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Credit: <\/span>Matt Golding<\/cite><\/p>\n To submit a letter to The Age<\/em>, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.<\/strong><\/p>\n Alan Joyce\u2019s departure from Qantas shouldn\u2019t be the last departure from the company. The chairman and fellow directors have to accept their share of responsibility for the dismal performance of the company over the past several years. Not only was Qantas a once-proud company, it was a symbol of all that was good in Australia and previously stood alongside the best airlines in the world. New chief executive Vanessa Hudson has the job in front of her to restore the company\u2019s reputation and to accept that the company under Joyce\u2019s leadership, together with the board, made some very poor decisions in many areas. I think all of us want her to succeed. Decision mainly benefits the shareholders<\/strong> Words used when you want to hide something<\/strong> Did this flight even exist?<\/strong> Praise for the help and care of Qantas staff<\/strong> Airline already has a voice to parliament<\/strong> The way ahead<\/strong> History repeating?<\/strong> Recognition not enough<\/strong> Muddying the waters<\/strong> Read the Constitution<\/strong> For example, \u201cThe Queen may disallow any law within one year from the Governor-General\u2019s assent\u201d. Imagine the chaos that would ensue if the King disallowed one of our laws. Yet this statement is in the Constitution permanently. I challenge everyone to read the Constitution and am sure you will be amazed by what it contains and by what it does not contain (e.g. the prime minister).<\/p>\n I fear that we will never be able to change our Constitution again as many of the arguments for the No case can apply to any given topic. Just as well we were not the people being asked to vote in the referendums in 1898 to 1900 as the Constitution would not have been approved and we would still be in our separate colonies. Like a marriage<\/strong> Dutton is right<\/strong> End this myth<\/strong> Feel-good ad fails<\/strong> Leading by example<\/strong> Careful who we cancel<\/strong> Stop the spending<\/strong> A green opportunity<\/strong> Good reason for an SUV<\/strong> Worry about fumes<\/strong> Prevention is best<\/strong> The Heart Foundation is concerned that any delay in treatment of an emergency cardiovascular patient experiencing a heart attack or stroke could lead to a more difficult recovery, disability, or even death.<\/p>\n While increased investment in emergency department capacity is immediately needed to support both staff and patients, we must also invest more in preventing cardiac events in the first place. A united front<\/strong> Snail mail campaign<\/strong> Credit: <\/span>Matt Golding<\/cite><\/p>\n The Voice<\/strong> Most Australians love John Farnham as a singer\/entertainer, but with respect, he\u2019s not needed to advise how to vote in the referendum. It seems that when someone offered John Pesutto political advice to not simply be a yes-man, he took it literally. We\u2019ve never properly acknowledged that our fears about Mabo were unfounded. No wonder we\u2019re sitting ducks for the Voice scare campaign. Still waiting to receive the Yes\/No arguments in the mail. Still waiting … waiting … Furthermore<\/strong> May the future judge you the way you judge the past.
Bruce MacKenzie, South Kingsville<\/strong><\/p>\n
The federal government has failed to explain its decision to shield Qantas from greater competition (\u201cDisclosure call on Qatar flights snub\u201d, 5\/9). It\u2019s as if the Keating government\u2019s privatisation of the airline back in the 1990s never happened. The decision as it stands primarily benefits Qantas\u2019 shareholders. It\u2019s not in the national interest. Representing a fundamental failure of competition policy, it doesn\u2019t bear explanation. The government really has no choice but to come clean and reverse it.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills<\/strong><\/p>\n
The ongoing use of the term \u201cnot in the national interest\u201d, in relation to the federal government\u2019s rejection of Qatar Airways\u2019 request for additional flights to Australia, shows that this term joins \u201ccommercial in confidence\u201d and \u201cclassified\u201d as popular excuses used by politicians when their reasons for doing or not doing something is to be concealed, without legitimate or acceptable excuse.
Ian Usman Lewis, Kentucky, NSW<\/strong><\/p>\n
Further to the news of Qantas allegedly selling tickets to cancelled flights, I\u2019m reminded that last October I booked flights to LA for three people for June 2023. The flight was scheduled to depart at 10am. Twenty-nine minutes later I received an email from Qantas saying my flight had changed and now the flight would leave at 8.25pm. I did think it was odd at the time that our flight in eight months\u2019 time had changed within 29 minutes of me making the booking, but in light of events this week I\u2019m now suspicious the initial flight never existed.
