Discipline out of school matter for the parents
Late yesterday, the Premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in parliament and was seeking a snap state election, Letters Ed
Dinosaur in the room
The Liberal Party's quest to annihilate itself goes on. It is not just at a national level, but, in Victoria and NSW, the destructive behaviour continues. Just when you thought dinosaurs were extinct, up pops Victorian Liberal, and former state treasurer Alan Stockdale endeavouring to leave his imprint on the NSW branch with the advice that quotas for women were not necessary and that 'no one cares about the Liberal Party' (CBD, 5/6).
At a national level leader Sussan Ley has the unenviable task of trying to resuscitate a party that is yet to heed the message the electorate delivered at the election. The party elders either need to face the realities of modern life or exit the political world.
Anne Lyon, Camberwell
Oblivion beckons
Alan Stockdale's suggestion on a NSW Liberal Women's Council Zoom that assertive women might necessitate reverse quotas for men exposes a party dictated by octogenarian white men, hopelessly out of touch.
Sussan Ley's call for assertive women to join is admirable but futile against a culture that marginalises them. The Liberals' 'women problem' with unwinnable candidacies and policies like banning work-from-home arrangements drove their May election rout. The Liberal Party is past its use-by date, stuck in a bygone era.
Women seeking progress, agency and leadership can turn to Labor, the Greens, or the dynamic community independents model, where grassroots voices champion equality and diversity. Why join a party where elderly men dictate direction and flinch at women's assertiveness?
Whether the Liberals can shed this outdated mindset and embrace alternatives reflecting today's diverse values will dictate their future. So far, it looks like they're doomed to fade into oblivion.
Sue Barrett, Caulfield South
Empathy imbalance
A ″Freedom boat″ is sailing to Gaza with aid and is receiving media publicity worldwide. Could such boats be launched to Sudan? It is the world's worst humanitarian crisis right now: 13 million displaced; a severe famine and up to 150,000 people killed.
Do the Sudanese matter? Or are some humanitarian crises more important than others?
Pia Brous, Armadale
In aid of defence
Australia's continuing foreign aid programs are still our most effective defence.
Graeme Macmillan, Blackburn
Sense of betrayal
Who needs a strong opposition when the Labor Party has a strong right faction? There has been the removal of two perfectly fine ministers, the deputy prime minister open to the US administration's calls on defence spending and the 40-year extension of Woodside's gas project, well in excess of Australia's zero emissions target by 2050. Sure, gas to support the transition to renewables, but not extra gas to continue exorbitant offshore exports.
I imagine Labor voters are feeling betrayed, angry and disillusioned. Is it a naive hope that the defection of Senator Dorinda Cox will somehow bring the Labor Party more left? The mandate adhered to should be first and foremost, protection of the environment.
Bronwyn Davis, Kennington
The past in the present
The double tragedy of the Labor government's early squandering of the massive political capital it was given 'in one awful decision' (ie extension of Woodside Energy's North West Shelf gas tenure) and the harm already done to Murujuga rock art that predates the building of the Egyptian pyramids – because of the former – is sorrowful (' In one awful decision, Albanese has revealed his do-nothing plan ', 4/6).
Indeed, it would be incomprehensible to the French as it would be to the British to allow companies to ″screw around' with their nation's respective monumental legacies in the implicit understanding that it is a cornerstone testament to their cultural identity.
Perhaps herein lies the rub.
That is, our nation's unreconciled history and successive leadership's failure to unite our country whereby, unjustly, First Nations Australians continue to bear the collateral damage in the present time of our nation's brutal and bloody antecedents.
Jelena Rosic, Mornington
Promises broken
As usual, Ross Gittins nails it (4/6). Anthony Albanese fooled enough people into believing his promises to act on climate change. I lost faith in Labor on this issue long ago, and am sure many more will over the approval of further drilling on the North West Shelf.
