Source : the age
Credit: Matt Golding
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ELECTION
The Exclusive Brethren are exempted from voting in elections on the basis of their religious beliefs. It now appears they do in fact wish to directly participate in an electoral process they apparently do not believe in (“Exclusive Brethren don’t vote but are secretly campaigning for the Coalition”, 29/4). In this light, they should either pay the fine for not voting or pay the entry fee for participation in elections, that is taxes. I don’t imagine they would be happy with either but this is what comes from burning the candle at both ends.
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Concerning shift
For as long as I can remember, voting in Australia was a straightforward experience. Yet, the infiltration of far-right religious groups like the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church into the Coalition, as exposed by The Age, signals a dangerous shift.
Their covert campaigning, potential intimidation, and misogynistic tactics mirror the Christian nationalist takeover of America’s Republican Party.
We cannot let Australia become a dystopian echo of the US, where women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ protections, and secular values are eroded. The Brethren’s tax-free status and business practices further entangle their agenda in self-interest, not faith. The Coalition should disavow these extremist alliances to preserve our fair, inclusive and secular nation.
Sue Barrett, Caulfield South
Policy the best policy
Voters are being bombarded with unflattering stories about candidates and their campaigns, particularly in my electorate of Kooyong (“China group’s voting directions” and “Brethren members in secret push for Coalition”, 29/4). While these stories might make for interesting reading, they shouldn’t be a major determinant of our votes.
Unlike many countries, we are fortunate to have a robust democracy. I therefore urge fellow Australians to read up on policies, or use tools like the ABC’s Vote Compass or Build a Ballot, to help to identify candidates who best match your values. An informed vote is the strongest voice we have to shape the future we want for our country.
Amy Hiller, Kew
What revelations lie ahead?
My intention was to vote early in the federal election (in Kooyong), but then came revelations about Monique Ryan’s husband removing the Liberal candidate’s sign, so I thought I might wait to ensure I am fully informed. Then came revelations of multiple properties owned by the renter Amelia Hamer, then we found out about the $20 million Hamer family trust fund, then we had the prominent surgeon Greg Malham instructing to “always remember boys, bury the body”, and now it has been revealed the Exclusive Brethren of all people are campaigning. I think I better wait until Saturday to vote as anything could happen between now and then.
Neale Meagher, Malvern
Defend yourself
When politicians of any stripe criticise the ABC, they are simply stating they don’t have the confidence that their arguments or policies will stand up to regulation democratic debate (“Dutton calls ABC and the Guardian ‘hate media’,” 28/4). As a leader, a defensible stance on any given matter is the cornerstone of sensible policy-making. If the basic premises of your assertions don’t withstand the simple scrutiny of journalistic questioning, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and come up with something sensible and appealing to the electorate you wish to represent.
Clive Shepherd, Glen Huntly
A campaign tactic too far
Can anyone tell me how Clive Palmer’s party got my mobile number? More importantly, how can I stop them from harassing me with his stupid messages? Unlike most unsolicited messages there is not a sending number which I can easily block. Must I go to the police station and tell them he is harassing me?
Peter Ramadge, Newport
THE FORUM
Sensitivity and solidarity
All praise to Rob Harris in his coverage of the Pope’s death and funeral. As one who finds patriarchal religion hugely problematic, I often have to pass on reading material about the heart of such institutions. Thanks to Harris for his invitational, levelling and, dare I say, spiritually reflective writing of the man and his mission for peace, justice and reconciliation at the grass roots and beyond.
Rather than skipping over this seminal world moment, Harris has enabled me to feel solidarity and to join in the universal call to “peace, compassion, humility, mercy and courage” as experienced and witnessed to, by Governor-General Sam Mostyn (“Seated among world leaders, governor-general was struck by message she hoped they all received”, 29/4).
Rev Sally Apokis, South Melbourne
A spirit for the age
Our Governor-General Sam Mostyn hopes world leaders at the Pope’s funeral will be moved by his spirit, as he “showed that it is possible to be a great world leader but always act with compassion and concern for those that are often marginalised and left out”. I too hope leaders such as Donald Trump, Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky were inspired, as Mostyn put it, with “a sense of recommitment to peace and compassion with one another”. Francis’ life, right up to his final words and actions, incarnated his convictions on humility, courage, peace and compassion for the marginalised. Let’s hope it’s contagious.
