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Credit: Illustration: Andrew Dyson

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HOUSING

Why has estate suddenly become so dangerous?

I am saddened and horrified that my elected Hobsons Bay City Council has decided to summarily evict members of its own community with little consultation (The Age, 12/7). Why are these people being made to feel they have done something wrong? During the council meeting, the words “illegal” and “unlawful” must have cut deep and the emotions and tears were raw.

Why is living at Techo Park Drive Estate in Williamstown suddenly so dangerous? ExxonMobil has confirmed that the eight massive tanks nearby have been empty for three to four years. However, if the threat of the “blast zone” (ABC Radio, 12/7) is so dire, then surely all of the businesses at Techno Park Drive must be evicted as well. Using the same logic, sports on the neighbouring sports fields must be ceased immediately and traffic in Kororoit Creek Road must be diverted due to the imminent risk.

Does this council want its legacy to be that of evicting some of its own community members into homelessness during a national housing crisis? History is not kind to governments and bureaucracies that callously target the vulnerable members of our community. Robo-debt and its devastating effects on human beings are fresh in our minds. Once a home, always a home.
Nick Hansen, Altona

Rezone the area and let the residents stay

The proposed mass eviction of people from Techo Park Drive is wrong on so many levels. If it goes ahead, many decent people and families could be made homeless. What would happen to those buildings? Vandals and squatters would move in with all the associated problems that would bring. Many of these people in Techo Park Drive are on low incomes and they will find it impossible to afford rents in today’s rental crisis. If other examples of residents living close to major hazard facilities are allowed for “historical reasons”, why is Techo Park Drive being singled out? Common sense should prevail and the area should be rezoned so these people can be left in peace.
Liz Andrews, Eltham

Short stays are exacerbating the rental crisis

Short-stay city apartments are a curse on owner-residents and exacerbate the rental crisis. The owners’ selfish actions add enormously to depreciation by funnelling thousands of tourists throughout homes with no regard for other residents. Short-stay apartments unfairly run our apartment buildings into the ground, yet the owners pay no extra for their drain on the buildings.
Ban short-stays and Airbnbs in Docklands and fix two problems. Thousands of apartments will become available for renters who are desperate for somewhere to live, and Docklands (as well as city hotels) will fill with residents and flourish.
Tony Moore, Docklands

Emergency accommodation via Airbnb control

Could a solution to the housing crisis be for state and federal governments to do more to control Airbnbs? This includes requiring owners to register and pay annual licence fees which would be set at a level which might encourage them to go back into the private rental market. The fees could go towards emergency housing support.
Robert Freeman, Portarlington

THE FORUM

Our governments’ shame

Yet another report detailing the abuse of children in state care (The Age, 13/7) How many reports are required before governments act on them? And Victoria is not the only state to blame for such failures. Children around the country continue to be abused while they are in government care.

What is particularly horrible is that in failing to protect those children, governments fail to take actions which the very laws they have passed, or are responsible for, require them to take. Given how governments pontificate about others who fail their legal responsibilities, the word hypocritical comes to mind. Perhaps that is too kind; it is vulnerable children whom they are failing.
Max Liddell, Coburg

Pick on the little guys

I am all for taxing private schools but I am against the obvious bullying of Andale School in Kew (The Age, 14/7). It is a tiny, special needs school which caters to a specific type of student and it cannot afford to push back against the government.

Melbourne Grammar, Geelong Grammar, Scotch College – these schools have more than enough money to meet the new tax. They also have terrific supporters who can lobby on their behalf to the government. As usual, the government is out for the easy target; the big ones are just too hard. Leave Andale alone.
David Jeffery, East Geelong

Too precious to lose

I was brought to tears of disbelief when I read that Andale School would be subject to the same payroll tax as some of Victoria’s most elite private schools.We enrolled my son, who has autism, at Andale after we were informed by his government school teacher that she could not accommodate his needs in her classroom.

We struggled to pay the fees, but there were no educational alternatives for him at the time. We could not afford to pay for my other son to attend a private school. The majority of families of students attending the school were in the same financial position as us, and the staff did their best to support the students with very limited resources. I hope that this unfair decision will be reviewed.
Simone Whaling, Newport, Qld

The invasion is coming

Re “While fire ants march, funding stalls” (The Age, 14/7). Please, please, will you agriculture ministers come to a rapid agreement on the eradication funding program before it is too late. Have we learned nothing from the cane toads invasion which will be insignificant in comparison to red fire ants? We still have the chance to prevent losses to the environment, livestock, livelihoods and our way of life. Don’t waste it.
Joanne O’Sullivan, Camberwell

Which road do I take?

With the incredible number of roadworks going on in Melbourne and surrounds, why can’t we have better, bigger, clearer road signs so we know where to go? That way I might have avoided a three-hour trip from Melbourne to Geelong.
Katriona Fahey, Alphington

A serious risk for NATO

Your correspondent (Letters, 14/7) is wrong to condemn NATO for its stance on Ukraine’s request to join it. Fulfilling President Volodymyr Zelensky’s wishes would deny NATO the opportunity to act as an intermediary between the warring factions in any future negotiations – ie, in effect, NATO would be at war with Russia once Ukraine was admitted to the alliance.
Ivan Glynn, Vermont

Fear of the dark days

To those who may criticise the Ukraine war as merely a US-Russia dispute and unworthy of our support, this is an apathetic view. Fortunately for them, they do not live in Eastern Ukraine or need to fear a return to life under a Soviet regime.
Denis Liubinas, Blairgowrie

Our role in war crimes

Australia’s authorisation of more military aid (30 more Bushmasters) to Ukraine (The Age, 13/7) was not contingent upon its cessation of using illegal cluster munitions. What is our government doing?

