The measure of a civilised society is to respect the dignity and human rights of all citizens. We fail that measure.

Rosemary Francis, Foster

All politicians should aspire to this

Vale Barney Cooney. In one Senate speech he said, "We all want to see that justice is done to everyone in our society so that those who seem to be at the periphery, those who are on the edge, become the brothers and sisters of those at the centre." Shouldn't this be the aspiration of every politician? Am I asking too much?

Les Garrad, Chelsea

Uplifted and grateful

A big thank you to John Silvester for his piece on this incredibly painful subject (painful to both residents in care and their families and friends). Barney Cooney is remarkably eloquent in describing the "torturous" nature of loss of dignity when carers don't care – out of disinterest ("I'm in the wrong job" syndrome), when they are run off their feet (due to understaffing), or when the carers do care but become disheartened when they make suggestions to managers but are not listened to.

I am uplifted by Cooney's words and grateful to Silvester in using them liberally throughout his article. I hope and pray that after the royal commission, we might get some leadership back into politics and see some really positive outcomes come to pass.

It sounds so easy, doesn't it, to think that if just one recommendation was made and implemented – that recurrently funded auditing of facilities, coupled with a meaningful "improvement notice" or even financial penalty system, be put into legislation – it would help ensure that Cooney's vivid images of loss of dignity would no longer be a part of what should be care, but indeed is an everyday part of the torture for so many residents in "care" homes today.

Thank you, Barney Cooney, and John Silvester.

Steve Baldwin, Sale

Final message a welcome contribution

Barney Cooney, your final message of advocacy for the need for professional counselling expertise in residential aged care facilities is a welcome contribution to the aged care royal commission.

As a former community-based social worker in aged and disability care and a now-frequent visitor to my mother in a residential aged care facility, I can attest to the failure of the system in not recognising and providing appropriate assistance to meet the psychological and emotional needs of older people in care. The grief of leaving one's home and coming to terms with one's declining health in close quarters with others at various stages of deteriorating functioning are just two of many challenges to be met.

I introduce myself to new residents at my mother's facility not only to provide them with an opportunity to share their feelings about the painful transition but also to give positive feedback about their "new" home. However, it would be infinitely more desirable for every facility to have a qualified counselling professional on the staff for this purpose, particularly as some residents have few visitors who can be vigilant to both the quality of care and also the resident's emotional wellbeing, and many are reluctant to discuss certain issues with their families.

Diana Yallop, Surrey Hills

THE FORUM

Appreciate the wonder

As Barry Humphries fans, we enjoy his narrative for ABC TV's Magical World of Oz. So Tosca Looby's account (Insight, 23/2) of its filming is intriguing and delightful. How wonderful to learn of Pearson Island, in the Great Australian Bight, where animals are curious and unafraid, because they haven't been exposed to hunting or cruelty.

In contrast, a New Zealand documentary (SBS, 22/2), showed a former whaling station that completely wiped out the local southern right whale population. These whales are now just starting to return after 150 years.

In Victoria, bird lovers report that surviving waterbirds recall the terror of duck shooting, and try to flee at any hint of human activity.

Why can't we appreciate the wonder of wildlife, rather than killing it?

Joan Reilly, Surrey Hills

There's still time

Surely it's not too late to cancel the duck hunting season, due to begin in a few weeks.

At present, due to drought conditions ducks and their wetland habitats are in short supply

And a precedent has been set: Premiers Steve Bracks and Jeff Kennett both cancelled duck hunting seasons, and the sky did not fall.

It's surely not too late, so please consider my plea.

Heather Brain, Nunawading

Bishop's wanderlust

While agreeing that Julie Bishop made a good foreign minister, I think Margaret Ady (Letters, 23/2) has rose-coloured glasses on when she said Ms Bishop had "no stain of self-indulgent travel". I seem to remember her hitching a ride with Gina Rinehart to go to a wedding in India and then finding an excuse to drop by a country in south-east Asia to cover the return trip.