Of course, he may say that it was Minister Murray Watt's decision, but it was, as Gittins points out, at the behest of the big mining companies through the Western Australian premier. And Albanese just waited until after the election to let us all in on the news. I don't want to see Albanese sympathetically nodding and handshaking with victims of extreme weather events any longer. It is hypocritical in the extreme to promise to help people who have lost lives, homes and livelihoods through natural disasters, which are no longer ″natural″ but extremely worsened by rapidly worsening climate change.
Kerry Echberg, Princes Hill
Bin there, too hard
The article ″ Too hard to build ″ (3/6) referenced the delays and red tape involved in building developments. Specifically it cited North Sydney council taking 41 days just to lodge a planning application on their system. It's meant to take 14. Last week I applied to upsize my garden waste bin on Darebin Council's website. The reply? Up to 21 business days for the bin change. That's a calendar month.
Peter Harris, Preston
Moving lines
Reading the articles by Nicola Redhouse and Daniel Rabin (Comments, 31/5), each looking at the present situation differently, makes me wonder why we seem to have forgotten that statehood within fixed boundaries is both modern and temporary.
Throughout the last several millennia, people mostly lived in language-cultural-ethnic groups in different parts of the world, overlapping with each other. Many present countries, e.g. India, Italy and Germany, are very recent constructs brought about by their constituent kingdoms, sultanates and so on being forcefully brought together by powerful leaders.
Most of the world has been run by empires formed by one entity conquering neighbouring ones, with their boundaries continually fluctuating. Neither the Israelites nor the Palestinians ever had a ″state″ as such – they just lived in the same area of the world with much overlap in where their people lived. The European Zionists had the idea of a ″national home″ for Jews, with few Palestinians in it, and were successful in getting the British government to create it for them. It's easy to see why Palestinians resent their treatment and want to return to their land and have it recognised in the same way Israelis are recognised for theirs. It seems to me that the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is the only just solution.
Don Jordan, Mount Waverley
Protect the trees
When we bought our home 30 years ago, it was surrounded by trees outside our boundary, providing complete privacy (″ All the leaves are brown, and the neighbours are warring ″, 4/6). Over time, all were removed except one majestic gum tree just beyond our back fence. Its canopy, mostly over our side, attracts lorikeets, wattlebirds, magpies, noisy miners, nesting crows ,possums and fruit bats – I love it.
Seven years ago, the neighbouring property was sold and redeveloped into a two-storey home nine metres from our fence. After demolition, I found an arborist on my shed roof quoting to remove the gumtree. In Bentleigh East, owner-occupiers can mostly remove trees without restriction. I messaged the new owner, offering my architect wife's help to design around the tree, which is the only visual barrier between our yards, but received no response.
The tree was eventually protected after correspondence with the council and planning consultants. The new owner pruned his side harshly. Fortunately, it's now fuller on our side, still providing privacy and attracting beautiful wildlife.
More protection should be afforded to our native trees and the ecosystems they support.
Russell Brims, Bentleigh East
Opportunity missed
Sad to hear Donald Trump and Elon Musk have fallen out. I was hoping Musk would put Trump on his first passenger flight to Mars.
Ron Mather, Melbourne
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
More of the same from the opposition (″Coalition shuts down hope of super tax deal″, 5/6).
Phillip Ross, Somerville
For the Coalition, the only good tax is no tax.
Bernd Rieve, Brighton
Sticking to the plan of former opposition leader Peter Dutton of saying no to everything will guarantee the Coalition plenty of years in opposition.
Pete Garfield, Echuca
How long before Labor has ″buyer's remorse″ with Dorinda Cox?
Tom Stafford, Wheelers Hill
Literally
Before lamenting lost adverbs, shouldn't we first mourn the subjunctive? If only it were still widely used.
Mark Summerfield, Northcote
I agree that it is useless trying to set English in concrete (Letters, 5/6). The headline on page 5 of The Age (5/6) ″We are treating it wrong″ shows that the adverb is already buried.
