The vulnerable disabled who need advocates

Ensuring the vaccines are distributed equitably

I am booked to get my booster COVID-19 vaccination this week; it is bittersweet for me. I am grateful to live in a wealthy country and feel very lucky, benefiting from having vaccinations which are offered so that I can live a good life with an eye also on how this is protection for my family and community – even the world. But I see that the new variant, Omicron, has arrived in NSW.

The vaccines have not been equitably distributed around the world despite the virus ignoring borders, so those who are missing out on the opportunities to be vaccinated are vulnerable. That means the world is still vulnerable and what a disgrace this is. Until we live our lives thinking more about each other and less selfishly about ourselves – at a personal, community, national or international level – we have a broken system.
Jenny Gibbons, Mildura

Why are we still waiting for our quarantine facility?

Given that another, possibly even more transmissible, COVID-19 strain has hit us, is there any news on how our purpose-built quarantine facility at Mickleham is coming along? That’s the one that this paper suggested may well be a “$200million white elephant” (Sunday Age, 16/10).
Ian Millar, Mordialloc

Words of reassurance that we needed to hear

While many of us are still feeling anxious and uncertain about COVID-19, Melissa Coburn’s article – “Worry will not help, so enjoy this city instead” (Comment, 2/12) – was very timely and helped to put things in perspective. Grateful thanks to Melissa for her words of encouragement, reassurance and hope.
Joy Hayman, Blackburn North

Importance of being flexible when you’re a leader

Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy promised there would be no lockdowns by a government under his leadership. This was irresponsible and showed a lack of judgment and ability to lead in the event of a major health crisis such as COVID-19.
Gary Roulston, Endeavour Hills

THE FORUM

Relax, the system works

A bill involving the strengthening of the pandemic laws passed through Victoria’s lower house but was met with opposition in the upper house. Pressure groups had their say, amendments were debated and passed by the upper house. Alterations were made that were satisfactory to the lower house and now the bill looks like becoming law.

This is a textbook example of how our parliamentary system is supposed to work. Death threats and threats of assault against democratically elected MPs are criminal and un-Australian. Those MPs who resisted such threats should be commended for their courage.
Tony Devereux, Nunawading

Very limited oversight

Victoria’s pandemic bill does not go anywhere near giving real oversight and democratic review. A non-government chair to the joint parliamentary committee charged with reviewing public health orders, for example, could be one of the four crossbenchers who are dealing with the government. I can just see independence from Fiona Patten.
Helen Leach, Bendigo

Our ally takes advantage

Eryk Bagshaw’s analysis (The Age, 2/12) is spot on. To try to wedge Labor in the lead-up to the election, the government would prefer to portray China as a bogyman rather than use diplomacy to improve the relationship with our major trading partner and protect our industries and longer-term security. There is no greater irony than the fact the US has replaced Australia’s lost exports of beef, cotton, copper, timber and coal.
James Young, Mount Eliza

Our lack of leadership

Here we are, historically part of the now defunct British empire, ideologically aligned to the US through business, social, and political initiatives, and geographically located in the Asia Pacific. And let us not forget the 30,000-plus years of Indigenous habitation of our nation, and the rich tapestry of customs and cultures provided us through generational migration here.

The dilemma, or more optimistically the challenge, for our so-called leaders is how to negotiate these imperatives on our Australian identity. I am not sure our current leaders, of any persuasion, have the talent or vision required for a long-term solution.
James Sarros, Black Rock

US, China, both laughing

How is it in Australia’s interests to constantly provoke China when the US gains from China’s trade retaliation? Peter Dutton talks tough about defending Taiwan while the US says nothing about it that could upset the Chinese. The consequence is China retaliates against Australia by reducing importation of our primary produce and increasing imports from the US. So much for our special relationship with the US. The Chinese and Americans must laugh at how naive our politicians are.
Daniel Cole, Essendon

Stand up to bully China

It is dangerous to say “we need China on our side probably more than we need the Americans” (Letters, 1/12) in the current circumstances. Here is a belligerent, authoritarian bully with appalling human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet and against its own people in China. Already Australia has been targeted with trade sanctions and confronted with 14 “good behaviour” demands, not to mention cyber attacks on many of our institutions and warmongering against democratic Taiwan. With friends like these...
Tim Nolan, Brighton

More clarity on hydrogen

It is good to read that one of new senator Greg Mirabella’s two priorities in Canberra is “changing the way Australians debate and approach climate change” with a particular focus on hydrogen (The Age, 1/12). But does his definition of green hydrogen require that it is produced from renewable energy sources? The Liberal Party often deceptively calls it “clean hydrogen” and argues that it can be produced from fossil fuels using unproven and expensive carbon capture and storage – just a con to justify new coal and gas. Over to you, Greg Mirabella.
Amy Hiller, Kew

Didn’t the Demons win?

Was there some problem with the grand final we recently had in Perth? I thought Melbourne won it fairly and squarely – “Grand final rematch could launch 2022 AFL season” (Sport, 2/12).
Lindsay Zoch, Mildura

Protect the community

I am a medical practitioner with some surgical experience during my training and post-graduate year and I proceeded to become a specialist psychiatrist. However, according to the existing regulations, I could establish a cosmetic surgery practice without undertaking further specialist training, unlike plastic surgeons who must undertake many years of such training.

