Worse than this brawl is the effect that this kind of thinking has had on the nation. It has given racists and bigots, especially white supremacists, a platform from which to preach their messages of hate and division. No one envisages that we can take all the asylum seekers who wish to come here, but we should start from the premise of "Who can we reasonably take?" not "Who can we justify keeping out?" Until that happens, politicians will waste their, and our, time thinking up reasons to defend their own party's stance and engaging in these ludicrous verbal brawls.

Cheryl Day, Beaumaris

Idealism and decency give way to pragmatism

Labor leader Anthony Albanese, you do not have to be a Catholic, or indeed of any faith, to feel compassion for asylum seekers. I was saddened to hear Kristina Keneally recant her position on offshore detention this week. One voice of decency has now been stifled to pragmatism.

Lesley Black, Frankston

New 'attack dog' needs to act on children

I welcome the appointment of the very competent and articulate Kristina Keneally as Labor's home affairs spokeswoman. Peter Dutton has escaped scrutiny for the incompetence of his department, for the cruel and heartless decisions he has made, and for the lie that he and his colleagues have been telling that all children have been removed from detention.

They have conveniently forgotten those children whose health continues to suffer while they are held in detention in Australia. We can only hope that the "attack dog", as Michael Koziol refers to Keneally (The Age, 4/6), takes on the task of highlighting this continued suffering of innocent children and works to ensure that there really are no children held in detention.

Marg D'Arcy, Rye

Haven't the asylum seekers suffered enough?

Peter Dutton and Immigration Minister David Coleman, nearly 28,000 asylum seekers arrived in Australia by plane last financial year, so why the bastardry towards those who are languishing on Manus Island and Nauru? What point do you have left to prove?

John Higgins, Hawthorn

Hypocritical of Dutton to cast stones

Peter Dutton believes Kristina Keneally is the wrong, and the least experienced, person for the job of home affairs spokeswoman. Why? Is it because she does not know anyone who employs au pairs?

John Sainsbury, Wodonga

Keneally needs to learn the rules of the game

Doesn't Kristina Keneally know that all politicians are supposed to pretend their only objection to boat refugees is that they are endangered on the high seas?

Jill Wright, Berwick

THE FORUM

Speak out now for Boyle

We cannot pretend to support whistleblowers if we allow Richard Boyle to be hounded and punished for speaking out about a gross misuse of state power against us as citizens (The Age, 3/6). He had nothing to gain personally and he was simply appalled at what he witnessed at the Australian Taxation Office.

If there was ever a time when such people should be supported, and we should be grateful, it is now. Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden and Julian Assange have exposed gross manipulation of state power, and have suffered enormously in the name of the public's right to know. We should contact our federal MPs and ask for their support for Richard Boyle, and for Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick as he seeks to question the government's so-called whistleblowing protections.

Chris Butler, Frankston South

Investigate the ATO

The ATO's treatment of Richard Boyle is akin to the tactics of an unaccountable totalitarian state. He reported its appalling processes which targeted vulnerable, unaware citizens. Is this truly Australia 2019? Given that senior public servants have facilitated this disgrace, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg must intervene and investigate this seemingly rogue revenue collection agency and how it treats us.

Robbi Chaplin, Williamstown

Protect whistleblowers

Richard Boyle is accused of breaching laws on handling public documents and recording phone calls when he spoke out about the ATO's mistreatment of taxpayers. So presumably when our government did pretty much the same thing to East Timor, a government official should have been charged. But no, they went after the whistleblower too.

The disproportionate punishment threatened against whistleblowers demonstrates the government's intolerance for people who speak out about wrongdoing by our public servants. This is unacceptable in a democracy. Whistleblowers need to be protected by law.

Stephen Farrelly, Donvale

Punished for speaking out

On the one hand we have people like Eric Abetz fighting to protect religious freedoms where religious institutions can discriminate against anyone who does not fit in with their beliefs. On the other hand we have a whistle blower who had the temerity to let the public know about the ATO's unethical and aggressive debt collection processes. People were traumatised and even driven to suicide, and this ethical man now faces 161 years in prison. Where is the protection for people who have exposed institutional vindictive behaviour and abuse of power?

