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Matt GoldingCredit: .

To submit a letter to The Age, email [email protected]. 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.

I’m feeling less and less optimistic about the referendum. It worries me that many people I speak to say they don’t understand what it means. Even worse, they don’t bother to find out and they will just vote No. Also the Yes campaign has become divided and when that happened to the republic referendum (thanks to John Howard), it returned a No vote.
I reckon the easiest way to understand the issue is to see the Voice as being just like any other lobby group. It can offer advice to government and the parliament. That advice can be accepted or rejected. Just like advice from a lobby group, there is no power of veto. The only difference in this case is that the Voice will be enshrined in our Constitution. Simple. I only wish that people would appreciate that fact and therefore it is everyone’s responsibility to be properly informed before voting. This is something that will be part of the founding document of our nation.
So please, don’t listen to politicians pushing a political line. Inform yourself and vote accordingly. It’s really important.
Damien Ryan, Berwick

The Voice is feeble compensation
Your correspondent (Letters, 30/5) says that ″⁣the referendum is actually concerned with Australian history, specifically the colonisation and dispossession of Australia’s Indigenous populations … it proposes to give Indigenous people a Voice to parliament and government″⁣. Yet for them to be now accorded a mere Voice to parliament and government is feeble compensation for the colonisation and dispossession of their lands.
Peter Drum, Coburg

Tune out from the hostile banter
At the beginning of the year, I was inspired by reading the Uluru Statement from the Heart and excited by the prospect of the Voice. Now, I am overwhelmed by the incessant tone of the discussion. The negative voices that we mostly hear are divisive, opportunistic and calculatingly concocted. The positive voices are more pleading, sadder and close to being overwhelmed. Optimism has waned and the No side has detected this, prompting ever more negativity and exploiting ignorance. The debate clearly has everything to do with political alignment and is frequently laced with prejudice. The central theme of reconciliation, friendship and equality for First Nations Australians has been turned on its head. First Nations Australians have seen that before. Imagine their despair yet again.
Hopefully, people will tune out from the hostile banter. Then, perhaps, individual Australians will see the opportunity more clearly and vote with their hearts and their minds merged as one.
Dennis Richards, Cockatoo

We must embrace our ancient history
Among the recent comments on the merits of the Voice it seems one truism has surfaced – that is the attempt to politicise what is clearly a grassroots movement. The Uluru Statement was conceived to enable First Nations people to, first, be recognised in the Constitution and, second, communicate with government on the effects of policy on themselves. There are those who shudder at the prospect of any change to a Constitution drafted over a century ago, and there are those who welcome such an obvious amendment. Then, there are the undecided. So, to the undecided, please don’t be swayed by the plethora of misinformation from conservatives. Embrace this country’s amazing heritage. Encourage all Australians to recognise our ancient history. Welcome the invitation to establish a Voice.
Stewart Handasyde, Shoreham

Sporting organisations get it
The latest large group to come out in support of the Voice comprises more than 20 sporting organisations. Yet with each announcement, we are met with opposing comments from either politicians or sceptical individuals who are apparently determined not to understand a simple concept.
John Johnson, Richmond

FORUM

The flow-on effect
I have two teenagers I send to mid-range Catholic private schools. We chose those schools because the state high schools in our area do not offer all the subjects/opportunities that we wanted our children to have, opportunities and subjects that I don’t believe the state education system has to cover.
As parents, that was our choice, and we chose to pay for that. The projected fee increase with the new budget will have a flow-on effect to the community – instead of working three days and volunteering in the community, I will now work four-to-five days for the extra income and reduce the hours spent as a volunteer.
We will increase the rent on an investment property which was intended as my superannuation as I was a “stay at home” mum for 14 years. We won’t contribute to charitable causes as often and won’t necessarily seek out local retailers for purchases.
For the Labor government to not think this would happen is tunnel vision. What it is forgetting is the impact if all (or even 20 per cent) of students in private/independent schools enrolled tomorrow at their local state school. The financial and the resource implications would be untenable.
I would suggest that all schools affected by this change recommend all parents contact their local state school and start enrolment procedures so that the voices of “mid-level” families are heard.
Belinda O’Callaghan, Glen Iris

