source : the age
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Credit: Alan Moir
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FIRE SEASONS
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it short, and said it true. The Los Angeles fires exemplify ″a new normal of more extreme weather events and more intensity to them″ (″Climate change hits firebombing operations″, 10/1). And the culprit? Climate change. That’s why investing in more robust firefighting capability is sensible but woefully inadequate. The combination of more record-breaking temperatures, catastrophic firestorms, intense floods and prolonged droughts is taking us into a critical zone of tipping points. Crisis, however, can bring clarity.
The evidence is compelling. The single most effective course of action is to stop burning fossil fuels. This is the election pledge we need to hear from right across the political spectrum.
Tom Knowles, Parkville
We must stop subsidising fossil fuel mining
Los Angeles is ablaze with thousands of homes lost and 180,000 people evacuated while 76,000 hectares of national park and farmland had been torched in the Grampians. Yet, more rain predicted for water-logged coastal Queensland. Albanese wisely comments that “the fires showed the influence of climate change on fire seasons” and that “more and more we see a new pattern of extreme weather events and more intensity”. Then, why is his government flying in the face of UN opinion and international efforts to reduce carbon emissions by subsidising fossil fuel mining to the tune of $14.5 billion per year? And why was that amount a 31 per cent increase on the previous year’s subsidies?
Jill Sanguinetti, East Brunswick,
We all must work to reduce greenhouse emissions
The Californians are doing it tough. So many properties and lives have been lost in fires reminiscent of our black summer. Astoundingly, this is in the middle of their winter. It seems their firies have resigned themselves to now having no ″fire season″. With rising temperatures worldwide, how would we cope in Australia without a safe time of the year to burn off? We really need to work harder to stop the world’s greenhouse emissions.
Tom Hunt, Oak Flats, NSW
Prison ″slaves″ make up the LA firefighting force
About 30 per cent of firefighters battling the LA blazes are incarcerated individuals, risking their lives for as little as $5.80 per day, according to US media. Upon release, these same individuals are often barred from working as firefighters – or in many other fields – due to their criminal records. This hypocrisy reveals a system that exploits their hard and often heroic work while denying them the opportunity for rehabilitation.
The 13th Amendment to the US constitution abolished slavery, yet it left an exception: involuntary servitude is still permitted as punishment for a crime. Today, more black men are incarcerated than were enslaved in 1850 – a damning reflection of systemic racism. This unresolved legacy of slavery in the US should provoke both outrage and action. It is time for global pressure to push for the closure of this constitutional loophole, the dismantling of the prison-industrial complex, and the creation of genuine opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration.
Alistair McLellan, Yarrawonga
THE FORUM
Shaky shared values
Australian governments repeatedly say shared values with the US are a cornerstone of our foreign and defence policies. This claim looks as shaky as Donald Trump’s moral compass.
Trump’s association with the attempted 2021 insurrection in Washington, followed by recent threats to take over Panama and Greenland, require a reconsideration of the supposed cornerstone of Australia’s place in the world.
Consider a simple question: what values are shared between Trump and, for instance, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong? As best I can tell, the answer is zero. Wong shares more values with Denmark, a small, inoffensive social democratic country actively menaced by Trump.
Andy Butfoy, Bunyip
Humanity over hubris
Donald Trump’s response to the devastating Los Angeles fires is another glaring display of his arrogance and lack of compassion. Instead of offering leadership or support to those affected, he resorted to juvenile insults against California Governor Gavin Newsom, focusing on political point-scoring during an existential crisis. This churlish behaviour diminishes the dignity of his office and insults the resilience of those facing these disasters. We need leaders who prioritise humanity over hubris – Trump has once again proven he’s incapable of that.
David Fox, Beaumaris
Now, this is a deal
US President-elect Trump wants to ″acquire″ Greenland, by purchase or force where America already has an air base, and is seeking control of its minerals and strategic importance (″So Trump wants Greenland? Don’t laugh, America’s been here before″, 10/9).