Kevin Burke, Sandringham
Business as usual
The Pope is famously infallible on matters of teaching. No leader of any organisation on the planet has as much autonomy in influencing that organisation, and yet after Francis’ tenure, to me, women are no more visible in his church than they were before his election, and poverty is no less obvious in the world than before he came to power while the riches of the church are as apparent as ever. So aside from this Pope being buried in a less ostentatious grave and apparently being a nice bloke, it’s business as usual for the Catholic Church.
Julian Guy, Mt Eliza
Insight into horror
I can well relate to Sidney Nolan writing “How can I paint disease” at the time of Eichmann’s trial and the visceral effect of his visit to Auschwitz in 1962 (“These works by Sidney Nolan have never been displayed…” 29/4). My wife and I visited Auschwitz about 25 years ago, cameras at the ready. Two steps inside the gates, they were put away. The visuals, the stories, indeed the “disease” experienced then remain imbedded in my memory to this day. My memories are very personal. Fortunately Nolan’s exhibition, Aftershocks, will allow others to gain an insight into the horrors of Auschwitz.
Jim McLeod, Sale
Valuable access
The failure of adequate provision of pre-poll booths for the elderly and disabled voters to exercise their democratic right is not the only obstacle they face (“Lord mayor lashes electoral watchdog over lack of early voting centres”, 27/4). They have to compete for the parking bays closest to the entrance of the pre-poll entrance with candidates brazenly sequesting them for promotional purposes. At the New Hope Community Centre pre poll in Blackburn North, the Keith Wolahan Liberals team have set up their volunteer support tent, adorned with corflutes and a car with another corflute covering the two car parks closest to the entrance of venue (two disability car park bays excepted). I observed many mobility challenged voters negotiating the busy car park from a distance while volunteers were fed and watered at close proximity.
Diana Yallop, Surrey Hills
Premier kept us safe
I am currently fortunate to be touring in Europe, but unfortunate to have contracted a very bad cold that has resulted in severe asthma. I feel stupid for allowing myself, for the first time since COVID started, to travel on public transport without a face mask, as Milanese (Italy) people are happy to cough and sneeze everywhere with aplomb. I am also incredibly grateful to Dan Andrews and his government for keeping us safe during COVID, and championing the use of face masks which has meant almost no colds in five years for me. I now read that Dan Andrews is not welcome at another private golf club because of some perceived slight during COVID. I’d like to remind those members that Andrews saved tens of thousands of lives, ensured we didn’t need to have refrigerator trucks holding hundreds of bodies as per New York, kept the hospitals functioning and saved thousands from long COVID and more. And the public thought well enough of Andrews to vote him back in 2022 with a large majority.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster
What’s my name again?
Everyone at some point in their life has to deal with federal government departments. Unfortunately, these departments have trouble spelling my name correctly and consistently. For example, I recently successfully applied for a Seniors Health Card. The correspondence from Services Australia spelt my name three different ways. McKinnon, Mckinnon and MCKINNON. The Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Electoral Commission both spell my name MCKINNON but My Health Record spell it Mckinnon. I contacted MyHealth Record but their software would not allow them to change it to McKinnon. It would make sense for each government department to spell a person’s name the same. The easy way would be to spell all surnames in capital letters.
I do not think this is a difficult problem to solve. Just need to get their software gurus to work on the task.
Sandy McKinnon, Patterson Lakes
Veteran generosity
The call by the RSL to have Welcome to Country on Anzac Day is the right call (28/4). As a veteran who served Her Majesty the Queen for 25 years I can attest that military personnel are generally conservative in their political views but do not lack generosity of spirit. While in RAAF boarding school over three years in the 1950s with 300 other teenage boys, my closest friends included Hugh of Aboriginal heritage and David of Burmese heritage. They happened to be two of the most respected members of our cohort, one winning the Rolls Royce Award for Excellence, the other graduating as education dux. There is a certain meanness by those who object to Welcome to Country. When I see the Aboriginal flag flying on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge or next to our prime minister when he speaks my late friend Hugh immediately springs to mind. He and many others of his heritage, also served. Not a few before their people had been granted citizenship.
