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Illustration: Michael Leunig
A 'bad' VCE result is not always a bad thing
The VCE results are out, so let us remember what they really mean before we read too much into them. Firstly, they are not a measure of intelligence. When you consider that even IQ tests only prove how well you do in IQ tests, you realise that what is being scored in VCE is how hard you worked, not how smart you are. Also, they are not a barrier to further education. If you are really unhappy with your result, you can always repeat that year. Besides, universities are not for everyone and there are many alternative avenues of training or education, assuming that is what you want.
Most importantly, your results are not a predictor of success. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Richard Branson were all "F" students, as were hundreds of inventors, creators and entrepreneurs who struggled through school only to create our modern world. A "bad" result is not always a bad thing. How about we finally embrace the fact that success or failure in school does not predict success or failure in life?
Jason Clarke, South Melbourne
Many factors influence students' education
I am a secondary teacher in a northern suburbs government school. Based on the study score results that students achieved in the two VCE classes I taught, I am having trouble deciding whether I am a great teacher, an average teacher or a poor teacher. You see, the scores ranged from 49 down to seven, with scores in the forties, thirties and twenties and lower in between.
This got me wondering. Could there actually be factors in addition to teacher quality that influence students' results? Perhaps, for example, socio-economic factors, the home environment, parental expectations, genetics and personal traits. Thankfully for my talented, dedicated and hard-working colleagues and I, the system of payment by results ended in Victorian schools in 1905.
Sharon Rishel, Toorak
Teachers' discipline knowledge is critical
It is great to hear of maths activities that children enjoy (Education, 14/12). However, Australia has to face reality about the state of maths education in schools. The tragedy is that students at Bentleigh's Tucker Road Primary School will be very lucky if they always have a maths teacher who is enthusiastic and knowledgable about the discipline theh are teaching.
There is no magic bullet for teaching maths, but we do know the importance of teachers' discipline knowledge. It is possible to track Australia's performance on international maths assessments trending downwards as the teacher problem has worsened. There is an issue of supply but this is compounded if retiring teachers have more discipline studies than those who are replacing them.
Action is being taken to improve teacher education, especially for primary teachers. This is a long-term solution, but action is also needed to address the discipline knowledge of many current primary teachers. At the secondary level, there are not enough maths graduates to meet the demands of education and industry. The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute has shown the depth of the "out-of-field" teacher problem and that this is worse for rural and remote areas.
The only solution is to improve the discipline knowledge of existing teachers, many of whom would jump at the opportunity if they were given appropriate support and courses. When governments at both state and federal level stop funding imaginary "magic bullets" and start funding programs to improve teachers' discipline knowledge, then students at Tucker Road Primary might always enjoy, and excel in, maths.
Jan Thomas, North Melbourne
Our unsung inventors
The individual inventor has been a powerful force in the creation of many inventions and technologies which have contributed hugely to our economic prosperity. The government's innovation statement is deficient in that it offers no support to them.
Over the past 20years, individual inventors have been abandoned by: IP Australia (it administers the intellectual property rights system) which closed its state offices; the courts, in that costs relating to infringement cases are extreme and settlements insignificant; and the government, in that you must be a registered company with substantial turnover to be eligible for assistance.
I have been on the committee of the Inventors Association for 35years, assisting hundreds of people to commercialise their ideas. Without government support, many have run out of money and their ideas and patents have been lost. If we are to become an innovative nation, initiatives supporting inventors must be created in areas of patents, prototyping, production and commercialisation.
Frank Bishop, Croydon North
Cruelty-free coffees
A small-scale dairy (The Age, 15/2) is welcome news after endless stories about huge mega-dairies and the attendant cow welfare problems that factory farming imposes. However, even to produce "craft" milk for cafes' lattes, hundreds of calves, the rightful recipients of their mothers' milk, are sacrificed in abattoirs when they are only five days old. Choosing a soy latte instead is a cruelty-free option.
Jan Kendall, Hawthorn
Nothing but the best
So Foreign Minister Julie Bishop spent more than $1700 of taxpayers' money on three beanbags as part of the federal government's innovationXchange initiative. They were Armani beanbags, of course.
Meredith Andrews, Seacliff, SA
Our hearts and minds
Judy Courtin's excoriating critique of the performance of Catholic bishops before the royal commission is spot on in every respect but one: these men are not "the Catholic Church". They temporarily hold senior administrative positions but our church exists primarily in the hearts and minds of its members.
It is true that they have failed us badly and they obstinately continue not to see that. Thankfully they will eventually pass on and we will begin to recover from the shame.
The best historical footnote they can now hope for is in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones".
Peter Sheehan, Camberwell
Benefit of the doubt
I am far from being a fan of George Pell, but I hate unfairness. Have those who are critical of his "no show" at the royal commission got proof that he is not ill? Cardinal Pell was never one to back away from a fight.
Frank O'Dea, Box Hill
True to our church
I cannot commend too highly Mary Dalmau's letter (14/12). It is vitally important for us Catholics to make clear that, no matter how disgusted we may be at our betrayal by the (Rome-appointed) bishops, we will not abandon Christ's church, nor will we be muzzled.
Fred Bendeich, Camberwell
Rise and fall of gods
I was comfortable with Mary Dalmau's characterisation of the Catholic Church as a man-made organisation about power, money and control. I was with her right up until her last comment, "yet I refuse to allow them to take my faith from me". Why not man-made church, man-made god? The history of our species encompasses the worship of thousands of gods who rose and fell with the rise and fall of the cultures that created them. To summarise H.L.Mencken: They were gods of the highest dignity – gods of civilised peoples – worshipped and believed in by millions. All were omnipotent, omniscient and immortal. And all are dead.