Sandra Torpey, Hawthorn
Furthermore
A friend usually requests or suggests. A bully demands. We now know where US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth fits. And as for confidential defence discussions – forget it.
Arthur Pritchard, Ascot Vale
Your correspondent (Letters, 3/6) says that Anthony Albanese should stick to his guns after the US defence secretary suggested an increase in defence spending for Australia. Surely he meant to say he should stick to his subs?
Alan Inchley, Frankston
Will Elon Musk now put his billions behind Rand Paul (″Musk puts political clout to the test″, 4/6)?
Marie Nash, Balwyn
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Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Labor left with ‘no choice' but to force super tax after weak GDP figures in March, shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien declares
Labor has been left with 'no choice' but to go after citizens' earnings with its proposed super tax as slow growth plagues the nation and hurts tax revenue, shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien has declared. Join to watch the full interview with Ted O'Brien on Business Weekend at 11am (AEST). The Albanese government's proposal to double the tax rate on funds in super balances above $3m and target unrealised gains could soon be legislated as the Greens' approval is all the bill needs to go through the Senate. It comes as recent GDP figures showed Australia was headed back towards per capita recession territory with growth slumping to just 0.2 per cent in the March quarter. The super tax proposal has faced fierce backlash from the Opposition, economists and leaders in the business community. Mr O'Brien is among those and tore into the Albanese government's fiscal management on Sky News' Business Weekend. 'The only reason they're doing it is they've lost all discipline on fiscal responsibility,' the shadow treasurer said. 'Debt (and) deficits (are) going out of control and they've got no ambition for the Australian economy.' He criticised Treasurer Jim Chalmers who lauded the 0.2 per cent growth, arguing the uncertainty from Donald Trump's trade war meant any growth was a decent outcome. 'We heard it last week from the Treasurer after the national accounts came out. What, 0.2 per cent growth in the quarter? Seriously? Lower than last time!' Mr O'Brien said. 'At a yearly basis it's running at less than half of the long-run average of growth and the Treasurer is happy about that. '(There is) no ambition for growth of the Australian economy and when you have no ambition and you overspend, you have no choice but to go after the earnings, the money of your own citizens. 'That's what this super tax does.' Labor's plan to tax unrealised capital gains has drawn backlash from Aussies concerned about small businesses, farmers and startups as many put assets in their self-managed super funds or use it as a low tax investment vehicle. Wilson Asset Management founder Geoff Wilson said by forcing Aussies to pay taxes on paper gains it will hinder investment in Australia. 'Both Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers - and probably most of the government - are gaslighting the Australian people by saying: 'Look, this will only impact a very small percentage of people that pay the additional tax',' Mr Wilson told Sky News. 'That's correct, but what it'll do is actually impact about how $4.2 trillion in superannuation is invested. 'We anticipate that the money will come out of self-managed super funds (SMSF), which is about $1.1 trillion, and billions of that will go into the housing market and push house prices up . ' He cautioned Aussies who use their SMSF as a low tax investment vehicle will be discouraged from funding projects and businesses in the Australian market. 'People won't want to take risk on their superannuation in the self-managed super funds,' Mr Wilson said. 'The angel investors and the startups and the small companies in Australia that find it hard to raise capital, particularly at this point in time - that tap's going to be turned off.'
