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The Voice

I am inclined to disapprove of Lidia Thorpe. But you’ve got to hand it to the senator: she has got guts (“‘Violation of our ancient protocols’: Thorpe seeks to join Hanson, Coalition in writing Voice No case”, 21/6). And she’s right: a treaty speaks more honestly to the brutal realities of colonisation and its lingering effects.

But a treaty is not going to happen, not in a nation whose aspiring leader, one Peter Dutton, actually walked out of parliament during the apology to the stolen generations. Accordingly, I will be voting Yes to the Voice.
Michael Read, Carnegie

Voice will bolster Indigenous achievements
I have respect for Senator Lidia Thorpe representing the “Blak Sovereign Movement” in parliament. Australia has a long history of Indigenous grassroots activism. This activism resulted in the creation of Aboriginal community-controlled health services and significantly influenced the land rights movement. A Yes vote in the referendum will strengthen Indigenous self-determination as envisioned by the protest movement of the 1970s. A No vote rejects 50 years of black activism in our country.
Sarah Russell, Mt Martha

Make your point by abstaining
Senator Lidia Thorpe and others who claim to be “progressive No voters” should not be campaigning for the No case but rather for people to abstain. The “progressive No” vote doesn’t really seem to stem from disagreement over the proposition being put to the Australian people. Instead, it seems to embody a frustration with a lack of will to do something truly bold like a treaty — at a time when there is the leadership, appetite and political capital to make it happen.

There is a good case, then, for progressives who want more and who also do not wish to be associated with other No voters to leave their ballot paper blank.
Kirk Weeden, Frankston

Wants it both ways
If Lidia Thorpe is against the Voice because she “does not want to be part of the colonial Constitution”, why is she taking colonial money to sit in the colonial Senate of a colonial parliament?
Colin Smith, Glen Waverley

Vote is a disaster
To date, the referendum on the Voice has done nothing but divide the country, including the Indigenous community. It has placed increased attention on the racial divide and distracted from immediate major issues such as the cost of living and housing shortages. If the vote is ultimately No, Australia will run the risk of being viewed as a pariah racist state and the divide will be permanent. Overall, I believe that the whole idea of the referendum is a disaster. The correct approach should have been to address the problems under existing structures.
Tony O’Brien, South Melbourne

Good policy will survive
Your correspondent (Letters, 21/6) argues the Coalition wants to “abolish it [the Voice] altogether”, and this is “the very reason the Voice needs to be enshrined in the Constitution”. Yet, if the Voice was simply legislated and accepted as good policy, it is doubtful the Coalition would dare repeal it.
Peter Drum, Coburg

A simple expression
I was glad to see Pat Dodson’s opinion piece on the Voice (“A decision for the people, not politicians”, 20/6). Senator Dodson, in my opinion, has long stood out as Australia’s true statesman. He got me thinking once again about the Voice and its straightforward importance: its decency, its value, its necessity.

To those people who have not followed the discussion of pros and cons on the Voice, consider this shortcut: Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison, Tony Abbott and Pauline Hanson have spoken against it. That this querulous quartet oppose the Voice is your assurance of its goodness.
John Cameron, Bellbrae

THE FORUM

Olympic achievement
What a lovely good-news story about Alex Park and his dedicated teachers at Werribee Secondary College (“No sport required for Alex’s Olympic feat”, 21/6). Thank you for highlighting the enthusiasm and hard work of all concerned, particularly at a time when so much of our news is negative and despairing. And a star sticker for state schools.
Anne Sgro, Coburg North

More than enough money
The Frank Dando Academy cries poor over the need to pay payroll tax (“Boys’ school fears hard knock from payroll tax”, 21/6) like every public school and most businesses. The academy, whose parents pay $12,000 in fees each year, receives over $45,000 from federal funding and over $8000 from state funding per student. The school has recently spent over $2.3million on capital works. It does not participate in NAPLAN. Assuming the three full-time teachers are paid according to the relevant award, that would account for approximately $300,000 per annum. The school receives $1.5 million in recurrent funding. One has to ask where the other $1.2 million is being spent.
Dr David Zyngier, Associate Professor (Adj), School of Education, Southern Cross University

Variety is essential
Adam Carey’s report on Frank Dando Academy makes a good case for a variety of school contexts to support the learning needs of all children. We know not all children respond well to the structured classroom dominant in most of our schools. It is in the interests of the children who fail to prosper in the dominant model, and of society more generally, that opportunities are available to support their education and equip them in the long term.

