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<\/p>\n <\/span>Credit: <\/span>Illustration: Matt Golding<\/cite><\/p>\n To submit a letter to The Age<\/em>, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.<\/strong><\/p>\n I encourage Wendy Syfret, (\u201cTurning up the heat on summer feelings\u201d, 5\/12) and other parents of young children, to spend as much time as possible outdoors, in nature, with them. And go to climate rallies, including the ones Tim Winton might have meant with his exhortation to start \u201cbreaking some shit\u201d (\u201cAuthor Tim Winton lashes oil and gas industry\u2019s \u2018crime against humanity\u2019,\u201d 22\/11). Immediate steps<\/strong> First priorities<\/strong> Nuclear ambitions<\/strong> Compulsory viewing<\/strong> Dealing with hostility<\/strong> Rightly rejected<\/strong> Favoured networks<\/strong> Relative threat<\/strong> Courage of convictions<\/strong> Policy on the run<\/strong> Royalty payments<\/strong> Market dominance<\/strong> City\u2019s lungs<\/strong> Intelligent design<\/strong> Too many males<\/strong> Defence let down<\/strong> In the pink<\/strong> Sensible switch<\/strong> Just call it a day<\/strong> <\/span>Credit: <\/span>Illustration: Matt Golding<\/cite><\/p>\n Politics<\/strong> So a Senate report wants to teach students how to behave? Here\u2019s an idea! How about setting an example in parliament. Royal visit<\/strong> King Charles is coming, everyone look busy. The report on the royal visit started \u201cCharles to pay …\u201d I bet he doesn\u2019t. If we can cancel the Commonwealth Games for financial reasons, then surely we will be able to cancel Charles and Camilla\u2019s visit for the same reason. Charles and Camilla\u2019s visit will test the pull of a monarchy without \u201criz!\u201d Furthermore<\/strong> Yes, the big supermarkets should freeze the price of ham, great idea from Senator Murray Watt. Sure to be a big help with Christmas costs. And maybe mince pies too. And bread, and milk, and dishwashing liquid, and cat food, and a few other things?GLOBAL WARMING<\/h3>\n
It is important that our children know the feel of grass, a running creek, cool and warm breezes, and birdsong, and that their family loved them enough to show up and demand their protection.
Lesley Walker, Northcote<\/strong><\/p>\n
Climate impacts are here now. Communities need to be made aware of the risks through hazard risks mapping of areas exposed to climate disasters as suggested by Natural Hazards Research Australia and Suncorp (\u201cCalls intensify to move people living in flood, fire-prone areas\u201d, 2\/12).
Every step we take to help communities prepare for now unavoidable climate impacts secures a safer future and builds resilience, protecting people and country.
Vicky Ellmore, Hurstbridge<\/strong><\/p>\n
According to the most recent Resolve poll, some voters have swung to the Liberal Party purportedly in response to a perceived sense of threat to their security both physical and economic (\u201cVoters backing Dutton on security\u201d, 5\/12). They have been misled.
In its report, Climate Security Upfront, the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group led by retired Admiral Chris Barrie stated, \u201cClimate risk must be the first priority for the government, whether from security, emissions-reduction policy, budget priority or international relationship perspectives.\u201d At present Labor\u2019s policies and initiatives to reduce domestic CO2 emissions, while still not in keeping with the science, are measurably better than the Coalition\u2019s who distract with the nuclear option.
The government, in alliance with the progressives on the crossbench, needs to set the political agenda and not be caught responding to the populist \u201cotherings\u201d of the Coalition.
Jennifer Smithers, Ashburton<\/strong><\/p>\n
Those who trumpet French President Emmanuel Macron\u2019s call to nuclearise the world often fail to mention the fact that the French government through its 100 per cent owned EDF Energy company is the largest builder of nuclear power plants in the world. They are currently building the Hinkley Point C power plant in England (with cost overruns of $5 billion plus at this stage). They have also built identical plants in Finland and China (the latter had troubles that stalled the building for 12 months) that had huge overruns in costs too.
Bear in mind the comments that Naoto Kan, the prime minister of Japan made at the time of the Fukushima disaster that nuclear power will never be an entirely safe option. EDF Energy has been a huge drag on French taxpayers, something with which Australians have some experience of with the cancelled French submarine contract.
Rob Park, Surrey Hills<\/strong><\/p>\n
My wife and I have been watching the latest of David Attenborough\u2019s truly amazing nature programs Planet Earth III<\/em>. This should be compulsory viewing to all those climate sceptics around the world, to show them what could be lost in the natural world to future generations if continuing climate changes keep happening. Also the powers that be in all heavy industrialised nations and governments worldwide should see this program and rather than say they will do something in the future, actually start doing something in the present because the future might be too late.
