Everyone should read the story of Faysal Ishak Ahmed (The Age, 26 to 31/12). We should ponder how a teenager witnessed the violent deaths of 35 people in his village in Sudan, including his brother, uncle and grandmother. How he fled to a refugee camp where he was tortured, whipped and tied to a tree when he refused to join the notorious militia. How he suffered for three years on Manus Island even though his claim for protection had been accepted. How he died when medical treatment was inadequate. How his final plea was, "look after my family".
I am ashamed of our politicians' attitudes and practices. There seems to be a race to the bottom. I believe the majority of our community are decent, compassionate people. However, we forget that unless we are Aboriginal, all our families migrated here. None of us has control over where we are born or who are our biological parents, yet we believe we have the God-given right to be free and prosperous in this wonderful country. The asylum seeker/people smuggling issue should become a priority issue for all parties. With love, courage and hard work, we must find a better way.
Illustration: Alan MoirCredit: Cartoon Alan Moir
Aline Burgess, Hastings
Guilt of the government and opposition
How appalling and gut-wrenchingly sad that Faysal Ishak Ahmed was allowed to die. Separated from his wife and child, themselves existing precariously in a Sudanese refugee camp, this young man – healthy and, by all accounts, full of life – fled horrible conditions and ended up on Manus Island. Within three years he is dead, never to see his son again or protect his family as he so earnestly desired. We have a vile government and opposition. They have endorsed and facilitated the hopelessness and horror that this young man felt. His illness was ignored and denied by the so-called health providers, as alleged by fellow detainees. Is it possible anyone cares as little as this wretched government appears not to care? When moral degradation drops to this level, I fear we are in danger of entering the dark domain of Nazism and other amoral hell holes.
Chris Brennan, Gladysdale
Our shameful history of refugee abuse
Congratulations to Fairfax Media and Michael Gordon on the reports into the death of Faysal Ishak Ahmed. His story is something that none of us can come close to comprehending. The tragedy of another life lost in offshore detention due to neglect on the part of people whose job it was to look after him is another verse in Australia's shameful chapter of refugee abuse. But at least we have "stopped the boats". The Turnbull government's meaningless justification for this appalling treatment of innocent people seeking our help is indefensible. Both the medical staff who patronised his pleas for help, and the government, have many questions to answer. A royal commission should be held into offshore detention and the many lives which have been lost as a result of this cruel policy.
Sue Lyons, Carlton North
Buck passing on responsibility must end
How can this happen on our watch, that a refugee who sought asylum is denied medical treatment when grievously ill and subsequently dies? I, and others, have sent numerous requests to the Immigration Department for the repatriation to Australia of extremely ill refugees on Manus Island. These men continue to be untreated there. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's response is that they are the responsibility of the Papua New Guinea government. This is buck passing. PNG is only Australia's contractor. Ultimately our government must account for the failure to care for the refugees it has sent offshore.
Di Cousens, Mount Waverley
THE FORUM
Terror of the Falls
We have a daughter who has just returned from the Falls Music Festival. She was close to the stampede and witnessed the crushing and the terror of the crowd. We are not surprised there was a stampede with 17,000 youths attending. The organisers must cap the numbers for future festivals, otherwise there will be more serious injuries and deaths. Also, we do not appreciate their communications staff playing down the seriousness of this event.
Damian Renehan, Kew
The exploited young
I used to shop at Bakers Delight – but not any more. Any organisation that pays even some of its workers according to a "zombie" agreement originally struck in 2006 (The Age, 2/1) does not deserve the custom of people who are concerned about the exploitation of young workers.
General manager Gerry Gerrard should be smart enough to know that just because a wage agreement is legal, that does not mean it is fair, ethical or moral to continue to apply it. Perhaps other consumers can support parent Brad Marsh's push for change by starting a campaign to boycott Bakers Delight outlets in Victoria. That might get Gerry Gerrard's attention.
