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Badiucao<\/p>\n
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au<\/a>. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here<\/a> for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.<\/p>\n INTEREST RATES<\/p>\n The federal government sets the parameters within which the Reserve Bank of Australia operates, and tasks it with controlling inflation and maintaining \u2033\u2063full\u2033\u2063 employment. In turn, we are told the RBA considers movements in \u2018trimmed mean inflation\u2019 when setting the discount rate. Spread the burden of inflation Generation spending Landlords living lavishly Straight from Trump\u2019s song sheet Let\u2019s do as the Americans do How not to spend it THE FORUM<\/p>\n AI\u2019s insidious threats Limit big tech LNP spurious nonsense People deserve a say Hands off west Energy fallacy Enough is enough Stagnant in Victoria Patterson\u2019s curse Not acceptable Secret men\u2019s business Ageing in place AND ANOTHER THING<\/p>\n Cricket Oh, dear. Australia loses test match and series due to a batting collapse. A batting collapse initiated by a South African bowler who bowls like Scott Boland. Scott Boland, the player dropped from Australia\u2019s test team. Oh, dear. Furthermore President Trump has invited Vladimir Putin to the next G20. It is time for the other 18 members of the G20 to boycott the event and hold it outside the USA without Trump and Putin. Time to send a very clear message. No to the huge data centre in Brooklyn or anywhere else. We\u2019ve already been told that AI can destroy humanity. We need our water and energy security \u2013 and the continuation of the human race. I love the Spring Carnival but the spectacle of conspicuous consumption of clothes, entertainment, catering and punting should make the RBA realise that raising rates only allows the wealthy licence to spend. The poor don\u2019t fuel inflation. For the sake of peace and stability in Israel and the Middle East, I\u2019m desperately hoping Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot eats humble pie and does a deal with the Arab parties to form government. Oh, no! After enjoying my favourite column<\/a> in The Saturday Age (31\/10), which mused about lengthy words, I was saddened to read it was the final Wordplay column. Alas, I am disconsolate, melancholic, lachrymose, and grief-stricken. Thank you, David Astle, for your clever prose. The opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here<\/a>. <\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
However, events in the Middle East create pervasive upward cost impacts directly and indirectly on the majority of goods and services we buy, thus affecting the trimmed mean inflation rate.
So, how can an interest rate increase have an effect on externally generated inflation – particularly when the other major impact is federal government deficit spending? This occurs either directly through funding government activities, or indirectly through funding support to parts of the private sector.
What a Kafkaesque world we increasingly live in; the RBA has little control over the two major impacts on inflation, and yet has the task of controlling it. And the federal government thinks this is a viable situation.
Paul Coronel, Hawksburn<\/p>\n
Inflation unfairly targets those who have no lee-way in spending. Then a borrowing-rate rise to try to reduce inflation does not fall squarely on all Australians. It targets those who have a house mortgage, an overdraft or a credit card debt. Those without any of these are largely free to pay increased prices, and so feed inflation. The more assets you have, the less inflation affects you.
How can the burden of inflation be spread across the community? For example, the highest income tax rates could be linked to inflation. Taxation is the only progressive burden on wealth, but there must be more.
It is time for governments to spread the burden of inflation across Australia\u2019s population.
John Pinniger, Fairfield<\/p>\n
While families in the mortgage belt struggle with increased interest charges and higher fuel prices, their parents have paid off their mortgage, drive electric cars and plan their next overseas trip.
Phil Lipshut, Elsternwick<\/p>\n
I have a suggestion for The Age\u2019s next special report feature, following this weekend\u2019s \u2033\u2063Melbourne\u2019s Most Beautiful Homes<\/a>\u2033\u2063 31\/10.
I reckon \u2033\u2063Melbourne\u2019s Dodgiest Rentals\u2033\u2063 would be fiercely contested, and much more relatable to a majority of Victorians, particularly young people.
The feature should, correspondingly, name the owners of these lavishly priced rentals, and showcase the profits they make as successful \u2033\u2063landlords\u2033\u2063.
Michelle Goldsmith, Eaglehawk<\/p>\n
For so long, our prime minister has kept his cool while other leaders have sought the populist route. So I was dismayed that he looked to shift the blame for our high-interest rates to the Reserve Bank, who are only doing what they are required to do. Anthony Albanese\u2019s words were straight out of the Trump handbook.
Paul Williams, Fullarton SA<\/p>\n
If Americans can put interest rates on hold, why can\u2019t our RBA?
