Victoria: State government must ban duck shooting

Let the wealthy landlords pay for security

If the Coalition wins the election, Matthew Guy plans to spend our money to supply police to 12 shopping centres (The Age, 2/3). If Westfield, Stockland and the Gandels want to make their investments secure, get them to pay. They will have no problem in adding it to the list of their tenants' outgoings. Or better still, Mr Guy, with your "user pays" mantra, place a toll booth at the centres' entrances and the punters can pay to shop with safety. These landlords are not a protected species.

Chris Morgan, Northcote

Will Victoria pay more than other states for gas?

Over the past 40 or so years, Victoria has had the cheapest, most secure domestic and industrial gas supply due to the Bass Strait oil and gas discoveries. The gas fields are declining and, with the bans on onshore exploration by the Andrews government, the state faces the prospect of having the most expensive gas supply, coming from other states.

Victoria has been highly prospective in developing new gas fields to replace Bass Strait gas. The government's bans have forced many exploration companies to look elsewhere. Accordingly, consumers and industries will pay a high price for this policy. What scientific evidence does Resources Minister Tim Pallas have that gas exploration onshore threatens rural communities and food production (The Age, 1/3)?

Bryan Williams, Lower Templestowe

Singing from Donald Trump's songsheet

Matthew Guy wants to "make Victoria safe again". I heard that the Victorian Liberals had studied the Trump election campaign, and I now believe it. Just two words have been changed. And the underlying premise?

Carlota Quinlan, Eltham

A survey skewered to removing level crossings

A few days ago I had a call about the railway crossing removal program a kilometre or two from my house. The survey, which comprised about 40 questions, took eight minutes. It culminated in questions about my street, age, first name and how much I earned. All the other questions were about what flavour of crossing-removal I wanted.

In fact, I do not want any of them removed. I want money to be put into public transport, not into streamlining roads to the next red light. So, as the sun rays of democracy set on the horizon, the government has its mantle of public consultation, together with a raft of twisted statistics for the PR consultants. The media company scoop up the goldmine of my personal information and then there is me. I will end up with crossing removals I do not want, a third-rate public transport system and construction carnage that will destroy the character of this area for good. Long live democracy in the 21st century.

Don Relf, Coburg

THE FORUM

Cost borne by taxpayers

Shame on the New South Wales and Victorian governments. They have handed the Snowy Hydro scheme to the Commonwealth for a few pieces of silver (The Age, 2/3) to feather their re-election nests.

Fully owning the scheme, Canberra is free to sell it off to their mates. They will do the usual deal, whereby huge profits are guaranteed, and all the risk and maintenance cost will be carried by us, the taxpayers. Privatisation has been a disaster at every turn, and the Liberals refuse to learn. Prepare for another round of power price increases to fund this shameless destruction of the common wealth to fatten a few.

John Patrick, Wangaratta

End the MPs' rorting

How can a "long-time boyfriend" be classed as "designated family member" for the purposes of travel for politicians when he meets neither the definition of spouse or de facto (The Age, 1/3)? It is abhorrent that taxpayers should pay for a wealthy businessman to travel with a politician. First prize for "snouts in the trough" to Julie Bishop and David Panton. It is time ordinary taxpayers had input into what politicians can claim. Maybe we need a royal commission to look into this.

Jenny Callaghan, Hawthorn

No to celebrity worship

I do not buy Harold Mitchell's argument that Australians should "get over this 'poppy lopping' impulse and have the self-confidence to recognise and celebrate our public-spirited heroes like the Americans do" (BusinessDay, 2/3).

With reference to Donald Trump, I am not sure whether his policies are the reason for the improvement in the American economy. But I know he has a history of inappropriate behaviour towards women, and that he wants to arm teachers.

"Celebrating" someone with a history like Trump's would, and should, be scorned here in the same way as was Tony Abbott's "captain's call" to award Prince Philip our highest honour. It may be "poppy lopping" to some, but surely this is better than vacuous "celebrity worship".

Penny Mackieson, Richmond

Reducing pollution

It is a pity that the only way many of our major businesses can plan for growth is to ask that they be allowed to increase their greenhouse gas emissions (The Age, 28/2). Given that the most important global and local strategy for adjusting to the new climate regime is to begin to reduce these gasses in the atmosphere, I would hope the government resists such calls.

Are these companies so lacking in foresight, creativity and imagination that they are unable to diversify their productivity without increasing their pollution? If that is the case, they are clearly not too important to fail and they should be left to pass away in their own ignorance.

Sean O'Sullivan, Healesville

Safe, fun orientation

Many, many years ago, when I was a fresher, we had no initiations at our all-female college. I vaguely recollect that the gentlemen of the men's college were required to measure the distance from Carlton to Flinders Street Station with a sausage. It was said that there was cheating involved, but no stress or long-term damage.

Margaret Ady, Avondale Heights

Unacceptable behaviour

I hope that March 1, 2018 will be remembered as the day our federal MPs realised enough was enough: a former deputy prime minister in disgrace, a former minister for women maligning women, and a shadow minister making cheap jokes about Nazis. Worst of all are the senior politicians who jump to the defence of their colleagues with pathetic justifications. Is there no honesty, humility or shame?

