African immigration: Is this courageous or kind behaviour?

Does Tony Abbott want us all to be like him?

Mr Abbott would have us all "integrating" but does not say into what. For him, this seems to be something beyond obeying the law, something about fitting in, maybe even being like him. If he is talking about those who break the law, does he mean multinational companies that do not pay due tax? Do we "excommunicate" Ned Kelly? Mr Abbott does not seem to understand the idea of co-operation. He should get on his bike, pedal around Australia and see how real people of all persuasions live co-operatively.

Marguerite Heppell, East Hawthorn

Our own 'cold civil war' of irreconcilable beliefs

Since the beginning of John Howard's reign, Coalition MPs have been experts in racist dog-whistling. Now they are singing from the rooftops. Peter Dutton's menacing racial profiling of so-called "African gangs", instead of offering constructive discussion, is actually being encouraged by Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull was wheeled into the prime ministership like a human Trojan Horse, promising a return to fair governance for all instead of the misanthropic policies of Tony Abbott and the Institute of Public Affairs. Instead he has helped to enable those policies, adding many more that are threatening the basis of our democracy.

American journalist Carl Bernstein has said that since the election of Donald Trump, the United States has fallen into a "cold civil war" of irreconcilable beliefs. Australia is heading in the same direction unless the Coalition's hard-right is restrained, either from within or by voters.

William Hageman, Burwood East

Why have we waited so long to act on these issues?

What hypocrisy from Tony Abbott, a prominent member of the Howard government. During that government's tenure, serious problems were repeatedly reported to the Immigration Department and other officials to try to prevent avoidably detrimental outcomes for African settlement in Melbourne. However, the problems were disregarded. By Peter Dutton's own admission, this is not an African or South Sudanese problem as it is not happening in Sydney, which has similar numbers of migrants of that heritage.

Mr Turnbull, please call a royal commission. Let the full picture and the untold story of systemic failure across the education, settlement and child protection sectors come out.

Barbara Chapman, Hawthorn

Tony Abbott's personal battle to integrate

As an immigrant from Britain, perhaps some of what Tony Abbott said when he derided African immigrants applies to himself. He has difficulty integrating into the multicultural, egalitarian society that Australia has become. Perhaps a mistake was made a long while ago and we are reaping "the stored up trouble caused by letting in people who are going to be difficult, difficult to integrate".

Greg Tuck, Warragul

THE FORUM

Dividing, not uniting, us

The new Sudanese immigrants come from a vicious, war-torn country. They are seeking refuge from this bloody violence and want to rebuild their shattered lives in Australia. One can only hope that the caustic, uninformed comments from a deposed, anxious, former prime minister do no further damage to these fragile people.

The people who cannot integrate are those who are obsessed with the mantra, "be like us", not those who are newly arrived. With support, they will integrate. Why do some people always divide and build fear in the community? What purpose does it achieve?

Peter Gell, Williamstown

Root cause of the 'trouble'

Tony Abbott is wrong when he says "we store up trouble for ourselves" by letting in people who are "difficult to integrate". No, Tony, we store up trouble by letting in people we know are going to be challenging to settle and then not funding, or constantly reducing funding to, proper services and programs to assist them.

Heather Glassford, Williamstown

Maintain Age's integrity

The merger of Fairfax and the Nine Network is concerning. The former has a history of fearless integrity and independence in journalism. The latter provides light entertainment: each has a role to play in the media spheres, but with a business eye on profit, will one be given priority over the other?

Mary Cole, Richmond

And don't dumb it down

Fairfax amalgamated with the Channel 9 (Mickey Mouse Club) newsroom? You have my sympathy. I look forward to The Age's headline – "Kitten saved from tree" – with extensive interviews with observers, the rescuer and the kitten.

My dad bought The Age when we came back from Tasmania in 1961, after six years of The Mercury, and I continued the subscription when he died 34 years ago. We will see where this sorry merger takes this great newspaper.

