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See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published. Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention was amazing, inspirational and positive (′′ Obamas fire up Harris’ bid for White House ′′, 22/8). What is great is that she puts the onus back on voters.
We should not stand around and wait for good things to happen. She had the people chanting, ′′Do something′′. We could take a lesson from this for our next federal election.
Examine the policies of the parties and look at their record. Do they have integrity? Do they prioritise their communities? Do they try to lift disadvantaged people up to have a better life or do their policies maintain the status quo? Plenty of reason to give in to despair when viewing our political landscape, but it’s up to us. Yes, we can! Jan Marshall, Brighton Judges and political appointments The article ′′ Beware nine black-robed figures ′′ (22/8) is salient and makes us reflect on the judicial system in America and the often political bias that exists.
Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president and approved by Congress. Presidents appear to appoint judges that suit their political agenda. I have often wondered if Al Gore had become president how different the world might be today, eg, would he have invaded Iraq? If Donald Trump loses the coming election, it would not be surprising what legal or dubious steps he might take, given he is still in denial he lost the last election.
Judith Morrison, Nunawading Cherish the separation of power in Australia After reading ′′Beware of black-robed figures′′, I gave a physical and mental shudder at the potential of what may lay ahead following the presidential election in November. All I could say to myself is, ′′Oh, what a dreadful system of political and judicial fairness exists in the US′′, the very nation that proclaims itself to be the beacon of democracy in the Western world. The folly of judicial political appointees (for life) at the national level and to a lesser degree at state levels lends weight to the need for a complete overhaul of a judicial system that is neither democratic, fair nor respectful of the ballot box.
Is that reform likely to occur? Clearly not. So, as a consequence, in the event of a super tight election result in November the arbiters of the election may be a handful of partisan judges, many of whom owe their jobs to the president who happened to be the incumbent at the time of their appointment. We may grumble and complain at our plight here at times, nevertheless Australia, be very grateful that we have a system of judicial appointments separate from the whims of politicians keen to stack the court systems.
Our separation of power between the political class and the judiciary is set in stone, and that is true democracy, not pretend democracy. Perhaps we should be held up as the beacon, not the Disunited States of America. Maurie Johns, Mt Eliza The rising desperation of Trump on show Donald Trump exhibits the behaviour of increasing desperation (′′ Trump falsely accuses Harris of faking crowds using AI ′′, 13/8).
However, as Goebbels said, ′′If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it′′, not that Trump’s sycophants need any encouragement to believe the absurd. Les Aisen, Elsternwick A crucial moment in history ′′And at this moment in our nation’s history, she is exactly the right president′′ was husband Doug’s comment in relation to Kamala Harris for president (′′Obamas fire up Harris’ bid for White House′′, 22/8). Americans should see this clearly, too.
Barbara Fraser, Burwood State of shame I was treasurer of a Victorian community housing provider for seven years. These organisations regard access to affordable shelter as a basic, sacrosanct human right. They also know that it is very difficult to be a sociable, productive citizen without a secure roof over your head – and that poorly housed citizens typically require more from other costly government services.
In other words, secure housing is not only a moral imperative – it is economically rational. Yet ′′socially progressive′′ Victoria has the poorest record of any state. There is no substitute for adequate public funding.
Selling well-located, scarce public land to private development for derisory increases in social-public housing stock, for example, is shameful and scandalous. Norman Huon, Port Melbourne Solar, so good The Coalition is not in any hurry to reduce our CO2 emissions, leaving it to a theoretical nuclear industry somewhere in the 2040s to do the job. But the energy transition is not just about emissions reduction.
The ambitious SunCable project, now approved by the Labor government, demonstrates the “energy superpower” role Australia could play by “exporting clean energy and products to the world” (′′ Colossal solar farm plan receives Plibersek’s tick ′′, 22/8). As Tanya Plibersek points out, our energy transition is already happening. Around 4 million households now have solar.