Reinhard Beissbarth, Beechworth
Missing in action
Yet another scandal involving workers' wages and conditions exposed by The Age's amazing journalists. And where were the unions? Too busy feathering their own nests and looking after their mates. The courageous founders of the union movement would be horrified at this travesty of their ideals and hard-won achievements. No wonder union membership is at an all time low.
April Baragwanath, Geelong
The new 'morality'
I have reached the age of three quarters of a century. After reading of yet another franchise paying peanuts to young people, I believe that we have little or no corporate morality. There seems to be an example of this almost every day. What a poor example we set when we consider it the norm, not only for business but also for some politicians.
Walt Healey, Shepparton
Welcome to the club
While I feel sympathy for the Portsea residents whose beach boxes were vandalised on New Year's Eve (The Age, 2/1), here in West Melbourne our homes are tagged or graffitied constantly. Maybe we should change the wording of our complaints from simply "graffitied" to "vandalised" and then the police might come and investigate for us, too. And we might make the 6pm television news.
Georgina Macdougall, West Melbourne
18, too young to drive
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester suggests parents who are helping teenagers buy a first car should ensure it has up-to-date safety features. This follows a sharp spike in road deaths, especially among the young (The Age, 2/1). Surely the main reason young people are at greater risk of injury and death than older people is that the brain is not fully developed until age 25. The final areas to mature are those concerning decision making, judgment and control of impulsive actions. Why not recognise the scientific evidence and wait for these natural developments to occur before allowing our young people behind the wheel of a car? I suggest raising the driving age to a minimum 21 years.
Alison Brown, St Kilda
Reducing the road toll
Earlier research has found human behaviour accounts for about 80per cent of crashes, road infrastructure about 15per cent, and vehicles about 5per cent. Governments should emphasise changing driver behaviour (attitude plus skills). This could be best achieved through local governments because they are closest to the people, have the best knowledge of local conditions and are responsible for the greater percentage of our road infrastructure. Road safety reminder programs for local residents should be a high priority.
It is time to revisit the governance, management and funding of road safety programs, including better regulation of heavy vehicles. Money can be provided to local government from compulsory vehicle insurance charges, instead of flowing into state revenue. Maintaining awareness of the dangers of driving is an essential public policy.
Graeme Macmillan, Blackburn
Easy, you use and I pay
For most of December I was visiting a relative in hospital, and usually I travelled by bus. There was not one trip where a number of people did not touch on or off. It is easy – just walk past the driver and assume (correctly) that no inspector will get on. It is a user-pays system; the trouble is, the "users" do not pay. I look forward to paying more in 2017 so they can continue to travel for free.
Clare Lyons, Sunshine
A fairer tax system
If the wealthier pensioners have to take cuts to their pensions, it seems appropriate the government should make similar changes to the tax law so that wealthy taxpayers pay a fairer rate of tax – namely by cutting discounted capital gains, negative gearing, superannuation concessions and taxing of family trusts as companies. Also charging the Medicare levy on income, not taxable income.
Dawn Smith, Nunawading
Winners and losers
You judge who has the fairer deal: a retired couple who owns a home worth $10million and has other assets of $375,000, and therefore get the full age pension; or a retired couple who owns a home worth $450,000 and has other assets of $816,000, and therefore do not get the pension. Welcome to Australia 2017. Maybe we should change our national anthem to Advance Australia Unfair.
Geoff Chatfield, Frankston South
Too generous by half
I mostly support Labor but sometimes we part company. I cannot agree with its willingness to pander to the elite school lobby that furthers the continuation of gross educational inequality. And even though I may be one of those part-pensioners who will lose some Centrelink benefits, I agree with Peter Martin (Comment, 29/12) that John Howard's superannuation and tax concessions to my generation were stupidly over-generous. Labor should not make political hay over the pension changes. Sometimes a reality check is best done before the opposition reflex kicks in.
