source : the age
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Good to see the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, being prominent at the United Nations General Assembly (“Albanese says the old world order ‘not fit for purpose’ ″, 24/9). He has meaningful insights into middle nations developing new partners for trade and security.
He is being recognised for “his role in strengthening Australia’s alliances … across the Indo-Pacific”. He admits “for our Pacific neighbours climate change is the most immediate security threat”. Not just for them.
It would be appropriate then, for Australia to be more of a leader in climate change amelioration, and Albanese’s seat at the UN would be a great opportunity for promoting such action.
If he can stand up to the president of the United States, why can’t he stand up to mining interests in Australia and cease extending and opening new fossil fuel mines here? Why can’t we phase down our exports of these products, and have some input into reducing world carbon emissions?
The answer, of course, is that money and power speak loudly.
This underlines the importance of coalitions and working together on these complex and potentially deadly problems.
Jan Marshall, Brighton
Society must be rebuilt, from bottom up
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is right about the old order of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic changed it and now there is Donald Trump. Some of the assumptions including eternal growth must be ditched.
My concern is that one in seven of us are living in poverty after 40 years of the old order, call it trickle-down economics or whatever. We need to rebuild our society from the bottom up, not the top down.
No more tax cuts, which inevitably lead to higher-income earners getting the advantages.
John Rome, Mt Lawley, WA
The UN has to be remodelled
Everybody knows the international order is broken (“Albanese says the world order ‘not fit for purpose’ “, 24/9), but no one seems to want to do anything about it.
When the United Nations was formed, most of the world lived under totalitarian communism, dictatorships, absolute monarchies or colonial occupation, so no world organisation could avoid the participation of those groups. That is no longer the case.
The UN is a hypocritical talkfest. It’s time to ditch it and form a new international organisation of democracies with an elected general assembly and a security council with permanent membership of the world’s largest democratic economies from every continent not of only the five World War II victors, two of which are dictatorships. More democratic than the US, you’re in; less democratic, you’re out.
Democracy is under threat, while peace has gone, and democracies need to stick together to stop everything getting even worse.
Chris Curtis, Hurstbridge
Hanson not a star turn
The article on the prime minister’s major foreign policy speech in New York highlights Australia’s rise as an influential middle power working to shape the global geopolitical future at a time of tremendous international uncertainty.
In similar circumstances, what would One Nation leader Pauline Hanson say if she were the PM? Something that would go down about as well as Nikki Osborne’s performance at the Carbine Club as reported in CBD.
James Young, Mt Eliza
That selfie, Albanese, sullied your trip
Oh Anthony Albanese, what were you thinking? Yes, you had to go to the US and yes I guess a meeting with the president was inevitable, but was it really necessary to make us all cringe with that selfie with Donald Trump? That’s about as tacky as the redecorated Oval Office.
Ross Bardin, Williamstown
THE FORUM
Toss graduate package
In New York, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pushes for regulation of social media. At home, Education Minister Jason Clare is unable to say whether the Job-ready Graduates Package introduced by the Morrison government will be repealed before the 2028 election. The article, ″Flat fee push to end $50,000 arts degrees″ (24/9), notes distaste for this package is almost universal. An increasing number of educators and other professionals are alarmed at the effect of AI on brain development and skills.
The Morrison government deliberately steered students away from the humanities that help develop those skills. Change should be an urgent priority.
The long-term costs of failure to act could be even more substantial than other potential Morrison catastrophes such as AUKUS.
Norman Huon, Port Melbourne
Tax incentives
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has recently talked about income tax relief, which would surely negate the Reserve Bank’s increasing of interest rates.
What if the government increased income tax and used that extra money to reduce government debt with the required result of reducing money in circulation and bringing down inflation? Then the Reserve Bank could leave interest rates where they are. The cost burden would be more fairly spread and, in the longer term, there would be more money to pay for services we all need.
Judy Kevill, Ringwood
Parkland woes
Re the article, ″No happy median in clamp on roadway drinking″ (22/9): On the contrary, that people are having to resort to drinking in grassed central medians in Carlton, or elsewhere, only proves the giant deficit in parkland per capita that Melbourne has suffered for the sake of all its high-density development.