This case is not an argument against removing payroll tax exemptions for high-fee private schools. It is an argument for recognising the need for our education system to provide opportunities reflecting a range of educational needs – not to subsidise a system that further exacerbates social inequality.
Jenny Macmillan, Clifton Hill

Learn free
Bravo Professor Duncan Maskell for your thoughts and personal experience about free higher education (“Uni head backs switch for free education”, 21/6). Indeed, most of today’s senior ministers are beneficiaries of Whitlam’s policy of free education for domestic students.
It is a waste of human resources that many potential students are deterred by exorbitant fees and choose alternative career paths. Free education can be advantageous to society. Costs can be reimbursed though taxation later when the students are happily and gainfully employed.
Maria Liew, Woodend

Boomer benefits
Christopher Bantick’s attempt to defend the rights of Baby Boomers (“Sledging Boomers denies our achievements”, 21/6) fails miserably. Yes we have had all the benefits thanks to Gough Whitlam and free education and housing prices that allowed us to actually live in a house and pay it off over a lifetime. But it didn’t stop there. Now in retirement we continue to be advantaged by government actions. John Howard ensured that anyone with financial advice could organise their affairs to avoid tax altogether and in many cases still get a part pension and the very valuable healthcare card. For many there are even more perks in terms of a property portfolio, negative gearing and capital gains relief. Whichever way you look at it, these “incentives” are disadvantageous to younger Australians and it is time for the balance to be changed.
Pam Sandon, Sandhurst

Boat tragedy
The probable death of the five people in the submersible seeking to view the wreck of the Titanic is horrible. It is also getting an enormous amount of media coverage. I cannot help comparing the effort to find them and the coverage of the very different rescue efforts and attention accorded to the hundreds of women and children effectively locked into the dangerous lower deck of the boat that sunk in the Mediterranean just a few days earlier.

I hope for the sake of their families and friends that these unfortunate people are also brought back to land.
Juliet Flesch, Kew

Laws worth enforcing
I commend The Age editorial re measures to reduce the road toll (“We can save more lives on our roads”, 21/6). However, I question what effect reducing speed limits can have when the current limits, such as 40km/h in suburban streets, are not enforced and constantly flouted.
Kay Howden, Northcote

Too powerful
The increased road toll across Australia is disappointing and depressing. How can this be with modern cars that have the latest safety technology including improved braking, lane and obstruction tracking and all-round air bags?

Maybe the answer is that these super-comfortable vehicles disconnect the driver from external realities. Cars virtually drive themselves and drivers hardly notice the high speeds they travel at.
Certainly we don’t want to return to the cars that were unsafe at any speed, such as my first Beetle, but I remember being conscious of every bump and curve in the road and knew I had to be extremely careful in wet weather.
Graeme Lechte, Brunswick West

The other road toll
The Age rightly requests an urgent review of road safety: 11,800 people killed over the past decade is 11,800 too many. The road toll, however, is dwarfed by the public health impact of traffic pollution. Researchers from the University of Melbourne estimate that vehicle exhaust pollution is responsible for a staggering 11,000 premature deaths, 19,000 hospitalisations for cardiovascular and respiratory issues and 66,000 cases of asthma every year. It’s high time the government implemented fuel efficiency standards. Slower speeds coupled with clean electric vehicles will result in safer and healthier communities for all Australians.
Amy Hiller, Kew

Housing Band-Aid
Your correspondents who denounce the Greens out of concern for the housing crisis (Letters, 20/6) should look more closely at what the government is proposing. The promised $10billion is to be invested in the sharemarket and revenue gained from this investment is to go to housing in 2024-25. In a weakening sharemarket, such profits would be uncertain at best. The housing crisis is deepening, and the need is urgent. We cannot wait a year or two. And why should social policy be funded through the speculative investment of taxation revenue?

