinous acts.
The victims may have been unsuspecting, but were certainly not all innocent. What is terrorism is the 8000 rockets fired indiscriminately into Israel by Hezbollah.
The clever, targeted pager attack on terrorist operatives waging war on Israel is justified and ensured limited collateral damage.
Mike Mack, Kew

Our government’s prevarication and timidity
Gareth Evans has quite rightly condemned the Albanese government for political timidity, and indeed the government has a less than stellar track record when it comes to pursuing achievable objectives rather than ill-conceived thought bubbles.
Of more immediate concern, however, is its lack of courage in relation to Gaza. The UN General Assembly vote demanding Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank should have been a no-brainer.
This is not a proposal which warrants fence sitting, and it is embarrassing to see Australia abstaining from voting while other countries supported the motion with an overwhelming 124-14 consensus.
Israel is responsible for over 40,000 Palestinian deaths. Now is not the time for prevarication and timidity. It is time to stand up and be counted.
Bob Thomas, Blackburn South

THE FORUM

Protest preceded apps
Many people are grateful for the good work that climate activist Anjali Sharma and many other young people are doing (″⁣Social media helped me find my voice. It’s a shame others won’t have the same chance″⁣, 19/9). It’s encouraging to learn that they have been able to use social media for good.
However, many other successful campaigns occurred well before social media when traditional media was the source of information. These include the anti-Vietnam War campaign and early last century the suffragettes who campaigned for women’s’ right to vote.
Misinformation on social media is dangerous. For a strong democracy we must have access to the truth. That is why we must access information from experts, not from anyone who wants to say anything they think, which can be the case in social media. Anti-social media seems a more accurate description of that medium.
Marguerite Marshall, Eltham

Pools not a necessity
Let’s not get caught up in the government versus independent school divide (″⁣Private school splashes $85 million on ‘humble’ new pool complex″⁣, 19/9).
No student anywhere needs an $85 million pool complex to assist their physical development. What students do need is first of all a secure, loving home; then teachers who love their subject area as well as the young people in their care; and around that a surrounding village that inspires children to contribute to their community in their own unique ways.
Helen Creed, Camberwell

Uneven values
My grandkids attend the local Essendon state primary school where different classes have rostered days’ access to a small patch of artificial ‘grass’. The 11-year-old goes off a happy boy when it’s the grade 5/6’s turn.
The rest of the schoolyard is dangerously uneven asphalt that’s been marked for refurbishment for at least three years. Alas, the funds aren’t there to do the work.
When I read of PLC’s sports complex (19/9), my thoughts fluctuate between despair and rage about the inequity in our society. We used to have a society in reasonable balance.
Peter Cook, Essendon

Rich school lesson
The time has come for more self-awareness in rich private schools. Rather than sending their students overseas to developing countries and giving themselves a tick for broadening students’ eyes regarding poverty, justice, fairness and so on, what about a two-week exchange with many of the hundreds of underfunded, under-resourced and understaffed state schools in Victoria? This could be a real eye opener, especially on the issue of justice.
Sue Littleford, Drysdale

Think like a private school
″⁣Private School Splashes $85million″⁣, 19/9, outlines how a private school is preparing to spend a bit on rebuilding its facilities. The balanced and honest article advises that the cost is not government grant funded.
Inevitably, issues of privilege will arise in some minds, but my second thought was: ″⁣Why isn’t the government trying harder to provide better facilities for its schools?″⁣
PLC will be offering a magnet for stronger enrolments, and broader educational outcomes. Funding in part will come from (tax deductable) donations, and will be open to the broader community.
I once approached the principal of the primary school my children were attending, about making a substantial donation as an expression of gratitude for what we had received (for free). The surprised man advised me that I was welcome to do so, but there was no alumni organisation or other suitable vehicle to receive it and therefore no tax deductibility available, and it might not be allowable anyway.
Government schools and people who are ideologically opposed to private education should try harder and look towards the private school sector for what can and should be achieved.
Clyde Ronan, Yarrawonga

Appreciate privilege
I was a young teacher with an inspiring new principal in a state secondary school with no money. The small canteen needed a repaint. The principal, a few teachers and parents got together one Saturday to do the job. I got the metal superstructure that supported the ceiling. I was good on a ladder. I painted it a jaunty blue and a nice job too, although this skill requirement never came up in my teaching degree.
Later we started a breakfast program after finding that 25per cent of our students were coming to school hungry.
I hope the PLC families appreciate how privileged they are. My son went to an independent school. The teaching and facilities were outstanding. He knew how privileged he was. I told him. Often. Owen Wells, Mont Albert North

Second-rate games
Manchester $700 million, Melbourne $1.8 billion, New Delhi $18 Billion, Glasgow $1.4 billion, Gold Coast $1.8 billion, Birmingham $1.6 billion. These are the inflation-adjusted costs of the six Commonwealth Games held since 2002.
It is hard to imagine what the 2026 games will look like, on a minuscule budget of $220 million. Only 10 sports, no athletes’ village (good luck for spectators trying to find a hotel room), scaled back competition, no lasting legacy in terms of infrastructure or housing. The Commonwealth Games are already considered second rate by many: the 2026 games will likely confirm that view. There will be many disappointed athletes whose sports (10 of them) will not be part of the games. Is there really any point in holding what will likely be a second-rate sports festival?
Louise Kloot, Doncaster

