It’s time for a change, and to offer voters something new

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The teals should form into a political party and become a nationwide movement. The need is there more than ever if you are on the more progressive side of political thought. However, there could also be an alternative to forming a new party. There already are parties on the progressive centrist space: the Australian Democrats, Australian Progressives and some others. The need is there. In Victoria, we have a tired Labor government with runaway debt, the stench of corruption, a failing justice system and far too many high taxes. The Liberals-Nationals will cut services and sell off anything not bolted down. One Nation are an unknown quantity state-wise. The time is right for a “fourth” political force. We cannot have more of the same.
Peter Allan, Blackburn

A thorn in the side of parliament
Angus Taylor’s attempt to lower respect for the prime minister through use of abusive swear words is as transparent as it is pathetic and hollow (″⁣Ears are pricked up as feelings run high in the house″⁣, 29/5). I am beyond disgusted that any MP considers it acceptable to behave in that way in parliament. Paradoxically, Taylor displays remarkable disrespect for his own role and parliament.
Emma Borghesi, Rye

Voters have good reasons for their stance
Being derisive of voters (Shaun Carney, 28/5) is a key attitude of the two major political parties behind the increasing trend by voters to reject those parties. To describe this as nihilism is derisive of voters. It is like branding someone who is not persuaded by a given religion as an atheist. Voters reject the major parties for very real reasons: for what they have done which has proved harmful; and for refraining from doing the good for the whole citizenry in which voters believe. Voters are building a case against the nihilism of politics, where the quest to stay in power is overriding truth, reality and principle and resulting in a belief in nothing except self-serving politics.
Ruth Farr, Blackburn South

Look, it’s all very simple
It’s pretty simple. Liberals, ditch the Nationals. They are nothing without you and you need to stop doing the miners’ work. Nationals, go back to representing the farmers. Perhaps One Nation might stop taking your seats. Liberals, embrace science and stop the attitude about coal. Be more green than Labor on renewables. You will win back all the teal seats, or even the teal candidates. After you have your inner-city base back after the next election, reform with the hopefully farmer-focused Nationals, and have sensible discussions instead of the childish behaviours of the likes of Barnaby Joyce. No guarantees, but if the Nationals and Liberals actually focus on their core strengths and do the policy work, they might have a chance.
Rod Meaney, Glen Iris

THE FORUM

A planet called denial
What planet is the opposition living on? A return to the reliance on coal as an energy policy? The article ″⁣Falling power bills can’t cool climate wars″⁣ (28/5) exposes the opposition as climate deniers and completely out of touch with reality.
Before the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, carbon dioxide levels sat around 280 parts per million. By 2023, that figure was 419 parts per million.
We have just experienced the hottest years on record, extreme weather events that have made many homes uninsurable, sustained droughts affecting many of our rural industries and the potential to have low-lying land inundated by rising seas.
With all this evidence of the destructive effects of climate change, the opposition want to pour fuel on the fire by returning to its pet energy source, coal.
It beggars belief that it will take this policy to the next election. One can only hope that voters judge this policy as completely inappropriate in today’s world .
Graeme Lechte, Pascoe Vale

The climate wars
Apparently coal, the worst emissions fuel, is now the battleground for Climate Wars 3.0. The dispute about energy is astounding given the clear evidence that renewables are the cheapest energy source and the climate crisis is rapidly worsening.
That aside, by far the major source of Australia’s contribution to the climate crisis comes from our exported emissions. We are one of the world’s largest fossil fuel exporters with 83 per cent of our gas sent overseas. Japan pays more tax importing our gas than we make selling it, and then it onsells some of it to other countries. It makes no difference where our fossil fuels are burnt. We urgently need to move to Climate Wars 4.0 and tackle exports.
Peter Cook, Essendon

Worthwhile gun review
Ken Lay’s review of Victoria’s firearm laws is 173 pages long and has 16 recommendations, 15 of which were adopted by the state government. I commend the comprehensive report, and the balanced, measured presentation to anyone who has a genuine interest in the issue. Anyone approaching the legislation without bias could see how the government could choose not to implement caps.
The blunt tool of capping numbers, without reference to firearm type, provides a feel-good political announcement, but has zero proven efficacy in reducing firearm crime.
Nicholas Anthony, Kerrie

Legitimate ownership
Where is the evidence that a limitation on the number of guns will have any impact on gun violence? There are about 240,000 registered firearm licence holders in Victoria, owning an average of 4.1 firearms. There is no evidence that any one of these owners is likely to indulge in acts of violence against members of the community. People need to familiarise themselves with the process for acquiring a firearm, storage requirements, the current Victorian gun laws and the Firearms Act of 1996. And also ask people who are hunters, target shooters, why they may need more than four firearms. Their needs are lawful and legitimate.
Tony Jones, Badger Creek

Deaths by gunfire
In a Pollyanna world, perhaps everyone with a gun licence will remain law-abiding (Letters, 29/5). Your correspondent drew favourable attention to the firearms crime rates in the states of Wyoming and Montana, which have the highest rates of private gun ownership in the US. According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health which had data for 2023 (the most recent available), Wyoming had the nation’s highest gun suicide rate, and Montana came in second. For overall gun death rate, Wyoming was the seventh-highest (worst) in the nation, and Montana was ninth.
Joan Reilly, Surrey Hills

