Majority suffer due to idiocy of the few

The Age

2 days ago

Legal instruments
In ' Watchdog pleaded for help to curb abuse risks ' (23/7), Noel Towell reports that oversight authorities are so understaffed and underfunded that they could only fully investigate a few of last year's 1500 reports of abuse in childcare centres.
But all Australian jurisdictions have a reasonably staffed and funded workplace law enforcement body whose investigators must 'monitor and enforce compliance with″⁣, for example, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) or Victoria's OHS Act.
All such Acts impose a duty on workplace operators to first, identify all risks to the health (including psychological health) and safety of both 'workers' and 'other persons' (including children) at their workplace, then eliminate – or at least minimise and control – those risks.
It's a preventive duty. If WHS/OHS inspectors find a serious unaddressed workplace risk, they can issue, on the spot, a compliance-compelling 'improvement notice″⁣.
Although duty or notice non-compliance is a heavily penalised criminal offence, the crucial child safety point is that such notices can quickly prevent harm, or further harm, before it happens or continues.
Max Costello, North Melbourne
Turning the tide
Re ' Council's final warning for Frankston mansion owner's sea wall ', 22/7. It was King Canute who was possibly the first significant leader who made a point of reminding his courtiers that no mere mortal has the power to hold back the tide.
In more recent times, there's been plenty of coastal hydraulics experts who've explained the dangers and folly of building a hard wall to contain and tame the waves.
Other marine engineers have counselled the importance of leaving the primary and secondary dune systems to nature, to accommodate the seasonal fluctuations in tidal and wind dynamics, as well as the dangers of building in sand, including sandstone, well known around the Australian coastline for its vulnerability to erosion
Then there's the numerous consistent, combined research findings from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and more localised data analysis that confirms not only that the high tide is rising due to the cumulative consequences of climate change but, in many regions the tide is rising faster than the worst case scenario envisaged by the IPCC.
And yet, one man in his mansion in Frankston, thinks he can hold back the tide? Tell him he's dreaming.
Bernadette George, Mildura
How to quit
Fiona Patten's article was concise, well-written (″⁣ Australia has become the global village idiot on quitting smoking ″⁣, 24/7). I agree with all her points. As a former smoker, I changed to vaping 13 years ago and four years ago decided to stop that also. Vaping, in my opinion, is the only way to get off cigarettes completely and should be easily available.
Ingrid Pezzoni, Toorak
Learn to like politics
Even as a schoolgirl, I was keenly interested in politics and could not understand why most of my fellow students didn't care at all. As an adult, I find nothing has changed. Most people I know vote because they have to, some even barely know who the current political chiefs are.
Age has nothing to do with political responsibility, but maybe more effort could be made within the school curriculum to encourage political awareness and the importance of participation in political debate. Hopefully, that would also result in better candidates.
Valerie Johnson, Eaglemont
One vote each
What a great idea. Give extra votes to those who ″⁣contribute more to the successful running of our society″⁣ (Letters, 24/7). Success, by implication, is the gaining of wealth. The wealthy already have superannuation tax concessions, family trust tax concessions, capital gains tax concessions, negative gearing and expensive tax minimisation accountants. Let's give them more votes so they can vote themselves even more tax avoidance schemes. Those who cannot afford tertiary education or a house, or who cannot hold a full-time job because they have disabilities or are single parents, would only have one vote, at least until the multiple-voting rich removed that privilege. Australia is supposed to be a democracy, not a plutocracy. That is why we have ″⁣one vote one person″⁣.
Helen Moss, Croydon
Push for ceasefire
For the past 60 years or so, there has been little anti-Jewish activity in Australia but it has increased significantly lately. I have been surprised by some people asking why this sudden increase has occurred. There is much violence in the Middle East but the main thing that has changed is the starvation and killing of defenceless people in Gaza day after day.
This is a very disheartening, distressing saga. Some Australian residents will protest peacefully, others may act violently towards entities associated with Israel. Some people think the best way to stop attacks is to censor Australians but this is not resolving the root cause.
Further, citizens should not be prohibited from rational discussions on national and international issues. Our current laws can handle racial hate speech and violence.
Meanwhile, the Australian government should apply pressure on Israel to agree to a permanent ceasefire.
Graham Kelley, Mount Waverley
Words not enough
The government is being disingenuous in saying that all our exports to Israel are non-lethal. We supply parts that are vital to the IDF's military strikes. Even worse, last year the Israeli weapons and surveillance company, Elbit systems, was awarded a $917 million contract with Australia. Seventy-eight Labor branches are now calling for the government to impose sanctions on Israel, yet nothing happens (″⁣ Immense frustration': Labor base demands sanctions against Israel ″⁣, 24/7).
Words are not enough, the Labor Party needs to hear the calls of its members and of Australians and impose sanctions on Israel without further delay. The cruelty being perpetrated in Gaza must end.
Lorel Thomas, Blackburn South
A tasty read
While agreeing with your correspondent about the sad decline in readership among men (″⁣ Young men have stopped reading books – and these are the reasons ″⁣, 22/7), I flinched wearily at yet another drive by slap at fantasy and other genre fiction.
An equally jaundiced reader of fantasy could view the genre of literary fiction as pretentious navel gazing. And as for the claim that a scarcity of literary fiction ″⁣diminishes our ability to understand each other and address issues at the core of our society″⁣, it neglects the possibility that the best of fantasy and genre fiction does it in a profound and sublime way that literary fiction simply cannot.
Fantasy and other genres can take us out of the mundanity of the here and now into wider, more expansive considerations of the human condition.
Such works as Piranesi' by Susanna Clarke or Kazuo Ishiguro's writing certainly help develop empathy and a desire to make sense of the world in a movingly insightful way, and are tasty as well as being full of nourishment.
Michael Pryor, Alphington
AND ANOTHER THING
Scott Morrison
Who asked Scott Morrison to speak to US Congress? He was an abject failure as a politician, displaying appalling judgment. Haven't they got that message? Or has he been asked because he'll say what they want to hear?
David Ashton, Katoomba, NSW
Now we know why the Trump regime seems so out of touch with public opinion in Australia. To get a view on what we think, they consulted Morrison, who has been in the wilderness for a full term of parliament.
Tony Haydon, Springvale
When is Morrison going realise that he is irrelevant?
Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park, SA
Trump world
Another $800 million to the US for AUKUS? Talk about money for jam. Donald Trump must be laughing all the way to the bank.
Jane Ross, San Remo
I hope imported US beef is well labelled as such so I can tell if it's from you Donald!
Steve Melzer, Hughesdale