Not a good reason
All this discussion about payroll tax and private schools. My question is, why have public schools been paying this tax and private schools not? One principal’s answer that it was because private schools provided a ″⁣service″⁣ is not an adequate explanation.
Jenny Callaghan, Hawthorn

Taking responsibility
In relation to the PwC scandal, apologies and standing down a few staff are not enough. The company itself is responsible. In our globally connected economy, private consultancies shape public policy across the world. If PwC’s Australian breach of confidence is found to affect America’s capacity to raise tax, there may be very serious consequences.
Nicholas Low, professorial fellow,
University of Melbourne

Musical heritage
It is National Reconciliation Week. We will soon be voting about the Voice to parliament. As we reconsider our unique identity, why not honour our Aboriginal musical heritage. Instead of ringing the bells for a division in parliament why not use the call of the didjeridoo to rouse all MPs to return to the chamber? Another voice for a new beginning.
Jennie Stuart, Balwyn

Sounds of silence
My solution to the problem of blowhards from bygone days interrupting the enjoyment of AFL on TV is to mute the entire commentary. It is not as if the viewer is incapable of discerning what is happening without the drone of one of yesterday’s heroes explaining the obvious. Instead, I choose to have the hi-fi on and listen to the wisdom and genius of Paul Kelly, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Neil Young, Redgum, Black Sabbath, Bruce Springsteen, The Waterboys and all my other favourites from bygone days. If the game is dull, I have a distraction, and if not, well, that is the joy of recorded music. It will endure and be appreciated again and again. The words of BT et al, not so much.
Ken Richards, Elwood

Sydney is the best
Visiting Sydney, it does not take long to realise that Bunny Banyai is correct (Comment, 30/5). Sydney is a far better city than Melbourne. An impressive, clean train will take you straight from the airport to the city in about 15 minutes. Just tap your bank card and get aboard. Forget Skybus and Myki.
Central Station is being stylishly renovated in a way that makes Southern Cross and Flinders Street look the grim and unwelcoming places they are. If you miss a train, you won’t have to wait long for another to arrive. Or take the new light rail or a ferry. Even Sydney’s buses are more pleasant.
And that’s all before you leave Sydney’s vastly superior public transport system. The rest of Sydney follows a similar trend.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills

One to visit, one to live in
Speaking as a born and bred Sydneysider living in Melbourne for 40 years, Sydney is a wonderful place to visit but Melbourne is a better place to live.
Megan Stoyles, Aireys Inlet

Relaxed and better
Bunny Banyai makes a good point. Exciting Sydney offers much to tourists, with the Opera House, bridge and harbour being quite spectacular. An edgy, racy city, it is an exciting place to visit.
However, Melbourne has many attractions – cultural, arts, botanical, dining and sporting. Coupled with a more relaxed lifestyle, it is a wonderful place to live.
James Young, Mount Eliza

You need the ocean
Yes Bunny Banyai, Sydney may be a beautiful city. But only if you can afford to live anywhere near the beach or harbour. Otherwise, it is no different to Melbourne, and driving is so much worse. Plus there is far too much attention to rugby league.
Dean Virgin, Strathmore

Housing not enough
The article ″⁣Carbon wheel maker plans a spin on US Nasdaq listing″⁣ (30/5) highlights again the lack of ″⁣mum and dad” investment options other than housing. We don’t have trading banks focused on business loans secured by those businesses’ operations and assets alone. So we are left with housing as the simplest and safest investment option, one that drives up prices and creates no long-term employment or industry.
Tom Danby, Coburg North

You call that a quake?
A 3.8 earthquake barely makes news in California. Earthquakes, of course, can be serious but media hype over a 3.8 event is an overreaction and makes people fearful. Consider that San Francisco is smack on the San Andreas Fault and hasn’t had a serious event since the Loma Prieta quake in 1989. It was huge (6.9) and caused severe damage and several dozen deaths.
Earthquakes are measured on a logarithmic scale meaning each number in severity is 10 times greater than the one before. An earthquake of magnitude 6 releases about 30 times more energy than an earthquake of magnitude 5. So, the difference between a 3.8 and a 4.8 is gigantic. Even along as major a fault line as the San Andreas, serious damaging quakes are rare, but (gulp) they can happen.
Dennis Price, Pine Grove,
California