And lest we forget, whenever Indigenous Australians have done the same thing, they’ve swiftly been told to move on, or locked up, often with catastrophic consequences.
Bernadette George, Mildura
A letter home
As an avid letter writer to The Age, now in my 60s, I know the demographic I’m reaching. I have a son in his 20s and one in his 30s. I was a high school teacher for 37 years. I know for certain it is most certainly not these age groups who are reading newspapers.
It worries me that the people who are going to change the world are not being so influenced by us – the ones who created the problems – but are relying on themselves to experience the issues and self-reliantly act to counter them.
Still, I will keep having a say. Perhaps you never really know who reads these words.
Frank Flynn, Cape Paterson
Slaughterhouse dive
Those who worry about AI are right. When asked for information on the Australian short story, The Sleeping Doll, it insisted there was no such story. I insisted and eventually, it conceded it was wrong.
The story is about a farm worker during the Depression who worked in an abattoir. He was told to butcher some sheep. How many? Never mind how many, the owner said, just keep going until I get back. Needless to say, when he got back, every sheep had been killed.
The point? The worker had followed his instructions to the letter. The analogy becomes clear
if you substitute “humanity” for “sheep”.
As for the chatbot, it blamed its programmer, saying it had just followed the instructions it had been given. It apologised profusely, saying it was “mortified”, which was quite weird.
If not treated with respect, AI is something of which to be scared.
Claude Miller, Castlemaine
What a choice
Barnaby Joyce has let the catastrophe out of the bag by revealing the demands that One Nation would make upon a Coalition minority government if given the chance (“Joyce names price of One Nation backing Angus Taylor”, 24/9).
One Nation’s retrograde policies are, however, only marginally more strident and ridiculous than the Coalition’s own policies on energy and climate, education, and immigration.
It matters not what weak assurances Coalition leaders may make; an anachronistic alliance between the Coalition government and One Nation is an absolute certainty if the Coalition has a chance to govern and needs the support of One Nation to do so.
Graeme Henchel, Yarra Glen
Think before you vote
Many people are looking towards One Nation as a viable alternative at the next Victorian election. The information they are presenting online appears to be merely a lot of motherhood statements which may sound good, but there isn’t an action plan associated with the delivering of those policies, particularly one that has a timeframe and any economic costing associated with it.
It is important that people don’t vote based solely on a brand name, hoping that a change will produce results. Until you know what that change will be, its implications, and its effects on you, be wary. Ask questions, get definitive answers.
At election time, all sorts of promises will be made beforehand. It is better to know whether they are just ambit claims designed only to lure your vote, or they are ones that can, and will actually be delivered.
A vote in an election is valuable and is a privilege. It also gives you a chance to have your say. Do your research and find out what you are likely to get from all candidates and their parties.
Greg Tuck, Warragul
Tilting at windmills
With climate change denial in vogue in the Coalition, the policy it has announced this week on energy and net zero is no surprise in one sense, yet its failure to heed the economics is breathtaking.
While Quixotic tilting at off-shore wind farms may have a certain romantic appeal, Don Quixote was delusional. So, too, is the latest crusade against renewables when they are integral to lowering electricity prices.
It is astonishing that the Liberals, once the party of private enterprise, would abandon the pragmatism of letting the private sector choose whether power is generated using a particular resource or not based on cost.
The evidence suggests opting for nuclear power and investing in aged coal-fired power plants, drawing heavily on public money while blocking or frustrating private investment in renewables, will cost Australians far more than staying the course with an energy transition that several state conservative governments (though not all of them now) have backed in the past.
Jim Allen, Panorama, SA
A muddle of policies
More than 450,000 people are projected to die from heat brought about by the super El Nino in the next six months, according to estimates prepared by climate scientists associated with the University of Chicago.
This sobering news comes as the Coalition wants to cancel the net zero emissions bill, offshore wind zones, and climate laws for heavy industry and car makers.
