We need to have faith in the organs of state

Does the Prime Minister expect Australians to be reassured by his assertion that the AFP acted independently in launching the raids? The media reports which were the target of the raids occurred some time ago – in 2017, in the case of the ABC raid. Are we expected to believe that the timing of the raids, after and not before the election, was unrelated to the interests of the government?

In a healthy democracy, the people have faith in the lawfulness, independence and competence of the organs of state. When one considers examples such as these raids, whistleblower Richard Boyle and the Australian Taxation Office, Bali Nine's Scott Rush-AFP matter, the Department of Home Affairs and "on water matters", and the "robo debts" fiasco, it is difficult to have faith. One result of this malaise may be a reluctance of ordinary people to co-operate with the organs of the state. We will all be the losers.

Alister McKenzie, Lake Wendouree

Transparency is essential to achieve a fair society

When the powers that be start to persecute those who are committed to shining a light on the truth, we are all in danger of accessing only the well-woven, approved versions of reality. Transparency is essential for achieving a strong and just society. We cannot change what we do not know. In a modern democracy, truth seeking and journalism must never be separated.

Janet Donald, Bentleigh

Media and politics make strange bedfellows

Is it safe to say that News Corp, the ABC and Julian Assange are now on the same side in their battle for journalistic freedom?

Brian Sanaghan, West Preston

We owe so much to the brave whistleblowers

The laws must be strengthened to protect both whistleblowers and journalists who reveal information that holds authority and power to account. Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton are not as benign as they made out during the election campaign. Raids on journalists' homes and offices, and the prosecution of whistleblowers such as Richard Boyle for speaking out about the ATO's mistreatment of taxpayers, should leave us feeling outraged. Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange and Edward Snowden also acted in the public interest. We, the public, owe them.

Pamela Manikas, Ivanhoe

So many inquiries, now for the next one

Might we expect the federal government to announce an inquiry, to be led by Philip Ruddock, to investigate whether Australian law adequately protects the human right to freedom of the press?

Brendan O'Farrell, Brunswick

THE FORUM

Oppose all restrictions

The howls of outrage by the ABC after being raided by the AFP expose its hypocrisy concerning freedom of the press.

Only five years ago, the then communications minister Stephen Conroy's reforms called for a "Public Interest Media Advocate". Only PIMA-approved news outlets would have been exempted from the privacy act, which enabled them to write about "personal" or "sensitive" matters. And news organisations would only have got approval if they were "fair", "accurate" and complied with "community standards", as determined by the government.

Of course, then senator Conroy was actually interested in conformity, not diversity. No one from the ABC objected at the time. I would have thought that all restrictions on freedom of the press were wrong.

Jeremy Browne, Ripponlea

Public's right to know

Without people who are willing to take a stand to expose corruption, and without those investigative journalists who report such activities, how would the average, individual Australian ever come to know?

Elizabeth Meredith, Surrey Hills

Our selective memories

Isn't it wonderful to live in a country which does not wipe history from our memory as China does with the Tiananmen Square massacre? Oh, hang on. Here in Australia we had many massacres of our Indigenous peoples. These events are tragic. The forgetting is criminal.

Thomas Upton, Bendigo

A blight on our society

It was great to see Woolworths' full page advertisement (The Age, 5/6), which promoted the environmental actions it has taken to reduce pollution and waste, and to help turn rescued food into meals for those who need assistance. I would love to see a similar ad where Woolworths declares it no longer owns poker machines because of the destructive impact they have on those who gamble, and also their families and the community.

Denise Chadwick, Soldiers Hill

Inappropriate promo

I am not sure how impressed we should be that Wednesday's State of Origin rugby league game was promoted as being "the bloodiest battle on earth".

Leaving aside that we do not necessarily want a football match to be a bloody battle, I would have thought that being held on the day before the anniversary of D-Day would have reminded some people of previous bloody battles – perhaps exceeding the State of Origin games. We can also think of current situations around the world which, unfortunately, involve extremely bloody battles.

Laurie Martin, Croydon North

An ethical, moral approach

Chris Uhlmann – "Where the PM should be putting his political faith" (Comment, 5/6) – are you saying that it is OK for the government to have a religious agenda?

There are many "progressives" who are also religious, as well as those who are not, and they are looking for a government that makes policies based on ethical and moral, not religious, grounds.

As for your "many progressives now also seem to abhor the jobs and lifestyles of the remnant blue-collar workers", do you mean the few jobs which would be available in coal mines? There is a bigger picture here: the renewables industry will serve the blue-collar workers far better than any short-term, environmentally troglodyte schemes the Coalition government has on offer.

Fiona Colin, Malvern East

Job, but no reef to enjoy

Minister for Population Warren Tudge, when you find these "Chinese-speaking scuba instructors" to fill the skills shortage in far-north Queensland (The Age, 5/6), what will they show the booming number of tourists? Dead coral or coal ships?

Pat Agostino, St Kilda West

Thank you, for nothing

I am not sure why people are complaining about some banks not passing on the interest rate cut. Mine already has. I have just been advised that the bonus interest on my term deposit will be reduced.

Joe Valence, Cherrybrook

Creating a new culture

As I read Polly Dunning's column – "Two kids is plenty, thanks for asking" (Comment, 5/6) – I felt frustrated at her comments about a serious issue, the involvement of men in caring for children.

I am a full-time employee with a demanding job, an 11-year-old and a partner who works three days a week. This suits us, we share responsibilities and always have done. Our house does not have gendered roles, but assignment based on who is available.

