Credit:Illustration: Andrew Dyson
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NATIONAL SECURITY
If the China threat is real, we should limit our exports
In 1938, Robert Menzies was nicknamed “Pig Iron Bob” after he attempted to break up a waterside worker strike aimed at stopping pig iron exports to an expansionist Japan.
If the current government is so concerned about China’s military build-up and the escalating tensions this is causing in our region, why does it provide China with the raw materials necessary for its armament production?
If Scott Morrison is genuine in his concerns, he would limit the export of iron ore, bauxite and aluminium and ensure it is not returned to us in the form of bombs, battleships, tanks and jets. Or is this focus on an outside threat just a cynical ploy to wedge Labor and divert voters’ attention away from the government’s incompetence?
Richard Ife, Korumburra
Dangerous to destroy our bipartisan approach
The Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, famously declared on election eve in 2019 that we were “in the black”. With another election imminent, we are heading for a trillion-dollar public debt. Surely a government which purports to have superior economic management credentials would campaign on what it is doing about that debt.
Instead the Coalition attempts a character assassination of Anthony Albanese, much as it did in its campaign against Bill Shorten at the 2019 election. This time it is spurious assertions that Albanese is a danger to our national security. This craven attempt at destroying the bipartisan approach to national security, built up by generations of high-calibre politicians, has caused dismay among experts here and overseas.
Bill King, Camberwell
Desperate times call for desperate measures
The extraordinary spectacle of Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton ramping up their national security scare campaign against the ALP revealed three important things. First, it showed how desperate they are. Second, it revealed the fact that they have nothing else to put before Australians in terms of policy. Third, it demonstrated that they themselves have become a threat to national security. I am scared of what Morrison and Dutton will do in their bid to retain power, no matter what the cost.
Robin Lohrey, Howrah, Tas
The countries hoping for a Labor victory
Rather than pretend that the support of China, Australia’s biggest trading partner, is a liability, Labor might acknowledge the support whilst noting that no Chinese national will get a vote in our election.
It might also offer the observation that French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Scott Morrison had lied to him, US President Joe Biden, who had to repair relations with France, and leaders of the Pacific nations who despair of Australia’s climate policy would all prefer Labor to be the next party to “govern” (if that is what the Coalition is doing).
Dick Noble, Lucknow
Scaring us about ’the reds under the beds’
Lies, lies, lies. What a diversion reminiscent of the Children Overboard saga by the Howard government. Look in the mirror, Scott Morrison, for the real “Manchurian Candidate”. Start with your government’s lack of action relating to the leasing of the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company.
The latest tactic is a desperate measure by an equally desperate government – simply scare the populace into believing the “reds under the bed” scenario whilst we have so many important issues in our country that need the government’s attention. For example, the failure to establish a federal anti-corruption commission, the continuing aged care debacle, the mismanagement of COVID-19 vaccines, and the shortage of rapid antigen testing kits.
Question time has become an embarrassment as the government’s antics have lowered the standards of the Australian Parliament.
Judith Carter, Chelsea
THE FORUM
The boys’ club still rules
In what universe do men think it is OK to send unsolicited photos of their penises to fellow workers, particularly female ones – “Woman in Paine scandal ‘harassed‴ (The Age, 18/2)?
Oh yes, this is the universe where, in some areas, the boys’ club is alive and well. Cricket Tasmania should hang its head in shame at its handling of the Tim Paine issue, not to mention the other men who allegedly harassed Renee Ferguson.
Marie Nash, Balwyn
Senseless desecration
Elaine Cullinane’s heartfelt comments (Letters, 15/2) about the felling of large peppercorn trees at Hampton railway station made me despair at the wanton vandalism. When will authorities be required to put a price on very mature, beautiful, shade trees for drought tolerance and public amenity?
Such trees were probably planted more than half a century ago and are irreplaceable. This desecration has resulted in “a barren and ugly” precinct.
As citizens, we should demand answers, starting with the local council. If the reason given is that peppercorn trees are not Australian natives, I fear for the future of our “garden state”.
June Roberts, Eaglemont
Humans’ arrogance
Thank you, Valerie Taylor – “Maligned sharks not hunting for humans” (Opinion, 18/2). You remind us how we have encroached on the sea with little regard for it and its inhabitants. Fish stocks are predicted to run out by mid-century and the sea is awash with 5trillion pieces of plastics because we treat it as a dumping ground for our waste. We humans need to urgently reconsider our relationship with the sea.
Leigh Ackland, Deepdene
Tragic loss of a life
I was shocked to read Valerie Taylor’s ill-timed and heartless article, boasting about her escapades with sharks while referring to the recent Sydney victim as “an intruder”. It was callous in the extreme, hurtful and inappropriate. It is great that she survived when she was bitten by sharks, but a young life has been tragically lost.
Sue McNamara, Rye
Many sharks die too
I read with interest our response to the unfortunate death by shark attack in Sydney. But do we acknowledge that major fishing countries use destructive fishing practices that result in the killing of up to 100 million sharks every year? Now some people are talking about a cull because of one fatality. Do we seriously consider that we can eliminate all risks in life?
Phil Labrum, Flemington
The joy of the Games
Sadly many businesses have folded as a consequence of the pandemic. It is more evident in some areas where shops are closed and sometimes marked with graffiti. Melbourne has changed, maybe forever. On the flip side, opportunities presented are making some people extremely rich.
Perhaps hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games (The Age, 18/2) is the distraction we need to help us heal and get over this tragic and difficult time. Melbourne was such a happy place during the 2006 Games, and remembering this is somehow already helping me.
