source : the age
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Richmond clearances
The removal of 220 families and the imminent demolition of their Richmond homes is another chapter in the clearing out of the not-so-well-off from valuable inner-city real estate. In the 1950s and 1960s the Housing Commission of Victoria compulsory acquired many thousands of small inner-city holdings, the homes of many not so well off, and stacked those people into high-rise towers, while the land fell into other hands. In many instances, the HCV acquired for the price of land only if the house could be declared ″sub-standard″, leaving the home owner with never enough to buy elsewhere, so they were forced into rental.
Now the estate will be converted into ″build-to-rent″ residences with the rental way out of reach of those previous residents. They will lose their inner-city location and be forced out into the sticks, with transport issues and no local employment.
Ironically, all this from a Labor government.
John Marks, Werribee
Where’s social justice?
The state government appears hell-bent on destroying Victoria’s public housing system with the proposed demolition of the 44 high-rise towers across Melbourne. The replacement of the Highett Street, Richmond, flats is a case in point. The government had announced that 220 public tenant units will be replaced by only 150social housing dwellings while 650 will be built as private build-to-rent apartments for middle to high income earners. With this outrageous plan how will the 69,000 people on the public housing waiting list ever be housed? Where has our tradition of social justice gone?
Jeff Fiedler, Castlemaine
Grim present and future
Richard Flanagan’s article “Albanese is selling out Australia to AI colonists as artists face ruin” (18/9) is hard-hitting and dares to tell the truth about where Australia is today. I, like him in 1974 had optimistic hopes for our country.
Unfortunately, I agree with his critique and am not only angry and disappointed with what might have been but sad that the country has descended into a toxic culture, likely with AI and the rich tech companies extinguishing us all at some point.
Geraldine Lakha, Balwyn North
PM, protect artists
Your correspondent (Letters, 19/9) is right to call out the government’s sell-out of creative artists in not sufficiently protecting original works through strong copyright laws. Fill in a few lyrics or even just submit a topic to any number of songwriting apps and a song will be created in a few minutes.
These songs are built from the blood, sweat and tears of thousands of songwriters and artists from around the world without their knowledge or permission.
Proper copyright laws are essential if we are to protect original works created by hardworking musicians, writers and artists.
The government is letting our talented and creative artists down by not implementing strong copyright laws.
Freedom of expression is one thing but stealing work from others is not on.
Graeme Lechte, Pascoe Vale
Words of a child
ABC news report on Thursday night of the Labor government’s plans to curb migration was followed by a story of children escaping the rubble of a collapsed building in Gaza. Our seven-year-old daughter immediately sensing the irony in our country seeking to keep people out during a time of global conflict and record numbers of forcibly displaced people asked to write a letter to the prime minister.
While we carefully frame these stories to ensure they’re as safe as possible for young viewers, our daughter’s plea that “we have room” and that these kids “have done nothing wrong” were all her words. If our daughter is to grow up in an egalitarian society and a liberal democracy, our government must do better than pander to rightwing social media algorithms and nativist populism.
Tim Wright, Point Lonsdale
Freight train blues
Your correspondent (Letters, 18/9) has correctly identified that a major cause of road surface deterioration and potholes is the plethora of heavier vehicles on the roads, compared with earlier decades. In addition to the rectification of road surfaces and pothole removal, a desirable alternative solution is the redirection of heavy freight volumes to the logical alternative – freight rail. Yet the prime minister this year decreed that the long overdue for completion inland freight rail, between Melbourne (Australia’s largest port) and Queensland, be suspended. More freight on country and interstate roads – more potholes and surface deterioration. Time to get the goods back on (the rail) track.
Brian Kidd, Mt Waverley
Going south
With the ongoing debate over East Brighton or Brighton East, among others, I am looking forward to the following discussions; Korea South, Sudan South and Africa South or even America South.
Phil Labrum, Trentham
Hidden agenda
I can’t believe that the federal Labor government has plans to introduce new legislation regarding visas and migrants without the knowledge of the devastating impact these rules will have on rural and regional Australia.
I believe that they know exactly what they are doing and that after some parliamentary and committee biffo they’ll be largely withdrawn and all that will be left is a policy to engage actively in deporting ″overstayers″.
Why? Because this tactic serves to wedge One Nation and the Nationals and bleed votes from those affected negatively by the migration policies as they stand, if not to the ALP then to Greens and Independents, parliamentarians with whom I’m sure the ALP would rather deal.
Simon Clegg, Donvale
Hanson, open the mind
Pauline Hanson’s public comments that First Nations people are the most primitive on Earth and have achieved nothing is as disdainful as claiming all redheads are ignorant. There isn’t enough column space to acknowledge the awesome contributions First Nations people have made to sport, dance, literature, music, journalism, art, and politics. I would encourage Hanson to read any book by one of the many talented Indigenous writers and open her mind to their history being told through music and dance.
Knowledge is no burden to carry. An intractable ignorance on the other hand, diminishes her.
Linda Grace, Mitcham
It’s all Trumps
Donald Trump tells Americans, “When you vote, pretend that Trump is on the ballot!”
Democrats tell Americans, “When you vote, pretend that Trump is on the ballot!“
Stuart McArthur, Carlton North
Band together
When politicians ban news organisations from news conferences (Pauline Hanson and Donald Trump) it would be good if all other organisations banded together and refused to also attend.
Michael Brinkman, Ventnor
Carney’s vision
It’s a joy to hear a politician whose words are memorable. ″We believe that a strong economy is not an end in itself but the means to a just society.″ – Mark Carney, speaking to the European Parliament. So much wrapped up in one sentence. So much addressed in one speech.
Alison Fraser, Ascot Vale
Falling behind
I spend almost every waking moment trying to “help mitigate climate change”. And yet, seeing the climate becoming more chaotic and governments and major polluting companies continuing their climate-damaging behaviours, I fear we all fall into the “not-doing-enough” category.
Lesley Walker, Northcote
