Brian McCallum, East Bentleigh

Does anyone really believe all the propaganda?

Chris Lloyd, you doubt whether "someone can make a fully informed vote if they cast their ballot two weeks before the end of the campaign" (Letters, 21/11). One assumes that this is through the publicity disseminated by parties in the days prior to an election. It astonishes me that such propaganda influences your vote more than the behaviour and decision-making of politicians and potential politicians in the months and years prior to the election.

Mary Walker, Richmond

Look to past behaviour, not the future 'promises'

Chris Lloyd, I will be honouring the anniversary of my mother's death in another state on Saturday. Therefore I voted early after carefully considering the platforms of the candidates in my area and selecting my own preferences. As usual, I screened out much of the official campaign palaver, looking to past behaviours rather than future "promises" as indicators of what I can expect from the major parties.

Margaret Pledger, Fairfield

We need optional preferential voting in both houses

In the Victorian election, voters are required to vote once above the line or for five or more candidates below the line for the upper house. Why can't we have optional preferential voting for the lower house? If there were, say, five candidates but I only wanted two of these to represent me, I would prefer to mark only my first and second preferences on the ballot paper. This would also reduce the influence of the so-called preference whisperers.

Lindsay Cooper, Brighton East

My right to not vote for any of the major parties

Having just voted as one must, I found it incredibly frustrating that I had to preference all squares on the lower house paper, therefore denying me the opportunity to not vote for any of the major parties or at least put them all equal last.

Laurence Wheeler, Birregurra

Early voting means shorter queues on election day

To say that benefit accrues to one party or another from early voting is facile. As was shown in the Wentworth byelection by the preponderance of conservative postal votes, people do vote according to the performance of the parties before election day. Early voting makes the long queues shrink and benefits those who cannot vote on election day. A pity about the sausages, though.

Doris LeRoy, Altona

I do my research and ignore 'empty promises'

Chris Lloyd, I am a conscientious early voter. Election campaigns are full of empty promises. I base my voting on the performance of the incumbent party and behaviour of the opposition. I generally know who I will vote for well in advance of voting day. Yes, early voting is convenient. Oh, I also never obey the "how to vote" cards and I always vote below the line.

Alan Williams, Port Melbourne

THE FORUM

Forgotten defence issue

In 1942, Australia had a near-death experience. We were a huge country with a tiny population of 7million. "Populate or perish" drove the post-war immigration program. Today, we have 25million people but we are still a huge country with a small population. In the debate on immigration, there has been little discussion concerning the issue of defence, but "populate or perish" still has legs.

John Stickland, Ballarat

We cannot keep growing

Had successive governments, over decades, paid heed to the the 1994 report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee for Long-term Strategies report – "Australia's Population "Carrying Capacity": One Nation – Two Ecologies" – the current infrastructure pressures would long since have been alleviated and liveability, environmental, economic and social issues largely avoided. It is not rocket science. Continuous growth is unsustainable.

David Allan, Prahran

When we were welcoming

Yes, we will remember Sisto's legacy (Comment, 21/11). We will also remember a time when Australia welcomed migrants and refugees and delighted in having open arms to those in need. But sadly, like Sisto, this is no more under our government's approach to not only refugees, but also migrants, it seems.

Peta Colebatch, Footscray

Greed in full flight

The outcry about the proposed removal of cash refunds for franking credits to non-taxpayers (The Age, 21/11) makes me laugh. Particularly the line by one retiree that "it's not their money". Actually, it is our money, the Australian taxpayers' money.

Franking credits were introduced by the Keating government for taxpayers to avoid double dipping on taxation. In 2000, John Howard "tweaked" this policy to provide a cash refund to people who were already paying no tax. Franking credits as known in Australia are, at the very least, unusual across the world's financial systems. As a Baby Boomer, I am not surprised that our generation is viewed as greedy by younger people.

Vera Boston, Fitzroy North

Taxation and liability

A company is a separate legal entity paying tax in its own right, not on behalf of its shareholders. If investors want the tax to be paid on their behalf, are they willing to give up legal liability and take on responsibility for the full debts and activities of their investments? If so, let us have that debate. If not, recognise the benefits a company structure provides and stop being so greedy.

Jeremy Burke, Richmond

A matter of respect

The letters from readers (The Age, 21/11) demonstrate why Australia needs legislation to protect religious freedom. Churches should be able to hire those who are willing to support their mission by word and example. Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli was not asking gay teachers to stop their actions or relationships, but to be respectful of the school's mission and context.

Dr Joel Hodge, faculty of theology and philosophy, Australian Catholic University

Adjustment of beliefs

The religious hierarchy needs to come to terms with the fact that humans are born with different sexualities, and adjust their beliefs and teachings accordingly instead of trying to tailor LGBT people to suit those beliefs and teachings.

Heather Glassford, Williamstown

Love and discrimination

Duncan Fine (Comment, 21/11), would you have, in the name of "an open pluralistic society", supported a Christian wedding magazine which "tried to work through thoughts and feelings" and "engaged in brave conversations" while refusing to feature Jewish or Muslim couples? Because after all, love is love, and discrimination is discrimination.

Mirna Cicioni, Brunswick East

Chaos, tears, frustration

Another cruise ship comes into town. Traffic controllers create one lane into port and one out, blocking off car park spaces. More importantly, there is no drop-off or pick-up lane for taxis and Ubers. There is chaos around pedestrian crossings, with pedestrians seemingly ignored.

Elderly passengers, some on walkers, have to walk down the road towards Bay Street, past the Spirit of Tasmania's truck entrance, and then pick-ups block the road. It is not a pretty sight and there are tears of frustration. How unwelcoming for the passengers. As we are in pre-election mode, maybe one of our leaders could fix this chaos and lay out a red-carpet welcome.

