Here's the deal. A number of our elected representatives are shirking their responsibility to legislate. Instead of doing their job, they wish to delegate responsibility to the electorate, us. So we are to do the job for them. We will not be paid for this function, rather we will be asked to fork out in the vicinity of $200 million to make the decision for them. Therefore, I propose that those representatives who insist upon a plebiscite have their salaries docked accordingly; say $20,000 per annum each until the $200 million is recovered. Any objections?
Alan Whittaker, Kew East
From a position of strength
Mr Turnbull doesn't seem to understand he is in a position of strength. The forces of evil in his party dare not depose him, for that would make their party Worse Than Labor, which appears to be their sole benchmark. He is therefore in an ideal position to kill the plebiscite and hold a free vote on the floor of the Parliament instead. Go on, Malcolm, you know you want to.
Lewis Winders, Sheffield, Tasmania
Championing inner-city elite cause
The debate about altering the historical social pillar of heterosexual marriage is about giving justice to a definition, and not about discrimination: can the term marriage really encapsulate the fundamental reproductive differences of a heterosexual and a homosexual union? The phrase "same sex marriage" has morphed into "marriage equality", which presumes that wedlock, as enshrined in law, is somehow unequal. Labor, which just over a decade ago affirmed marriage as being between a man and a woman, has tied itself into knots through its championing of the latest inner-city elite cause. A cultural compromise would instead be the bipartisan championing of an alternate descriptor for gay unions.
Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn
'Decent' thing to do, PM
Andrew Price says many "decent people" believe same-sex relationships are not equal to heterosexual ones (Letters, 27/9). Sigh. Does he mean they are inferior? That their love for each other is of lesser quality? Do these "decent people" feel they have the right to sit in judgment on other people's loving relationships, just because the relationship is not between a man and a woman? Marriage equality is a human rights issue, one that most "decent" governments in the major English speaking economies understand and have legislated accordingly. Mr Turnbull will not survive this term while he is beholden to the minority right of his party, who continue to discriminate against people who happen to be a bit different to them. The "decent" thing would be for Mr Turnbull to hold a conscience vote in Parliament. It would save his job and send most voters, the truly "decent" majority, into raptures.
Stephen James, Port Melbourne
Other important issues to focus on
I have no strong feelings on gay marriage and am not certain which way I would even vote in a plebiscite. I completely understand that many Australians do have strong feelings on both sides of the debate. However, homosexuality is legal, gay couples can legally cohabitate and are allowed to adopt children and are accepted widely in the broader community. Furthermore, we have many more important issues that should take priority when it comes to our politicians' time, energy and resources, such as homelessness, domestic violence and so on. Let the elected politicians make a decision and then we can move on. I'm over the debate before it starts.
Neil Fookes, Darling South
THE FORUM
Reward for effort
Ian Macfarlane, a former Coalition MP who was most recently the industry/science minister in the Abbott/Turnbull government – a man who spearheaded the government's dumping of the mining tax – has been appointed chief executive of the Queensland Resources Council. So just weeks after leaving Parliament the former minister now heads up the mining industry's representative organisation in that state. Sounds like it's a reward from the mining industry for his fine work while in government.
Craig Horne, Fitzroy North
Stop daydreaming
The Latrobe Valley community is not going to be making solar cells or wind turbines any time soon. In 2008, BP Solar closed Australia's only volume PV manufactory in response to pressure from cheaper manufacturing in China, India and the US.
In 2002, when seeking planning approvals, the wind industry reassured SA, Victorian and federal governments it would establish Australian-based manufacturing operations, including in the Latrobe Valley. Governments then allowed the industry to all but abandon those undertakings after approving the planning permits. Some 98 per cent of wind turbine gear is imported, a position strongly defended by the industry.
In the absence of a coherent, proactive industry policy, the Latrobe Valley community needs a lifeline to job opportunities, starting with an immediate upgrade to the Gippsland-Melbourne rail link to cut the commute time.
