10-08-2025
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Moronic outbreak
The article 'Neo-Nazis march, then gather' (10/8) rightly reports on the activities of cosplaying white males invoking Nazi-era tropes. That said, it is important to put these actions in perspective.
A robust Australian democracy should be able to countenance outbreaks of moronism without, for example, reflexively making parallels to the brawling street fighting of fascist 'Brownshirts' of the 1920s presaging the rise of Adolf Hitler. Flexing muscles on a cold country road in Victoria for a media opportunity is not comparable to the actions of far-right agitators, aligned with parliamentary parties, recently besieging and torching migrant hostels in places like Portsmouth in the UK and North Eastern Germany. Perspective is the key term here. 'Holocaust education', as mandated currently in half of US states, including once recalcitrant Arkansas, can still play a role here in combating prejudice and ignorance. As Anthony Albanese often puts it, Australia must act in its own rational, democratic way.
Jon McMillan, Mornington
Coalition of bigots
It is testimony to the historical power, resilience, toxicity and broad appeal of antisemitism, that it can bring into our streets groups so otherwise diverse as multi-ethnic, anti-Israel supporters of Hamas, and white-supremacist neo-Nazi supporters of Hitler (″ Neo-Nazis march, then gather ″, 10/8).
Bill James, Frankston
Why not terrorists?
I was shocked by the photo on the front page of The Age (10/8) showing a man with an image of Adolf Hitler and the word, 'patriot'. This is not an Australian patriot. Australia fought Hitler and the Nazis in the Second World War.
How is it that the National Socialist Network is not a proscribed terrorist organisation? The same image of Hitler was used in a graffiti attack on a temple in Boronia on July 21 with the addition of abusive text.
In your article, there is mention of a person being assaulted during the city march of neo-Nazis early Saturday, and journalists being assaulted while sitting in their car outside of the neo-Nazi camp taking place this weekend. All of these are criminal actions, and yet the persons responsible are not held to account.
Questions have to be asked as to why this organisation is allowed to flourish.
Di Cousens, Upwey
With a whimpe r
Aptly titled The Hollow Men, TS Eliot's 1925 poem, resonated with me as a schoolgirl living in the backdrop of the Vietnam War.
The atrocities caused by napalm, bombs and land mines was unfathomable to me and so I marched with 100,000 people in Melbourne moratoriums.
All we wanted was peace and an end to conscription, which called up our young male friends who didn't even have the right to vote. The war ended and had achieved nothing but destruction.
Today, we are witnessing several catastrophic events with civilians – especially children – suffering from injuries, starvation, illness and worse. The Age (9/8) recounts the story of Miyako Jodao, survivor of Nagasaki, which was distressing to read; as was the rest of the news coverage.
TS Eliot's lines are haunting me: 'This is the way the world ends: not with a bang but a whimper.'
Sally Davis, Malvern East
Not just the left
Peter Hartcher reports (' PM and Chalmers' reform rift ', 9/8) that the prime minister would prefer consideration of reining-in tax-advantaged property investment by wealthier Australians (holdings acquired via negative gearing and capital Gains tax concessions) remains off-limits at this month's Economic Roundtable. Albanese's understandable concern is that the inevitable storm of protest from vested interests could derail a third Labor term in Canberra. Well, perhaps.
Many Australians are looking for support for tax concession revision from our 2 million-plus cohort of property investors themselves, and from their traditional champions on the non-Labor side of politics.
Queensland Liberal Garth Hamilton has called for his Coalition to consider changes to CGT on housing, and even teal-trumping Melbourne MP Tim Wilson expressed concern about the untoward consequences of the CGT exemption some years back in his book The New Social Contract.
So c'mon older and wealthier property investors: let's hear you shout out for guard rails and limits on property portfolios, especially holdings of already existing dwellings amassed via tax concessions.
The ACTU's recent proposal seems to be on the right track: one negatively geared and CGT discounted property per investor (and encouragement for new builds) with a five year grandfathering/adjustment period for existing investors.
Fraser Faithfull, Caulfield South
Surgeon rorts
As a retired board member of the TAC, I am appalled to read of the alleged widespread rorting of the TAC by surgeons and others (10/8), which must not only be stopped but must also lead to full reparations and punishment for those found guilty.
TAC has always done a wonderful job for Victorians of caring for people who experience road trauma, and has also invested massively in innovative accident prevention initiatives, catalysing a nearly fourfold reduction in our road toll and injuries, over decades.
The alleged theft of monies from the TAC can only lead to depletion of resources and hence reduced efforts in its legitimate care and accident prevention budget.
