Waste: Everything used needs to be recycled, it's called survival

Greg Tuck, Warragul

Solutions need to be for the long-term

Much has been talked about in relation to a solution to the "crisis" (Editorial, 27/4) with what to do with China's decision to no longer import recyclable material from Australia. The solutions are all short-cycle responses. For instance, decades ago all beverage containers used to be reusable glass bottles. Beer bottles, lemonade and milk bottles were always returned. Food and drink manufacturers need to be included as part of the solution to think more broadly and strategically to change how packaging food and drink should look so the reliance on recyclable material can be eliminated.

Solutions need to be looked at more broadly than what appears to be same old, same old at present.

Robert Reeve, Richmond

OK in concept, but then there is the cost

Victorians are "demanding" that government steps in to support a plan to improve waste recycling (The Age, 26/4). The data used to support this assertion is a poll that showed nine out of 10 people support such a plan. Several further questions aimed at controls on packaging waste received overwhelming support. Predictably though, more than half of the people polled were not prepared to meet any of the additional costs of meeting their lofty ideals from their own pocket.

Packaging gets a bad wrap in the public debate with much criticism sparked by what the public sees in the litter stream. However most people do not appreciate the massive reduction in spoilage and waste of the food we eat and the goods we consume that is provided by the humble corrugated carton or that clever flexible packaging film.

Garry Ringwood, Kew

Why not pay-as-you-go collections?

A partial solution to the recycling (and landfill) crisis: councils cease the annual charge to residents for waste collection, and instead charge per collection. Residents who create less waste put their bins out less often and save money, and less waste is created overall.

Chris Wilson, Poowong

This idea should go up in smoke

So Josh Frydenberg's solution to the "recycling crisis" is incineration to produce energy? So much for innovation and fostering a progressive responsible strategy that helps to look after our environment into the future. Just burn the stuff and turn it into a fossil fuel in a roundabout way rather than directly.

Rita Hardiman, Ascot Vale

Give these towns a ghost of a chance

A short-term solution to the growing waste stockpile is the new ghost towns of Fordville (Geelong) and ToyotaTown (Altona), quickly reconfigured to store and recycle waste right now.

Helen Tsoutsouvas, Balwyn North

FORUM

Dud on the levy

If the levy on oil and gas is only to be applied to "new" projects, then surely the tax cuts bundled with it for political convenience, should likewise only apply to new companies, undertaking new projects. Or are we being dudded yet again? This has all the hallmarks of a sneaky way to get Scott Morrison's tax cut approved by gullible senators, and leave us with practically nothing in return. Business as usual it seems.

John Patrick, Wangaratta

We have to pay

Domestic recycling, electricity, petrol and gas (to name but a few consumables) are an increasing cost for each and every one of us. That's inevitable, but it's not unfair. We, the users, pollute and in the end we must pay either directly for the services themselves or through our taxes.

Dennis Richards, Cockatoo

Do the sums

While Roger Leslie is correct in that burning waste produces carbon dioxide (Letters, 27/4), that is not the whole story. If the waste is burnt to generate energy (be it hydrogen or electricity), the carbon dioxide produced is offset by carbon dioxide not produced by burning fossil fuels, such as brown coal. Further, if the waste would otherwise go to landfill, it may well produce methane, which is a far worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. We need to do the sums, and consider what type of waste is being burnt, and what it is replacing. But the result may well be better than what we are doing now.

Jim Picot, Altona

Me, myself, I

Doesn't anyone know how to use that poor, neglected pronoun, "me" any more? Scott Morrison, surely a literate and educated person, refers to the current migration cap with, "That was changed by the Prime Minister and I back in 2016".

At least he didn't use the equally, grammatically mangled, popular alternative of, "That was changed by the Prime Minister and myself back in 2016".

Of course, what he should have said was, "Me and the Prime Minister changed that back in 2016".

No just kidding. We all know it should be, "That was changed by the Prime Minister and me back in 2016". Don't we?

Deborah Morrison, Malvern East

Iron in his soul

Has Scott Morrison just tied the funding of NDIS to the price fluctuations of iron ore – "brilliant". Perhaps he should join the other financial executives at the royal commission to explain his rationale.

Terry Mattison, Mentone

Fix the system

The announcement by Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allen of yet another feasibility study into improvements to our train service came through to my phone, as I was standing in a tightly packed V/Line "service" from Melbourne to Geelong.

This was result of yet another cancelled train, and doubling up on the next service, the excuse this time was a faulty train.

This make three feasibility studies that have been announced, the duplication of the rail line to Waurn Ponds, an airport link and now this one – and not one ounce of work done on any of them.

Instead of coming up with more election year "pie in the sky" feasibility studies, perhaps Ms Allen could simply devote some of her time to investigating why there are so many cancelled or reduced services on the current system and doing something about it.

