source : the age
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LETTERS
Political gloom
It is really hard facing such political gloom in our world, both at home and abroad. No wonder there is such strong support amongst disenchanted voters seeking alternatives to the current party system of politics (″Wilson faces fresh teal threat as voters abandon major parties″, 21/3.)
Consider: a dreadful war becoming further out of control in the Middle East led by an erratic and volatile American president; a federal Labor government, despite being gifted a wonderful mandate, still failing to implement anything like the bold and innovative policies needed to address our country’s needs – and the Greens haven’t been much help here either.
In addition, a state government burying us in even deeper debt, dirty deals and secrecy by the week. Meanwhile, a state
opposition either busy squabbling, looking back to the halcyon days of the Howard and Menzies’ eras, their third leader this term selling its wares in 30 second shallow sound bites on social media. Where are the detailed policies?
Then, a right wing populist party which seems to be more intent on dividing rather than leading us as ″one nation″.
Thank goodness, we have strong, quality independents willing to stand up and offer weary and despairing constituents a different way of doing politics.
Jennifer Quigley, Balwyn
Allan’s show
Your editorial (“State needs more from leader”, 21/3) rightly says that “in the past, questions over Allan’s position and polling have been muted by the absence of a functioning opposition”, and again rightly asks whether her potential rivals for the leadership can separate themselves from her wasteful approach to the state’s finances.
Of course, they cannot because they have allowed themselves to be tarred with the same brush; viz by allowing her to “keep her show on the road”.
Peter Drum, Coburg
Foolish Trump
I just watched an ABC TV news item about the Strait of Hormuz from 1983 in which the threat of closure of this waterway by Iran in case of conflict was clearly highlighted. This risk has been clearly known and should’ve been considered in any planning by President Donald Trump. It demonstrates the absolute foolishness of his plans to attack Iran without consideration of the consequences for the world, as well as his own country.
Bruce Hart, Bittern
Camus said it best
With a belligerent and bumbling Israel and America hoping to save us all from a “nuclear-armed Iran”, despite the unlikelihood of this actually occurring, it’s timely to revisit Albert Camus’ 1955 observation that “the welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants”. Ignorant of the Iranian response, insouciant to the global consequences, Netanyahu and Trump’s actions are a war crime, and they should be investigated and prosecuted as such.
Angus McLeod, Cremorne
Hardly a ‘scare’
Your correspondent’s conflation of the decision to align with America after the debacle of Singapore in 1942 as a response to a “Japanese scare” with Scott Morrison’s similar debacle to betray the French and lumber us with AUKUS is nonsense (Letters, 21/3). The US and the world have changed considerably since then, but the facts have not. Curtin made a courageous and correct call at a time of real peril. Morrison made a slippery and deceitful call to bolster his political standing and ministerial overreach.
Tony Newport, Hillwood, Tas
One sided deal
Trump is the ultimate narcissist. “I will impose sanctions on you, criticise you and then ask you a massive favour”.
Paul Miller, Albury
Practice restraint
I wouldn’t mind betting that the greedy panic buyers from the pandemic are still using toilet rolls from then. Please, you panic merchants out there, think of others, we are all in the same situation as you as far as the fuel situation is. Show some empathy and restraint.
John Cain, McCrae
Using the news
It is certainly cynical, but we have to acknowledge that Trump has managed to get the Epstein files off the front pages.
Jacki Burgess, Port Melbourne
Pray for all
Thank you, David Leser for your insightful and honest article “Yes, we feel unsafe. So do many others” (21/3). All prayers for peace in the Middle East must include Israel and Palestine. Without inclusion there is little hope of ending suffering.
Merrilyn Beeny, Kew
Tax the richest
Gina Rinehart is reportedly worth $41 billion. It’s enough to turn you socialist! My heart aches to think what she could do with that money. How about we charge 90 per cent income tax on income over $1 billion? Can’t say fairer than that!
Layla Godfrey, Parkdale
Reap, sow
Donald, you started it, you own it.
George Stockman, Bendigo
AI legal fail
Re “CEO’s cheap AI chatbot legal advice could cost his company $355 million” (21/3).
The use of AI for the formation of contracts and settling legal disputes is inherently risky. We need only to look, on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis at all of the decisions made by superior appeal courts throughout the common law world, where so many cases are decided by majority because learned judges disagree – sometimes very strongly and with great conviction – with each other on the applicable law to the subject before them.
Accordingly, how can one be confident that AI can resolve these issues to the point where the client can be more certain, or even just comfortable that he’s moving in the right direction? This notion is equally supported by the fact that those cases that don’t settle and eventually end up in court, often do so because highly qualified lawyers on each side have taken a very different view of the law as it applies to the subject in dispute.
However, at least with a human lawyer you can argue with him/her and get a second or even third opinion, on an issue before going to court or settling your contract. As a lawyer, I’m not aware of how you would debate these issues with AI.
John Morrow, North Fitzroy
Unfair school funding
It’s all very well for the elite private schools to build inspiring facilities (“Private schools multi-million dollars arms race”, 21/3) as long as it’s with parents’ money and not taxpayers’. The resource standard favours private schools over public schools and a recent SBS report (2024) revealed more than half of the private school sector received more funding per student than a comparable public school, the disparity widening for students from low social economic status and/or with special needs.
The situation in Australia is getting worse, not better, with the inequity growing. Many public schools have inadequate facilities and resources, and if we are truly to become a smart nation, then this needs to change.
Denise Stevens, St Kilda
Growth with guardrails
Developers are very keen to have less red tape.
Streamlining rules by the government is good, but only if it puts in place some strong guidelines and laws that make it compulsory for the developers to incorporate a shared garden space for the building, or a rooftop green garden which will then contribute to the environment.
This would make residing in these developments a more pleasant experience.
There should be nothing over seven stories in new builds in established, built-up suburbs so that the beauty is retained, yet be inclusive of the desire for others to enjoy living there.
Joan Johnson, Camberwell
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