Are people really going out for essential reasons?

I just do not understand. Are there rules in place or not? The picture of the Bourke Street Mall (The Age, 7/5) shows many people certainly not practising safe distancing. Shops appear to be open and therefore people are using them, so where does that leave us? What does the Premier think of this? I am confused as the four reasons for being allowed to leave your home seem to have vanished.

Margaret Haggett, Cheltenham

We need to be patients and trust our 'drivers'

Here we are in the back seat saying: "Are we there yet?" Meanwhile, the adults who are driving roll their eyes and wonder the same thing. If they say we are nearly there, our requests will become ever more urgent. If they say we are a long way off, we will be disappointed but, in the end, pleased if we arrive sooner than we all thought. It is tough for everyone so patience, please, and let the drivers do the best they can.

Russell Downie, Balwyn

Working together when restrictions are eased

I commend our federal and state politicians for, by and large, taking a bipartisan approach to containing the pandemic. It is now our turn to work as a team. Despite seatbelts and speed limits etc, there is still a risk when we drive the car. Perhaps we could view the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the same light. There will be aids to reduce the toll – social distancing, face masks, the tracking app – but we shall still have deaths. It is time for us to accept this, and not look for scapegoats and towards litigation to ease our pain. Bring on the Aussie spirit.

Barbara Kingston, Mount Waverley

Seeking science behind the claim about children

The argument that it is now safe for children to return to school seems to be based on the observation that there is little evidence they spread COVID-19 to one another or to supervising adults. This observation should trigger scientific enquiry to try to figure out why. However, until we know why children do not spread COVID-19, the "medical advice" that schools are safe is based on statistical inference, rather than good science. Also, as potential virus hosts, it seems strange that COVID-19 would find a dramatic difference between years 11 and 12 students and recent school leavers.

Richard Fitzherbert, Ivanhoe

A serious "health" risk in social distancing

I went to a newsagent the other day. There were spots on the floor 1.5metres apart. But I have a protruding belly and a big behind. Clearly, I was too close to other customers. Responsibly, I sucked in my stomach and compressed my bottom. Cripes, I nearly fainted.

Ross Coulthard, Glen Iris

THE FORUM

Bravo to Victoria's caution

The desire to reopen schools to foster children's learning and help open up the economy is understandable. However, a large number of school pick-ups are done by grandparents, thus enabling the children's parents to work. Yet we are told people over 70 should stay at home. If we are permitted to do pick-ups, the logistics of social distancing will be very difficult.

Also, some grandparents like myself want to visit their own elderly parents in aged care facilities. Many providers have rightfully taken a cautious approach to visiting, despite the Prime Minister's urging, but we do not want to see all that difficult isolation undone by a simplistic approach to the return to economic normalcy. Thank you, Dan Andrews, for your cautious approach.

Lesley Ryder, Blackburn South

Such strange priorities

What an extraordinary world when a team of burly rugby league players, whose very existence and skills depend on close proximity to each other in the most violent manner, can move its training base to a New South Wales country town and, against the wishes of its local council, prepare for a new season of sport. Meanwhile, libraries which provide so many avenues for recreation and relaxation to a broader population within communities, are closed.

Annie Young, Junortoun

The freedom to swap

So did the ME Bank debacle (The Age, 7/5) come about because the union-backed super funds thought that running a bank was pretty much like running a union? They are finding out that bank customers can pick and choose whether ME is serving them, and swap to another bank, unlike union members whose industry may only have one union they can join.

Henry Diner, Caulfield

More facts, less hyperbole

There needs to be a mature discussion about Australia's immigration intake. It is too high; health and other infrastructure cannot keep up, let alone adequately service the current population. There is something wrong with an economy that relies on an ever expanding population. To suggest that the skills base of the economy is dependent on the importation of hundreds of thousands of people on temporary visas and that all of these people have advanced skills should be seen for what it is: pure spin.

