Leaders behaving badly or if not, woefully

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INTERNATIONAL LAW

In 2016, Donald Trump promised to ″⁣drain the (Washington) swamp″⁣. When he assumed his second term in 2024, he promised ″⁣I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop the wars″⁣, starting with the Ukraine-Russia war ″⁣in 24 hours″⁣.
Now in 2026, he is mired in the sordid and foetid swamp of the Epstein scandal, having established a corrupt and nepotistic kleptocracy, unleashed the murderous ICE on immigrants whether legal or not, made no progress with the war in Eastern Europe, underwritten the catastrophic and Israel-Palestine war, turned on Canada, threatened Greenland with invasion, antagonised and alienated most Western Europe, and implemented a tariff war with the trading countries of the world. He has now recklessly joined Israel in igniting a rapidly escalating war with Iran, without seeking approval from Congress, as required by the American constitution, and in contravention of international law.
So much for drained swamps, stopping wars, a new era of peace and prosperity, and an America made great again.
Harry Zable, Campbells Creek

Albanese speaks out on trivialities
Never has Australia needed moral and political courage in its leaders more than now. Yet the only time Prime Minister Albanese has been on the front foot recently, if ever, is in matters requiring no courage whatsoever, such as recommending to the UK that it wipe Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession, and even more recently, rushing to support America and Israel’s military aggression towards Iran.
No international law expert has condoned the pre-emptive strikes by these two immensely powerful countries, and their leaders, Trump and Netanyahu, readily change their reasons for starting this Middle East conflagration as they perceive the situation demands.
As well, it’s broadly acknowledged and backed up by an international atomic weapons expert (interviewed on ABC Radio National, 4/2) that Iran has virtually no current nuclear capabilities. Even Trump himself proudly stated that America had obliterated them last year in the twelve day war, removing all self-defence excuses.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is the only Western leader to speak out forcefully against the total disingenuousness underlying the unprovoked attack on Iran. As he said, it’s possible to despise a cruel and tyrannical regime such as Iran’s whilst simultaneously insisting on international law being obeyed.
If only Australian leaders displayed such leadership, moral courage and honesty.
Jill Toulantas, Clifton Hill

Albanese asleep at the wheel
Trump and Netanyahu are old men, blind to how many lives, families, children, buildings, livelihoods, lifetimes of work, history, culture, plants and animals they blow up chasing their egos.
Relics from an ancient tradition of male violence to solve problems, today, in our techno/nuclear age, they are an existential threat to humanity, and you’d imagine anyone with a modicum of brain, heart and soul would loudly denounce such aggression.
Yet, Albanese, comatose on domestic issues, jumps out of the gate to endorse their lies, madness and genocidal impulses. This comes after his harsh, dead to me statement on the so-called Isis brides and their children and his willing entrapment to insult Grace Tame.
This is either myopic grovelling to the Murdoch media and One Nation or he’s a far right bigot in sheep’s clothing. Either way, ineffectual or mendacious, he’s clearly unfit to be PM and should resign.
John Laurie, Riddells Creek

Godly intervention in war
One of the most concerning aspects of the illegal war being waged by Israel and the US is that according to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation watchdog group, about 200 complaints have been made by US servicemen and women that their military leaders have told them that this is part of God’s divine plan to bring about the Rapture and the return of Jesus Christ.
Matthew Costigan, Mentone

THE FORUM

Why One Nation thrives
Niki Savva joins a long line of commentators advocating putting One Nation last on how-to-vote cards (″⁣One Nation may well win Sussan Ley’s seat – that would be terrible for all of us″⁣, 5/3). Unfortunately, this is treating the symptom of the illness rather than the cause. The rise of One Nation and similar populist parties around the world is driven by legitimate grievances. Unbridled capitalism is causing wealth and income to become more and more concentrated. The poor are getting poorer while lower income wage earners are becoming poor. The prospect of home ownership and economic advancement is receding for an ever-growing cohort. The pressure on government budgets from the increasing need for welfare and other social supports, combined with tax breaks for businesses and the rich, and the very low taxation of wealth, means that government services are reducing at a time when more are needed.
It’s therefore easy to see why so many voters reject the parties of the status quo. So, rather than complain that aggrieved voters embrace a solution-free One Nation, how about actually addressing the causes of those voters’ grievances, with taxation and economic policies that significantly improve the circumstances of the less advantaged.
David Francis, Ivanhoe East