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
Coastal village wins 10-year fight to stop housing sprawl
Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesman John Coulter said the decision was a big win for the community. The group had argued against the development at planning panels for the better part of a decade. The group was sometimes accused of having a not-in-my-backyard mentality, Coulter said, but he noted that existing development of 240 homes on the western side of town was already adding to traffic concerns and pressure on unsealed roads. Another key complaint has been the environmental effects of developing the landscape north of the town. New reports were introduced as part of the state's review late last year but those in favour of the development argue they were never given a fair chance to rebut the findings. 'It's not just about keeping the village feel of the township. It was the environmental concerns and traditionally ... That's mostly what we do,' Coulter said. 'We do revegetation of the foreshore. We work with Parks Victoria … It's a real struggle sometimes to have to get involved in this planning stuff because it's incredibly complex. Loading 'There is a sense of relief that we've got to the end of that process, and that we've got an outcome that the community has been asking for a long, long time.' Cape Paterson is among many coastal communities facing development pressure as more Victorians seek a sea change, often creating political headaches. In 2018, Victorian Labor attacked the Coalition for allowing a 'grossly expanded' town boundary at Cape Paterson. It went on to win the encompassing state seat of Bass from the Liberals for the first time since it was created and local MP Jordan Crugnale holds it on a razor-thin margin of 0.2 per cent. The state government declared the Bass Coast a distinctive area and landscape, a process to provide greater protection from development, and in 2022 proposed tighter boundaries for several towns as part of this program. Cape Paterson's boundary was not tightened, sparking a backlash from the residents' association. At the time, the government defended the decision by saying it was made after two rounds of public engagement, and informed by existing planning scheme policies and technical studies. An independent panel was tasked in 2023 with reviewing the Bass Coast planning policy. A renewed campaign in 2024 reignited debate over the Cape Paterson boundary expansion after the local council publicly opposed it and Crugnale advocated for a review. In December, the Allan government agreed to re-open Cape Paterson's boundary to public feedback until the end of January 2025. Peak bodies for the property sector and landowners wrote to Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny urging her not to wind back the boundary, arguing it was not the correct process for such a change and would cast doubt on the reliability of long-term planning. Kilkenny ultimately decided in favour of the community campaign, releasing a new draft plan for the Bass Coast this week that revokes expansion of the Cape Paterson boundary north of Seaward Drive. 'We can build more homes, while also protecting what makes our regions so special,' a state government spokesperson said. 'The Bass Coast is one of Victoria's most environmentally significant regions. This draft policy will help set a clear long-term plan that provides certainty to council, developers, and local communities about where more homes can be built while protecting the environment.' The consultation process received more than 1000 submissions, and the government said most of those supported tightening the boundary to protect the dune landscape and green space. Kilkenny's decision was made public at the same time as a conflicting report from the 2023 independent panel. That report, which had previously not been released, assessed one large area proposed to be subdivided north of Seaward Drive and found the boundary could remain. This was also the view of the planning minister at the time of the review. 'The committee supports the position of the proponent [planning minister] that the area defined for residential growth in Cape Paterson be upheld,' the report said. The report found further work to refine the boundary was 'unnecessary', that the boundaries were not a 'green light for urban development at any cost', and rules still required landscape character and environment to be considered in any development seeking approval. Bernard Collins, from development consultants Beveridge Williams, has been advising one group of prospective developers. He said their clients did everything asked of them as part of the process and had prepared the site so it was ready for future development and to become an established part of the town. 'As a planner, it's concerning where perhaps due process is not fully followed in considering the future, structural future growth of townships,' Collins said. 'Orderly planning requires an orderly process. If that's not followed it causes doubt at many levels of the development process.' Narracan MP Wayne Farnham, the opposition's shadow assistant minister for planning, accused Kilkenny of obstructing and interfering with a 'strategic evidence-based planning process'. 'The Allan Labor government talks a big game when it comes to their plans to build 800,000 homes, but their inconsistent approach makes it hard for homebuyers to get into the market, and hard for builders to deliver projects,' he said. 'This decision flies in the face of every strategic planning process, every recommendation and every cultural and environmental study done on the site.' Victorian executive director of the Property Council Cath Evans said the decision 'contradicts the evidence-based process that had been followed for more than a decade'. 'The sudden change not only undermines trust in long-term planning but also sets a concerning precedent for future developments,' she said. 'This could result in driving away further investment and development urgently needed to meet our state's ambitious housing targets.' A Bass Coast Shire Council spokesperson said an assessment had confirmed there was still enough supply to meet council's obligations for housing without needing the northern land.
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Privatisation shelved as premier fights to stay afloat
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