George King, Wheelers Hill

We shouldn't need carrot

A program that rewards well-behaved students with movie tickets, canteen vouchers and toys is expanding to all Victorian state schools (The Age, 24/7). Many readers will applaud the program's aims, but surely thoughtful behaviour, awareness of the needs of others, and helping each other is a basic human instinct that brings its own rewards.

Certainly acknowledge and encourage thoughtful behaviour, but rewarding students with prizes would seem to validate a sense of entitlement and demean our children rather than encourage them in developing life-enriching skills. The allocation of $9million over four years to the program seems an obscene misuse of government funding. Surely it could be better used in the training and support of more teachers to assist students in every aspect of their development.

Carmel Grau, East Doncaster

MPs and the common good

David Leyonhjelm says it is "game on" when he "faces off in the Senate chamber just as bitter enemies face off on opposing sides in a court" (Comment, 26/7). He misses the point that it is advocates, not bitter enemies, who face off in court and that, unlike Parliament, it is the judge or jury who make decisions.

Parliamentarians have to weigh up and consider arguments from their colleagues, as well as make them. Is Parliament a boxing ring, a contest of skill and strength in order, as the Senator proposes, to inhibit others from achieving their political goals? Or is it a place where arguments are made in order to enhance thoughtful deliberation on behalf of Australia's citizens rather than just to beat down one's opponent?

The Senator says "the process of argument provides our best hope of arriving at the truth" while indicating little capacity to listen, learn, rethink and modify his previously held convictions. Unfortunately he does not seem to be alone in this.

David Mushin, Kew

At sea with the drunks?

While the new Geelong to Melbourne ferry (The Age, 24/7) is welcome news, I have reservations about the inclusion of a bar. Surely is it possible to attract patronage without using alcohol as a carrot.

I can foresee occasions, particularly Friday evenings, when consumption gets out of hand and, unlike a train, you cannot move to another carriage. Also, when the ferry encounters rough conditions, the addition of alcohol will not be a good mix.

As a regular commuter on V/Line services, I have welcomed the "quiet carriages" where one can reflect and unwind without mobile phone chatter and loud conversations. Could the ferry have "quiet areas" rather than a bar?

Steven Haby, Gisborne

Irrelevant factors on MP

The fact that other Members of Parliament believe Labor MP Emma Husar is hard-working, along with the fact she is a single mum with three children, have no bearing on the claim she may have misused taxpayers funds. Nor do these factors excuse any alleged workplace bullying. I am sure there are many single, hard-working mums who are dealing with life without a parliamentary salary and the accompanying privileges.

Peter Roche, Carlton

Let the players unwind

Bob Murphy, thank you. Your article "Cutting the AFL players some slack" (Sport, 26/7) is spot on. These players "bust a gut" week after week for our enjoyment. Why shouldn't they be allowed a moment of camaraderie after a hard-fought contest such as the one we all relished last Saturday night. Bob, your insightful articles have always been a pleasure to read and savour.

Liz Riordan, Newtown

Give "16 a side" another go

Redesigning Aussie Rules football so that it becomes more free-flowing and spectator friendly seems to have become mired in arguments about absurd rule changes and demeaning, so called, real-time trial games (Sport, 26/7). There is a very simple solution that was "trialled" by the VFA for decades. It is called "16-a-side". Drop the wingmen. It was hugely successful, and I have got plenty of those "trial games" on tape if Gillon McLachlan and co want to drop by for a look.

Ian Wilkinson, Mount Martha

Stop fiddling with footy

The "Competition Commission" at the AFL is again flexing its muscle. Why do these people continually meddle with the rules of the game? If the current trend continues, the game as we now know it will be unrecognisable in 10years.

Umpiring interpretations vary from week to week, as it is. Steve Hocking, in his relatively new role as head of football operations, seems hell-bent on leaving his mark on the game. Let the game go and stop changing the rules with every whim.

Peter Forehan, Murrumbeena

Dangerous labelling

As a Millennial, I read with interest Laura Demasi's piece, "We have got it all wrong on Millennials" (Online Age, 26/7). I enjoy drinking my coffee out of a jam jar just as much as my peers. However, there is a lot more to my defined age-bracket than the representation that is often put out there.