Joan Lynn, Williamstown

Illogical sentences

How is it that a person who draws attention to malfeasance in our taxation department faces up to 161 years in jail, and yet someone like Borce Ristevski was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a non-parole period of six years, after pleading guilty to manslaughter over the death of his wife of 27years (The Age, 14/5)? We desperately need strong legislation that protects whistleblowers. This is a disgraceful situation for our democracy.

Warren Thomas, Ivanhoe

Shooting the messenger

Julian Assange is in a shocking condition in a prison hospital, as revealed by the UN special rapporteur on torture, who charged several governments with conspiracy to "isolate, demonise and abuse" the prisoner (The Age, 1/6). US animus against Assange hinges on its ruthless determination to "shoot the messenger", an obvious injustice.

Our government should not repeat its sheepish behaviour over the David Hicks case. This is an opportunity to strengthen consular support of Assange and move diplomatically to demonstrate that Australia does not have to agree with US security assessments. If our government stood up for an insubordinate Australian, the people would welcome it.

Stephen Stuart, Balwyn

When silence is safer

Mark Harrison is correct that "China has wiped memory of Tiananmen Square" ( Comment, 4/6). The image of a brutal and repressive regime does not meld with the new corporate business monolith that is China today.

In 1968, I went to China as part of a university trip, and saw the horrors of the Cultural Revolution at first hand. Imagine my astonishment when I attended a reunion at the Chinese embassy in Canberra in 2009, and members of staff were very reluctant to discuss this period of their history. Strange that.

Helen Scheller, Benalla

We're guilty as charged

China has wiped memory of Tiananmen Square just as Australia has wiped the memory of our own Frontier Wars. We have nothing to be sanctimonious about when it comes to cover-ups.

Milly Hutchinson, Pakenham

Underlining China's point

One interpretation of new Defence Minister Linda Reynold's deferential bow to China's Defence Minister, General Wei Fenghe, in Singapore is that she was out of her depth. Pictures of her bowing to the uniformed head of China's People's Liberation Army will be widely published in China. This is unfortunate as it coincided with the unannounced visit of three Chinese naval ships to Sydney Harbour. China made its point and then the minister underlined it.

Richard Campbell, Toorak

Battle to find players

Agreed Brendon Bolton's time at Carlton has not produced much joy for the club's supporters. However, he could not create a winning team if he did not have the best players to do it with. Steven Silvagni's role as list manager is equally as questionable as Brendon's coaching skills. Under these circumstances, just who would want to play with Carlton?

Trish Young, Hampton

At least Bolton tried

The Blues are still delusional. At least a third of their team on the field at the MCG, and more who were not playing, should be delisted or sent elsewhere. (And they may not get a game anywhere else.) Until someone takes ownership and stops passing the buck onto "a plan" (that has failed or is failing), the club will not succeed. Brendon Bolton took on a job that was next to impossible but at least he had a go.

Mark Stoney, South Melbourne

Leave our game alone

Sam Duncan articulates what a lot of grassroots fans of football are thinking (Comment, 3/6). All the attempts at injecting "atmosphere" into the game: that annoying spruiker, the "kiss-cam" rubbish and the recorded crowd noise after each goal is scored. The AFL is hell bent on squeezing every last dollar out of its cash cow, which used to belong to the fans.

The game in China is another example of the AFL's desire for more dollars – as if by playing in a country of billions, even a small percentage will guarantee more remuneration. Judging by the lack of enthusiasm and poor crowds, this is doomed to fail. Maybe the AFL could direct funds to ensuring that the video review is applied accurately. Maybe even let the umpires have the final say.