Proven offenders deserve no less than loss of their medical license, and all the other legal penalties that their thieving deserves.
The investigation should not be done by involved parties such as the college of surgeons or even the TAC, who will, I fear, be far too gentle and 'wrist-slapping' in their inquiries. Call the police, bring in the fraud squad. The alleged thieves are systematically stealing from all Victorians.
Prof Danny Samson, department of management and marketing, University of Melbourne
Microchip e-bikes
Bans on bikes on the London metro apply to all non-folding bikes, not just e-bikes (10/8). Any ban on legal e-bikes on trains here undermines government policies promoting health, reduced use of cars and the viability of small businesses that cater for the needs of cyclists in both Melbourne and the regions.
Disturbingly, such a ban would infringe the human rights of many seniors and those of any age with disabilities who depend on legally compliant e-bikes to participate in our society while relying on trains to extend the range of their trips and as a bail-out in emergencies. The enforcement of policies banning the presence of shonky e-bikes and scooters on trains has never been easier.
Voluntary registration for e-bikes to be engraved with non-removable micro-chipping would allow adapted readers carried by authorised officers to have instant access to compliance data, service history and ownership details. Fines for non-compliance could be issued and offenders ejected at the next station.
Suggestions in The Age that the outcome of the consultation process is predetermined suggest peak cycling groups should seek judicial review on the basis of the apprehended bias of the decision makers.
John Carmichael, Hawthorn
Cheating risk
I agree with your correspondent (Letters, ″AI tells lies″, 9/8). I entered a question about whether 'glutinous' rice contains gluten, then re-entered the question with a small re-word and got an opposite (and correct) answer. The only thing it seems to be good for is writing speeches for the instigator to refine or for a cheating student who will hopefully be found out. Businesses, use at your own risk.
Chrissie Schubert, Windsor
Prometheus' doom
Re Waleed Aly's take on AI, (″ Hard to stay calm in the face of AI storm,″ 8/8). It seems we can forget the optimism of ″Prometheus unbound″. The fitting myth for humanity now is that of the legendary bird doomed to fly ever-faster in ever-diminishing circles until it disappears up its own orifice.
Frank Hurley, Alfredton
Not only human
After reading Ellen Broad's monograph 'Made by Humans – the AI condition' (MUP, 2018) – all those years ago I became, even then, more sceptical about the seemingly unstoppable march of AI. Witnessing its inroads into our lives is a cause for sober reflection.
Helena Kilingerova, Vermont
Well-read men
I enjoyed Jacqueline Maley's piece on current reading habits, ' Death of the white, male author ' (10/8). Maley discusses the drop in the number of men reading novels along with the demise of the authors regarded as 'Straight White Men'. She includes in this category Kingsley and Martin Amis and Americans, Roth, Mailer and Bellow.
These authors achieved fame and a reading public in the latter decades of the 20th century. Their preoccupations were about men's dealing with each other, largely in the public sphere, and what impact their presentation would make on the opposite sex and for their career prospects. They no longer resonate today.
The book club I go to has been going for 20 years. It is all men and all are straight and white. Over the years, we have enjoyed Tyler, Funder, Williams, Winch, Mantel, Laguna. Our list includes men as well, Flanagan, Winton, McEwen, Towles, Lynch. These books have the following characteristics; empathy, respect, genuineness and optimism. They engage with the world, hold on to hope and value agency.
As straight, white (older) males, we are the better for these reading experiences.
Simon Gardiner, Camberwell
AND ANOTHER THING
Trump world
Nobel Peace Prize candidate Donald Trump promises there will be territorial swaps of mutual benefit to Russia and Ukraine. Perhaps he could set the ball rolling by giving back Alaska to the Kremlin. Problem solved!
David Elias, Sandringham
Maybe Donald Trump could reciprocate, and nominate Benjamin Netanyahu for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Richard Hughes, Woodend
Netanyahu can now join Putin and Trump, if Trump decides to invade and take control of Greenland. Only difference is that Ukraine can at least put up some semblance of defence against Russia. Palestine has no hope. As Trump would say 'so sad'.
Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park, SA
Middle East
Israel, born for the oppressed, now the oppressor.
Tom Stafford, Wheelers Hill
If only all nations would do as Germany is; not supplying munitions would prevent any more killing or destruction.
Doris LeRoy, Altona
Furthermore
Real men don't need to hide their identity when parading through the city – real men show their faces.
Anne Maki, Alphington
Roundtables with predetermined opinions produce oblong results.
Jim Pilmer, Camberwell