Sounds like Australia: Pine Gap along with our rare minerals and strategic importance in the Indian and Pacific oceans. And we come for free, even paying for the privilege of hosting and buying nuclear submarines. No force needed, and we pay you. Trump, you’ll never get a better deal than that.
Megan Stoyles, Aireys Inlet
Take one for the team
Given that we are in the throes of the ascension to the US presidency by Donald Trump and our prime minister wants to maintain our tariff-free status, there is one strategic move that has not been considered to date.
Off the coast of Victoria, there is an island that often gets forgotten off Australian maps. It has not contributed a huge amount to our economy over many years and has the dubious distinction of electing Green candidates at most elections! I believe that the name of this island may trace its origins from a Dutch explorer named Tasman.
As for the residents of that island, I think it’s time to take one for the team! And, you may get a lot more recognition from Trump than you are getting here at home.
Suresh Rajan, Stirling, WA
Spend taxes wisely
With all this talk in these pages about private schools and public schools, with taxes and funding, it seems that the divide between the rich and the poor is increasing and starts from the moment a child steps into school. What sort of society are we building where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Our taxes are meant to ensure everyone in the community has access to basic services and is one of society’s most important functions.
The fact that private schools have been overfunded is outrageous, and surely we need to make sure that the user pays. The taxes are meant to be spent wisely and distributed evenly to help build a society where everyone has a fair go.
Julie Ottobre, Brunswick East
Don’t use, why pay?
Your correspondent (Letters, 10/1) advocates that taxes paid to educate children should be allocated for that child’s education regardless of whether they choose to go to public or private schools.
I would like that credo to be similarly applied to my transport needs. There are taxes paid that are allocated for my use of public transport. I choose to use private transport so I want those taxes similarly allocated towards my private transport costs.
Damon Ross, St Kilda East
Djokovic reminder
Re ″Novak Djokovic: I am not anti-vax, I am pro-freedom″,(10/1). Someone needs to remind Novak that when he was trying to enter Australia unvaccinated, we weren’t even allowed to visit our dying parents in other states, even allowing for 14-day quarantine. It is astonishing that he is still disappointed that we didn’t make an exception for him. He needs to take a much broader view of what was happening in Australia at that time.
Peter Farrar, Brighton East
Teen spirit
Your correspondent (Letters, ″Teenage driving″, 10/1) who seems to argues that 16-year-olds do not have the ″mental maturity″ to be able to vote is making an ill-informed assumption about the political and social media savvy of many, many 16-year-olds in my experience.
I have been involved in many state, federal and local government campaigns as a candidate, organiser and volunteer for the past 15 years, and I can report that the fiercely engaged 16-year-olds I have long discussed policy, issues and campaign strategy with have a much better grasp of the Australian electoral system, and an ability to analyse and compare policy than many older voters.
Younger voters are acutely aware that it is their tomorrows that are shaped by the governments that are elected today.
Optional voting rights should be extended to those engaged and informed 16-year-olds, who keenly comprehend and appreciate the importance and the power of their vote.
Michelle Goldsmith, Eaglehawk
Rest is history
Being a housemaster of a large boys’ boarding school does not qualify your correspondent as an expert on the Middle East conflict (Letters, 9/1). For starters, the 1947 UN vote on a partition plan that would have seen the establishment of a Jewish state and an Arab state was immediately rejected by the Arab League. And when the British left in 1948, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, even Sudan, attacked the newly formed state with the intent of destroying it. That is, if the Arab League accepted the UN plan back then, the whole conflict could have been avoided. The rest is history. But, despite the incessant rocket attacks from Gaza and southern Lebanon, perhaps the reason why “99 per cent of Israelis can sleep securely, while Palestinians sleep in anxiety” is that Israel has an effective defence system to protect its population.
The ongoing conflict is far more complex to be explained here; however, inaccurate bits of cherry-picked information don’t help either.
