Hoping for an Israel free from Netanyahu

The Age

4 days ago

More important issues
Re enshrining ″⁣the right″⁣ to work from home for two days a week. One would have thought that the premier would have enough on her plate with huge debt, tobacco wars, the construction industry being infiltrated by organised crime, youth crime, shortcomings in the child-minding industry etc than worry about increasing the demands of workers over their employers.
The ability to work from home is something that many workers would like and, indeed, one that many have. However, employers are trying to run their businesses efficiently. I am sure that if working from home enabled the business to maintain or improve productivity, then an employer would be happy to allow it. Enshrining it in legislation, though? Really? Victorian employers already are faced with considerable costs in this state. They don't really need another requirement to have over their heads which could easily result in arguments over what is ″⁣practical″⁣. Victorian employers don't need another unnecessary piece of legislation to make them wonder whether they would be better off in another state.
Shaun Quinn, Yarrawonga
Free transport too
Retail assistants, cleaners, gardeners, receptionists and essential service, transport and factory workers are just the tip of the iceberg of workers who cannot ″⁣reasonably″⁣ work from home. Perhaps I am jumping the gun and there will be provision for the ″⁣unreasonable' to be given two days of free public transport, a fuel subsidy or something similar?
Barb Kingston, Mt Waverley
Reducing productivity
The premier's latest offering to the Victorian workforce shows she has little understanding of small businesses employing 10 persons or fewer that make up 97 per cent of all businesses in Australia.
They operate as teams where every employee is needed every day at the workplace for the business to run effectively, and they do not have the flexibility to have an employee or two working from home on days that suit them. This proposal merely divides the workforce in two, with those businesses large or flexible enough to be able to allow employees to work from home against those unable to do this.
While it may suit employees of larger enterprises, it will increase the pressures and concerns on small businesses already struggling to survive. Hardly a move to encourage increased productivity.
Peter Norman, Glen Iris
Right to demonstrate
Your correspondent (Letters, ″⁣Democracy Park″⁣, 3/8) suggests establishing a park somewhere in metropolitan Melbourne to be the only legal place for demonstrations. A nice idea. After all, protests, like children, should be neither seen nor heard.
The idea is not consistent with our democratic traditions. A little thought reminds us of how many demonstrations have been a force for good, and even better if governments had listened more often. Aboriginal protests in Melbourne in the 1950s; the protests that saved a section of the old inner rail loop as the romantically named ″⁣Linear Park″⁣; Vietnam moratorium marches; anti-freeway protests; anti-Iraq war marches; demonstrations for women's safety; the current protests against the slaughter in Gaza – the list goes on. Our problem is not protests; it is that protests are too often needed before our leaders find some moral courage.
James McDougall, Fitzroy North
Ongoing trauma
The Garma Festival this week has shone a spotlight on our dismal attempts to close the gaping disadvantage experienced by our First Nations people. Do our leaders actually understand the term ″⁣generational trauma″⁣, or is it just a buzz word for them?
If we steal a generation of children from the nurture of their family unit and bring them up in institutions where they are exposed to abuse in varying degrees, they will grow up ill equipped to raise their own children, who in turn will pass this trauma to their children.
Punishing the children of these affected adults is an ineffective way to handle this problem. Governments need to properly fund services that support young families and help them to raise children who are educated and can live satisfying, meaningful lives.
Jan Downing, Hawthorn East
NAPLAN hysteria
As a recently retired teacher, I certainly don't miss the annual NAPLAN hysteria. With an increasingly complex job, heavy with administrivia, and an expanding curriculum including a non-evidence-based obsession with standardised testing, coupled with a wide range a challenging student behavioural issues, it is becoming extremely difficult to attract and retain teachers.
However, one thing remains constant – that all the input into how to improve outcomes for students comes from a range of consultants, pop-up ″⁣experts″⁣, academics and politicians, rarely from the group charged with their learning: the teachers themselves.
Craig Jory, Albury
Cost of medicine
Re Letters, ″⁣Doctor Shortage″⁣ 2/8. It is obscene that people living in small communities expect the same level of health services as those who live in big cities. Unfortunately for country folk, it can't be the same due to cost effectiveness. Health services in the country that might be accessed a few times a week or fortnight are not going to provide 24-hour, seven-day, fully staffed amenities.
I recently read about a gentleman who lives in Bega who complained that he had to travel to Canberra for an MRI as this couldn't be done in his region. If that MRI machine is only used once a month, it is not financially viable – unless he'd like to buy one for the Bega Valley.
Jen Gladstones, North Carlton
Algae link
There is a strong link, in my opinion, between the terrible algae bloom problems in South Australia and the extremely high level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is causing the seas to become much hotter. Algae bloom thrives on excessive heat, and the practice of burning fossil fuels by large corporations to create energy continues to release massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
It seems obvious to me that the stand-out prime cause of the algae problem is the burning by large corporations of fossil fuels to create energy.
Brian Measday, Kingswood, SA
Sports bias
In one of the great comebacks of the millennium in Aussie sport, the Vixens came from fourth place after scraping in to the finals to defeat the red-hot favourites in the Netball Super League grand final. It was a win for the ages, reminiscent of the Western Bulldogs winning the 2016 AFL premiership.
Both memorable grand finals were played within a short walking distance of each other, at the MCG and Rod Laver Arena, to maximum capacity crowds in Australia's most popular male and female team sports.
And yet, while the AFL grand final was televised free to air nationwide, as no doubt will be the AFLW grand final in 2025, our Super League netball champions were relegated to pay TV.
This prevented so many struggling families and pensioners who cannot afford pay TV or cannot easily access a viewing site from watching the most important game of the year.
It also reflects the media's biased attitude towards our premier female team sport. All genuine sports fans should be ashamed of the discrimination against the champion athletes of netball that is so painfully evident in parts of our male-dominated sporting community.
John Bell, Heidelberg Heights
ABC failure
Shame on the ABC for not providing any live coverage of the Super Netball grand final. Despite being the leading female sport in participation, attendances, and TV ratings by some margin, one of its many digital channels could not be spared. Female versions of AFL, NRL, cricket and soccer all manage to be covered, perhaps because they are just that, female versions of male-dominated sports.
The ABC prides itself on standing for gender equality, but when it comes to netball, by far the biggest female sport in the country, it fails miserably.
Peter Heffernan, Balaclava
AND ANOTHER THING
Jacinta Allan
As a retired small business owner, I'd bet the premier wouldn't last a month if it was her own money at risk.
Bruce Severns, Toorak
I read Jacinta Allan is ensuring her employees continue to vote for her at the next election by allowing them to stay at home two days a week.
Peter Gustavsen, Brighton
While Jacinta Allan worries about the traffic, Victorians protest mass murder.
Hans Paas, Castlemaine
It's ironic that our Premier appears more enthusiastic about locking up pro-Palestine protesters than violent, machete-wielding criminals.
Angela Szalla, Donvale
Furthermore
Since 2015, taxpayers have spent more than $13 million managing the lead issue in Broken Hill' 3/8). Surely, this is the responsibility of the mining companies who have caused the problem, not taxpayers.
Belinda Burke, Hawthorn
l think a ban on over 50s using social media should be the group targeted.
James Lane, Hampton East
It is heartening to learn that Australia's superannuated politicians turned AUKUS consultants are motivated by the 'national interest'.
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
How come they don't have someone like Snoop Dogg at the Logies?
Craig Tucker, Newport
I'm surprised Trump wasn't nominated for a Logie. He's been ″⁣strutting his stuff‴⁣⁣ on the world stage for months. Still, maybe an Oscar is waiting in the wings.
Myra Fisher, Brighton East