Poor reflection on the mind, body and spirit of the nation

The axing of Jewish “soul alchemist” Sharon Tal from the MindBodySpirit Festival in Melbourne is a sad commentary on anti-Semitism in Australia today (“ ‘Hate brigade’ blamed for Jewish healer festival axing”, 4/6).

This Australian has peacefully participated in this festival for many years without incident. That some can threaten violence to have her removed and that these threats are “honoured” is a poor reflection on the current state of affairs.

Geoff Ellis, Smithfield, Qld

Yet again a qualified practitioner is being “cancelled” for one reason only – she is Jewish.

Sharon Tal has been practising at the MindBodySpirit Festival for many years, but suddenly she has become a threat to the harmony of the festival because she is Jewish. What a disgrace!

When will these event organisers stand up to the protesters and vilifiers, and tell them the event is going ahead with its usual component of exhibitors?

Yes, they might need to provide some strongarm security guards, but the more they give in to the noisy rabble of anti-Semites, the more Australia becomes sadly and irrevocably divided, and we all lose.

S. Goode, Loxton, SA

Spending on climate

The $9bn a year the Albanese government is spending on its programs in response to climate change could have been put to better use on defence purchases and recruitment for our armed forces (“Climate change spend surges to $9bn a year”, 4/6). On the other hand, the devastating effect the government’s renewable energy program will have on our economy will be such that there will be nothing left worth defending.

Bill Pannell, Dalkeith, WA

Global defence push

The push for NATO countries to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent is now a part of the global pressure on all countries to increase defence spending.

This is clearly a response to two current issues: the war footing that Russia has now assumed under Vladimir Putin, and the largest military build-up in history by China.

The Chinese build-up is misrepresented in the media as a defence build-up. Their increase is not for defence but clearly designed for offence to intimidate Taiwan and every other nation in the Pacific region.

The stand-alone country that refuses to accept the need for the modern Western world to increase its defensive capabilities is Australia.

It is time Anthony Albanese listened to what is happening around the world and put Australia first. The Prime Minister must increase defence spending and fulfil his primary function to defend our nation.

Ross Dillon, Murrumba Downs, Qld

Super perplexity

Not only does the “arcane complexity” of Australia’s superannuation system need an overhaul, as Judith Sloan says in her excellent column, we also are overdue for an honest discussion on whether super is fit for purpose (“For nation’s sake, our super system needs overhaul”, 4/6). Indeed with a post-election focus on Labor’s outrageous unrealised capital gains tax, Jim Chalmers can’t put the superannuation genie back in the bottle now.

In an ideal world, the Liberals would spotlight the two-tier system – one for plebs and one for the taxpayer-funded political elite – and insist that a one-size-fits-all approach would be simpler and fairer.

More important, the opposition should be asking: Why does super remain compulsory? Has compulsory super reduced pension dependency for retirees? Putting an early stake in the differentiator ground to Labor, the Libs could and should make the argument for optional, tax-advantaged super. If only.

Mandy Macmillan, Singleton, NSW

If the Coalition wants to strike the first blow against Labor to win the next election, it will insist that nobody, including politicians and High Court judges, will be exempt from the proposed super tax.

If the tax is going to affect only the rich people, as the Greens claim, then it should have no exemptions and this change should be supported by all politicians.

Graham Hallandal, Murray Bridge, SA

Defectors’ rule book

It’s understandable that some want parliamentarians who change party midstream to have their seats declared vacant.

However, with the exception of filling casual Senate vacancies, the Constitution is, and should be, party-blind. A person is elected to a seat for good.

An interesting situation would arise if one or more of the defecting senators were to resign. The replacement senator would have to be a member of the same party the departing senator belonged to at the time of the election. That rule was introduced by referendum in 1977 to prevent hostile state governments playing fast and loose with Senate appointments, as happened during the brief Whitlam era.

David Morrison, Springwood, NSW