Source : the age
Credit: Matt Golding
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Indeed many voters, especially younger Australians like me, are impatient for Labor to make progress on the big challenges of our time (Editorial, 10/5).
A big yes to student debt relief, housing and tax reform. But, finally free from the shackles of the Coalition’s denial and delay, surely Labor can step up on climate change? Just rolling out renewables isn’t enough.
Native forests are still being logged. And more than 30 new coal and gas projects or extensions were approved during Labor’s last term of government. The resulting pollution will dwarf our efforts to cut domestic emissions. Australia has many clean export opportunities such as green steel and ammonia that can support our economy in a fossil fuel-free world.
We don’t need to hang on to the dying fossil fuel industries. Anthony Albanese must ask himself what his legacy will be. For many young Australians, strong leadership on climate change tops the list.
Sarah Brennan, Hawthorn
Slap in our face
Labor went to the election with Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus as prominent and respected senior ministers, and to dump them at this time for factional reasons is a slap in the face for electors and a personal betrayal of two long-serving and hard-working ministers. They, and we, deserve better.
Behaviour like this can only deepen the public’s cynicism with regard to politicians. It calls into question the ALP’s fitness to govern in the best interests of the nation overall when narrow factional interests are placed ahead of the national interest in this way.
Andrew Payne, Newtown
Labor must aim high
The Age’s editorial encapsulates what many of us are thinking. The Labor federal government has the responsibility to aim high. Reading the editorial’s to-do list for the PM is daunting. Anthony Albanese has set out his goals, but said a few days ago “we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves” regarding climate change action. This is disappointing. Labor, at the latest count, has 91 seats in the new parliament (“Campaign Albo. A work of art”, 10/5). There would be many talented politicians. Many will be elevated to cabinet and other responsible positions leaving many that could be used in research and lobbying positions for other policy areas.
In the past Labor has had a great talent for shooting itself in the foot with factional rivalry. It has started already, a few days out from a great win, with the right faction in caucus managing to demote the very effective and principled attorney-general, Mark Dreyfus and minister for industry and science, Ed Husic. The PM elected not to challenge this.
Early in the first year of this term is the time for important action when Albanese will have the most authority and the public will be the most accepting. To not act, especially on climate change, would be to abrogate responsibility to future generations.
Jan Marshall, Brighton
Liberals’ chink of light
After a total shellacking at the election the Liberals may have just found their first toehold on the long climb back up the political mountain, with the ALP unable to resist a reversion to internal factional power plays trumping (forgive the pun) talent and merit in recent ministerial appointments.
Mark Morrison, Kew
Ways forward for nation
Your correspondent (Letters, 10/5) makes sensible suggestions. A fixed federal parliamentary term of four years and equal sex representation is brilliant on both counts. Let’s have another referendum this term.
Howard Brownscombe, Brighton
Imagine, peace
John Lennon was certainly one of the most influential figures of his generation. He speaks posthumously about the crisis facing India and Pakistan in his brilliant songs Imagine and Give Peace a Chance.
Let us pray that those who have ears will listen.
Thomas Cromwell, Prospect, Tas
Here’s the drum, we wish
Debbie Enker’s accurate description of the ABC game show House of Games, (″It’s time to forget the forgettable fluff″, Green Guide, 8/5) draws attention to the dumbing down of ABC content.
Many viewers of the daily 6pm time-slot, were dismayed when the ABC axed The Drum, a program using panel members with expertise from a variety of backgrounds and views, discussing issues of the day.
Instead of forgettable fluff, we were treated to an entertaining, informative program.
Bring back The Drum.
Toni Higgins, Diamond Creek,
Bronwyn Parry-Fielder,
Hawthorn East
Think of the future
What planet is Matt Canavan living on?
If we don’t achieve net zero by 2050 our future generations won’t only need to deal with the financial debt we are burdening them with. They will have to deal with the climate fallout. Yes, climate change is cyclical. We will go from heat to cold – it is variable. But, ultimately, we are leaving our next generation with the outcomes of our decisions because politics at any level always gets in the road of supporting our future generations.
I want my children/grandchildren to have options. We aren’t giving them that. Please can the 2025 government put Australians and future generations of Australians first and foremost in policy decisions. It’s time.
Irene Wyld, Cape Schanck
Why I voted Green
David Crowe says the Greens “bet on Gaza” and lost (“The Greens bet on Gaza and may have lost the House” , 7/5). Here’s another take: some of us voted Greens because of Gaza.
Every time I saw another hospital bombed or a child pulled from the rubble, I waited for Labor to show moral clarity. Instead, we got hollow statements and diplomatic hand-wringing while the slaughter rolled on.
Then came the killing of Zomi Frankcom – an Australian, delivering food with World Central Kitchen by the Israeli military. And still, Labor did nothing. Not even then. I’ve voted Labor my whole life. But this time, I couldn’t. Not for a party that hides behind diplomatic platitudes while war crimes play out on their watch.
Australia may not be able to stop the killing, but we can do more than smile politely at the perpetrators.
We can recognise Palestine. Sanction Israel. Cut defence ties. We can show the world which side we’re on. Labor had every opportunity. It chose silence.
Now back to Greens. If calling for basic human decency is what costs votes in this country, then we need to take a hard look at the politics we’re rewarding.
Natasa Jovic, Hadfield
When will killing stop?
Thank you, Georgia Tacey, (″We can’t give up on Gaza’s children″, 9/5) for bringing your account of the barbarity that is happening in Gaza for far too long to people’s attention.
What will it take to stop the atrocities, brutality and senselessness of the Israeli armed forces?
Helena Kilingerova, Vermont
A note of joy
It absolutely made my day when I opened up The Age to see the article ″All that jazz , from Melbourne to Manhattan″.
As a jazz enthusiast for more than 70 years, I was blown away.
A Melbourne public school has been invited to what must be the most prestigious competition of that type in the world – fantastic.
A public school, not a private school that has lashings of money even before it gets the ridiculous government handouts.
The very best of luck to the Blackburn High school band members , their teachers and their parents, and thank you for giving me so much joy.
Bob Morrow, Eltham