Ken Boddington Mount Eliza

Please bring them home

Thank you, John Cross (Letters, 7/5), for reminding us Scott Morrison has not changed. I will never forget that he has, to date, abandoned 20 Australian women and 47 Australian children, 34 under the age of five, in the hell hole of Syria's al-Hawl camp. Other countries have repatriated their citizens. Hurry up, Mr Morrison, or what does Australian citizenship really mean, and the compassion you profess on a Sunday.

Dorothy Woodward, Ivanhoe

The agony of recessions

Ross Gittins (Comment, 6/5), I remember the 1961 credit squeeze. My parents lost their deposit on a new home in Seaford due to the building company going under and there were no refunds in those days. As a self-employed insurance salesman, my memory of the 1974 recession was that it seemed to roll into the 1980s recession.

By then I was manager of an office of a life insurance company. One day a man came in, handed me his house keys and said: "Here, take it, I can't afford the mortgage to your company any more." Repossessed homes were selling at such low prices that my company told mortgage defaulters to sit tight until things got better – ie, it was losing too much money on the resale prices.

Another time l recall seeing a distraught young woman sitting on the side of the street in the pouring rain with her furniture stacked up beside her. She had obviously been kicked out due to the non-payment of rent. Ross, you are right, recessions are a disaster, especially for the poor.

David Ward, Ormond

Laidley's right to privacy

The taking of photos of Dean Laidley and the sharing of them was such a cruel act. People behaving badly. Just how long will it take the human race to understand that we are diverse and complex and that kindness to each other will always triumph?

Judy Kevill, Ringwood

Our sense of entitlement

Ben Groundwater is missing his travel fix (Comment, 7/5). He has in previous articles lauded travel for its effect on his development, rather reminiscent of the '60s and '70s when people flocked abroad to "find themselves".

Even though we understand the ramifications of our novelty-seeking addiction to air trips to different places, we ignore the harm it is doing and can hardly wait to get in a plane again so we can look at yet another cathedral, tropical beach etc. The fact that our emissions are killing billions of people in other, mostly poorer countries by heating the atmosphere, raising the sea levels, burning the forests, means nothing to us. It is time we recognised this and became the more self aware, better people we aspire to be by not overriding the lives of others, and getting rid of this entitled First World notion of personal development by travel.

Jill Dumsday, Ashburton

A future for our children

The Australian government has failed to act on climate change, despite our nation enduring environmental disasters like last summer's terrible bushfires. These events have put our children lives at significant risk. I implore the government to listen to the science, commit to zero emissions by 2030, stop investing in dirty fossil fuels and commit to shift the post COVID-19 economy to a cleaner and safer one.

So please, for Mother's Day, give us the gift of knowing that our planet is protected, and our children and their children will have the future they deserve. Allow us to focus on bringing up our children, knowing that they are safe and can live their lives without this unnecessary burden.

Anthea Griffiths, Ocean Grove

Please listen to the science

Your editorial (The Age, 7/5) hit the proverbial nail on the head. Our federal government is willing to take and act on scientific advice about the pandemic but scientific advice about climate change challenges its out-of-date views. The damage to both people and societies of which the economy is only a part will be much greater than COVID-19 if we do not act quickly, now.

Michael Weadon, Lake Wendouree

We voters want unity

Michael O'Brien's constant carping about the Victorian government, and his criticism of Daniel Andrews in particular, is wearing thin. Referring to the meatworks cluster of infections as Andrews' "Ruby Princess moment" was absurd and seemed to be prompted by malice.

Instead of sounding like a future leader, his negative and opportunistic stance makes him sound small and petty, potentially sowing discord and resentment at a time when state and federal leaders are doing their best to find a common message for everyone. Wouldn't it be nice to see the opposition supporting the efforts of the government and making the odd helpful suggestion?