Jane Spier, Seaford<\/p>\n
Melbourne\u2019s world-class research institutes suffering funding crises and record number of people homeless and sleeping rough, and we pour millions into AUKUS!
Mary Stephen, Fitzroy<\/p>\n
Shane Wright warns of the dangers inherent in AI (\u2033\u2063The existential risks the AI boom reveals – even to its investors<\/a>\u2033\u2063, 31\/10). While the threat of wiping out humanity is real, even \u2018tamed\u2019 AI poses other, equally insidious threats.
Not only do data centres consume huge amounts of electricity and water, as well as making a significantly detrimental environmental and aesthetic impacts on nearby communities, they also consume huge amounts of data.
Imagine if an individual\u2019s information could be gathered in one place: tax and financial transactions; phone and internet usage; medical, educational and employment records; travel information; political affiliations and organisational memberships – the list is virtually endless.
Now imagine the tech titans, who appear to prioritise profit over people, offered to sell those profiles to a repressive government.
Are the data centres we naively welcome really Trojan horses preparing the way for future fascist governments? We should be very careful what we wish for.
John Annison, Lilydale<\/p>\n
Back in 2024, the then member for Goldstein, independent MP Zoe Daniel, was quick to see the harm social media can do and sought to do something practical about it. She introduced a private members\u2019 digital duty of care bill to make social media companies accountable for their published content.
Now, the Albanese Labor government is having a go, but trying to keep the big tech companies happy too, with a difficult pathway to opt out.
Meanwhile, the Liberals have opted out completely of doing anything to make our online world safer, with what Peter Hartcher (31\/10<\/a>) describes as \u201cspurious\u201d objections of \u201ccensorship\u201d.
The public mood is swinging against the big tech companies, so there is little to lose in supporting these laws. This is a great opportunity for parliament to work together to thwart the addictive nature and power of social media and show a duty of care to us all.
Jenny Kashyap, Bentleigh<\/p>\n
I\u2019m appalled by the Coalition\u2019s refusal to engage with the digital duty of care bill, which if passed, would require online service providers to ensure a safe digital environment.
Their argument that making providers responsible for content constitutes a breach of free speech is spurious nonsense. In the meantime, children continue to be exposed to material that is hateful, misogynistic, and associated with self-harm and suicidal ideation. How can anyone think that is OK?
Jan Storey, Beaumaris<\/p>\n
The Victorian Government should not rush the decisions on data centre approvals (\u2033\u2063Minister\u2019s deadline on $5b data centres call<\/a>\u2033\u2063, 1\/11). The government should represent the community\u2019s interests, and the community deserves a proper say in data centre projects that will impact them.
The decisions should wait a few weeks until after the state election. Democracy should not be treated as an inconvenience to the profit-making interests of large corporations.
Mark Zirnsak, Uniting Church in Australia<\/p>\n
Re \u2033\u2063Eight-storey hub equivalent to 11 MCGs heads up $5 billion data centre queue<\/a>\u2033\u2063 1\/11.
At the risk of stating the obvious, I would have thought any planning minister rushing to approve any proposed development, let alone multiple highly dubious ones like data centres, is not a good look for any government from any angle.
Why always pick on the western suburbs when it comes to dumping highly dubious data centres no one wants? Is it a case of not listening to the weak, a community of migrants, uneducated and those without powerful social connections of those who would willingly speak up for the vulnerable?
Talk about Labor once again betraying their own heartland.
On so many levels, we know there should be a moratorium on data centres until it is widely demonstrated why we suddenly supposedly need them at all and then, if necessary, can agree on fair and sensible lactation criteria.
Rushing to approve anything during the dying hours of a government only highlights the need for yet another investigation soon, similar to the one also needed as to ask why the former premier Jacinta Allan belligerently locked us into the SRL whether we need or can afford it, or not.
Bernadette George, Mildura<\/p>\n
It seems One Nation, along with Jess Wilson\u2019s Coalition, have not studied the \u201cprimary energy fallacy\u201d
The fallacy shows why focussing on energy going into the system can obscure focus on the useful energy we get out. Google it. As a result, they ignore the amount of energy wasted when we burn fossil fuels and are indifferent to benefits of reducing that immense waste through electrification. The economy wide benefits of adopting less wasteful, more efficient technology holds huge economic potential for our state so you would think all politicians would want to take action to encourage it. Sadly not so.
Many Victorians have put this knowledge to good use by switching to efficient electric appliances which has cut wasted energy in their homes and slashed their energy bills. There are big economy wide benefits on offer if the dinosaurs get with it. That\u2019s unlikely, but at least the rest of us can just get on with it in the mean time.