Clearly, cosmetic surgery has become a highly lucrative industry propagated by practitioners who enjoy the “celebrity” status afforded by social media. It is incomprehensible that the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has been so ineffective, or unwilling, to apply the necessary standards that apply to all other health professionals in order to protect the community from medical negligence.
Dr Leslie Chester, Brighton

The women are fed up

Women of Australia – have you had enough of these misogynistic bully boys yet?
Cate Broadbent, Yarraville

The voters say ’enough’

How to reduce the disgust we voters out here have for politicians? Maximum three election cycles, then you retire. No party candidates allowed who have been employed by their party. Only individuals can contribute campaign funds, and a maximum of $100 a campaign. Ban how-to-vote cards and no candidate to be allowed within one kilometre of a polling station. Politicians to be held criminally liable for public funds that are wasted or stolen. I think this would pass the pub test.
Mick Webster, Chiltern

Another minister down

The irony of Alan Tudge’s standing down as Education Minister is that he should never have been promoted to the position in the first place. It does not seem to matter to Scott Morrison how badly ministers behave or how poorly they do their job. It almost seems it is a prerequisite to becoming a minister in this sorry excuse for a government.
Russell Brown, Greater Western

Billing for no service

My Telstra landline stopped me making calls, or receiving them, after the first week in September. However, I am getting monthly bills for this non-existent “service”, one even giving me a discount because my “bundle” changed. On inquiring about this weirdness, I was told there was no connection between the service and billing departments but now that I have raised this issue, the bills will be stopped. However I will still get a few more bills, but will not have to pay them. How nice. Telstra CEO, Andy Penn, answers please.
Eila Basile, West Melbourne

You enriched us all

Vale David Dalaithngu (The Age, 2/12). I was in Maningrida once and I thought of you. Every time I watch the film, Walkabout, you make me cry. Great magician, performer, wise and funny artist, dance and go far into your Dreamtime. Thank you, David Dalaithngu, with mythic eyes for enriching all of us on this planet.
Michael Ingleton, Clifton Springs

Not in South Yarra, please

Re “Soho or no go? ‘Zoo’ fears over club plan” (The Age, 2/12). So, local resident David Parker was happy to visit the exclusive, private members-only Soho Houses in Los Angeles and New York but does not want one in his own backyard.
Ann Johnstone, Black Rock

How Parliament works

Did I correctly hear the Prime Minister say he is not introducing the integrity bill to the Parliament because the Labour opposition has not approved it? I was under the impression that the way Parliament worked was for the government to introduce a bill to the house to be debated and then voted on to be passed or defeated. The Prime Minister’s position completely baffles me.
Jaya Naidu, Merrijig

Assist first home buyers

Ross Gittins reminds us there is political peril in trying to make housing affordable for both renters and aspiring home owners (Opinion, 1/12). When those of my Baby Boomer generation on modest incomes were young, they could reasonably expect to purchase a modest home after a few years of saving hard, but today’s young people can only expect high rents and financial difficulties. Government rules make the property and rental markets perverse, as a question in Money (The Age, 1/12) demonstrates.

An investment property owner and partner are about to move into a house in which they must live for six months because of the conditions attached to the first home buyers grant. Does this mean a couple qualifies for government assistance as a “first home buyer”, even if one of them owns a home, provided the other keeps the “first home” in his/her name. If so, how is that ethically and administratively right? First home buyer schemes only further inflate the property market in any event. Governments must find the will to improve affordable rental schemes and public housing, and end the tax breaks which benefit the privileged.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster

Expand the Life page

On a sunny late afternoon recently, my wife Margaret and I walked for 40 minutes from near Royal Park Station to the next one, Flemington Bridge, up, along and down a beautiful part of the park on the southern side of the railway. We saw only two other persons, one with a dog and one runner. I have enjoyed running on the hills of Royal Park since 1953, my first year at university. Could not The Age’s Life page also publish inviting accounts of parks?
John Howes, Brunswick

AND ANOTHER THING

Politics

Will Frydenberg escort David Van to the PM’s office because of his behaviour towards Lambie?
Jane Taylor, Newport

What an unedifying spectacle – Frydenberg playing Baldrick to ScoMo’s Blackadder.
Mike Smith, Croydon

There are obviously not enough cold showers in Parliament House.
David Lyall, Mount Eliza

Sad to hear Hunt will retire. He’s been a great asset to the Mornington Peninsula and will be missed.
Diana Goetz, Mornington

Hunt has a busy few months ahead if he’s to fulfil all the promises he made to his electorate at the last election.
Greg Lee, Red Hill

Christian Porter. Greg Hunt. Rats jumping off a sinking ship.
Ivan Glynn, Vermont

Just call the election, Mr Morrison.
Malcolm Macdonald, Junortoun

I doubt whether Somyurek would know a principle if he tripped over one.
Jon Smith, Leongatha

Shaun Carney (2/12), hopefully after this election the Coalition will be remembered as The Grateful Dead.
Chris Young, Surrey Hills

The PM is genuine only in his intention to spin his way to the election. The limbo man.
Campbell Laughlin, Berwick

Furthermore

What’s the progress of the purpose-built quarantine facilities for incoming travellers? We may need them soon.
Lynell McCluggage, Carlton North

Was DP ″⁣40 sheets″⁣ to the wind when writing the cryptic crossword (1/12)? A quire has 25 sheets.
Russ Incoll, Mount Eliza

Where has Green Guide’s back page, with reviews of TVs, stereos, games etc, gone? It’s been missing for two weeks. Bring it back.
Phil McAleer, Sandringham

If freedom-loving, “wellness” anti-vaxxers get COVID-19, they should have to reimburse hospitals for the cost of their treatment.
Rod Oaten, North Carlton

Gay Alcorn sends an exclusive newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive her Note from the Editor.