Are the Australian people assisting with war crimes? Not all these bombs explode, and instead stay around until civilians and children come across them with tragic consequences. What is Labor’s policy on cluster munitions? Australia is a signatory to the UN Convention on cluster bombs so why are we approving more military aid to a country that is using them? I am outraged at our complicity.
Rosalie Hamilton, Morwell

Resolve conflict first

Some members of the elite West need to be reminded of what exactly is at stake in Ukraine. A country and its people are being irrationally attacked and they need to defend themselves. There will be time for “gratitude” (The Age, 14/7) when the conflict is resolved. For now, unlimited support is needed to defend a rational world order.
Bill Cleveland, Kew

When pragmatism wins

Your correspondent (Letters, 13/7) wonders why Anthony Albanese, once so strongly anti-Vietnam War, is now so keen to help the Americans fight a war. The question could be extended to all former youthful idealists in the ALP who now work, or have worked, for large corporations and even the gambling industry. As Groucho Marx said, those are my principles and if you don’t like them I have others.
David Fry, Moonee Ponds

Celebration of all art

Visiting the National Gallery of Victoria this week, I had the choice between the Bonnard and Rembrandt exhibitions. On this occasion I chose the Rembrandt. I was astonished by the depth of our collection of etchings given to us through the Felton Bequest. The beauty of Rembrandt’s character studies was set off by stark, black walls.

Rather than an “insecure institution” (Comment, 12/7), the NGV is a smart institution, embracing and celebrating art in all its forms. It is ok to be both serious and whimsical, low-brow and high-brow. Playing with forms does not “diminish our intelligence” as some people claim. Art is exciting precisely because we represent and interact in ways that are constantly evolving.
Anna Pianezze, Heidelberg

Workers have missed out

The full page ad protesting the government’s industrial relations bill is funded by pro-business lobby groups. There has been no real wage growth because of the policies of the Coalition, fully supported by business. Also, the proportion of income going to wages has fallen as business profits have increased over the years. Business groups would gain more respect and credibility if they told us how they would right these wrongs. Maybe then the IR bill would not be necessary.
Barry Lizmore, Ocean Grove

An admirable RBA leader

According to Annika Smethurst, women who smash through the glass ceiling risk succumbing to the “glass cliff” (Comment, 15/7). I sincerely hope that Michele Bullock, the next governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, proves that theory wrong.
Sally Davis, Malvern East

Time to put people first

Peter Dutton, when quizzed on whether Scott Morrison should leave parliament, said, “He’ll make the decision that’s right for him.” A perfect summary of Morrison. Personally I prefer some who makes decisions which are right for Australia.
Laurie Comerford, Chelsea

Seeking some positivity

Peter Dutton obviously does not understand that his role as leader of the opposition is not to be taken literally. He automatically and vociferously opposes every single idea, statement or policy the Albanese government proposes. His negativity is becoming boring.
Jill Rosenberg, Caulfield South

It’s long past time

The Voice is more than 235 years late. We exchanged Australia for a few baubles and mirrors and a pledge on paper in a language unknown. Surely we now have the knowledge and understanding to give this country’s original inhabitants formal acknowledgment and a say.
Mary Jenkin, Balwyn

AND ANOTHER THING

Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding

Victoria

Our state government provides funding for public schools so they can return part of it as payroll tax. Go figure that out.
Brian Marshall, Ashburton

The ice warning system on the Calder Freeway hasn’t worked for weeks. Spend less on Dan’s Big build and more on road safety maintenance.
Geoff Oliver, East Malvern

Drivers swing right before turning left (13/7) so they don’t have to put a foot on the brake. I worry about being side-swiped.
Joan Peverell, Malvern

“Binfluencer” – the neighbour you look to who consistently selects the correct bins for the weekly waste collection.
Robyn Carey, North Fitzroy

Federal

Perhaps the federal government should have appointed a crystal ball reader as the next RBA governor.
Garry Meller, Bentleigh

A question for the No campaign. How will not having the Voice improve the lives of First Nations peoples?
Michael Brinkman, Ventnor

Peter Dutton’s idea of tough times: people “buying meats or sausages instead of steak” (14/7).
Bernd Rieve, Brighton

If Scott (nothing to see here) Morrison resigns it will be a miracle.
Ron Slamowicz, Caulfield North

How good was the robo-debt royal commission?
Peter Carlin, Frankston South

Bang on, Cathy Wilcox, re Morrison (14/7). Trump’s pretender, above it all and untouchable.
Tris Raouf, Hadfield

Furthermore

The West and its allies should not just support Ukraine but show gratitude towards David fighting the evil Goliath for all our sakes.
Roger Christiansz, Wheelers Hill

Will Musk’s AI chatbot be trained exclusively on Twitter content?
Niko Melaluka, Footscray

Am I the only naive person who finds the idea of a human owning an island and volcano slightly weird?
Alice Glover, Thornbury

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