David Hudspeth, Burwood<\/p>\n
Your Letters correspondent asks \u201cwhat has Jess Wilson done to deserve to be elected premier?\u201d (\u201cAnd another thing<\/a>\u201d, 31\/10. I would argue a more pertinent question would be \u201cdoes Labor deserve to be returned considering its record of failures?\u201d Billions lost to alleged corruption on the Big Build, more billions lost on cancelled projects, the worst state in Australia to do business, the highest debt of any state, out of control crime, and firebombing on an almost daily basis is the reality of life in Victoria. If that is not enough to oust this government, what is?
Christo Krousoratis, Templestowe<\/p>\n
I read with interest the views of journalist, Peter Hartcher (\u201cThe four horsemen of the apocalypse are coming for the global economy<\/a>\u201d 31\/10) regarding the political stagnation of our major parties.
As Victoria faces an election in less than a month, the same stagnation applies to our Victorian parties.
Reading the advertising material from my local candidates does not fill me with any optimism as I fail to see any of the parties offering solutions for the myriad problems that beset our state.
The SRL debate on whether to \u201cpause or not to pause\u201d hardly inspires confidence. We are facing climate change fallout, shortages of health workers, increasing crime rates and a massive state debt, none of which appear to be convincingly addressed.
The malaise in our political system is endemic and suggests that governments need to fix the problems, both state and national now.
Marisa Di Giacomo, Beaumaris<\/p>\n
Re \u2033\u2063Mushroom killer Erin Patterson emotionless as appeal dismissed<\/a>\u2033\u2063, 30\/10. Erin Patterson\u2019s failed appeal has brought into focus, even if fleetingly, the living conditions of prisoners in solitary confinement.Is there natural light, fresh air – basic needs of a human being?
Yes, people who commit horrendous crimes should be punished but in Erin Patterson\u2019s case, is she expected to endure solitary confinement for 23 hours a day for the rest of her life until her dying breath?
Surely justice is served with a life sentence, or is that not enough punishment? Is her confinement even considered humane?
Pam McConnell, Boronia<\/p>\n
I saw a young woman trying on a Halloween \u2033\u2063decoration\u2033\u2063- a headband bearing an axe, complete with fake blood that looks as though it had been embedded in her skull.
At a time when women are being murdered and assaulted at a horrific rate, a Halloween \u2033\u2063joke\u2033\u2063 like that is not acceptable.
And yes, I told her so because the standard we walk past is the standard we accept.
Jane Ross, San Remo<\/p>\n
The excellent Good Weekend (31\/10) article by Konrad Marshall on \u2018Secret Men\u2019s Business<\/a>\u2019 was very depressing. It explains how football clubs foster and influence many boys\u2019 and men\u2019s attitudes and behaviour towards women. It is imperative that their culture and attitudes towards women is changed.
Maria McKinnon, Northcote<\/p>\n
Our son sometimes screams: \u201cMum … Dad\u2019s on the roof doing the gutters and he won\u2019t come down\u201d (before taking over).
So you might understand why I found \u201che bought the block of land for \u00a330, when it was considered too steep and flood-prone to be useable\u201d inspirational (\u201cMelbourne\u2019s most beautiful homes<\/a>\u201d, 31\/10).
Especially, the imagery of a 99-year-old negotiating (damp and slippery?) steps of forbidding incline and helical staircases – magnificent! (While health professionals have kittens.)
That \u201cPeter McIntyre and his family still live on the site where he and wife Dionne raised their children\u201d transcends architecture, and highlights the dread lurking for many unable to die at home – dependency, while the family home, garden, habitat and wildlife are bulldozed.
Ronald Elliott, Sandringham<\/p>\n
Not a good sign for our current Australian international cricket season after the South Africa debacle. Perhaps the selectors need be more long-sighted and start, to use an AFL term, blooding some of our young up and comers.
Mary Biggs, Yarraville<\/p>\n
Paul Andrews, Hawthorn<\/p>\n
Charles Wooley, on becoming Hobart\u2019s Lord Mayor, announced his aim is to \u201cMake Hobart Great Again\u201d .Oh, dear.
Yvonne Trevaskis, Hobart Tas<\/p>\n
Jim Hayman, Portsea<\/p>\n
Katriona Fahey, Alphington<\/p>\n
Kay Moulton, Surrey Hills<\/p>\n
Kevin Burke, Sandringham<\/p>\n
Ellen Barber, Ascot Vale<\/p>\n