Cheryl Wragg, Moe
Cowards now in power
Reform clearly belongs to the distant past. Many of our elected representatives are unwilling to free themselves from the hold of vested interest groups or be brave if in a marginal seat. Where marriage reform, for example, would affect only a small minority of the population, our "leaders" squabble, dodge and delay the process to bring about this harmless change. So what hope is there for more pressing reforms, which are vital as our nation's luck starts to run out. History will judge us harshly for the past 10 years.
James Henshall, Richmond
Interesting time ahead
Ever since Mark Latham proposed cutting funding to wealthy independent schools in the 2004 election Labor has been spooked, fearful of being accused of waging class warfare. The Gillard government's Gonski funding model was framed on the understanding that no school would lose funding. So it is interesting that Education Minister Simon Birmingham has raised the possibility that some private schools are "over-funded". The pressures of budget repair may achieve what political arguments could not.
However, the minister can anticipate a small army of lobbyists presenting specious arguments – that cuts would be counterproductive because funding private schools saves the government money. That argument assumes less funding would result in significant numbers of parents transferring their children to the public sector. Given Australia's love affair with private education, that seems unlikely.
Rod Wise, Glen Iris
PM blind to success
After years of dedicated, bipartisan work by the Gonski committee, the long-held hopes of parents, teachers and students are to be crushed by a Liberal government that seeks to maintain the status quo of a two-tiered structure that the OECD described as the most inequitable education system in the Western world.
The UK Equality trust also marks Australia as one of the most unequal societies. Seventy per cent of children attending public schools are often deprived of what is necessary for even a basic education while many of the remaining 30 per cent receive so much more. Gonski exposes this as a national scandal.
Mr Turnbull purports to be an economic innovator but turns his back on one of the most successful investment strategies. That is, diverting children from a path of poverty, and thereby producing big gains by reducing unemployment payouts, the need for family support and mental health resources and the escalating costs of law and order. All were a major thrust of Gonski's needs-based funding model. Investment in human capacity is not only a moral issue. It offers the best returns all around.
Bryan Long, Balwyn
Calculated cruelty
The state of offshore detention centres has made it easy for the harsh conditions in Melbourne's centres to be overlooked (Letters, 27/9). Detainees, who are held indefinitely, are also overwhelmed by feelings of despair. And this powerlessness is aggravated by the introduction of ever-harsher rules.
Take this week's new rules. Gifts cannot be given unless detainees put in a written request, to be approved by management. The giver is then notified. The most valuable aspect of gifts is that they say, "You are not forgotten"; or "I thought of you". Having to ask makes people feel beholden to the giver and they lose some dignity. The gift becomes a duty rather than a sign of care.
For many detainees, completing the task of filling in a request is too hard. Beaten down, many of them suffer severe depression. In a final cynical twist, gifts must be brought out of visiting hours. This makes it nigh on impossible for visitors on the other side of Melbourne or regional Victoria. Much of the cruelty in offshore centres is due to neglect but in Melbourne it is calculated.
Kate Kennedy, Coburg
That's how it's done
I've just spent a month in central Sweden. I noticed refugees dispersed in many towns housed in good accommodation, walking or cycling the streets. A widespread educational campaign explaining why these people had fled their country was under way, with local libraries displaying exhibitions on refugees. A major newspaper had published an article in which a refugee described his personal story and how excited he was to embark on his new life in Sweden. The positive attitudes shown by the mainstream media and public authorities were heartening. The contrast with our media and government policy on refugees was damning.
Livia Iacovino, Hawthorn
Alert to all the action...
Living in Malmsbury is quite exciting these days. My Fire Ready app is alerting me daily, sometimes twice, and when I check, the fire is always located at the Youth Training Justice Centre. On Sunday, there were two fire warnings for that location at the same time. On Monday, at about 4.15pm, again came the wail from the fire station siren and, yes, according to the app, another fire at the same place. This has been going on for the past few weeks on an almost daily basis. Makes one wonder why the fire station isn't located at the training centre instead of in Malmsbury's main street. I am also wondering what's going on at the youth training centre: it seems a bit out of control over there.