Stuart Bensley, Brighton

No to soggy newspapers

The continuing saga of plastic wrap around newspapers (Letters, 21/11) ... until waterproof newsprint is invented, we, sadly, need plastic wrap. So please, just recycle it and stop making those who like dry newspapers feel guilty.

Jeanne James, Seaford

A dangerous promise

As a healthcare professional with 50years' experience, I believe that Matthew Guy's pledge to close the Richmond Safe Injecting Centre – in the face of overwhelming evidence as to its efficacy – is up there with the most irresponsible, heartless and irrational decisions ever made by a conservative politician.

Michael Slocum, pharmacist, Ascot Vale

The country isn't the city

In Gippsland, about 40per cent of the population live in towns with fewer than 1000 people and there are thousands more in small rural communities across Victoria. However, no political party – which are predominantly urban entities – is offering social or economic policies specifically designed for these communities.

The major parties are talking about decentralisation, but they tend to mention Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong. It is time they understood that different approaches are needed for large urban centres and small rural communities.

Neil Smith, Bairnsdale

Another overlooked seat

The Andrews government claims to be governing for all Victorians, but you might question that if you live in a safe Liberal seat such as Narracan. Where is the funding for West Gippsland Hospital?

Ormond Pearson, Warragul

Even more implausible

Talking about the Liberals' television ads, Carl Areskog says: "We are entitled to expect constructive advice rather than negative, implausible statements that insult voters' intelligence" (Letters, 21/11). What are more negative and implausible than Labor's ads about Matthew Guy, linking him to events that happened ages ago and which have no relevance to this election? These ads insult my intelligence.

Roger Marks, Drouin

Leaders' childish sniping

I will be glad when the election campaigns are finished, regardless of the result. The continuous sniping between the leaders is hard to bear and the incessant television ads are driving us to distraction. The endless pork barrelling with our money makes me wonder how we can ever have planned development of the state.

Alex Brown, Camberwell

Protect our local villages

Your editorial on the incidence and impact of social isolation (The Age, 19/11) is to be commended. One environment which fosters social connection is the local shopping strip. Worryingly, these hubs are under threat due to increasing rent, declining patronage (aside from ubiquitous coffee shops) and the growth of huge, impersonal malls and foreign "superstores".

Near me we have a number of sites for lease in the charming Hamilton Street, Mont Albert and Maling Road, Canterbury precincts. Traders are rightly concerned about the long-term viability of their hubs. The government and councils should recognise that these provide a vital community and health service, and invest in innovative solutions to ensure their viability.

Diana Yallop, Surrey Hills

Speaking out without fear

Banking royal commissioner Kenneth Hayne need go no further than psychologist Stanley Milgram's (1963) classic experimental study of obedience to understand "what caused misconduct in the sector" (The Age, 20/11). It is because we fear authority. We obediently put aside moral misgivings and professional ethics to carry out our duties as directed (or expected).

As members of a team or department in an "authority-chain organisation", our personal and collective interests, our careers, are rarely served by telling those people who control our future that they are wrong.

The managers who have been questioned by Commissioner Hayne knew what they were doing. Now, they need to create a culture in which dodgy corporate practices are not tolerated and employees can speak out against injustice without fear.

William Sparrow, Burwood

The real estate rort

Elizabeth Knight says: "The problem for the banks was that in the then rapidly rising housing market, the payment of commissions based on the size of loans was becoming expensive" (BusinessDay, 20/11).

The same might be said of the system whereby real estate agents are paid. The (similar) method of their remuneration exaggerates, in a rising market, the lack of affordability for those who are trying to enter the market.

And yet I do not recall ever reading that those "in the know" believe this could be a factor contributing to that problem and potentially worthy of a review. Not that the real estate agents would see it that way, I suppose.

Trevor Nock, Torquay

So what else is new?

Minister for Women Kelly O'Dwyer tells us that Prime Minister Scott Morrison probably regrets making his comment about Pamela Anderson. Well, he has not said anything to indicate that. As Ms O'Dwyer should know, "boys will boys". Nothing changes.

Anne Maki, Alphington

AND ANOTHER THING

Election

Mandatory voting should be accompanied by optional preferential voting. We shouldn't be forced to preference someone we don't like.

James Moseley, Frankston

To all political parties: remember the elderly. They vote.

David Worthley, Kensington

Re the Greens' young candidates: Naivety is not a deadly sin

John Bowman, Ocean Grove

Michael Buxton and Miles Lewis (20/11), Richmond residents are voting for a local member, not a planning minister.

Martin Brennan, Fitzroy

Guy says Shire Ali should have been in jail, not on bail. Why hasn't he said the same about Michael Rogers ("Trolley Man")?

Rod King, Upper Ferntree Gully

Morrison

Buxom blonde jokes are so last century, PM. And you profess to be Christian.

Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills

Scott Morrison would make a great short-order cook.

Aidan Sudbury, Malvern East

Hypocrisy thy name is Morrison.

Adrian Tabor, Point Lonsdale

Furthermore

Dale Wise (21/11), newsagents, not The Age, wrap newspapers. Ask yours to deliver your paper unwrapped, and provide a weather-proof place for it.

Judith Hagan, Apollo Bay

How about establishing a scholarship in Sisto's name for a young Melburnian to study hospitality?

Stan Marks, Caulfield

A university scholarship should be named in Sisto's honour as many migrant families place an important value on education.

Pamela Papadopoulos, South Yarra

Hopefully Ian Narev has returned, with his millions, to New Zealand and resumed his acting career. Good riddance.

Peter Thomas, Barwon Heads

Joe Cocker's midnight concert at Festival Hall in 1972 must be the reason it's been heritage listed.

John Rawson, Mernda

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