Renew Economy’s big battery storage map shows how far the industry is progressing. SunCable is an extension of this adoption of the “cheapest energy in history”. In the Coalition’s scenario, nuclear power might be available in the 2040s.
By then, renewable technologies will provide most of our energy. Peter Dutton needs to come clean on the logistics: in order for nuclear to be financially viable, renewables would then have to be switched off. Fiona Colin, Malvern East And in Victoria? Finally a solar project Australia can support.
A solar farm in the Northern Territory is truly horses for courses, virtually unlimited space where the sun actually shines, and land is far less productive than the high rainfall zones of southern Australia. In particular, Victoria with our dubious supply of sunlight, and where any solar farm of scale seriously affects some of the best primary production land in Australia. While this seems like proof that common sense can shine through, the fact remains the project aims to export two thirds of the predicted capacity.
Time for Jacinta Allan to step into the sunlight and look towards a truly sustainable future for Victoria. Andy Worland, Ballarat A quirky village The article ′′ Inner-city swamp evolves again ′′ (20/8) describes the sparseness of West Melbourne but in 1984 my cottage under the towering Nixdorf Computer neon sign was referred to as ′′the little house on the prairie′′. West Melbourne has come a long way since the 1980s when its population dropped below 1000 from its peak of 50,000 100 years earlier.
It was a quirky village in the ’80s. The eclectic, dispersed neighbours included a Vietnamese refugee family and the Kids in the Kitchen rock band with their loud parties, and a refuge. I felt special when a letter from Sweden addressed to me at ′′Australia 3003′′ arrived.
Even by the standards of still-forgotten West Melbourne, it was a different time. Paul Kavanagh, Parkville Raise debate standards The parliamentary behaviour of our elected representatives has declined to a level that would be unacceptable in most workplaces. Communication skills, in most training courses, clarify the difference between assertive and aggressive behaviour.
Much of what we see in question time is aggressive behaviour in both content and delivery. The excuse of robust debate justifies none of it. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission might help restore an acceptable standard.
Joan Segrave, Healesville World, are you listening? Migration has become weaponised by many governments. Populations are on the move because they want a safer life. Climate change, wars, disease and rising sea levels are all exacerbating the situation.
There needs to be a whole world solution and the United Nations and more wealthy countries need to step up urgently. Paul Chivers, Box Hill North Dismal health decision The state government’s decision to not accept the key recommendation of the recently released Health Services plan for Victoria in relation to reducing the number of health services from 76 to 11, means that Victoria retains its dismal last position of the states when it comes to effectiveness in organising and delivering public hospital services. The report which was produced after 10 months of consultations, analysis and consideration of every size, type and location of hospital, came to the same conclusion as every other state namely that it is too difficult to ensure good clinical governance and reduce duplication of back-of-house services when there are more health services in Victoria that the rest of Australia combined.
Patients, our public hospital system and taxpayers would have all been better off had the state government listened to the independent panel of healthcare experts who produced the report than seemingly to calls for no change from some of those who will benefit most from no change ie, the hospital executives and board chairs of the 76 health services. Michael Ryan, Hawthorn Don’t trash heritage It’s about time we took action to preserve what is left of our beautiful heritage houses, lush gardens and big trees in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, and stop their replacement with massive energy-guzzling fence-to-fence mansions, no trees and tiny gardens (′′ Heritage protection cost owner $460k ′′, 21/8) We should be protesting about the waste of energy and precious resources in these unnecessary and very ungreen replacements of heritage housing, as well as loss of character and beauty. The sad part is that so few of our beautiful streetscapes and houses have any heritage protection at all, not that a council is finally acting according to the wishes of its constituents.
Elizabeth Neil, Blackburn Dangerous riding Sadly this year, nine cyclists have died on Victorian roads, up from six in 2023, and it’s only August. When we think about the cause of cyclist deaths, it’s usually of the actions of car drivers but what of the dangers posed by other cyclists? This week, I was hit by a fellow cyclist who clipped my bike as he passed causing me to slam into the back of a stationary car on the opposite side of the road. As cyclists, we owe each other a duty of care.
