source : the age
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Towering implication
The proposal by Lendlease to build a tower beside the Young and Jackson pub nearly twice the height of the city’s 40-metre height limit has implications for the whole of the retail core (″City, residents left powerless as developer asks minister to approve tower despite height limit″, 26/6). The height control extends over the retail core of the centre and was introduced in 1982 expressly to avoid the shopping streets becoming sunless canyons overshadowed by office towers. We have all benefited from this foresight and enjoy the sun and open sky while walking from shop to shop. Approval of this project would surely be the beginning of the end of such a beneficial control which has been in place for more than four decades.
Ian Wight, Chair, Royal Historical Society of Victoria Heritage Committee, Richmond
AI strategy needed
Columnist Waleed Aly (Comment, 26/6) highlighted the growing resistance in many US states to the unchecked expansion of AI data centres. Australia should heed these warnings before repeating the same mistakes. I welcome the parliamentary inquiry into AI data centres. It comes at a critical time as governments weigh the benefits of AI against the impacts on energy, water, housing and local communities. I urge parliament to introduce a temporary moratorium on new hyperscale AI data centre approvals until a binding national framework is in place. New facilities should be required to fund the renewable energy, storage, transmission and water infrastructure they need, rather than placing further pressure on public resources or extending reliance on coal and gas.
Governments must also adopt nationally consistent standards for energy efficiency, renewable energy, water use and emissions, while ensuring state planning protects housing, biodiversity and meaningful community consultation. The world’s wealthiest technology companies can afford to pay their fair share of infrastructure costs and taxes. Australia needs a national AI strategy that puts communities, climate and future generations ahead of an unchecked data centre boom.
Patricia Jessen, Elwood
Not so fast on centres
Thanks to Waleed Aly for his informative piece about increasingly unpopular AI data centres in the United States and the lessons that should be heeded.
Aly states that “a Gallup poll showed more than 70 per cent of Americans oppose having a data centre in their local area”.
Australians are quickly catching up, as these large, windowless data centre structures are mushrooming across the country, with indecent haste and minimal community consultation. This raises the question: Is Australia being used as a convenient dumping ground for data centres that American communities don’t want?
And more worryingly, the closing date for submissions to an important Senate committee inquiry into “Artificial intelligence and data centres” has just been extended from June 26 to September 1.
Can the Albanese government please assure Australians that no AI data centre proposals will be approved until Australians know the findings from this inquiry?
Rob Firth, Red Hill, ACT
Grandmother’s wisdom
My grandmother used to chastise us for silly, stubborn self-defeating decisions with the phrase “you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face”. What would she say now about current Australian voting intentions?
Richard Jamonts, Williamstown
Welcome new party
Even if there was no teal independent standing in my own electorate, I’d welcome the chance to vote for the Community Strong Australia party (CSA) in the Senate (″Who’ll come to the two-teal party?″, 27/6).
Current Independent Senator David Pocock has been effective on ″progressive″ issues, including negotiating amendments to government legislation. He represents the ACT. One CSA representative like him for each state and territory would be a realistic target at the 2028 election.
Votes can be expected from disaffected Liberal supporters. The party under Angus Taylor’s leadership has moved to the right. His dropping of net zero, and support for coal, are unwelcome for many. Many who support Labor or the LNP would give preferences to the CSA. Six teal independents beat incumbent Liberals in 2022, at the first try. The new party could well have similar success in the Senate.
John Hughes, Mentone
New definitions
With much confusion lately about the meaning of multiculturalism and monoculturalism, I offer some useful definitions:
Moanoculturalism: resentment and grievance politics of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party and contempt for immigrants of non-English speaking background and First Nations peoples.
Meanoculturalism: opposing social welfare for disadvantaged refugees, Indigenous, unemployed and other marginalised people.
Mineoculturalism: subservience to the mining ambitions of mega-wealthy Gina Rinehart, environmental and cultural vandalism, climate change denialism and libertarianism.
Harry Zable, Campbells Creek
A good outcome
Interesting that your correspondent laments that they sold two investment properties due to changes in Victorian land tax (Letters, 27/6).
While this has seen both properties come off the rental market, the better outcome is now that these two properties will be occupied by owners who no longer have to rent. An excellent outcome of the tax changes at both state and federal level to enable more people to own a home.
Denise Stevens, St Kilda
Blame the Americans
Your correspondent (Letters, 24/6) has issued a call to arms for all pedants. Well here goes, the most grievous damage done to the English language has been perpetrated by the Americans, due to the pervasive nature of their culture, facilitated by the proliferation of social media, especially among the young. Americans like to add superfluous words, they leave out necessary words, as in the phrase ″my bad″, my bad what? They use the wrong words in common phrases, eg bored of rather than bored with. At least some Americans claim that the language they speak is American not English, I agree, sometimes ignorance produces a pleasing result. Apparently some Americans are surprised that in Australia we speak English, or as they would hear it, American.
Alister McKenzie, Lake Wendouree
This fragile Earth
All life exists and flourishes because the natural world is interconnected. If we go on clearing forests and continue breaking these intimate connections there will be no life on Earth.
Steven Katsineris, Hurstbridge
What a deal
Donald Trump brags that the US, after removing the leadership of Venezuela, has made 28 times the amount of the military operation costs simply by selling Venezuela’s oil. So, technically, he instigated a coup and then plundered a natural resource of another country.
Greg Tuck, Warragul
Liberal perceptions
Does the Victorian Liberal Party actually want to govern?
Malcolm I. Fraser, Oakleigh South
Thanks, nice AI
I’m an old lady and I’m beginning to think AI is a real person. He’s so polite and knowledgeable. I’m thinking of taking him a casserole.
Pamela Pilgrim, Highett