Jane Carrigg, Ocean Grove

I just want to download it

More than 5 million people have downloaded the COVID-19 tracing app on their mobile phones (The Age, 65/5). Well, I must be one of the unlucky ones who has had no success in installing it. My mobile has an installed Android 6.0.1 a.k.a. Marshmallow and has the Bluetooth function switched on. According to the website on this subject, my mobile meets the criteria for installing the app.

After having read through the website and made phone calls and sent two emails to the appropriate government agency, and having had no response to date, I cannot help feeling the relevant departments are not particularly interested in trying to help the abandoned.

David Yeo, Glen Waverley

Where's the money going?

Many Australians gave financial donations towards bushfire relief, yet we hear little as to how this money is being used. What we do hear is that places such as East Gippsland have been hit particularly hard by the bushfires and now coronavirus, and that people there are struggling to make ends meet. They are also undergoing emotional stress. Maybe those who are holding millions of dollars in donations could update the public as to how this is being distributed. The donors deserve this feedback.

John Tingiri, Mornington

Try 70 overs a ball

There has been talk of not allowing bowlers to put spit or sweat on the ball for safety reasons and to reduce the opportunity to interfere with the ball (Sport, 6/5). An easier and more effective solution would be to ban over-handling of the ball and simply change the 80 overs/ball rule to 70 overs/ball. This would be easier to police and give the bowlers an even chance. As it is, cricket balls are wearing out much sooner and it would reduce the advantage of some teams on their "cured" pitches.

Dominic Lopes, Berwick

In praise of our anthem

Alan Leitch (Letters, 5/5) has to be kidding. I am, you are, we are Australian is a dreary, irritating dirge. Whenever we hear it on our television, we change the channel. (I would prefer the Playschool theme any day). In contrast, Advance Australia Fair really sounds like an anthem – in the same league as La Marseillaise and well ahead of The Star-Spangled Banner. You can see how Australians sing it with enthusiasm and pride at footy finals or the Olympic Games. It would not hurt to update some of the words, to avoid excluding anyone. But there is no reason to dump it completely.

Geoff Dalton, East Malvern

Read any good books?

I find myself spending far more time trawling the "credibility bookcases" (Comment, 7/5) in search of a good read than I do paying attention to what is being pontificated.

Paul Cook, Coburg

AND ANOTHER THING

Michael O'Brien

O'Brien has caught Tehan's foot in mouth disease.

Ian Maddison, Parkdale

Hell hath no fury like a politician scorned. Let it all out, Michael. No one's listening.

Rob Martin, Oakleigh South

Another Ruby Princess? It's time for O'Brien to put up or shut up.

Ruth Harper, Taradale

Shaming and blaming is counter-productive as it will cause cover-ups in future COVID-19 cases.

John Groom, Bentleigh

Andrew's Ruby Princess may be O'Brien's Titanic.

Bryan Fraser, St Kilda

Politics

Another WMD (Wuhan Mass Distraction). I can feel a US election coming on.

Simon O'Shea, Blackburn South

A while ago, all Trump had to do to be re-elected was to say nothing. The same might now be said about Biden.

James Ogilvie, Kew

I'd like to buy water rights to the Yangtze River. Would the Chinese government agree to this?

Sandra Torpey, Hawthorn

Is Keneally the Labor leader? Where's Albanese?

Joan Mok, Kew

The federal government seems to resent the university sector despite education being our third biggest export earner.

Ian Cunliffe, Princes Hill

Furthermore

We're spending and consuming less. We rejoice. There may be something left for our children and grandchildren.

Virginia Lowe, Ormond

Horse racing, rugby and AFL but no spectators. What do they have in common? Betting revenue.

Kathryn Feather, Aireys Inlet

Robert Trafficante says "Online learning, if fine-tuned, could revolutionise society" (5/5). Hooray for his positivity and vision.

Jean Sands, Sunbury

Could we have a day of minimal or no reporting on COVID-19 in The Age?

Rod Andrew, Malmsbury

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