Some 2018 Letters to the Editor

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Sent 4 Feb 18 Sunday Age 

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF 

In recent decades, we have exposed and reduced child sex abuse. Thanks to those who discovered and broadcast the long term damage it does. 

But there are three facts not yet widely understood. One, the abuse has been going on since time immemorial. And two, there are still countries which have not yet lifted the lid. But three, we have declared a whole new human right. This is the right to grow up unmolested, akin to abolishing slavery! POC 

Printed 14 Feb 2018 AGE 

THE POT CALLING KETTLE BLACK 

I like Diana Elliott’s clear and enlightened article (“What Barnaby Joyce did is none of our business”, AGE 13/12). 

Following this “scandal” takes me back decades to the days when an extramarital relationship was a public disgrace. 

We know that private lives can be in emotional upheaval in a marriage - or when it is breached. 

Threatening Joyce’s career on these grounds logically implies that a substantial number of other politicians, journalists, lawyers, celebrities, etc … should also be in for the chop! POC 

Sent 16 Feb 2018 

GRITTIER CULTURES 

I write to oppose the paternalistic dictators who want to impose a no-sex rule on workers. 

A lot of happy couples meet through work. It’s pretty natural that a person would get to know and trust another through the regular contact of work. 

Yes, there are cases where the one with more power exploits the other – but these are the minority. We cannot ban all transactions between people because some do it wrong. On these grounds, we would have to ban marriage altogether – as a danger to citizens! This creeping interference in our private lives would only increase the already growing number of solitary and depressed people. Our western way of life would fade away, and grittier cultures would inherit the earth. POC 

Prtd 29 Aug ‘18 AUS, HS, AGE 

BLOCKING PROGRESS 

It’s dreadful news that the Victorian Education Department will no longer let their better schools grow to the point where most students come from outside their bureaucratic “zone”. 

This is a direct attack on parent choice, which is the natural driver of improvement in the school industry. POC 

Printed 7 Aug 2018 AUS 

MALE-FEMALE MAGIC 

There is something very strange about the push to eliminate the male-female distinction. 

The mysterious and powerful tension between men and women brings out the best in both and keeps the human race viable. Even same-sex couples assume male and female roles. POC 

Printed 20 Aug 18 Herald Sun 

TECHNOLOGY FOR ITS OWN SAKE? 

I am impressed by the Chief Scientist’s remark that technology for its own sake is worse than no technology at all. 

At our very independent Fitzroy Community School, with no selection of students, less time in class, and high NAPLAN results, we don’t use computers at primary level. 

We believe that legible writing is an asset, that muscle memory aids correct spelling, and that computer skills come easily at secondary level. POC 

Printed 26 Aug Age 

LOSS of ACADEMIC FREEDOM 

It is a tragedy that once-great universities are backing away from freedom of speech (Age, page 1, 25/8 re Melbourne Uni). 

I remember at university 50 years ago, students and staff alike were well aware of contrary positions. We took a pride in being able to debate conflicting views. 

Young adults being educated for leadership must be exposed to diverse values. That includes conflicting positions in social and other science. 

If universities surrender to group-think, we’ll have to seek out new institutions for truth-seekers and future leaders. POC 

Sent 3rd Aug 2018 HS 

ROBBING THE POOR 

I can’t believe or accept that tens of thousands more Australian households have had their power cut off in recent years because of non-payment. 

I protest against the fixed charges for household power. It hurts careful low-income users, such as old folk. They end up paying more for each unit of power than higher-income power wasters. 

Everyone has to pay the same fixed amount for “poles and wires” – plus a certain price for every kilowatt consumed. 

It’s like going for petrol and paying $20 for “shipping and storage” then $1 per litre for actual fuel. Good for guzzlers; bad for modest users. Cruel for low-income low-mileage drivers. 

Combine all costs of providing power, and charge it all by the kilowatt. If you use none, you should pay none. If you use little, you should pay little. 

Sent 16 Sep 2017 HS 

COAL BAN DOUBLE TALK 

The climate alarmists say we can’t burn coal because it will cause global warming. Our governments back this doctrine and close Australia’s coal-fired power stations – dramatically increasing our power bills. 

I am not a climate scientist: but I know a contradiction when I see one. Australia is a top exporter of coal! There’s only one atmosphere! We are not “saving the planet”. All we are doing is making Australians poorer. 

The schemers behind this arrangement obviously do not believe that humanity is at risk. China is building hundreds of coal-fired power stations. For some reason, they want to deny Australians the cheap and reliable power that we are sending to China, India and prosperous Japan. 

With so many professional journalists and well-financed public media, there must surely be someone who’s willing and able to tell us in plain English what is really going on behind all this double talk. POC 

Printed 22 Jun 2018 Australian 

TRANSFERRED STRESS 

The only children who are stressed by NAPLAN testing are those who are wound up by adults - teachers or parents. 

In our school, we ask parents not to say when the NAPLAN is. Our students take it as an interesting project - one among many. POC 

Printed 9 Aug 2018 Australian 

LIFT DAM BAN 

I support the case for more water for agriculture. Feeding a billion people is a great export target and a great relationship to have with a hungry world. 

Opposing the Franklin dam in Tasmania was fair. Tasmania had more than enough water and power. And the forest to be drowned was very special. 

However there are many opportunities for new dams around Australia where there is no conservation issue. A total dam ban is irrational. POC 

Printed 19 Sept 2018 AGE, HS 

DYING with INDIGNITY 

A close friend of mine, aged 90, lived alone with his little dog and the activities he loved. 

I said to him, more than once, that he could have a fall and die alone. He said, very clearly every time, that he had long expected this but did not want to be put into aged care. 

Then he had a bout of pneumonia. He was being visited every day for basic assistance, but was getting weaker. He was taken to hospital and shortly shunted from there into aged care. 

He protested bitterly every day and died within a few weeks. It was 100% crystal clear to everyone involved that he wanted to spend the remainder of his life at home. 

Mysteriously, it’s okay to die in aged care, but not at home alone - even if you want to. 

Families and doctors need to understand that it is okay - and humane - to respect the wishes of old folks like my friend. POC 

Printed 1 Oct 18 Australian 

HARVESTING VOTES 

I am astonished by the faux innocence of Professor George Williams’ article (Aus, Oct 1) that 16-17 year-olds be given the vote to “extend the franchise”. 

He well knows that students’ politics strongly reflect the propaganda channelled to them by their teachers. 

This is the very reason that the green-left faction is so keen to maintain their control over teacher training, school funding and school registration. 

Whichever faction dominates education, student voting would not serve democracy. It would simply mean that school curricula would become even more distorted to garner more votes for that faction. POC