Peter McCarthy, Mentone
A park for everyone
Chris Hardman, acting CEO of Parks Victoria, misses the point when he claims the draft master plan for parts of the Alpine National Park for "high-yield" commercial operators will benefit school groups (Letters, 1/12). Outdoor education teaches students to plan, be self-sufficient and leave no trace of their journey through the natural environment so that others can appreciate it after them. Now such groups and individuals are to be defined as "low-yield" users, who must camp well away from commercial users, with their helicopters, huts and intrusive services. All visitors and the park would benefit more if the money were spent on eradicating invasive weeds and feral animals.
Jeanette Teychenne, Mount Beauty
Too precious to lose
Recently I again watched David Attenborough's marvellous series on the Great Barrier Reef, with its spectacular cinematography and interviews with scientists and citizens who have made it their lifetime work. Their love and knowledge of this great natural asset shone through, as did their concern for its future in the face of immense environmental challenges. I was reminded of Pauline Hanson doing her dive on the reef in November and her declaration that it was in good health. Has she spoken to any of those people, with their expertise, to reach an informed view? Sadly, I suspect I know the answer.
David Redfearn, Northcote
Such recognition...
Playwright Hannie Rayson (31/12) writes that "doubt is a truckload of shit". But she also takes heart from Spanish playwright Antonio Machado, who dreams of making "white combs and sweet honey from my old failures". So do you, Hannie. As you write about the bitter taste of anxiety, we who cannot or will not speak aloud our internal negative commentaries can recognise, smile and forgive our stumbles in life. Thank you for conjuring characters to express that and for letting us know it is bloody hard work.
Glenda Johnston, Queenscliff
...and inspiration
I read Hannie Rayson's article at an unusually languid pace, and with thoughts of my own epic slice of fictional toil bubbling away in the recesses of my soul. I have lost count of the number of three-month milestones I have hit, and allowed to derail my progress, and hence my confidence. Add into the mix a time-exacting and necessary degree – someone has to put food on the table – and I remain unexalted in the publishing throng. You have spurred me, Hannie. Look out, literary fictional world, here it comes. But first I will rid my writing room of white combs and sweet honey-making bees.
Kaylene Cahill, Kialla
Winners all – almost
2016 was a great year for the underdog. My beloved Western Bulldogs won, as did Leicester City and the Chicago Cubs. Sentimental favourites for most. I am not sure the same can be said of the underdog Donald Trump.
Christos Zombolas, Moonee Ponds
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
Forget the republic debate. Our puppet prime minister will knuckle under, as usual.
Bill Trestrail, St Kilda
Could the real prime minister please stand up.
Nola Price, Mornington
Doyle says "it's not a crime to be homeless". Yes, it is – and the crime rests with him and all levels of government for their culpability.
Vaughan Greenberg, Chewton
So, Dan, you've kicked a goal keeping "children" in Barwon Prison. Don't let it go to your head. One out of 100 isn't all that good.
Barry Norman, Eltham
The teenagers' lawyers can be outraged all they like. Their clients created this situation when they destroyed their part of Parkville.
Justin Shaw, Ringwood East
If we continue to behave without humanity to asylum seekers, we risk losing our own humanity.
Marg D'Arcy, Kew East
Abbott can't resist media attention in the way he couldn't resist making promises he couldn't keep.
Brian Fuller, West Launceston, Tas
2017
The year of the rooster. Let's see if we can get it right and not end up as headless chooks. Happy new year.
Margaret Skeen, Point Lonsdale
2016 was a black year. This year, remember those at risk. Check the celebrities who live near you are OK.
Bob Blanchett, Clifton Hill
Furthermore
Crime doesn't pay. Many on Forbes magazine's list of 74 Most Powerful People have reason to dispute that.
John Walsh, Watsonia
I'm amazed. Another edition of the Age with no reference to the AFL.
Lance Cranage, Mount Waverley
Ms Vanstone, explain to your husband you're complimenting the hosts by not overstaying, and then write them a thank-you letter.
Roger Vincent, Fitzroy, SA