Further, the life of coal-powered electricity generators would be extended.
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was quick to condemn the idiocy of this new Coalition energy plan.
It appears that the Coalition is either dominated by climate-change deniers or that they have a callous indifference to the future of humanity and especially today’s young people.
Ian Bayly, Upwey
Sober reflection
In a world fraught with cynicism about politicians, it was refreshing to read Chip Le Grand’s column on Greens MP Tim Read (“Some of the best work is done quietly”, 24/9). The tributes to Read from colleagues – from all sides of politics – in Parliament House this week were enlightening.
Not only for the commentary on Read and his sense of “intelligence, curiosity and decency”, but because of the impact the man had on those he met. What a legacy to leave behind when politicians laud another because he “made us want to be better”.
And Le Grand reminds us what we often forget: behind the mask are many individuals who genuinely care about
making a difference.
Sally Davis, Malvern East
The tram to Santa …
Your correspondent (Letters, 23/9) reminded me of Santa’s tram in Bendigo during the 1970s. For the four weekends before Christmas, Santa’s tram left the Chinese Joss House tram stop full of excited children with their bags of lollies on their way to Myer. The tram was “controlled” by Santa (a young university student, yours truly).
On reaching Myer, Santa stopped the traffic and led the children up the Myer escalator to Santa’s throne for a photo and a confidential chat. Very commercial, but a lot of fun.
Wayne Rice, East Melbourne
… and to the din
Last year, we boarded the Bendigo tourist tram but unfortunately, we couldn’t hear any of the information broadcast due to the noise of the tram itself. We were left in the dark as to the significance of the edifices we passed. It was pleasant viewing but not, sadly, an informative experience.
Margaret Collings, Anglesea
AI is out of control
AI clearly can’t be controlled. And yet, the government has been conned into allowing for the exploitation of land, water and energy – with pie in the sky returns for this ″investment″.
Martin Field, Healesville
Repeat after me
Brisbane won a premiership in 2024 then repeated in 2025. It seeks to repeat a second time on Saturday. This should be called a “twopeat” because they would be repeating the original premiership a second time not a third.
Pete Hickey, Albert Park
On your bike
I agree with your correspondent (Letters, 24/9), questions over One Nation’s missing plane provides an excellent opportunity for Pauline Hanson to get on her bike.
Karen Campbell, Geelong
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
Barnaby Joyce and One Nation have given the Coalition their conditions of support to form a federal government (“Joyce names price of One Nation backing Angus Taylor”, 24/9). Are they all drunk on anticipated power?
Patrick Alilovic, Pascoe Vale South
The Coalition and One Nation competing to see who can be first to abandon net zero emissions – what planet are they on?
Greg Curtin, Nunawading
So, Dan Tehan promises to “take a chainsaw to Labor’s ideologically driven, energy-restrictive approach to energy”. I wonder if we can take a chainsaw to the Liberals’ ideologically driven, energy-restrictive approach to energy?
Bob Zanker, Leopold
Prime minister, getting the gambling issue right can simply be achieved by adopting all the recommendations of the Murphy report.
Warren Thomas, Ivanhoe
Trump
So US President Donald Trump prefers super intelligence to artificial intelligence. At least, he didn’t call it God.
Bruce Prosser, North Balwyn
Donald Trump commits an act of stupid intelligence.
Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills
How about renaming AI as American intelligence?
Tim Durbridge, Brunswick
Donald Trump’s repeated bleating about annihilating Iran sounds more and more like the boy who cried wolf. I can’t imagine that the Iranians are quivering in their boots.
John Walsh, Watsonia
Furthermore
Ex-ADF members should definitely be unleashed on unruly preppies who lack discipline.
Colleen Heatley, Drouin West
Remember when we thought all our data was in ″the cloud″? Turns out, it is in huge power- and water-hungry noisy buildings.
Bronwen Murdoch, South Melbourne
Your correspondent (Letters, 23/9) has broken my heart by saying St Kilda will still be looking for its second premiership in 40 years. I will be about 110 by then and crestfallen.
Phil Labrum, Trentham