John Paine, Kew East

Please explain, PM

The Prime Minister says Australia's aid to the Pacific region should not be viewed through the "binary prism" of the US-China relationship. I have googled this expression and checked dictionaries. Mr Morrison, what is a binary prism?

Heather Waller, Lakes Entrance

A national treasure

RMIT is to be congratulated for its vision in protecting, and restoring, the extraordinary Capitol Theatre (The Age, 4/6). It is a stunning landmark, and one of several important buildings in Australia designed by Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion. Robin Boyd is said to have described it as "the best cinema that was ever built or is ever likely to be built".

It is also a credit to Anthony Lucas and his business partners, the Phillips brothers, who had the resources and vision to engage Griffin and fund the project, which was completed in 1924. The legacy of Lucas (Antonios Lekatsas), who arrived as a migrant from Greece in 1886, is seen in both Victoria and Tasmania. The Capitol is a testament to the contribution of many immigrants whose love of Australia has helped make our country what it is today.

Brandon Mack, Deepdene

Time MPs told the truth

A British district court judge has ruled there is a prima facie case that British MP and potential prime minister Boris Johnson "told a huge lie calculated to mislead the electorate" in the lead-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum and the lead-up to the 2017 general election (World, 31/5). When will we hold our politicians to account for fabricating official data to hoodwink the Australian electorate?

Jeffrey Kelson, Prahran

All our lives matter

As I paused to think about Courtney Herron and the outpouring of support and love at her vigil, I wondered what we could do to make a difference. Lobby your government representatives and call out inappropriate behaviour, perhaps. Above all, do not wait for the next vigil. Look around and let those who are doing it tough know that they, and their lives, matter.

Robyn Stonehouse, Camberwell

Farewell to a great host

Barrie Cassidy has retired as the host of Insiders. Will the ABC sell "Back to you, Barrie" or "Bring back Barrie" T-shirts? He will be missed by many.

Andrew Mason, Highett

Ridiculous and infuriating

A crossword puzzle, by definition, should contain actual words. Monday's cryptic had us floundering about with non-words such as hmmm, awwww, grrrr, brrr, shhhh and ewwww. What next: Chinese, Hungarian, Botswanan, Martian or Egyptian hieroglyphics?

Robert Scheffer, Bayswater North

AND ANOTHER THING

Politics

Chinese warships turn up unannounced. Thanks for nothing, Border Force supremo Dutton.

Hans Paas, Castlemaine

Warships docking at Sydney Harbour and ScoMo doesn't think it necessary to inform the public.

Sharyn Bhalla, Ferntree Gully

Keneally is right. Dutton is toxic. He's also dangerous.

Gloria Meltzer, Chewton

Perhaps Keneally thinks we should keep boat arrivals on Hamilton Island, rather than Manus or Nauru.

John Bone, Mornington

Don't "burn" for me, PM. Hell is not in the hereafter. It's in the unfairness of society and your party's selfish "values" are unlikely to fix it.

Ros Collins, Elwood

Come on, Clive, spend some more money and remove those posters which are littering our walls.

Geoff Wigg, Surrey Hills

Tiananmen Square must never be forgotten. An event that will live in infamy.

David Seal, Balwyn North

Furthermore

So the ATO want us to act as whistleblowers, while it wants to jail its own whistleblower. What a joke.

Ann Romain, Sale

What to do with nuclear waste? Put it in the great hole left of the Galilee Basin after Adani has removed all the coal.

Mary Lewis, Fitzroy

Save Venice. Ban the cruise ships.

Katriona Fahey, Alphington

The coach has bolted.

David Charles, Newtown

Bring back big Jack.

Tim Brown, Ascot Vale

David Nichols (4/6), once my tram turned into Spring Street just as the announcement said the next stop was Luna Park.

Peter Burton, South Melbourne

"Pfff"' (Crosswords, 4/6)? Clever, but I no longer feel so guilty about not getting a bunch of clues out.

Jonathan Sanders, Glen Iris

Really, compiler LR? Ughhh.

Vikki O'Neill, Ashburton

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