Her trips to sporting events were legendary, including trips to polo events in Portsea, and nearly always with partner in tow.

Alan Inchley, Frankston

My guilty pleasure

I completely agree with Karl Quinn's comments ("MAFS could teach us all a lesson", Comment, 22/2) and like him I watch the performances with a guilty pleasure and feel afterwards somewhat ashamed that I should watch such crap, but also that I'm more interested in "blood on the sand" than "happy ever after". So what does that make me?

I'm also amazed that the "experts" can get it so wrong so often with the pairings. But the players themselves with such self-absorption, the women bulging out of dresses and the men covered in tatts, and all with little empathy, play along with the show.

The banality of the conversations is appalling and all with camera crews up close and personal filming the whole sorry business.

Dennis Whelan, Balwyn

In for a penny ...

I am a 50-year member of the MCC and I note with approval the new policy at the MCC to allow the public to buy reserved seats in the MCC area under certain conditions.

Will this same policy apply to the AFL members area? I have no detailed figures, but my casual observation attending popular games is that, while the MCC area may be only 70-80 per cent full, the AFL area may be less than half full. Perhaps the AFL could start selling tickets in their area to the public?

David Ferguson, Hawthorn

The libertarian paradox

I read with interest Liberal Democrat MP Tim Quilty's maiden speech, calling for regional Australians to secede and create new states (The Age, 22/2).

I understand their frustration with capital cities and the concentration on these cities.

But the libertarian movement is a paradox. Allegedly they wish a freedom from authority and rules, but Mr Quilty's speech was more about the imposition of libertarian rules on others.

If he were really concerned about too many rules, he would have mentioned the banks' and insurances companies' right to practise their business free from royal commissions' attempts to constrain their right to rip into the farmers he is allegedly concerned about.

Libertarian seems to be a relative view of alt rule-making. Very Trumpian.

Graeme Thornton, Yallambie

Undimmed genius

Happily for us Leunig's genius appears undimmed (Spectrum, 23/2). Like all great cartoonists he can puncture the absurdities of modern life, and make us laugh and cry at the same time. Long may his reign continue.

Helen Scheller, Benalla

Above all, empathy

I give grateful thanks to the late Barney Cooney for his words about his experience of aged care. Thanks too, to The Age for publishing such an important article.

Barney's words are of central importance for the royal commission. They should be read by all who work in aged care. Their implications should be heeded.

Meanwhile, everyone who finds themselves in an aged-care institution, including visitors, should bear them in mind. No aged-care role can operate within a strict boundary of function. Just a few days ago, I unexpectedly needed to switch from "visitor" to "drink-person". There is a human aspect of caring operating within all roles.

All staff in aged care must expect to act like a caring parent. They must look and listen. They must try at times to fill unexpressed needs. Like little children, the old may not be able to articulate their needs. Even if they can, they still may not have the physical power required to satisfy those needs.

In a word, care of the aged requires empathy. Staff selection and training must address that characteristic.

Dr Ray Watson, East Geelong

A needless problem

The Chinese restrictions on coal imports are only potentially devastating to Australia because our myopic government insists on basing our economy and our future in the 19th century rather than the21st.

Helen Moss, Croydon

A tragic trip

It is tragic that Troy Thornton had to fly across the globe to peacefully end his life in unfamiliar surroundings and without his extended family. How many Australians facing an unbearable future because of progressive illness take an alternative way out, often in a violent and gruesome manner, causing further distress for loved ones and trauma for first responders. We treat our suffering pets with greater kindness.

Vikki O'Neill, Ashburton

Too little, too late

The government continues to trumpet the mantra that it is the better economic manager. Never mind the backflips on hysterical budget crises that mysteriously evaporated, trickle down benefits for workers that never eventuate, the failure to police long-running illegal behaviour by many business sectors, the extravagantly costly border protection regime, etc.

But its greatest economic failure will prove to be its disastrous lack of action on climate change ("Tackling climate change a 'financial necessity"', 23/2). Not only has the government's rejection of the need for climate action harmed our natural environment but it is hurting business and has obstructed emerging opportunities.