Degrees of pressure
In the article (30/5) about AFL coaches, it is stated ″⁣they are under no illusion that theirs is the most high pressure job in the country”. Try telling that to the prime minister, the premiers, airline pilots, air traffic controllers, principals, doctors and nurses.
Felix Patton, Mount Martha

McGowan for Canberra
The ALP would be crazy not to encourage West Australian Premier Mark McGowan to stand for a seat in the next federal election. He is a proven vote winner for the ALP in WA and still young as politicians go.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris

Netanyahu alarm
Naomi Chazan’s observation that “Israel is undergoing its greatest crisis since the creation of the state” (The Age, 30/5) is all too true. As a former deputy speaker of the Knesset and long-serving Israeli politician, she is well placed to sound the alarm about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempted “authoritarian coup”.
In articulating her own well-founded concerns, she makes the crucial point that democratic nations like Australia have every right to criticise the current Israeli regime. So far the Albanese government seems not to have the courage to do so, and more’s the pity. Ms Chazan goes on to raise the question as to whether now is the right time for Australia to recognise Palestinian statehood.
In response to which one can only ask, when will it ever be?
Tom Knowles, Parkville

COVID is still here
As more of us are travelling and going to theatres and sporting events, it is disturbing to hear people speaking of the pandemic in the past tense. Rather, we are moving quickly into the fifth COVID wave, and the virus is very much still in the present.
With mask-wearing basically a thing of the past, many vulnerable people are still confining themselves to their homes, which unfortunately they see as their only option. The risks associated with poor COVID outcomes are just too great.
While vaccinations have lowered the risks, anti-viral medication is not yet available to all those people whose GPs believe they would benefit from it. The list of eligible underlying medical conditions and age ranges is too restrictive. Cost considerations need to be set aside, and the eligibility list expanded, to provide a safety net enabling more vulnerable people to feel they can once again leave their homes.
Claire Merry, Wantirna

Trolled via the post
Jenny Vero (Letters, 30/5) writes that trollers won’t find her via social media.
On more than one occasion trollers went to the effort of looking up my address (via a phone book) to send me an angry hand-scrawled letter disagreeing with something that I had published in a newspaper. Yes, delivered via Australia Post.
Where there’s a will, for the disgruntled, there’s a way.
Shaun Dunford, Mount Gambier

Succession overload
Please, no more with the Succession obsession. I’ve never watched the program and I really don’t care about their family, clothes, hairstyles or how they cut their toenails and clean their teeth.
April Baragwanath,
Geelong

AND ANOTHER THING

The Voice
With remarks like ″⁣the Voice will re-racialise Australia″⁣ can Peter Dutton dig himself a deeper hole to crawl out of? Methinks not.
Dan Drummond, Leongatha

If the Voice is going to fade the curtains, we will have to cancel daylight saving to get everything back in balance.
Alan Inchley, Frankston

Anthony Albanese may live to regret labelling No voters as doomsayers, just as Hillary Clinton did when she called Donald Trump’s supporters deplorables.
Tony O’Brien, South Melbourne

Furthermore
Yes, being a footy coach has its demands, but try profiling a week’s work for a school principal, then let’s evaluate workload and equity.

Peter McLean, Brunswick

I wonder if eventually life will imitate art with the Murdoch succession.
Marie Nash, Balwyn

A reminder to all those families unhappy with possible fee increases at Catholic or independent schools: public schools offer an alternative.
Annie Wilson, Inverloch

I’m tired too. Tired of the war in Ukraine, top end corruption, tension with China, Middle East unrest, despots who cling to power, mistreated aged care patients, road rage.
Myra Fisher, Brighton East

Fifty years on, we still recognise the sonorous tones and rhythmical outrage of Gough Whitlam – now channelled in defence of our ducks (Letters, 30/5).
Joan Reilly, Surrey Hills

Note to Mark McGowan: when I’m all tuckered out I find that a cup of tea, a Bex and a good lie down just does wonders.
Robin Jensen, Castlemaine

Good Andrews government policy box trifecta. Payroll tax on private schools is in. Next, total ban on duck shooting, then the long shot, a tax on church land holdings.
Ron Townsend, Wheelers Hill

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