That extra 0.6 seconds it takes to safely pass the cyclist ahead of you could mean the difference between life and death. Bernadette Collins, Fitzroy North Poor comprehension There is much discussion about the teaching of reading.
What correspondents really should address is comprehension. Many children can read but their comprehension and deciphering skills are poor. Children need to understand, interpret and form opinions about what is read.
Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW Love of learning Your correspondents on the topic of learning have reminded me of my childhood, and something that I passed on to my son. My sister and I always had lunch with Dad (Mum having died when I was four). He would say: “Please let me have your Fact for the Day.
′′ This promoted discussion about our lessons, what we’d learned and if he needed to add anything for clarification’s sake. This was just pre-television in Britain. We would also drive him mad for his version of a radio game called Ask Me Another, especially on long journeys.
He seemed to have an inexhaustible stockpile of information. Books were an indispensable part of our childhood and it has always been very difficult culling my book collection. A lifelong love of learning was started 70 years ago.
I passed this on to my son. The most important aspect of “Fact for the Day” was the promotion of conversation at the dining table. No television involved there.
Caroline Heard, Glen Huntly Fine assembly Well done ABC, The Assembly was outstanding. I don’t mind putting up with a few repeats at 6pm, as long as this sort of broadcasting excellence pops up now and then. Thanks to all who contributed to the concept, the production and giving opportunity and mentoring to these budding journalists.
What great questions with disarming delivery. Ken Reither, Gisborne The ‘no-fun’ riders Your correspondent (Letters, 20/8) is incorrect to claim that ′′every scooter ride means one less car on the road′′. There are many alternatives such as tram, bus, train and even walking that these could have been switched from.
But the ones that seem to have brought the demise of the hire system are the ′′fun′′ riders – predominantly young riders who have not yet reached car licence age, hence are not yet driving a car, and have not yet learnt the road rules adequately or are of the reckless age where they think it ′′clever′′ to flout them. Albeit that I have also seen many of driving age that have also displayed the latter attitude whether on a scooter or in a car. David Gorman, Parkville Matt Golding Credit: .
Politics Docking politicians for bad behaviour is a bit like fining footballers for on-field misdemeanours. While both are highly paid, the fines will only work if they are half-a-year’s pay. Michael McKenna, Warragul It’s a sad reflection on politics when fear, racial profiling and tax minimisation is the path to power (Comment, 22/8).
What happened to nation building, multiculturalism and tax reform? Dick Davies, North Warrandyte It’s not Anthony Albanese’s supposed “fiddling while the mortgage belt burns′′ that is truly frightening. It’s Peter Dutton’s refusal to even fiddle while the planet burns. Jenny Smithers, Ashburton The dog whistle has become a megaphone.
Racism has no place in Australia. The demonisation of the Palestinian people has to stop. Robert Watson, Alfredton Shaun Carney (Comment 22/8) writes that Labor believes voters won’t make Peter Dutton PM because he is “too scary, too negative, too strange”, but reminds us that’s what they used to think of Tony Abbott.
I say that two wrongs don’t make a right. Phil Alexander, Eltham Furthermore I used to feel as your correspondent (Letters, 22/8) does about self-checkouts, but I’ve come to see it as a privilege as I no longer must explain how my day has been to someone who doesn’t actually care. Michael Spillane, Torquay A real Melburnian is someone with enough courage to give Punt Road another chance.
Paul Custance, Highett Barack Obama, speaking at the Democratic National Convention, had 10 times the charisma of any of the other speakers including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Reg Murray, Glen Iris Bravo Tanya Plibersek. Now make sure it’s a cross for Woodside’s mega Burrup Hub gas project (“Colossal solar farm receives Plibersek’s tick”, 22/8).
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