When did it become a political offence to say people should look at the COVID evidence?

The current pile-on with Craig Kelly demonstrates the tendency to shoot the messenger rather than address the message (“PM rebukes Kelly”, 4/2). The facts show there is little evidence wearing a mask stops the acquisition of COVID, and analysis of 197 trials shows that Hydroxychloroquine does reduce symptoms and death when used early in the disease. And Mr Kelly has not suggested not taking the vaccine, only to be aware of the evidence of benefit. These reasonable comments have threatened his future career; some people need to take a Bex and have a lie down.

Dr Graham Pinn, Maroochydore, Qld

The normally dispassionate analysis by Janet Albrechtsen was missing from her comments on superannuation (“Super sellout Keating is rent-seekers’ new hero”, 3/2). The argument that increasing the super guarantee levy will prevent home ownership is not justified merely by stating that home ownership rates have declined over the last 20 years during which time compulsory super has been in place.

Many factors affect home ownership, such as pressure on prices from investors, government grants, as well as immigration. It’s a bold assumption that freezing the levy at 9.5 per cent will allow take-home wages to increase, which will be saved to provide a 20 per cent deposit.

Peter Matters, Strathbogie, Vic

Your excellent editorial raising concerns about Victoria’s law to ban conversion therapy is timely (“Flawed bill risks mental welfare”, 4/2). As you so clearly state, this bill conflates two completely different aspects of human functioning, sexual orientation and gender identity.

It is generally accepted that sexual orientation is fixed and attempts to change it are ill-advised and abusive, but gender identity, the sense of being male or female, is fluid and there have been many studies that have shown that a child’s sense of gender can change with time. Once they are given puberty-suppression drugs or cross-sex hormones, however, this is much less likely.

The Victorian government document explaining its conversion therapy legislation states there is no evidence that sexual orientation or gender identity can change, which is true for sexual orientation but not for gender identity, and therefore the bill is based on a false premise.

A related fact sheet says psychological counselling for gender dysphoria will not be banned, but Health Minister Martin Foley says the bill will criminalise therapists who tell people they are “broken” under the guise of science (“Gay therapy bill fears dismissed”, 4/2).

It is not clear what he means by “broken”, but when the “science” on which this bill is based is not grounded in reality, I think it is up to the minister to spell out in clear language whether it is possible for a therapist to explore with a patient the notion that their sense of being of opposite gender to their biology may be related to other issues, such as being homosexual or finding it difficult to make friends or depression.

This is not pushing the client in any direction or saying they are “broken”, but allowing them to explore alternatives to their belief that they are in the “wrong” body.

If he will not specifically say that this exploration is allowable, then therapists, and the parents of children with gender dysphoria, have a right to be concerned.

Nicholas Ingram, Richmond, Vic

In relation to gender dysphoria, the very term “conversion therapy” is confusing.

Surely this term should be more appropriately applied to the practice of trying to convert a person to the opposite sex, at least in outward appearance by the use of drugs and surgery.

It is a sleight of language to assign this term to what should be the routine practice of counselling young people about the gravity and ramifications of their decisions in this regard.

Dr Hilary Mercer, paediatrician, Rockhampton, Qld

Apparently Victoria 2021 is rife with LGBTQI+ people undergoing extreme conversion practices to rid them of their sexual expression (“Victoria’s gay conversion ­bill ‘to make counselling illegal’ ”, 1/2).

While I would never dismiss the personal harmful experiences of a few, it is simply untrue that these practices are so out of control that we need specific legislation to deal with it.

The Crimes Act already deals with these sorts of offences. Instead, the Victorian government wishes to criminalise conversations within families and consenting adults seeking professional or pastoral help for distress with huge fines and 10 years in jail.

Who would be willing to lend an ear to a friend or family member in distress when in five years time that person could have us locked up because they later found it harmful? The bill might have a laudable name, but that’s about as good as it gets.

Cecilia Godwin, LLB, Hawthorn East, Vic