Marisa Rooney, Pascoe Vale South
Bringing city to life
As someone who has embraced returning to the city on a daily basis, Roshena Campbell’s words – “Andrews must lead us back to the office” (Opinion, 17/2) – rang strongly for me.
Really, do you want to continue sitting at home? It’s great if you can move to a regional lifestyle, but this will not suit everyone. It is critical for staff to reunite in the office, for engagement and mental stimulus, starting with three days a week. And surely people are bored with Zoom.
The city remains a great place but we need to rebuild it further. It is hard to comprehend the lack of vision and planning from Daniel Andrews. This has been demoralising for service businesses operating in the city.
It is a sign of a tired government which has run out of ideas. The City of Melbourne is showing great initiative and should be commended for driving the agenda.
Mark Topy, Glen Iris
Safety in my ’bubble’
Folk are avoiding public transport and using private cars. Yes, this is an environmentally poor choice. I am one of these folk sealed in the protective bubble of my own car. However, when all public transport users wear masks and respect social distancing, I will happily return to our buses, trams and trains. But they do not and I will not.
Carmel McNaught, Balwyn North
Underpaid COVID heroes
Aged care workers, nurses and key hospital staff must be paid according to the level of need in the general community. I believe they are grossly underpaid under these COVID-19 conditions. There is obvious wide admiration for hospital workers who are struggling under very demanding conditions. A token “thank you” is not enough. Our politicians need to do more now, not in a future budget.
Nigel Beresford, Drouin
Stop cruelty and waste
How heartening that at last our government is considering New Zealand’s offer to resettle 150 refugees (The Age, 17/2). It costs $12,000 a day to hold a single refugee in custody on Nauru and the profit for the company employed there was $101million in 2020-21.Perhaps the public is tired of the scaremongering presented by the Coalition and its scandalous waste of money.
Marie Martin, Malvern East
Educational inequity
Ken Boston’s article (Comment, 17/2) makes for very depressing reading. It seems that the education funding cake is big enough, but it just needs to be sliced up more equitably in favour of the neediest schools and students across the country. What a great national goal to aim for: a high-quality and high-equity education system.
Peter Bainbridge, Altona
When we did it tough
It can take almost a lifetime to find the real cause of one’s handicaps. I did not realise it at the time, spending those last four years of World War II as a schoolboy, under what I now understand to be considerable stress, insomnia and developmental delays. There was no national taskforce, no paediatricians that I can recall, not to mention ageing teachers who were brought out of retirement and classes of some 40 boys and girls.
Cliff Ellen, Rye
Protecting children
Kamila Valieva (Sport, 18/2) is 15 years old. And arguably the finest figure skater in the world. She is a dedicated, gutsy, gifted skater. Any positive drug test suggests she may not be being treated well by the adults around her and who profit from her success. Someone in the Olympic Village needs to get past the iron curtain around that talented girl and help her out.
Nina Wellington Iser, Hawthorn
Cyber threat defence
Anthony Galloway’s piece on defence and cybersecurity (The Age, 17/2) raises questions that we should address now, before we are faced with a real crisis.
We had less insecure systems controlling electricity and water before the internet. Those systems could be re-established at relatively low cost. It could be done easily and securely with a few more skilled humans, using encrypted communications with multiple verification backups and computer systems disconnected from the internet.
How did we get to this position of vulnerability? The culprits are the “MBA mindset” and vanity of politicians – driving the adoption of high-tech innovations that, too often, don’t work well and don’t save money.
Andrew Liston, Pascoe Vale
Avoid offensive wars
Your recent series, “Is Australia ready for war?” ignores the fact that the United Nations charter calls war “a crime against peace” and states that “no nation may attack another except if that nation faces an ‘imminent threat’ of attack”.
Your question implies that Australia needs to be prepared for involvement in another disastrous, and potentially illegal, war such as those in Vietnam, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, Australia, if threatened, only needs to be prepared to defend itself.
Peter Martina, Warrnambool
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding
Victoria
A coal-fired power stationhttps://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/origin-energy-to-bring-forward-closure-of-australia-s-largest-coal-fired-power-plant-20220216-p59x50.html will close early (18/2) and the Emissions Reduction Minister laments?
Gillian Upton, Balaclava
Crown’s behaviour was “illegal, dishonest, unethical and exploitative” (18/2). Government regulators should be sacked.
David Fry, Moonee Ponds
There is a word for people who insist upon their “freedoms” at the expense of others: selfish.
Mark Summerfield, Northcote
Canberra
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
John Uren, Blackburn
I trust ScoMo isn’t wearing out his carpet praying for war in Ukraine. Hang on, I don’t.
John Langley, Lara
You can take the man out of marketing but you can’t take marketing out of the man.
Claire Merry, Wantirna
Throughout the pandemic I’ve liked Morrison and thought I’d vote for him, but his attacks on Albanese have shattered my respect for him.
Tom Perfect, Glenlyon
Are the Liberals planning to resurrect McCarthyism? A refuge of a desperate, bereft government.
Colleen Heatley, Drouin West
Albanese should push hard for an integrity commission. The government is petrified of those.
David Jeffery, East Geelong
The government seems to have given up on actions, preferring distractions.
Alison Fraser, Ascot Vale
The Coalition doesn’t need to win the election. Labor has adopted the same policies.
Peter Robinson, Kilsyth
He who shouts first loses the argument.
Peter Roche, Carlton
Probably many countries would prefer Albanese as our next prime minister, starting with France.
Jan Newmarch, Oakleigh
The Coalition – a scuttling centipede that can’t get a foot right.
Edward Combes, Wheelers Hill
Furthermore
Is anyone a little tired of the Olympic Winter Games?
Liz Utting, Moolap
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