Unsightly solar
Caitlin Fitzsimmons provides interesting reasons as to why ‘wealthy suburbs’ appear to have a lower uptake of solar panels/systems (″⁣Why wealthy suburbs are less likely to have rooftop solar installed″⁣, 18/09).
One reason that is not mentioned in the article is the attitude of the local councils. In my area, Boroondara, a council permit is required for rooftop solar. The guiding aspect of the permit is that, for heritage dwellings and in heritage areas, the panels are not visible when viewing the front of the building when standing in the street.
We own a non-heritage home ( in a heritage area) with extremely limited north-facing roof space (not visible from the street) and had a small number of panels installed on it. To increase our solar capacity we wanted more panels on two roofs facing west knowing that position was not ideal for solar generation. As both those roofs faced the street at the front of the house, the council objected. VCAT was involved and our arguments supporting the panels was successful.
Interestingly, the council was not concerned about a heritage home on the nearby street corner having a large number panels on the side roof of the house, clearly visible from the street, but not if one stands in front of the house.
A friend recently renovated a heritage home in the city of Yarra and wanted to install solar panels on the north-facing roof along the side of the house. The council would not grant a permit because the side edge of the first panel would have been visible from the street when standing in front of the house as
it would stand 200mm above the roof line.
I think most people do not want the added expense or hassle of taking their council to VCAT to gain the benefits of solar in ‘wealthy suburbs’ if the configuration would not fit neatly within the council requirements. I am bewildered as to why councils hold their current views about solar panels when other modern equipment on houses is often seen when walking past homes in heritage areas.
Jenny Callaghan, Hawthorn

Cashless, surcharge-less
In the mid-1970s a cartel of Australian banks brought out Bankcard. It was the only ″⁣plastic money″⁣ allowed in Australia.
It became a must-have facility in my bar/restaurant business. The banks skimmed 5per cent off each transaction. The Bankcard contract forbade any surcharge.
If we are going to a cashless society, surcharges should be forbidden as the electronic payments actually save the cost of handling cash, as pointed out in the article. Kent Hansen, St Kilda
Driving age limits
The idea that Uber and taxis can be used easily by people no longer driving sadly isn’t that easy.
Someone needing to go only one or two kilometres cannot get an Uber driver to respond. So the 90-year-old who can’t walk that distance and has handed in their licence will find themselves stuck completely when they need a quick trip to the local shops, or the local doctor.
Can someone find a solution to the short trip problem?
Barbara Darvall, Caulfield North

Your turn will come
Perhaps the people who keep suggesting that I should downsize my much-loved home and give up the keys to my car (my freedom and independence) can try
putting themselves into my shoes (plenty of room). Yes, your turn will come.
Jane Washington, South Frankston

A job half done
I applaud the Allan government’s plans for the Upfield line level crossing removals (“Two new stations, but one fewer stop: Brunswick’s ‘sky rail’ plans revealed”, 19/9).
The commitment to providing entrances at both ends of the new stations (such as found at the new Parkdale station) means that access is significantly increased. Reducing the stations from three to two also means the travel time will be faster overall.
The only glaring issue is that the government has yet again failed to fund and program the line’s duplication along the northern route. How much longer do we have to put up with late and cancelled trains, and trains that only come every 20 minutes?
New accessible stations mean nothing if we still have to put up with the worst service on the network.
Tim Hoffmann, Brunswick

AND ANOTHER THING

Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding

Private school pools
Perhaps our private schools could have hosted the Commonwealth Games in Victoria.
George Stockman, Berwick

How nice that PLC is offering use of its $85 million sports complex to community groups. I hope they can afford the hire fees.
James Lane, Hampton East

When we give every Presbyterian lady $7160 in government funds, she will swim for a day. If we teach every Presbyterian lady about inequality, she will swim for a lifetime.
Paul Custance, Highett

Public art
Will the sparkly kangaroo (when it finally arrives), eventually end up with the same fate as the ″⁣Yellow peril″⁣ sculpture, belittled and shunted from place to place?
Marie Nash, Balwyn

The Melbourne City Council’s 51per cent share of the Regent Theatre is valued at a circa $25million, and a kangaroo sculpture has a price tag of $22million, I know which one I’d prefer to buy.
Mark Hulls, Sandringham

Furthermore
Re your correspondent (Letters, 19/9, “I read the news today ...“). I too, quickly skim the mostly depressing news articles. I then regain my sanity by reading all the Letters to the Editor and exercise my mind with the crosswords and Target Time. A much better start to the day!
Alan Pritchard, Warrnambool

Cost of living crisis should be measured against the quantity and grossness of Halloween decorations in the ’hood going by what’s in the shops right now.
Madelene Rich, Seaford

This year’s AFL grand final entertainer Katy Perry charitably performed in sleepy Bright after the terrible bushfires. I’m prepared to give her a chance to shine and wish her well.
Ian Macdonald, Traralgon

Surely “self-interested politicians” is a tautology, not an oxymoron (Letters, “I read the news today ...“, 19/9).
Peter Neuhold, Elsternwick

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