Alan Cooper, Ashburton
Where's our box gone?
Concerns about high postage costs (Letters, 15/12) no longer bother those of us in South Eltham.
Our only post box was summarily removed in April with none of the public consultation process so clearly outlined on Australia Post's website. A meeting with representatives called to reassure the public has had no effect. Is this the way the corporatised public service is supposed to be? How will they make a profit with no customers?
Rex Niven, Eltham
Cheat-proof stamps
Don't ask me how I know this, but Australia Post chief Ahmed Fahour may be interested to learn that British stamps that come through the system unfranked cannot be soaked off for re-use. He would do well to adopt this technology here and thus avoid losing valuable revenue.
Elaine O'Shannessy, Wandin North
Eliminate concessions
If the budget has a serious deficit problem (The Age, 15/112), surely the first action on tax reform has to be the removal of tax concessions that are generous or counterproductive. In particular the concessions on negative gearing, capital gains, superannuation and fossil fuel subsidies. Clearly, we cannot afford them any more.
Richard Fone, Camberwell
Not another selfie
Goodness knows we have more than enough rules to keep the police busy, but I do wish there was a selfie ban in Federation Square when there is entertainment on. The last thing I want to see is badly dressed tourists taking photos of themselves, blocking out a joyful choir giving its all for Australia at Christmas.
Mish Stephenson, Melbourne
Matter of sustainability
When the chest beating and high words subside, unless the impact of the increasing world population is part of the discussion, the agreed aims of the Paris climate summit will not be possible. Profit-driven economic growth requiring rampant consumerism, land clearing and burning, addiction to the use of motorised vehicles and continued reliance on coal mining for energy will inevitably produce increasing emissions from a growing world population. More sustainable solutions are required.
Gloria O'Connor, Pakenham Upper
Banishing the drys
John Howard was able to rid his parliamentary party of those whom he described as "wets". It appears the current condition of tenure for the job of prime minister will prevent Malcolm Turnbull from doing the same to the "drys". So the gaggle of right-wing dinosaurs and climate change deniers hold sway. The frustration for Mr Turnbull must be palpable.
Neil McDonald, Berwick
Tolls not the only way
There will be predictable outrage from motorists if road tolls are extended (The Age, 14/12). Perhaps this is not the only way to free up congested roads. More than 90per cent of traffic are driver-only vehicles. They are part of the problem, so another solution may be useful. Discouraging single-person vehicles, encouraging car sharing or, best of all, improving public transport would be preferable. However, I cannot see this happening.
Ian Foote, Hawthorn
Against the odds
Australian cricket commentators and fans are critical of the West Indies for their poor performance in the Test match. What is not mentioned is that the team is drawn from mainly small island nations with a total population of a few million. Playing against Australia's well-organised squad from the six Shield teams, drawn from a population base of nearly 24million, it is a wonder the Windies have done so well in the past.
Leo Gamble, Mentone
Please, not the horn
I have lived near a train station for many years. I get a maximum of five hours uninterrupted sleep (the period between the last and first trains) due to the relatively recent practice of trains tooting their horns. Metro Trains told me that under transport regulations, drivers must sound their horns for safety reasons when approaching or leaving a station and when approaching or passing through a level crossing.
When all-night, weekend public transport starts, the timetable indicates that I (and many others who live near stations and level crossings) will have a maximum of 40minutes uninterrupted sleep on those nights.
Studies have shown that less than seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep compromises the immune system, increases the chances of some diseases and leads to road and workplace accidents. It appears the safety of a small minority who are where they should not be (on a train line) is more important than the health and safety of thousands of other people.
Chrissie Schubert, Windsor
AND ANOTHER THING
George Pell
Is the Pope aware that a senior cardinal has pleaded ill health to avoid attending the royal commission? Is he going to do anything about it?
Mirna Cicioni, Brunswick East
George Pell is probably too busy reporting back to Santa on who's been naughty or nice.
Bryan Fraser, St Kilda
Plan A: Do we have an extradition treaty with the Vatican? Plan B: Can we swap an Abbott for a Cardinal?
John Boucher, Inverloch
It sounds like Vati-cant.
Harvey Mitchell, Castlemaine
Pell the other one.
Dale Crisp, Brighton
Like fellow Catholic Mary Dalmau (14/12), I too have cut out the middle man and go direct to God.
Win Johnston, Mornington
National Party
Ian Macfarlane didn't jump ship. He walked the plank.
Malcolm McDonald, Burwood
It's a joke, Joyce.
Russell Castley, Creswick
Hands up those in favour of Warren Truss remaining deputy prime minister. Hello. Anyone?
John Bye, Elwood
Furthermore
Jason Dowling (14/12), we already have a congestion tax in Melbourne. It's called "parking fees".
George Stockman, Berwick
Low oil prices must be good. Perhaps I don't have any passive income to stress about.
John Bowman, Ocean Grove
Farewell to Potts of Money – and with a departure to rival Melba's.
Bernie Joyce, Parkville
Thought I'd say: "It's un-Australian". I haven't heard it for a while.
Antonio Baldo, Carlton North
I'll be in the Long Room for my birthday on Boxing Day and my mate's coming, too. So that's two of us.
John Skaro, Malvern
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