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Credit: Illustration: Andrew Dyson
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Ashes controversy
What does it say about the reliability of Britain’s stated commitment to a rules-based global world when British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raises questions about an Ashes umpire’s ruling, that rule being clearly stated in the cricket laws created and established by the Marylebone Cricket Club? Sunak is emulating Donald Trump’s opportunistic bad sportsmanship.
Jennifer Gerrand, Carlton North
Good time for a vote
Opportunity seldom knocks twice. While the Poms are sookey-bubbying about Jonny Bairstow being caught dozing, Anthony Albanese should whip in a republic referendum now. He’d romp it in.
Vic Rowlands, Leongatha
Winning, but in a slightly rubbish way
That Australia won that Test by the MCC rules is a fact. However, it is a bit like winning at Scrabble with a really rubbish word on a triple letter value that no one uses like “Jo” (which is Scottish for girlfriend). Still, I doubt anything would ameliorate the comically colonial view of the average English cricket supporter.
Monica Lockheed, Doncaster East
It’s not Bodyline
The suggestion was made by a correspondent (“Bitter memories”, 5/7) that Australians whinge over Bodyline. We do not whinge, we remember. We remember how one player received a fractured skull from English bowling, that another was hit over the heart, and that several players were assaulted by deliberate English tactics targeting the body of Australian batters.
Jonny Bairstow’s life was never in danger, unlike the Australians during Bodyline. He was stumped owing to his own recklessness. A bit of perspective is needed.
Paul Bartrop, Toorak
Be glad, move on
Australians hate to be criticised … specifically by other nations. And so it is that we have whinged and whined over the past few days about the Ashes incident. For goodness sake. Australia, we won the game, albeit ungraciously, but we won. Be glad and move on.
John Cross, Richmond
Sandpapering over history
How disappointing has been The Age coverage of this sorry saga. The partisan electiveness of all reporters on the incident reinforces the view that our men’s cricket team is probably the least favoured among all our national teams. (Our women’s soccer team would be the most favoured.) There has been numerous examples of “poor English behaviour” but never a mention of the fact that arguably the most disgusting act in cricket was carried out by two players who astonishingly are still in our team.
Barry Toll, Pipers Creek
Tricky tactics
If, as has been stated, the batsman Bairstow was observed leaving his crease too early after previous overs, why did the Australian players just not warn him? It clear that he was not trying to gain any unfair advantage. Such a dismissal says a lot about the way sport or games are played these days.
Graeme Grant, Cheltenham
Strict rules
According to the English cricket team you shouldn’t be run out on the last ball of an over as the ball is dead once in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Obviously the laws of cricket will need to be adjusted. I suggest that the ball is dead in wicketkeeper’s gloves on balls 2, 4 and 6 and stumpings allowed on balls 1, 3 and 5.
Bob Graham, Yarragon
Credit to daring cricket
The welter of brow-beating reporting on this incident astonished me because much of it seems to miss the fact that the first two Ashes Tests were primarily entertaining and thrilling. English coach “Baz” McCullum has resuscitated Test cricket.
Lesley Black, Frankston
THE FORUM
Privvy to their plans
As a long time St Kilda resident I am not surprised at the continued public toilet location debate (“Debate rages on site of Fitzroy St toilet”, 4/7). No one wants it anywhere near their home, business or school because of the expected anti-social behaviour. What does surprise me is the absence of any mention of the police and their responsibility to manage Fitzroy Street’s drug trade and use zone. Local businesses and residents know the dealers, the users are permanent players on the street, one local car park is a well-known drug market.
VicPol lost control of the neighbourhood years ago. Its response is entirely reactive, whipping into action for a few weeks after a fatal public overdose, intense media coverage or an assault. The toilet location debate is only a sign of a wider problem and ongoing negligence.
Geoffrey Conaghan, St Kilda
Essential service
If the good burghers of St Kilda Primary School are concerned about the health and safety of their charges, they will act to enforce rules regarding unleashed dogs running among children on Ian Johnson Oval, a daily occurrence. The absence of public toilets in the area is a problem and the demonising of sections of the community is not the answer why they should not be provided.