The amount offered to the states as a compromise would result in approximately $486 million coming to Victoria – a piffling amount in relation to the need.
Jill Sanguinetti, Brunswick East

Quick fix
My fervent hope is that the newly allocated $2 billion will be spent in part to refurbish and/or renovate substandard and abandoned social housing. Such action, aimed at existing housing stock which is presently underutilised, is a practical way to get roofs over vulnerable folks’ heads.
Joyce Wilkinson, Essendon

Forgetting Bob’s flaws
Georgina Downer (Letters, 21/6) lists the many achievements of the Menzies government but omits the many negatives. Menzies did not implement the recommendations of the Vernon report on the economy. High tariffs continued on in Australia until the Whitlam government took power. He didn’t act on the White Australia Policy, that was tackled by his Liberal successors. I can’t recall that he did anything for First Nations people. And he committed Australian troops to Vietnam.
David Fry, Moonee Ponds

Frankston’s potential
It was surprising to see an article in The Saturday Age (“Frankston braced for battle of the Great Wall”, 17/6) indicating strong community resistance to major development in Frankston’s central district. The hundreds of comments on Frankston’s social media groups, the positive support at local businesses and community group meetings, and Frankston City Council’s two years of extensive community engagement suggest a different view.

A view that recognises the benefits that tens of thousands of new residents will bring by living, working and playing in the city centre. More foot traffic, increased trade, more vibrancy, safer streets and more housing choice for our community.
It’s time to get on with fulfilling Frankston’s potential.
Nathan Conroy, Mayor, Frankston City Council

Bad breeding
It may be fun to break a world record (“Strength in numbers: dachshunds pull off big feat”, 19/6) but the pain the dogs suffer is no joke. Dachshunds suffer high levels of intervertebral disc disease, a result of breeding them to have long backs. We must reform breed standards which emphasise appearance rather than health.
Debbie Lustig, Elsternwick

Sweet and savoury
Thank you, Michael Bachelard, “brioche” does not belong in the same sentence as “hamburger” (Comment, 21/6) and I’m a Francophile. It was the “cake” that Marie Antoinette suggested the peasants could eat. It’s not a trendy French bread roll, it’s a sweet treat.
Noelene Deveson, Ashburton

A soft bite
I had a giggle when I read Michael Bachelard’s article about hamburgers with brioche buns. I love brioche buns with my hamburgers. When I bite into them I can taste everything rather than working my way through the crusty bread before I taste the hamburger itself. It is a matter of personal taste, but I am raising the flag for all brioche lovers out there.
Julie Ottobre, Sorrento

AND ANOTHER THING

Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding

Brioche
I couldn’t agree more, Michael Bachelard. Brioche buns ruin what would be otherwise a perfectly good hamburger (Comment, 21/6).
Cynthia Logan, Kensington

Two brilliant commentaries on subjects dear to my heart: “Brioche fails the pub test” and “Sledging Boomers denies our achievements”. The oldies are fighting back!
Rick Whitelaw, Anglesea

The Voice
All politicians opposing the Voice should be required to present a forensic plan on how to improve the lives of disadvantaged First Nations people. Insincere apologies 15 years later are useless.
Tim Douglas, Blairgowrie

Re the Voice: It’s quite simple really. If you don’t think First Nations people have suffered enough since colonialism, vote No.
Russell Patterson, Heathmont

MP salaries
The independent committee that gave Victorian MPs a pay rise of 3.5per cent ought to be set up in a country pub, with locals as committee members.
George Houlder, Cambrian Hill

Another easy pay rise for politicians: no strikes, no negotiations, no wage theft.
Anne Flanagan, Box Hill North

The Ashes
A dream come true. A five-day Test decided in the last few overs with the result possibly going either way. Bring on the next one. Counting the sleep (less nights).
Rob Willis, Eagle Point

Bazball? Thanks England. Keep up the good work.
Graham Fetherstonhaugh, Carlton North

Furthermore
The ABC News doesn’t have to change to become Sydney-centric (Letters, 21/6). Have you watched it recently?
Heather Marsland, Fitzroy North

Keep the Bombers jet logo, but have it soaring skywards, not plummeting downwards. Keep their sunny side up, up …
Tris Raouf, Hadfield

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