Robert van de Groenekan, Malmsbury
... but not on that station
John Silvester makes a good point about Protective Service Officers being a waste of money, but not only for the reasons he suggests – that they could be better placed on trains (Insight, 24/9).
Picture this. Early Saturday evening, Glen Huntly station. Numerous passengers waiting for trains on Platform 1 and 2, which is a single platform separated by a waiting room. And where are the PSOs, supposed to protect passengers, located? On Platform 3, across the tracks, which only has trains early mornings Monday to Friday. Not especially reassuring, I'm afraid.
Sue Bursztynski, Elwood
Females are fans too
Let's face it. The Brownlow broadcast may never be perfect. The over-emphasis on what women are wearing ("Who are you wearing?") rather than what women are doing (a career, anyone?) is out of date.
I was briefly pleased to see the appearance of female fans introducing some of the votes of the rounds until I realised that six female "fans" to cover 23 rounds of footy was not proportional representation, given that female fans make up nearly 40per cent of the AFL's audience. Channel Seven and the AFL could workshop this idea for next year's broadcast to engage more well-known female "fans" as presenters to represent a relevant and fair reflection of the AFL supporter base.
Libby Taylor, Camberwell
Ooops, stripper movie?
Oops... thought I'd pressed the wrong button on the TV remote and pulled up a stripper movie. But no, it was in fact the Brownlow contenders accompanied by their half-naked partners.
Tony Curtis, Ballarat Central
Let's cheer for Paras
Are the Paralympians second-class citizens? I have not yet heard of a welcoming home for them such as happened when the Olympians returned home. They had street parades, yet still nothing for the Paras. Another example of discrimination. It's unfair; they performed so well.
Lynne Moore, Watsonia
Every little bit helps
I was very distressed after reading the letter "Verbal child abuse" (22/9). I couldn't stop thinking about the two little girls and what their future holds. Feeling totally helpless I decided to make a donation to Berry Street, the organisation that works with abused and neglected children. Thank you, Gabrielle Gardner, for writing that letter as it prompted me to do something, if only in a very small way, to help abused children.
Kerry Spina, Belmont
AND ANOTHER THING...
If the $200 million cost of the plebiscite were to come from the same bucket that pays for perks, MPs might be keener to do what we elected them to do – represent us and vote in parliament.
Kevan Porter, Alphington
Politics
MPs claim expenses illegally and have the opportunity to repay. The rest of us would be charged with fraud.
Christine Hammett, Richmond
Scott Morrison charges taxpayers $354 to attend a fellow Liberal MP's wedding then repays it, saying he had "inadvertently" claimed the travel allowance. And now he is federal Treasurer; mmm.
Brian Moynihan, Castlemaine
We want marriage equality, action on climate change and Gonski. Why exactly did we elect Mr Turnbull?
Michael Brinkman, Cowes
On climate, same-sex marriage and asylum seeker detention, most Australians are more understanding than the Turnbull government. It really must update itself.
Barbara Fraser, Burwood
Noting all the luxurious new buildings at my old (private) school and others, I wonder how we all did so well without them.
Judith McNaughtan, Mont Albert
The box on the street has been finished for three months but NBN Co cannot forecast a connection date. Great system, PM.
Michael Mckenna, Warragul
Other matters
Will the CIA have to step in and stop a potential global catastrophe in the making in the 2016 US election?
Peter Jacovou, Balwyn North
How can futures speculators be surprised by the imminent closure of Hazelwood?
John Bowman, Ocean Grove
It happened in 2012, John Bone (Letters, 27/9). Sydney won in the AFL; Melbourne in the NRL.
Malcolm Fraser, Oakleigh South