Not a fair engagement
As a Gen X-er, I find the “Boomer versus younger generations” framing of the housing crisis deeply divisive.
Housing affordability is a serious problem and tax settings such as negative gearing and capital gains concessions deserve scrutiny. But reducing a complex policy failure to simplistic generational blame is neither fair nor constructive.
Most Boomers did not create housing policy, nor are they wealthy property moguls. Many simply lived ordinary lives, raised families, bought modest homes and made financial decisions within a system governments promoted for decades.
Yet an entire generation is now portrayed as though it engineered the housing crisis for personal gain. It is an ugly and divisive narrative that may generate headlines, but damages social cohesion while deflecting attention from the governments that created, maintained and encouraged the system. Blaming entire generations may be emotionally satisfying, but it does little to solve a complex housing crisis decades in the making.
Suzette Miller, Ashburton

Reading is the best
At school, one way to get kids to read for pleasure is to have a novel on the go, read chapter by chapter by the teacher, given enough time to do so – if the plot is riveting, the characters are identified with, the schoolchildren will be gripped and discuss it, think about it, talk about it, queue to borrow it from the library.
It is knowing how much pleasure you can get from reading that makes reading for research so much easier. My generation could always have cheated at uni if we wanted to – my marks were good enough that no lecturer would have thought of searching the State Library’s collection. But doing the research all for yourself was so much more satisfying. Building bridges and roads (Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Opinion, 27/5) without actually knowing how and why they work, is terrifying.
It’s not coincidence that schools with libraries do the best academically. The kids at such schools are not afraid of reading. If parents also do lots of reading aloud before school, children are familiar with stories, characters, and the ideas they bring with them. And are much more likely to read widely, both for pleasure, for academic research, and later, in whatever work they choose.
Virginia Lowe, Ormond

Tinkering at the edges
Workplace Minister Amanda Rishworth’s proposed reforms to the employment system are little more than tinkering around the edges (″⁣JobSeeker services to get first overhaul in 30 years″⁣, 27/5).
They do not address deeper problems inherent in the system, including the deficit model approach to viewing the unemployed as blameworthy. Likewise, the JobSeeker rate is set at 42 per cent below the poverty line; as a recipient of this for six years, I know how narrow life becomes as a direct result of not being able to afford simple things such as attending job interviews.
We have 1.4 million unemployed people, 417,000 of whom are 34 years or younger; the question is not what is wrong with these people but rather why are there no jobs for them? When we choose to downplay or ignore such problems, we fail to recognise the talented idle hands that will help shape our future. Instead we establish a precedent where many looking for a job are competing with those looking for another job.
Anders Ross, Heidelberg

Lines crossed
Your correspondent (Letters, 29/5) asserts that ″⁣it would seem critical for farmers to be urgently developing practices to support the presence of renewable electricity transmission lines″⁣. Perhaps, but these would not be necessary if the lines were not expediently planned to cross their paddocks as the crow flies, thereby unnecessarily disrupting their broad-acre farming practices.
Peter Drum, Coburg

AI, here’s a solution
A solution to artificial intelligence tech companies stealing data could be a simple watermark stamped on all items that include AI content.
Like the Australia food labelling bar graph eg, Originally created in Australia but now with 80 per cent AI content.
Paul Custance, Highett

AND ANOTHER THING

Politics
The Clive and Pauline party? The mind boggles (″⁣Hanson shuts gates on influx of Coalition defectors″⁣, 29/5). But the Gina, Clive and Pauline party? That would be something, and a real clash of egos.
Marie Nash, Balwyn

Once we see Angus Taylor and Pauline Hanson cruising around their electorates in their new Ferrari EVs we know the climate war is over.
Paul Chivers, Box Hill North

Jacinta Allan, why would people need any guns unless they’re to keep farm animals safe from predators? Really.
Helen Campbell, Bittern

Guns, guns and more guns. Jacinta Allan will be most remembered for her pandering to the gun lobby, which is a legacy that any self-respecting premier should be concerned about.
Tony Delaney, Warrnambool

Who needs to own four guns?
Chris Hooper, Castlemaine

Who can explain why the federal Liberal Party has selected Tony Abbott as its president? If the Liberals think Abbott is the answer to their problems, I think they are asking the wrong questions.
Margaret Ludowyk, Brunswick

Furthermore
If we want to know exactly how AI can improve our lives, why don’t we ask AI?
Ron Mather, Melbourne

Artificial Intelligence. The Industrial Revolution for this century?
Robert Saunders, Box Hill North

Re. taxation, if whinging were an Olympic sport, Australia would win a gold medal.
Patricia Traverso, Canterbury

What a treat to read a letter from Helen Garner (Letters, 29/5) Unsurprisingly, eloquent and meaningful.
Susie Holt, South Yarra

Letters in The Age don’t come any better than Helen Garner’s insights into friendly telephone conversations.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills

Finally
Wonderful Wilcox (29/5). Pure puppy love.
Linda Dare, Woodend