Letters
Letters to
the editor
Think local
Thank you for exposing the ruthless effect of Alex Antic at the South Australian and federal levels (Jason Koutsoukis, “ ‘A very dangerous man’: How Alex Antic is shaping the Liberals”, June 21-27). I am not a Liberal Party member nor voter so can’t do anything other than observe his branch stacking and takeover of the state Liberals. But he is meant to represent the views and concerns of South Australians rather than his own agenda. We do not want him swanning off to far-right conferences or embracing the abhorrent policies of Donald Trump. He needs to focus on real concerns, such as how the drought, exacerbated by climate change, is affecting our farmers, and cost-of-living issues. They are not over-concerned with anti-abortion issues or religious freedom. I pity Sussan Ley trying to rein in the likes of Alex Antic and his mates.
– Jean John, Adelaide, SA
Muted response
Karen Barlow’s insightful article ranged well beyond the trade challenge facing the United States (“ ‘World upon his shoulders’: Farrell on US trade test”, June 21-27). Most interesting to me were comments from Doug Cameron re: AUKUS, that “the party room is mute”. Now, with a big number of fresh backbenchers, and progressives in the Left faction, is the time for the Labor caucus to get vocal! My local member for Fremantle, Josh Wilson, has written that AUKUS is unexplained and unjustified. We need a full public inquiry into this wasteful debacle. In these unsettled times, we need to remember that Australia has no enemies of our own making.
– Jo Vallentine, Coolbellup, WA
Undersold and upsold
Shame as the main idea in Louis Taffs’ piece on demolishing 44 Victorian public housing towers doesn’t cut it (“An act of erasure”, June 21-27). Taffs does not take into account past demolitions, such as in 2002 when the Kensington towers were demolished to make way for a mix of public and private development. The Department of Human Services contracted Kate Shaw and a team from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning to evaluate the event. On page 63 of the 2013 evaluation of the Kensington redevelopment and place management models final report it says developer Becton bought the land at $89.95 per square metre when the Real Estate Institute of Victoria’s valuation in 2002 was $1640 per square metre. That act represents underselling on behalf of the taxpayer by a state government that chooses privatisation over the public good.
– Barbara Hall, Oakleigh, Vic
Time to act
Joëlle Gergis writes with deep knowledge and great passion (“The moment is now”, June 21-27). Sadly, it is a waste of effort. Regardless of whether you are a world-leading climate scientist like Gergis, a renowned author such as Tim Winton, a top economist (Ross Garnaut), a coal executive turned climate warrior (Ian Dunlop), an incisive journalist (Royce Kurmelovs) or a redoubtable young climate activist (Anjali Sharma), the Australian government could not care less what you think, say or write about the climate catastrophe and Australia’s execrable role in it. We must put down the pens and keyboards and act: disrupt a meeting; block a coal train; turn off a pipeline; shut down an airport. Only concerted mass action can save us now.
– Richard Barnes, Canterbury, Vic
Finding hope
Isn’t it ironic that in the moment that Stan Grant affirms the impossibility of journalism comprehending the current world, he is writing with the erudition and wisdom rarely seen in journalism in the world, let alone Australia (“The year that changed the present”, June 21-27). I take issue, though, with Stan saying the world is incomprehensible. The craven nature of modern politics and capitalism makes reading intentions easier in this current age. The word Stan was looking for was inexplicable, not incomprehensible. A subtle but profound difference. One still leaves us with the hope of history being meaningful. I choose that.
– Marty Marshman, Tenterfield, NSW
Short and sweet
I can’t begin to tell you how lovely it was to read Margaret Simons’ quirky piece (“The shortest day”, June 21-27), which provided welcome relief from the dire telling and retelling of war and calamity that pervade our everyday newsrooms. Even her slightly macabre reference to an untimely death gently resonated, a nod to those of us old enough to gracefully accept the inevitability of life’s random turns.
– David Beins, Cooks Hill, NSW
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This article was first published in the print edition of The Saturday Paper on June 28, 2025.
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