Mike Trickett, Geelong West

An inspiring day

Last Wednesday (for the first time ever) I watched a lot of the Anzac parade. It seemed endless. Time was when I found it difficult to watch and turned away from what appeared to be the glorification of militaristic might. All those brass bands, all those marching men drilled to perfection, all that pride, all those medals, all that destruction, all those dead people.

This time though it suddenly hit me. I thought of all those displays of military might that appear so regularly on television. Where were all the tanks, the missiles, the display of weapons at our march? They were not there. Instead there were men and women, children proudly wearing the medals of the fathers and grandfathers, school bands, photographs of lost relatives borne proudly by descendants. They all marched together (more or less smartly) as members of one community. This was not about pride and glory or king and country. War hits all of us. We are in it together.

This march demonstrated that something has changed. Hopefully we have lost the urge for that other kind of glory.

Lyn Kennedy, Wesburn

Saved by Gough

As a young man of 19 years of age I was confronted and tormented by a future conscription ballot for 20-year-old men and a possibility of having my head blown off in Vietnam. A war in which we should never have been involved.

Fortunately, I was mentored by John Perceval (artist) and Jeannie McLean (Save Our Sons Committee) to follow my conscience and I refused to register for national service. I attended RMIT art school and suffered extreme anxiety.

In December 1972, Gough Whitlam won government and conscription was abolished and I was saved.

To this day I listen with gratitude to the Pogues singing Eric Bogle's And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, Bob Dylan's Masters of War and the sublime Marlene Dietrich performing Where Have All The Flowers Gone. May the gods bless them all.

Michael Ingleton, Clifton Springs

Hands and hearts

It seems to me that, at least in the matter of "hands on hearts", we can't blame the Americans. (Comment, 26/4).

As a young primary school pupil in the early 1940s, our school held (as did all schools), a brief ceremony every Monday morning. Under our flag, (the Union Jack then), fluttering in the breeze, we would recite with hands on our hearts, our allegiance to God, country, flag, and king, and promise to "cheerfully obey our parents, teachers, and the law".

This is why I suspect that the custom of "hands on hearts" came originally from Britain.

In any case, I trust that we will always be free to follow this tradition if we wish to do so.

Jan Wood, Echuca

Wrong target

Those critical of Michael Leunig's Anzac Day illustration (The Age, 25/4) should realise he was highlighting the harmful results of war, not criticising those who won medals for bravery.

Leo Gamble, Mentone

Apology, please

Michael Leunig is indeed fortunate that in our free and democratic society he has the right to use the vitriol he expressed in his anti-war stance illustration.

However, by using the war ribbons of our brave soldiers to message this he shows total disrespect to the soldiers who have served and those currently serving to protect our great society as we know it.

In doing so I believe he has managed to enrage millions of families who hold these medals dear to their hearts as a symbol of the bravery and sacrifice of the fallen and those that have passed on.

In my view Leunig owes the public an apology for his desecration of the war medals.

Roger Ampt, Beaumaris

Production greed

Mathew McDougall, the leader of the recently formed Australia China Daigou Association, has warned against demonising the Chinese buyers who buy Australian powdered milk for babies with milk allergies back in China.

According to Dr McDougall, suppliers should keep up with demand for their products, and then there would not be a problem. Is this the Chinese answer to the world's problem of rampant consumerism and waste: produce even more so we never run out.

Hopefully Dr McDougall never has to attend a sustainability conference.

Jeff McCormack, Hangelsberg, Germany

AND ANOTHER THING

War

Politicians have every right to be at remembrance services because without them we wouldn't have wars.

James Lane, Hampton East

To Trish Young, David Hay (Letters, 26/4), ours is a democracy. The Age is right to publish Leunig's different view of Anzac Day.

Dawn Evans, Geelong

Furthermore

A high-speed train to Geelong is all very well. Just don't get V/Line to operate it.

Chris Burgess, Port Melbourne

How about we "recycle" the decommissioned coal-fired power plants into state-of-the-art waste management facilities?

Rebecca Faris, Warrnambool

If Scott Morrison is allowed to give the big four banks the company tax cut will they reopen all the branches they have closed and re-employ the thousands of staff they have sacked?

Megan Stoyles, Aireys Inlet

Alexander Downer might favour Alexander as a royal child's name. But what about something nice, but different, like Nigel or Cyril or Athol. Or just go with universally appealing Barry.

Barry Lamb, Heidelberg West

If China only burns what we send them for power, is that really recycling?

Steve Melzer, Hughesdale

Perhaps it is time for an NDIS guarantee.

Joan Segrave, Healesville

It was the girls who placed "hand on heart" (Letters, 27/4). The boys saluted and vowed, among other promises, "to cheerfully obey my parents, teachers and the law".

Jack Lyon, Mount Waverley

One way to improve the welfare of sheep in the export trade is to select a politician to travel among the sheep on every voyage.

Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park, SA

The number of murders in Midsomer is staggering but amazingly, the population seems to keep increasing not plummet. (Letters, 27/4)

Susan Munday, Bentleigh East