The compassion factor: Working for a fair wage should not be a trial

Does not our government realise that their condoning of working visas for fruit pickers etc is just a form of slavery? In their haste to support employers all standards for workers have gone out the door. There is a great need for workers across the world to start to take action against this exploitation.

Australia seems to have lost all sense of ethics and morals.

Doris LeRoy, Altona

Helping others who need our help

As our governments struggle to solve an array of inter-related social and economic problems such as climate change, Nauru and Manus asylum seekers, and live animal exports, the element of compassion is largely missing. In such situations humans and animals are hurting and need urgent large-scale compassionate action. Compassion is a sub-set of altruistic love. So, yes, the Most Reverend Michael Curry's passionate words at the royal wedding are apt and inspiring: "Imagine our governments and nations when love is the way." ("The power of love", The Sunday Age, 20/5). Let's all imagine and influence leaders to go this way.

Barbara Fraser, Burwood

Our land of political opportunism

Roughly 200 people who came to the Commonwealth Games are asking for protection visas. They most likely have valid claims and flew here, which raises their status. Heaven spare those who came by boat that now live meaningless lives incarcerated offshore.

Australia remains the country of political opportunism.

John Seal, Hamlyn Heights

Hope that from little things big things grow

It is to be hoped that the letters congratulating new MP Ged Kearney in calling for an end to Australia's "shameful policy of indefinite detention on Manus and Nauru", are but a small, representative selection of much wider support. And that these sentiments influence policy and voting at the next election.

Joe Wilder, Caulfield North

FORUM

Breaking down barriers

It's good to read Nicola Philp's account of her "Body Education" classes for primary school students.

("Howard wrong on sex education", The Sunday Age, 20/5). Children at this stage will also "get" similarly positive and inclusive explanations of the reasons for different religious beliefs and practices. In an ideal world, such an approach can only help to break down barriers and eliminate any basis for prejudice in later life. It's hard to see how anyone could seriously be afraid of exposure to such a curriculum.

Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale

Policy instruments

Dennis O'Connell (Letters, 20/5) fulminates against China's use of trade as an instrument of foreign policy. How does he feel, then, about the US use of sanctions on North Korea? Or about US-led sanctions by the UN against Iran, Russia or just about any nation that does not follow US foreign policy directions?

Tony Haydon, Mentone

Complex problem

Robyn Wilde (Letters, 20/5), the problem regarding the live export of sheep – for trade and profits – is not a simple one. It pertains to our respect for others' religious beliefs and traditional farming practices in addition to animal cruelty and political regulations. Don't blame the pollies for this obscene scenario. It's not entirely their fault. You could blame the farmers who are those who stand to profit from it, but that would be simplistic as well, and does not offer any viable solutions to this problem of animal husbandry and if we believe in providing a safe place for our sheep to thrive in before their inevitable slaughter.

Lois Roberts, Elwood

Reduce CEO base rate

Scott Phillips rightly points out the folly that is excessive CEO wages ("It's time for a revolt on CEO pay", The Sunday Age, 20/5). The simple fact is that a bonus paid may, or may not, be the result of efforts of the CEO as many other factors will have an impact on the company share price and profits that are beyond the control of even the most brilliant CEO. The underlying problem though is that the base pay, and low-bar bonuses, provide almost zero incentive for the CEO to make any effort whatsoever to try to improve the company. They can sit on their hands for a few years safe in the knowledge that even if they stuff up big time they will still have collected more money than they could possibly spend in several lifetimes. Scott certainly suggests the partial solution. That being, make the base salary quite low so that the CEOs will actually have to produce the goods to earn the salaries they have become accustomed to receiving.

Ross Hudson, Camberwell

Don't prejudge

I would have thought that voting to send a commission of investigators as to what happened in Gaza was not prejudged at all, quite the contrary ("Bishop defends vote against UN inquiry", The Sunday Age, 20/5). By voting against this proposition, Australia is prejudging the outcome with a "nothing-to-see-here" outlook. Toadying up to the US, particularly to Donald Trump, will not garner any favours from an erratic administration, which can change its mind on anything with the speed of a hashtag.