Henry Herzog, St Kilda East
Fractured relations
Re ″Albanese minister to fly to Israel to mend fractured relationship″, (7/1), some might wish Penny Wong, not Mark Dreyfus was off to Israel to call out Netanyahu’s ridiculous claim that “anti-Israel sentiment is antisemitism”. Her initial response was commendably firm and principled.
But then, as the government’s first law officer, perhaps Dreyfus is eminently suited: he could get first-hand evidence of the International Court of Justice’s plausible-genocide charge by insisting on going to Gaza. He could talk to Palestinians being forced off their West Bank lands by aggressive settlers under an occupation the court has deemed illegal. He could discuss with Netanyahu the Australian High Court’s legal discovery that the principle of terra nullius was always invalid here, and ask if the Israeli court has addressed this issue, one we share historically.
Ken Blackman, Inverloch
Always a westie
Re ″Growing up in the west, we knew it wasn’t a nice place″, (10/1). Like its writer John Weldon, I, too, started uni in 1979 at Rusden College, one of only 20 from Sunshine High to go onto tertiary education.
In my first year, I distinctly remember another student asking everyone in my sociology tutorial, which school and area they had come from. After spending time deriding the western suburbs, this student proudly proclaimed they were the product of a very exclusive girls’ grammar school.
It came my turn to respond. I proudly stated my educational background and remarked that we both ended up in the same place, me from the ″deprived west″ and her from the ″affluent east″.
Growing up in the west during the ’60s and ’70s was difficult, but colourful, multicultural and character building.
And yes, like John, my family have not strayed too far from the west: ″Once a westie, always a westie″.
Leanne Salisbury, Torquay
Finding the light
Re “Rescued hiker survived a fortnight on alpine berries and two muesli bars”, (9/1).
As I drove across town this week to visit my sister who is seriously ill in hospital, I again listened to the latest news report concerning the search for Nadi Hazari.
He had been in my thoughts over the past days, as I would expect so for many others.
I felt a strong connection, desire and belief, that he should be found. As I drove along Middleborough Road, I prayed. I prayed so fervently that on reflection, I hope I didn’t overlook any road safety matters.
After a long and difficult day at the hospital, I was so delighted to hear when I arrived home, that Nadi had been found, safe and well.
Helen Anderson, Rosanna
AND ANOTHER THING
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Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Trump’s tactics
By responding to the Californian fire emergency with a cheap shot at his political opponents, Trump has again demonstrated his lack of empathy and compassion,
Phil Lipshut, Elsternwick
Greenland’s very loyal monarchy next door may have far more noble ideas about Greenland than Trump’s grand delusions. The Danes are known to get a lot of things very right.
Tris Raouf, Hadfield
Trump wants Canada to be another state of the USA? As ever, not an original idea. A bloke in the 1930s had a very similar idea for Germany and Austria – Anschluss, I think it was called.
Kevin Prince, Trieste, Italy
Justin Trudeau should say to Trump: We have a king – Charles III. He comes with the deal.
Jim Davidson, Fitzroy
So now, they are almost twins: Elon and Felon.
Dean Wotherspoon, Northcote
Furthermore
If you’re the prime minister, it’s not OK to buy a house during a cost of living crisis. But if you’re the aspiring PM, it’s OK to promote videos of your senior colleagues making cocktails during a cost of living crisis.
Bronwyn Benn, Burwood
Waleed Aly (″Midnight hour for ‘woke’ politics″, 10/1) praises Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett for taking time talking ‘woke’ politics with people. Our PM should also do this now.
Barbara Fraser, Burwood
From experience, if you want to be found in the bush a bright yellow outer garment may look daggy but it could save your life.
Kyle Matheson, Mont Albert
Overpayment of government benefits to elite rich private schools: Slow reduction in overpayment and no debt recovery. Overpayment of government benefits to poor individual person: Robodebt.
Laurens Meyer, Richmond
Finally
Could I have an explanation for the need of a mini-handshake after every point between players during professional doubles tennis?
Bruce Love, East Melbourne
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