Ian Muldoon, St Kilda
Toilet panic
Read about the St Kilda public toilet conundrum brought back memories of the wonderful 1970s TV series Clochemerle based on the older French novel. A small French village is torn asunder over plans to build a urinal to discourage public urination. Half the village sees the practical human need, the other half is in moral panic over unsavoury elements and implications.
The story delightfully lampooned the foibles and prejudices of society. Plus ca change.
Mark Freeman, Macleod
Too cheap
The revelation that VicRoads has made a silly error with the EV road tax is more Monty Pythonesque than it is serious.(“The extra 0.000000000000003¢ on electric vehicle bills that makes little sense”, 5/7). You would have to drive around the Earth about 10,000,000,000 times before it added one dollar to your bill.
However, this coupled with the error that has occurred to owners of historic cars (those with red number plates) gives cause for concern. VicRoads sent out renewal notices with the wrong year on the expiry date, a pretty basic piece of data you would think they would get right.
Are we seeing the thin edge of the privatisation wedge being driven into VicRoads?
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Baby steps
The bungle inflicted on EV drivers by VicRoads is unfortunate but what’s more unfortunate is the very existence of the road user tax on EV drivers, which is like tripping up a toddler who is trying to walk. We need all the incentives possible to encourage the take-up of EVs, not an extra, discouraging tax.
Graeme Lechte, Brunswick West
Working together
What an excellent idea, Indonesia, allowing only value added nickel to be exported from your country. President Joko Widodo should be congratulated on his initiative on seeking to deal with Australia on battery production (“A warm relationship that may enrich two nations”, 5/7). For a country like Indonesia with a huge population it encourages foreign investment and jobs.
Australia has a lot to learn from Indonesia in this regard.
Paul Chivers, Box Hill North
Buying influence
The democratic ideal of all having equal say has been undermined by allowing the wealthy to get a greater say through the use of private political donations (“Donation law shake-up sought”, 5/7). The Supreme Court of Canada has taken the view “the overriding aim of fair elections demands that all views shall be heard in an election campaign, and subsequently, the use of financial resources should be limited to avoid unequal opportunities for the political competitors”.
Research across Western democracies has shown a much larger proportion of the super-rich make political donations. These donations are much larger than those of citizens on low incomes. Public money gets returned to wealthy donors in the form of tax deductions. In France in 2016, tax refunds for political donations to the richest 0.01 per cent were equal to the tax refunds for the bottom 50 per cent of income earners. In Australia, we cannot know the income distribution of those who make political donations, as the Australian Taxation Office does not collect the data. Failing to restrain the donations from the wealthy boosts their capacity to get who they want elected and effectively “buy” public policies of their choosing.
Mark Zirnsak, Parkville
Dividing lines
Isn’t it curious how some issues end up being defined politically. Currently, it is the Voice to parliament that is edging towards some imagined political demarcation line. For many years now climate change has been defined by one’s political leanings, which with reflection is quite absurd. Will the conservative side of politics be spared the ravages of climate change and be disadvantaged by a First Nations Voice to parliament? One doesn’t have to dig very deep to realise that this thinking is illogical.
It is only the political elites that want you to think this way, as it suits their respective agendas.
Phil Labrum, Trentham
Flag waving
It’s sad that some people think the best way of recognising the service given by struggling war veterans is spending millions of dollars on memorials (“Plan for world’s tallest flagpole fails to fly with US locals”, 5/7) rather than setting up funds to address their on-going physical and mental problems.
Peter Williams, Alphington
All who died
America wants to erect the world’s tallest flagpole as a tribute to soldiers who died for their country. I hope this will include recognition of the indigenous folk who died protecting their country from the Europeans.
Greg Bardin, Altona North
Gun deaths
America should also consider putting up a memorial to all those innocents killed by crazy gunmen.
Marie Nash, Balwyn
Better designs
Christopher Bantick’s piece on being an empty nester (Comment, 5/7) is pertinent as we deal with issues of housing affordability, social isolation, high levels of educational debt, and decreasing fertility. Living in well designed, multi-generational or community housing (and/or co-operative communities) can be a positive way of overcoming some of these issues. It can provide support in childcare, aged care, sharing of household expenses, transport and potentially limit our increasing, and sometimes unattractive, suburban spread on the city fringes.