Women need to expect and demand more from their partners. They also need to avoid judging how men might clean the bathroom, cook, parent etc. If we want a culture that expects active parenting from men, we need to create it.

Women who have involved partners need to use language and actions that mean those relationships are the norm. Our sons and daughters will benefit, and the rest of society will too.

Please, women just expect that home duties need to be shared. Shifting a culture takes time and persistence, so you need to be in for the long haul. And when people ask inappropriate questions about more children, ignore them.

Jodi Oakman, Fryerstown

A protest against Trump

Keith Bales misses the point when he criticises the Trump blimp (Letters, 6/6). It was not a protest against the United States, but against Donald Trump the person, possibly the most unsuitable candidate to become president that country has ever had. No other incumbent of that office has ever been treated that way because no other has deserved it.

Anthony Whitmarsh, Viewbank

Two siblings, two fates

When the Queen finishes reading the Winx biography, presented to her by Scott Morrison (The Age, 6/6), maybe she will spare a thought for our feted champion's brother, Bareul Jeung. He was exported to Korea a decade ago only to be, as is officially recorded, killed for "meat processing" because he failed to turn a profit.

Bernd Rieve, Brighton

Another leadership coup?

Can someone check if Kristina Keneally has been made leader of the Labor Party unnoticed. First as Bill Shorten's mouthpiece during the election campaign and now as a stand-in for Anthony Albanese.

Joan Mok, Kew

Living up to its name?

Apart from the issue of what is a fair and reasonable price for a block of land in The Millstone estate – "Developer backflips on bid to hike land prices" (The Age, 5/5) – the developers and their marketing gurus obviously had no sense of irony when they came up with the name for this residential subdivision.

Ross Bardin, Williamstown

Clarifying our powers

It is encouraging that Tim Smith, opposition spokesman for planning and heritage, expresses such strong support for protecting heritage buildings (Comment, 5/6), but disappointing that he confuses the role of Heritage Victoria with the responsibilities of local government.

In conjunction with the Heritage Council of Victoria, Heritage Victoria affords protection to places of state significance. It has powers to do so and uses them to ensure these places are maintained for future generations.

There are some 2500 places on the state heritage register, but the former Corkman Hotel in Carlton was not of them. Our heritage arrangements distinguish between places assessed to be of state significance and those that hold local significance. There are some 2500 of the former, some 150,000 of the latter – and they are the responsibility of local government.

Much of the concern about the threat to heritage caused by the volume and scale of development arises when we lose familiar landmarks such as the Corkman, for they are part of the local fabric. We might well seek to ensure that local government is able to protect such places, but to suggest this is the responsibility of Heritage Victoria is to perpetuate a misunderstanding of the state's planning and heritage system.

Stuart Macintyre, Heritage Council of Victoria

We voters never forget

Tim Smith made me laugh. He wrote that if he were Victoria's planning minister, he would compulsorily acquire the Corkman hotel site and turn it into social and public housing. He assumes we have no memory of the previous state Liberal Party's lack of action on this front, and many others. However, we do remember the previous government, and the premier, Mathew Guy. He did zero in that department, was a good friend of the big developers.

Carol Reed, Newport

Seeking outrage for Moe

Tim Smith calls the Victorian government's treatment of the Corkman hotel one of the most outrageous and egregious breaches of planning law in recent memory. Wouldn't it have been more outrageous and egregious if the government had paid the Corkman's owners to destroy it?

That is exactly the situation of the heritage-listed, culturally significant Morwell power station. The Victorian government has provided $26million to destroy one of Victoria's most important heritage sites.The interest and outrage of Tim Smith and other supporters of our heritage sites would be most welcome.

Cheryl Wragg, Moe

I'm not bragging, but ...

As the founding member of the Target Smug Club for finding more nine-letter words than the compiler (Puzzles page), may I add in a totally non-truculent way, the word "unclutter" to Wednesday's Target?

Ian Field, Williamstown

Our changing fortunes

"The economy is tanking", according to Shane Wright (The Age, 6/6). It was doing fine during the election campaign.

Gary Bryfman, Brighton

AND ANOTHER THING

Raids

Who does not accept that George Orwell's 1984 is alive here and now?

Bernie Rowley, Trafalgar

What now, Keating's "security nutters"? Free press, beware. Remember Peter Greste.

David Gray, Mount Martha

Am I the only one who thinks it's a coincidence the raids took place after the Coalition's election win?

Anita Xhafer, Fitzroy North

The AFP is supposed to be at arm's length from the government. How long are Dutton's arms?

Chris Durie, Hawthorn East

What does Australia have in common with Egypt, Turkey and China?

Dennis Richards, Cockatoo

Welcome to the government's Brave New World, Australia.

Leon Burgher, Stony Creek

It's time to investigate whether the AFP has become politicised.

Jenny Herbert, Metung

Our government has given away press freedom in exchange for meaningless promises of security.

Mike Francis, Fitzroy

Ironic the raids took place while Morrison and Dutton were overseas.

Rob Park, Surrey Hills

Friends tell stories about what happened in Afghanistan. Why can't the public know?

Lou Ferrari, Richmond

The AFP raids have potato prints all over them.

Richard Hughes, Woodend

Furthermore

Prick the Trump blimp and we'd have a true image of him, without his hot air.

Graham Cadd, Dromana

Linda Reynolds' deferential bow to Wei Fenghe showed how to avoid less "friendly visits" by Chinese warships.

Susan Caughey, Glen Iris

Hockey said interest rates would always be lower under the Liberals. He nailed it, but why is that?

Phillip Edwards, Churchill

Leunig, Assange is not a hero because he's not brave.

Julie Carrick, Leopold

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