Only now that their recalcitrance is being recognised for the electoral liability that it is, will we see some reluctant announcements to book-end the current dishonest fear campaigns. Too little, too contrived and far too late.

Peter Thomson, Brunswick

Right back at you

David Leyonhjelm says, "I won't miss Parliament much" (24/2), which is surely a sentiment that is fully reciprocated.

John Walsh, Watsonia

Recyclable failure

Just on a year has passed since recycling programs were thrown into disarray when China closed the door on taking imported recyclable material. In that time councils, state and federal governments had time to join forces and take the issue at a federal or state level.

Incompetence and mismanagement and the lack of leadership on this issue now has councils dumping recyclable material in landfill. This highlights a failure at municipal council level to get together and solve this issue and failure by state government in not taking the lead.

While there seems enough money to spend on a car race which is past its used-by date and to expand an already massive tennis complex for a two-week event – you wonder why no funds can be allocated to address this environmental issue.

The first step is to introduce a container deposit scheme. This has been kicked around for far too long and, like plastic bags at the supermarket, everyone gets used to it very quickly. A major section of recyclable products is suddenly worth money, so part of the problem is solved.

Next is to have a statewide scheme for councils to access a panel of qualified recycling suppliers working to strict environmental guidelines set and managed by the EPA. Centralising the costly process of individual councils tendering and selecting suppliers, for this and many other services, can reduce costs to ratepayers and ensures service suppliers have volume and surety to invest in the industry.

John Winzer, Doncaster East

What about the game?

AFLX – look there's a star player arriving on a skateboard in a snazzy white suit and another one with a lairy floral jacket. And what is happening on the sidelines among that enormous crowd? Someone's making balloon animals and there is a young girl on a climbing wall.

And what about the game? It just looks like a few mates having fun with a bit of kick to kick and there is a distinct lack of any real sense of competitiveness. Will it make Australian rules a world game? I don't think so.

Can the AFL fine itself for bringing the game into disrepute? I think they should.

Ross Bardin, Williamstown

The desired result

Kelly O'Dwyer says the Senate needs reform. Her reason is that "when people vote for a government they should get what they voted for" (24/2).

There are many of us who vote differently in the Senate precisely to keep a check on the government. So we do actually get what we voted for.

David Zemdegs, Armadale

AND ANOTHER THING

It'll take more than that

So a four-day summit will absolve the Catholic Church of centuries of abuse. Splendid idea.

John Howell, Heathmont

Politics

Yet another male preselected for the Liberal Party. Crisis? What crisis?

Annie Wilson, Inverloch

If you dog-whistle racism and rely on the racist vote to get elected, you're a racist.

John Uren, Blackburn

Mathias Cormann had "no idea". Sums up our government perfectly.

Grant Nichol, North Ringwood

Four reasons for an integrity commission: Cash, Cormann, Dutton, Wilson.

Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills

The federal government's new ministerial code of conduct is to hold out until the next news cycle kicks in.

James Moseley, Frankston

Julie Bishop may well have had exquisite taste in clothes and shoes but I challenge anyone to name one thing she did that made life better for ordinary Australians.

Phil Alexander, Eltham

A deal-breaker

I won't vote for anyone who wears a lapel pin of the national flag, whether it's because without it they'd forget who they are or whether they want to be just like Donald Trump.

Christine Duncan, Surrey Hills

What just happened?

Watched AFLX for a few minutes: What is going on? Looks like a cross between a Mardi Gras and a circus. All they needed was a clown riding a painted elephant around the boundary line. Give me a break.

James Hodges, South Geelong

Furthermore

Following a string of grovelling apologies from Alan Jones, I can only imagine his father rolling in his grave with shame.

Stephen Catchpool, Sandy Bay, Tas

Finally

Does anyone else see the irony in self-funded retirees claiming that they need tax refunds so they will not be a burden on the taxpayer?

James Proctor, Strathdale