Neale Meagher, Malvern<\/strong><\/p>\n
Notwithstanding the current concerns about Qantas management, I would like to convey our positive experiences on a recent holiday to Norfolk Island. I booked the trip online. Melbourne to Sydney; Sydney to Norfolk Island; and return. I allowed at least two hours at Sydney because of the need to transfer us and our luggage to the international terminus (on the opposite side of the airport) and the requirement to clear Customs and Border Force.
I would like to praise and thank Qantas staff from check-in to ground staff and flight crew, who provided magnificent service throughout the journey. In particular, I registered for mobility assistance for my wife well before the travel dates. This put in place a whole chain of communications from start to finish, with marvellous caring staff, providing wheelchairs and motorised carts at every conceivable opportunity.
Rob Davies, Langwarrin<\/strong><\/p>\n
It is interesting to hear questions being asked about what conversations the government had with Qantas in relation to Qatar Airways\u2019 request for more flights into Australia. Clearly Qantas has a voice to parliament and executive government, which highlights the reality that there are already many \u201cvoices\u201d to parliament.
Gary Heard, East Perth<\/strong><\/p>\nFORUM<\/h3>\n
The failing profitability of Australia Post suggests a new strategy is called for. I recommend it charges more for its services, reduces delivery times, ignores customer complaints and convinces the government that not allowing anyone else to deliver parcels is good for competition. It has worked wonders for Qantas.
Stephen Farrelly, Donvale<\/strong><\/p>\n
That Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto has announced his intention to vote No at the forthcoming referendum may ultimately transpire to be another case of history repeating itself. That is, as with a previous embattled, moderate Liberal leader, Malcolm Turnbull, Pesutto is likely to learn that appeasing his party\u2019s right will be insufficient to secure him a lengthy tenure as Liberal leader.
Geoff Feren, St Kilda East<\/p>\n
Indigenous people have told us that symbolic recognition in the Constitution is not enough. For John Pesutto to reject the request to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the Constitution, it is once again white Australia insisting that they know best.
Sarah Russell, Mount Martha<\/strong><\/p>\n
First it was Opposition Leader Peter Dutton\u2019s assertions about the validity of using crosses on the referendum ballot sheet. Next it was his seeming \u201cthought bubble\u201d promise to subject us all to a second referendum should the current one fail. Now he is claiming Anthony Albanese can, with a stroke of a pen, simply alter the referendum question prior to October 14 (\u201cDutton is wrong on changing Voice question, say legal experts\u201d, 5\/9). Is this a case of foot-in-mouth disease, muddying the waters, or treating Australians as fools? Perhaps all of the above.
Jennifer Quigley, Balwyn<\/strong><\/p>\n
One of the arguments against the Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders being embedded in the Constitution is that it will be there permanently, even when it is no longer needed. I wonder how many people have read the Constitution. There are many things in our founding document that are puzzling to say the least.<\/p>\n
Pauline Brown, Woodend<\/strong><\/p>\n
When my husband and I married 35 years ago, we signed our \u201cconstitution\u201d, the marriage certificate. We didn\u2019t have the future all laid out. We didn\u2019t know we would both be diagnosed with cancer. We didn\u2019t know how much money we would have or that my husband would change his profession four times. We didn\u2019t know how many times we would move house or if we could afford one in the first place. We hoped that with hard work we could live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives. All we knew was that once we had signed our constitution, our mutual intent was to care for, respect and support each other, and then we stepped into the void that was our life together. The Uluru Statement from the Heart was the marriage proposal, and the Voice to parliament is the marriage ceremony. The way we, the Australian people, step into this marriage is based on our intent to make it work. It\u2019s that simple.
Rosie McMahon, Gisborne<\/strong><\/p>\n
I do not know what the motives of Peter Dutton are, but I agree with what he says about the proposed Voice, and I have never been on the conservative side of politics.
Margery Renwick, Brighton<\/strong><\/p>\n
Although some may have ideological or political reasons for doing so, particularly in the current febrile climate of the Voice referendum, surely it\u2019s time to stop perpetuating the misinformation that Indigenous people were \u2033\u2063counted as fauna\u2033\u2063 (Letters, 4\/9). Aboriginal people in Australia have never been covered by a flora and fauna act, either under federal or state law.
Deborah Morrison, Malvern East<\/strong><\/p>\n
For a Yes advertising campaign to make a difference, to help make up minds and change minds, it needs to be powerful, informative, thought-provoking and prompt debate. Sadly, I don\u2019t think the nice, comfortable, feel-good commercial they have made will do much.