Alan Leitch, Austins Ferry, Tas<\/strong><\/p>\nTHE FORUM<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s unfortunate that Jacinta Nampijinpa Price did not have the courage of her convictions on the matter of the referendum, as she refused many interviews (\u201cPrice rejected 52 requests to speak on ABC about Voice\u201d, 5\/12). Nor apparently did others from the No campaign. She says she was afraid of a hostile interviewer.
First Nations people could give some tips on dealing with hostility, which they have experienced since settlement. To a much lesser extent, supporters of the Yes campaign experienced high levels of hostility too.
Jan Marshall, Brighton<\/strong><\/p>\n
One can only commend Senator Jacinta Price for her many rejections for interviews with journalists from the ABC. Even though our national carrier is supposed to be apolitical, Price has learnt the organisation is \u201canything but\u201d.
Barrie Dempster, Balwyn<\/strong><\/p>\n
Jacinta Price rejected 52 interview requests with the ABC leading up to the Voice to Parliament referendum, saying interviewers on ABC programs were \u201chostile\u201d towards her. Another view is that the ABC interviewers wouldn\u2019t give her a soft interview when compared to how she was questioned by interviewers on her favoured networks.
Garry Meller, Bentleigh<\/strong><\/p>\n
About 40 per cent of prisoners return to prison within two years, Australian Productivity Commission figures show. In its approach to laws for immigration detainees (\u201cFreed violent sex offender gets indecent assault charge\u201d, 5\/12) the opposition is depicting non-citizens as being more likely to be dangerous reoffenders because three of the 148 recently released detainees were again arrested (one for cannabis possession).
Is Opposition Leader Peter Dutton seriously suggesting ministers should resign because offenders who have served their time are being freed to continue their lives? Or are we to believe that non-citizens are somehow more of a threat to Australians and should be permanently detained? Dutton, a former copper, should try to see this matter more humanely and rationally.
Ray Brindle, Burwood<\/strong><\/p>\n
In 2018 Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was convicted of spying in Iran and sentenced to 10 years\u2019 imprisonment. In November 2020 she was released and returned to Australia after serving 804 days of her sentence.
The federal government is currently introducing legislation that allows judges to detain someone on the basis of a foreign conviction so that they can re-imprison asylum seekers who were in indefinite detention. If the government is going to jail asylum seekers on the basis of sometimes dubious foreign convictions why wouldn\u2019t this principle also apply to all Australians convicted overseas? If foreign convictions are used to put someone behind bars, should Moore-Gilbert\u2019s Iranian conviction stand and she be re-imprisoned and serve out what\u2019s left of her sentence?
Peter Martina, Warrnambool<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council\u2019s failure to inform residents and ratepayers about the introduction of paid parking at Flinders Pier (\u201cPay to play on peninsula as beach parking fees tested\u201d, 5\/12) is a serious oversight.
Furthermore, council\u2019s pricing regime based on city beaches in highly populated areas, suggests that policy is being made on the run. While accepting that council needs extra revenue, little or no thought has been given to older beachgoers who may not use phone apps that are now required to park at the Flinders Pier; the cost of beach parking for low-income families enjoying a day out; and the economic impact on small businesses in Flinders as visitors pivot to those beaches on the peninsula that offer free parking.
And while passive users of the foreshore now need to pay, owners of boats and jet skis are still entitled to park for free on the Flinders foreshore under Victoria\u2019s Better Boating policy that exempts vehicles with trailers at all public boat ramps across the state. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council does many things well but the idea of paid parking at Flinders Pier is not one of them.
Charles Reis, chairperson, Save Flinders Pier Campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n
As subjects of King Charles III we now need to pay to visit Mornington Peninsula beaches, so we should apply the same \u201cuser pays\u201d principle to fund the royal visit … say $35 for a glimpse of the King, $15 for a glimpse of the Queen? Consultants can (for a large fee) advise the market rate for a handshake, a chat or an arvo cuppa and cakes.
The visit also provides the opportunity to market test the King\u2019s personal loyalty to his subjects, so he should be given the opportunity to publicly bid sponsorship for the King Charles III Melbourne Cup or King Charles III AFL grand final.
Ian Gould, Muckleford<\/strong><\/p>\n
The upcoming parliamentary inquiry into price gouging by the major supermarkets (\u201cMinister has a bone to pick with supermarkets\u201d, 5\/12), would do well to look at the whole chain of production of farm goods. A prime example of unfair pricing has been the recent price of lamb which has \u201cgone through the floor\u201d, the farmers are struggling to make a living, yet we have seen relatively minor savings of this product in the supermarket.