Most Australians would not tolerate the hypocrisy of such behaviour followed by "sort-of" apologies from their children or friends, and make no exception for those who lead us. These politicians squander our economy in squabbles about energy management, reject the plight of our First Peoples, and pretend inhumane treatment of asylum seekers is acceptable because it is bipartisan. Internationally embarrassing, crass self-indulgence.

William Chandler, Surrey Hills

Women want an apology

Shame on you, Michaelia Cash. Your innuendo and vicious attack on women working in government brings you nothing but disrespect. I want a proper apology and so do the women whom you attacked and shamed. Later, you did not have the courage or decency to face the media and instead hid behind a whiteboard. This was a sign you are not fit to hold a ministerial position. You cannot hide from the white rage of women.

Lorraine Ryan, Templestowe

Don't do as our MPs do

When I worked as principal of secondary schools over a period of 28 years, I always took a strong stance on bullying. I object to Malcolm Turnbull's assertion that principals need to do more to stamp out bullying and violence. Perhaps he and other parliamentarians need to look at how they are role-modelling bullying behaviour.

Bernard Dobson, Safety Beach

Time Cash stepped down

Michaelia Cash needs to be provided with a Get Smart-style "cone of silence" which drops down automatically when she has a brain snap. If it were made out of whiteboard, we would not need to see her snarling either. Alternatively, she could do the right thing and resign from the frontbench so that someone with integrity can take on the duties of this very important portfolio.

Reinhard Beissbarth, Beechworth

Call for zero tolerance

Malcolm Turnbull attempted to justify Michaelia Cash's behaviour by claiming she had been bullied by Doug Cameron. Outside in the business world, behaviour such as this could result in disciplinary action – including referral to an anger management program.

Gary Roulston, Endeavour Hills

Long term, it cost less

Many moons ago, I worked in the lines department of the old PMG. Each linesman had a specific length of line to look after, and he knew every section of it intimately. The extra people employed no doubt cost more than "gold-plating" the electricity generation system today. However, if you include the cost of lives and buildings lost in bushfires when lines fail, plus the unemployment benefits paid to the could-have-been employees, maybe the linesmen were more cost effective.

Virginia Lowe, Ormond

Lobbying and donations

Waleed Aly (Comment, 2/3) is spot on. While Australians look on in disbelief as American politicians prioritise vested interests from the gun lobby over the lives of their citizens, we allow powerful groups to influence public policy through political donations and lobbying. Aly cites the appalling inaction on poker machines. Across the policy spectrum – casinos, sugary drinks, coal mining, arms manufacturers – the direction of society is more influenced by those with a financial interest to push than by voters' views. An end to all political donations from organisations, and a crackdown on the largely unregulated lobbying industry, are needed. Otherwise we will continue to slide down the Global Corruption Index and become the country we no longer admire.

Peter Allan, West Brunswick

Power of big business

The government's proposed donations legislation is scarily similar to its Fair Work Act. That act's main objective was to smother the union movement with so much red tape as to render it ineffective in advocating for workers. The objective of the donations legislation is to achieve the same constraints against community or charity organisations. Big business and their representative groups will be able to do and say what they like.

Kevin Ward, Preston

Armed and dangerous

When I was an enthusiastic young teacher, I mistook a parent for a student on "muck-up" day and opened fire on her with a water pistol. Later I confiscated a student's cap gun revolver on a camp and used it against him, earning the nickname "Tex". I hate to think what might have happened if I'd been issued with a real gun.

Geoff Phillips, Wonga Park

AND ANOTHER THING

Politics

Does Hansard record Cash's statements in capital letters?

Trish Shanahan, Bendigo

Cash and Carr are like book ends. Unfortunately Australians are trapped in the middle of a trashy novel.

Ed Veber, Malvern East

With the rabble in Canberra, how many people would vote if it weren't compulsory?

Susan Daniel, Blairgowrie

Perhaps Abbott wasn't such a bad minister for women after all.

Julie Carrick, Leopold

Mediocre politics is everywhere. I was paying for my purchase and thought I was asked: "Cash or Carr?"

Kevan Porter, Alphington

Cash has appalled us all. When will she go, Prime Minister?

Deirdre McQueen, Eltham

Some Darebin Greens allege an "ALP-style" campaign of intimidation. Pot kettle black. Leaking confidential documents is ALP-style politics.

Sarah Russell, Northcote

Alternative news: school principals write to the PM offering advice on running the country.

Wendy Steel, Vermont South

Is Julie Bishop channelling Bronwyn Bishop?

Brian Henderson, Kallista

With the Barnaby issue resolved, we can look forward to politicians rising to the lowest common denominator.

Danny Hampel, Elsternwick

Furthermore

Lamentations about Red continue. Did the federal government encourage the ABC to make life miserable for Victorians?

Tim Patton, Camberwell

FOWILS (Fat Old Women in Lycra) is demeaning. SLIL (Senior Ladies in Lycra) or GIL (Grans in Lycra) are better.

Wendy Parsons, Bayswater

Colin Mockett (1/3), if the police see you cycling helmetless, you won't get an acronym. You'll get a fine.

Harriet Farnaby, Geelong West

It's not just MPs (2/3). Redundancy can bring on a crisis of relevance, whatever your occupation.

Wendy Knight, Little River

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