Ron Mather, Melbourne<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Victorian Yoorrook Justice Commission has asked for Indigenous oversight of numerous areas of concern to Aboriginal communities (\u201cPush to end justice system \u2018pipeline\u2019 for First Peoples\u201d, 5\/9). The powers and funding requested relate to child care, changing the age of criminal responsibility to 14, and banning detention for those under 16. The Koori court would deal with child custody and diversion systems and similar matters.
These are the sorts of issues that the Voice could address at a national level, disseminating solutions shown to be effective and economically sound around the nation. Will it be a success? We won\u2019t know until we give it a go.
Peter Barry, Marysville<\/strong><\/p>\n
First Alfred Deakin, then William Walkley. Who\u2019s next? Perhaps one of Australia\u2019s best-loved prime ministers, John Curtin: \u2033\u2063This nation will remain forever the home of sons of Britishers who came here in peace in order to establish in the South Seas an outpost of the British race.\u2033\u2063 (Speech to the House, December 16, 1941)
Peter McGregor, Sandringham<\/strong><\/p>\n
The article on sluggish spending (5\/9) portrays this as a negative. Isn\u2019t this the way we should be heading if we are serious about mitigating climate change and environmental impact? And it has bolstered the case for the Reserve Bank to hold interest rates steady.
Peter Seligman, Brunswick West<\/strong><\/p>\n
Open space is valuable, so is eco-housing, why not combine the two? (\u201cGolf course leaves residential zone plan mired in the rough\u201d, 5\/9) Surely the residents and the council can find a developer that could retain a healthy percentage of the open space of the disbanded Kingswood Golf Course and make the housing element of the development a showcase for environmentally sound living.
The residents\u2019 concerns are well-founded. Far too often such golden opportunities are handed over to developers whose prime aim, regardless of the claims of their brochures, is to maximise profits by squeezing as many home units onto a parcel of land without concern for its local amenity.
John Mosig, Kew<\/strong><\/p>\n
My wife has a small SUV and I have a medium-size SUV. We have been fortunate enough to reach the wonderful age of 80, but back problems make it difficult to get in and out of the average small car. Maybe I need to put a sign on our cars to explain this to those criminals who let tyres down.
Leigh Marshall, Torquay<\/strong><\/p>\n
I am fortunate to be one of the rare few who walk their children to school. But the traffic congestion, idling cars and exhaust pollution problems aren\u2019t lost on me (\u201cCall for car clampdown at schools to cut fumes\u201d, 4\/9). I worry daily about the impact of toxic fumes on my children\u2019s developing lungs. School zone traffic restrictions and anti-idling laws that get us out of our cars and back onto active or public transport may be just the medicine we need to boost the health and wellbeing of our kids.
Amy Hiller, Kew<\/strong><\/p>\n
The Age<\/em> rightly highlights the unacceptable delay that hospital ramping has caused in treating some hospital patients experiencing heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n
We encourage all governments to invest more in prevention of cardiovascular disease as well as emergency care. This includes targeted cardiovascular screening programs, continued focus on strengthening tobacco control measures, and addressing systematic barriers to healthy eating and exercise. Unless the whole system is properly repaired \u2013 with a focus on prevention before cure \u2013 nothing will change.
Chris Enright, Victorian general manager, National Heart Foundation of Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n
God speed to the politically mixed group of Australian MPs who are off to the US to meet with Democrats and Republicans this month to request the release of Julian Assange (\u201cCross-party group of MPs off to US to lobby for Assange\u2019s freedom\u201d, 5\/9). Maybe they will all also learn that they can just agree as humans.
Barbara Fraser, Burwood<\/strong><\/p>\n
If everyone wrote and posted one letter\/card a week the snail mail section of Australia Post would flourish, jobs would be kept and people would once again enjoy checking their letter box. I am going to start by sending my next letter to The Age<\/em> by post!
Margaret Collings, Anglesea<\/strong><\/p>\nAND ANOTHER THING<\/h3>\n
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If you don\u2019t know, don\u2019t vote. Be honest and write \u201cdon\u2019t know\u201d on your ballot paper. It is unconscionable to determine the future of Australia through ignorance.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster<\/strong><\/p>\n
Geoff Lipton, Caulfield North<\/strong><\/p>\n
Phil Alexander, Eltham<\/strong><\/p>\n
Bernd Rieve, Brighton<\/strong><\/p>\n
Frank Flynn, Cape Paterson<\/strong><\/p>\n
In the \u201950s at Mildura High School, we had four school houses \u2013 Chaffey, Hopetoun, Deakin and Sturt. Thank goodness I wasn\u2019t in Deakin.
Tris Raouf, Hadfield<\/strong><\/p>\n
Paul Spinks, South Geelong<\/strong><\/p>\n