There are many different methods of price gouging and the dominance of supermarkets over primary producers is one of them.
Phil Mackenzie, Eaglemont<\/strong><\/p>\n
Golf courses, both public and private, provide green spaces\/parklands throughout cities \u2013 they provide \u201cbreathing spaces\u201d for citizens, and refuges for birdlife in particular. As Melbourne grows, the demand for recreational parkland will intensify. The loss of open green space to new housing and development should be seen as a calamity \u2013 the process is irreversible and a demerit to Melbourne\u2019s claim as a highly liveable city.
The previous golf course, Eastern, in Doncaster has gone; the old Kingswood golf course in Dingley Village is under threat of housing development, and now the former Yarra Valley Country Club is in the firing line (\u201cPleas for a ruling on ex-golf club project\u201d, 5\/12). If the solution to a lack of housing is to infill parklands with new houses then we have seriously got it wrong.
James Reiss, Abbotsford<\/strong><\/p>\n
If planning regulations (or lack thereof) are to ride roughshod over local councils and residents to squeeze in thousands of people into existing suburbs, we are going to lose most of our gardens and trees. This is the last thing we need if we are to become resilient in the face of climate change. We need intelligent designs to ensure that our cities do not become unliveable, and developers, as a rule, do not look at the bigger picture when profits are at risk. Unsustainable population growth is destroying the environment we need to enhance and sustain our wellbeing, as well as dismantling our democratic processes.
Jennie Epstein, Little River<\/strong><\/p>\n
While it\u2019s always interesting to hear of books that might be good reading, Jason Steger\u2019s list of recommended books (\u201cRead your way through Christmas\u201d, Age<\/em>, 5\/12) is unbalanced. Of his 13 titles, twice as many are by male authors as by females, despite the fact that more books published are written by women, and women outnumber men as both readers and buyers of books.
Freya Headlam, Glen Waverley<\/strong><\/p>\n
Re: Peter Hartcher\u2019s column (\u201cChinese subplot spells danger\u201d, 5\/12), there is clear evidence that China is a threat to world peace and that Australian governments aren\u2019t prepared to invest in the security of our country. The current government has underspent on defence in the last 12 months by nearly $1 billion, cancelled significant defence projects from satellite systems to armoured personnel carriers, regurgitated the previous government\u2019s announcements as if they were its own, etc. In the government\u2019s own words this is \u201cAustralia\u2019s most challenging strategic environment since World War II\u201d. But the reality is the government is doing nothing about it but making motherhood statements.
Shawn French, Greensborough<\/strong><\/p>\n
Looking up at the pink star festive decorations in the city yesterday, I wondered if I was in Barbie land. Christmas green and red out, happy holidays in a Pinkdom in?
Glenda Johnston, Queenscliff<\/strong><\/p>\n
For me, the list of associations with the colour bright red includes: China, Republicans, MAGA, war, warning, prohibition, danger, anger, violence, blood, Coca-Cola, Christmas … The CBD decorators did well to remove Christmas from that list and on to a list including softer concepts such as romance, childhood nostalgia, femininity, health awareness, art deco and flowers. If we must keep Christmas at all, let\u2019s keep it pink.
Ralph B\u00f6hmer, St Kilda West<\/strong><\/p>\n
Test Cricket is as Australian as cold beer and corned beef sandwiches. Both are delights that make summer days watching the cricket memorable and beautiful. Thankfully, these days of Test cricket will be enhanced by the imminent retirement of a cricketer who was the architect of Sandpaper Gate. With him gone, the game will again be wholesome, exciting, and played by people who will rely on guile and skill to win.
Andrew Dowling, Torquay<\/strong><\/p>\nAND ANOTHER THING<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The Coalition wants released detainees to do the time before they do the crime.
Bryan Fraser, St Kilda West<\/strong><\/p>\n
Helen Cole, Glen Waverley<\/strong><\/p>\n
How bizarre that it is headline news that our head of state is going to visit Australia.
Gretel Lamont, Aireys Inlet<\/strong><\/p>\n
Paul Custance, Highett<\/strong><\/p>\n
Adrian Tabor, Point Lonsdale<\/strong><\/p>\n
Mary Fenelon, Doncaster East<\/strong><\/p>\n
Joan Segrave, Healesville<\/strong><\/p>\n
The parliamentary inquiry into pig welfare reminded me of the old saying regarding bacon and eggs: All in a day\u2019s work for the chook; a lifetime commitment for the pig.
Bruce Crowe, Sunbury<\/strong><\/p>\n
Tim Durbridge, Brunswick<\/strong><\/p>\n