Alan Inchley, Frankston

School funding

I went to Catholic schools in an era before state funding of religious schools. I agreed then that because of the constitutional provision for freedom of religion my school should have been adequately funded by the state to make it equal to state schools or any other religious school. That point was reached long ago and has been surpassed. It's about time the religious schools, who are meant to offer moral direction to the community, took at least their front trotters out of the trough of educational funding. ("School money rejig set to lift Catholics", The Age 26/05).

Brian Sanaghan, West Preston

Going bananas

The nadir in the dumbing down of ABC FM was plumbed this week when the presenter, having sought messages regarding the inane question of what listeners like to eat while listening to Bach, disclosed that his preference was for banana bread.

Who cares? There may have been a young potential Tognetti or Hewitt, inspired by the music, hoping to learn more about it. Too bad. The new ABC FM has another agenda. What could it be? Beats me.

Nola McIvor, Golden Square

Treat the same

What's good for the goose ... A shop assistant who shoplifts will be treated as a criminal. An employer who underpays employees deserves the same treatment.

Barrie Bales, Woorinen North

Grapes of Roth

On reading of recently deceased intellectual and literary luminaries, I did a mental inventory of who might hold such positions today. Sadly, I could think of no one. The thoughtful and eloquent (if raw) writing of Philip Roth so clearly belongs to a time when humans would take the time to savour every word, each a necessary part of not just a sentence, but an idea.

In the instant gratification, quick info-grab soundbite minds of modern media consumers, I suspect that not only is the skill to create such a discourse rapidly disappearing, but even the patience and recognition of it, will soon cease to exist.

Without these, my fear is that humans will devolve into more animalistic, quixotic, reactive, impulse-driven creatures. Either that, or they will continue to fall prey to similar humans purporting to be statesmen (and women), whom they will vote for as our elected leaders. One might point to the barely literate occupant of The White House, as an example.

Joyce Butcher, Williamstown

Ban donors

The fuss about funding and influence of political parties by international groups hides a bigger problem: funding of these parties by any group. Local companies, trade unions and anyone who gives large amounts of money is almost certainly trying to gain influence outside of the democratic process. All contributions to political parties should be banned.

Jan Newmarch, Oakleigh

We need solutions

Roman Quaedvlieg might no longer be at Australian Border Force but he is still echoing the Coalition's approach to indefinite detention ("Pacific Solution mess divides Labor", The Age, 25/5) and sees it primarily as an opportunity to attack Labor. He makes no attempt to suggest ways to clean up the mess, just implies that any closure of the camps on Manus and Nauru will automatically lead to another wave of boats. It's time for some creative solutions, not endless point scoring.

Des O'Shea, Wyndham Vale

Hall of memories

Festival Hall, while architecturally valueless, holds numerous fond memories. Perhaps one of the entrances could be retained, and the famous stage and some seating utilised as a – smaller – entertainment venue. A compromise is surely achievable.

David Johnston, Healesville

No clear reason

When I heard Donald Trump announce that he would not talk to North Korea but be threatened with force instead, I thought of this Dalai Lama quote: "It is those who have no motive other than selfish desire and who cannot achieve their goal through logical reasoning who rely on force." So true. And why can the US have nuclear weapons and North Korea and Iran not? Is it because you cannot trust countries with unstable regimes and leaders? Well, in that case, the US should not have them either.

Ed Castenmiller, Airport West

White House, black hole

Linelle Gibson (Comment, 25/5) wishes for the sink holes in the White House lawn to be in the Oval Office. However, the Black Hole that has taken up residence in the Oval Office takes precedence over the sink holes and they will have to wait their turn.

Scott Ramsay, Strathdale

Invest at home

Instead of embarking on another overseas acquisition, perhaps the Wesfarmers board would do better to look closer to home, and invest in one of the many Australian businesses that end up in foreign hands or are faced with closure. Or become visionary, and rejuvenate one of the many automotive plants that have closed since the demise of manufacturing, and get into electric vehicle design and production using the multi-skilled workforce that we still have. Or wind farms, or solar or lithium batteries. Let's lead, not follow.

Peter Schooling, Brighton East