Ian Muldoon, St Kilda
The wrong option
We are suddenly having a discussion about the appropriateness of Welcome to Country ceremonies because of the words and actions of a few neo-Nazis at the Shrine Dawn Service last Friday. Peter Dutton’s contribution to this discussion was to say that there are too many of these ceremonies and that they are inappropriate for Anzac Day services. As a man who wants to lead our country Dutton could have condemned outright these actions from last Friday and make no further comment, thus depriving it of any oxygen.
Rod Moran, Brighton
Ceremony of inclusion
We should stop this talk of Australia being divided and various practices being “divisive”. Australia does not belong to any one group. It perhaps belongs to all of us. First Nations people are the only grouping whose primary focus is being caretakers for Country. They should be applauded for this.
Senior Liberals have said the Welcome to Country ceremony is divisive. On the contrary the practice is welcoming to visitors and old and new settlers, even after the horrors perpetrated on First Nations people. Various persons and political parties try to claim priority status for their own ends and to create fear and division themselves. Are we not better than this? Jan Marshall, Brighton
True reflections
I would encourage the correspondent who refers to “the incessant tugging of the forelock to Aboriginal elders” (Letters, 29/4) wanting to reserve Welcome to Country for the opening of Parliament and international sporting occasions to reflect on the fact that any sporting event when the descendants of the international invaders play and spectate can be regarded as international. This takes place on the lands occupied for over 65,000 years by Indigenous Australians. And never ceded.
Perhaps after each Welcome to Country we could all take the time to reflect on what a deep connection to country really could be like, with a humble and inclusive respect for the life-giving land, water, air and all our fellow and future citizens’ place in it.
Greg Malcher, Hepburn
Feeling at home
Your correspondent refers to an ideal situation where Australian history would lead us to “automatically think about life 65,000 years ago, not start with Captain Cook only 250 years ago…” (Letters, 29/4). But who among us understands primeval survival (or not) at nature’s discretion? That sustainable multi-lingual population where meeting others from afar would be a significant event?
Generations take for granted NASA’s 1968 “Earthrise” image of our planet rising above the lunar surface and the subsequent first moon landing driving home “We live on Earth”. Many of us look on that planet – countries lived in, worked, family, education – from afar. The history, wars, politics, architecture, languages … and wonder where do we belong? Then along comes “Always was, always will be”, which guilt translates into “You never were, and you never will be”.
Ronald Elliott, Sandringham
AND ANOTHER THING
Credit: Matt Golding
Federal election
Clive Palmer needs to slow down on his ads. It’s getting hard to keep track of what to be afraid of. Right now, I’m on the lookout for Chinese woke trumpets, but at this rate anything’s possible.
Peter Bear, Mitcham
Peter Dutton has floated a notion, repeated by Sarah Ferguson on 7.30 in an interview with the PM, that tradies would be subsidising the proposed HECS debt reductions for university graduates. As the PM keeps reminding us, TAFE is free, so who is subsidising who?
Peter Knight, St Arnaud
Welcome to Country
Those saying Welcome to Country greetings are overused, are invariably confusing the Welcome to Country given by a traditional owner of the tribal land at a (typically important) event and Acknowledgement of Country (given by a speaker who is respectfully recognising that they are on the land of a registered traditional owner group).
David Crawford, Balwyn
Isn’t it amazing that we are still welcomed to country after we rejected the call for First Nations to have a voice?
Pauline Brown, Woodend
Gratitude
Lucia Frazzetto (“Boomers can teach us a thing or two about gratitude”, 29/4), you are a gem. Kindness and gratitude; free to give, free to receive.
Judy Kevill, Ringwood
Bravo Lucia Frazzetto for your beautifully worded article about positivity. In this age of uncertainty with so much doom and gloom, it is wonderful to be reminded that it is possible to concentrate on what is good about our lives rather than obsessing about what might be better.
Dave Rabl, Ocean Grove
Finally
Your correspondent (Letters, 29/4) decries football players who don’t join in singing our national anthem at AFL games. Anyone who has ever heard players “singing” their team anthems after a win, would respectfully suggest they remain silent.
John Bye, Elwood
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