The diversity extends across generations too. My Baby Boomer mother is as much a fan of the smashed avo as I am, and my 90-year old Nonna has an iPad. Stereotypes often encapsulate a group of people, limiting our ability to have a clear, non-judgmental outlook towards individuals.

Stephanie Ashworth, Pascoe Vale South

Against Labor's values?

So "the Andrews government has presided over the state's sharpest rise in pokies losses in more than a decade" (The Age, 25/7), and it is not the rich and powerful who are doing the losing. What we need is a Labor premier in Victoria. He or she could step in and ... oh ... hang on ...

Peter Bear, Mitcham

Please save our square

If Apple is so desperate to move into Federation Square, why doesn't it move into the existing building and alter the interior to suit its needs? Then at least the exterior of the building would stay as an integral part of the original square design. When you look at the square from Southbank, you can see how the building is so important to the overall design. Also, will they recycle all the materials from the demolition or will it all go to landfill? It is such a waste of a relatively new building which is so important to this wonderful part of the city.

Jane Dubsky, Glen Iris

Policy based on science

Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg says that those questioning the National Energy Guarantee's merits are taking an "extreme" position, one "based on ideology, not engineering and economics" (The Age, 25/7). We are not extremists. We are conservative citizens who want a climate policy based on engineering, economics and science. The NEG in its current form not only fails to reduce emissions in line with the science, it might look us into a higher emissions future than if we had no NEG at all. Those who want to burn more coal in the face rational arguments to the contrary are the science-denying extremists.

Guy Abrahams, Richmond

Two different plays?

Hear, hear, Robert Power (Letters, 24/7) re Cameron Woodhead's review of Bell Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Arts, 23/7). There seems to be some sort of parallel universe "thing" happening here. Having seen the play, I could scarcely recognise it as the subject of such an excoriating review.

Alana Mitchell, Brunswick

Being there for others

It was refreshing and challenging to read Ross Gittins (Comment, 25/7). I, too, have read Hugh Mackay's latest book and found it one of his best – not just for naming some of the ills of our society, but for also offering simple strategies for making a difference. As Ross highlighted: use social media less, be more community-minded. Hugh would add: befriend an elderly neighbour, participate in local activities. Being there for others helps us all.

Maria George, Hughesdale

AND ANOTHER THING

Nine/Fairfax merger

Kerry Packer with David Syme? Surely it's fake news.

Michael Kino, Caulfield North

Will "Independent. Always" be removed from your masthead?

Fethon Naoum, Portland

I hope The Age won't dumb down its news and offer trashy current affairs and chequebook journalism.

Andrew Barnes, Ringwood

Politics

Better an EFTPOS machine than a brown paper bag.

Greg Walsh, Black Rock

I'm opting out of My Health Record. A better, cheaper scheme would be for us to carry our health details on a wearable chip.

Ian Cunliffe, Moonee Ponds

Greater ambition to tackle climate change is required. Raise the 2030 carbon emissions target now.

Jenny Smithers, Ashburton

Is Turnbull's and Dutton's silence on gang warfare in Sydney due to the persuasion of the NSW government?

Francis Bainbridge, Fitzroy North

Will the current catastrophic weather events be the turning point to convince climate deniers?

Beverley McIntyre, Camberwell

Furthermore

The Daily Mile (Good Weekend, 21/7): a great way to improve students' fitness and wellbeing.

Judy Kevill, Ringwood

Childhood obesity: no problem in the supermarket's soft drink aisle. The problem is the twit pushing the trolley.

Cate Ross, Sandringham

God bless you, Ross Gittins (25/7).

Patricia Rivett, Ferntree Gully

How/why does Oslo know what a "spurtle" is (26/7)?

Duncan Robertson, Mont Albert

Dick Smith, you've been a great exploiter of competition and patriotism. So hold the tears when one of these trumps the other.

Tony Haydon, Springvale

We need user-pays footpaths.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield

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