Denise Stevens, Healesville
An education
First we try ranking universities on the jobs their graduates get. Now we try ranking them on how happy their graduates are (“Sandstone unis lag on student happiness”, 5/7). Shall we try ranking them on how educated they are? Or is that too old-fashioned?
Tony Haydon, Springvale
Circuitous route
I am concerned to hear of plans for Swinburne University to pause intake of the bachelor of Circus Arts for 2024 (“Cirque du so long? Australia’s only tertiary circus school in limbo”, 1/7). In 2001, I started the course with dreams of one day joining Cirque du Soleil. I had previously scraped through high school and felt quite lost in my journey to adulthood. In my final years of high school, I had found circus; a place where I could explore possibilities and do it in my own way. I dedicated myself to learning the art of spinning bowls, staff manipulation and Chinese poles. This taught me persistence, focus, dedication, and how to break down impossible goals into bite size sub goals (to name a few). It also inspired me to pursue my current profession of physiotherapy.
My experience in NICA gave me a foundation in musculoskeletal physiology/pathophysiology, injury management as well as strength and conditioning. Having not done much academic work previously, many thought I’d struggle in physio school. Although it was challenging, I had learnt how to break impossible goals down into sub goals. I had also learnt persistence, focus and dedication.
In 2014, I graduated from the bachelor of physiotherapy with first class honours and four consistent years on the dean’s list. NICA is not just about making professional circus performers. It is a launching pad for those who have struggled with rigid curriculum-based education. It is a space to learn life skills beyond that of how to juggle three, four or five balls. It is a space to learn how to juggle life.
Tim Endicott, Dunedin, New Zealand
Read about it
I couldn’t agree more with your correspondents’ complaints about loud music playing, and other loud background noises, while people are talking on TV shows (Letters, 4/7). However there’s a relatively simple solution. Most programs have subtitles or closed captions. It makes watching much more enjoyable, and I can keep my TV at a reasonable volume. Good for the neighbours too.
Julia Blunden, Ashburton
Heavy sound
The most irritating music on TV is the wavering one chord drone, beloved of Scandinavian noir, which now permeates current affairs on every channel. The same note going on and on and on. Even 4 Corners can’t help themselves in trying to colour the threat and menace of the subject matter. It undermines credible journalism and it drives me straight to the off button.
John Laurie, Riddells Creek
AND ANOTHER THING
Fan behaviour
Some MCC members appear to have behaved abominably. If found guilty, can I suggest their punishment be deportation to the colonies?
Barry Miller, Kyneton
When Piers Morgan is hopping mad you know you’ve done the right thing. Well done Alex Carey.
Michael Read, Carnegie
Bazball
Surely Jonny Bairstow’s stumping is a true representation of the spirit of “Bazball”.
Graeme Rose, Wangaratta
A ball bouncing in from “nowhere” hitting the stumps and Bairstow going “what the …” is the funniest thing I have seen in Test cricket.
Craig Tucker, Newport
British PM Rishi Sunak says he wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner Australia did. Somewhat hypocritical given the questionable tactics his Tories have employed to win elections.
Phil Alexander, Eltham
Moving on
Bad luck England. The sun still rises tomorrow and Bairstow is still out, stumped.
Brian Morley, Donvale
Judging by the tenor of most articles and letters about the Bairstow incident, boorish nationalism is not confined to the Long Room at Lord’s.
Mike Smith, Croydon
Time to move on – there is another sport event with greater global interest occurring in London – Wimbledon!
Brian Kidd, Mt Waverley
The Voice
I would like to see Peter Dutton go to central Australia, and hold a mass rally where he tells the locals to vote No.
David Baylis, Drouin East
Having non-Indigenous MPs making decisions for our First Nations people has been as effective as Tony Abbott being minister for women.
Joan Segrave, Healesville
Finally
Perhaps they should have played to the spirit of the game, if not the rules, at PwC.
Bryan Fraser, St Kilda West
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