Delegitimising voters
Niki Savva writes that if the Liberal Party doesn’t preference One Nation last, it is a signal that it is OK to vote for that party. For Australian democracy to mean anything, then of course it’s OK to vote for One Nation, or anybody else who chooses to run for election. The majority of Australians would never vote for One Nation, but recent polls show a significant minority intend to. These votes are just as legitimate as any other. Seeking to de-legitimise the voices and ideas of people we don’t like is one reason many people are losing faith in democracy. Rod Wise, Surrey Hills

Reasons for suppression
Re “I’m a retired Supreme Court judge Tom Silvagni should not have been prosecuted in secret″⁣ (Opinion, 5/3). As a lawyer who regularly appeared in such proceedings from the 1990s until my retirement in 2021, the suppression orders complained about are made on the basis of the evidence of treating professionals in cases heard under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act, 1997.
This act deals with persons who are found not guilty by reason of mental impairment (″⁣insanity″⁣ to the average punter) of criminal offences. In serious cases, there is often a long period of court supervision before release into the community, still under the supervision of the relevant court.
That supervision can last a lifetime. The act expressly provides for the making of suppression orders where (on the basis of evidence) the court finds identification of the person subject to the order would endanger their mental health. Relieving the patient of the fear of stigmatisation, vilification or ostracism which can arise if they are publicly identified with the act which led to the making of the supervision order is an important contributor to rehabilitation and recovery. There is a strong public interest in not interfering in the making of these orders
John McLoughlin, Balwyn

Worker rights
The right to work from home, surely does not require legislation, and should simply be left for direct negotiation and agreement between each employee and their employer.
The state government plan to legislate for it seems a thinly disguised ploy to distract voters’ attention from its numerous and serious real problems such as the massive state debt, and especially, the recently revealed $15 billion debacle involving the CFMEU – to mention only two.
Ian Price, Brighton

Question-time clowns
With Anthony Albanese taking fire from both flanks, and Tim Wilson recently giving us his interpretive take on Billy Joel, perhaps it’s time to formalise the musical format of question time.
The prime minister could simply stand and deliver the 1972 wisdom of the song by the Scottish band Stealers Wheel – “Clowns to the left of me/Jokers to the right/Here I am, stuck in the middle with you”.
It would save time, clarify proceedings, and double as a rare, honest moment in question time.
Kevin Brown, Moonlight Flat

Come the day
I am looking forward to the day when our children and grandchildren will be able to source all their energy needs from a modern, 100 per cent, local Aussie production and distribution system.
I am looking forward to the day when they will not have to be concerned about major fluctuations in supply and price due to global factors beyond their control as many of us are currently experiencing due to the situation in the Gulf. I am looking forward to the day when there is a predictable and stable supply and price of energy as it has been sourced locally from our fellow Aussies. Roll on that day.
Rod Moran, Brighton

Park interference
Interesting to read your corespondent’s letter (“Garden Show Effect”, 5/3) regarding the taking over of a public park, Carlton Gardens, for its Flower and Garden Show with the resulting damage to the park and its wildlife.
The same thing is happening on a much larger scale in my local park, Albert Park, where each year a Formula 1 Grand Prix is held with its ongoing environmental damage to the park, disturbance to wildlife, the building of large ugly structures and the months-long set-up and dismantling process which restricts people’s access to their park.
Marita Molloy, Middle Park

Power of sport
Tony Wright writes that an F1 event manager “almost nonchalantly” boasts that “we chartered a plane out of Dubai and were allowed to punch through airspace” to get tech equipment out for the Australian Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, thousands of Australians are stranded. Ah, the power of sport and the usual obscenity of the privilege of wealth.
Kay Moulton, Surrey Hills

Bread, circuses, car races
Bread and circuses have long been used as a distraction from the inadequacies of dysfunctional or corrupted governments.
In Victoria, where many struggle to afford their daily bread, let alone attain a roof over their heads or feel safe from a rising violent crime rate – reported stabbings are almost a daily event – apparently the Grand Prix circus, and its ever-increasingly exorbitant cost blowout is something we can’t do without.
Never mind that struggling Victorians forked out taxpayer hundreds of millions in both 2023 and 2024 to cover the shortfall in revenue from staging the race, now they must cough up an extra $115 million to rebuild the Formula 1 pit facilities at Albert Park, pushing the total cost of upgrades to $395 million.
All this to retain a circus that runs at a loss of millions of dollars each year. It clearly benefits someone. But who?
Deborah Morrison, Malvern East

Normalising bad behaviour
Finally, we see public condemnation of ″⁣Married at First Sight″⁣, 5/3). It is shocking to hear friends who are educated and aware, many committed feminists, talking about their current ″⁣addiction″⁣ – the regular sit-down with MAFS with rueful “Oh, aren’t they awful” comments. But, as Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek asserts, this program is normalising behaviour which should be condemned and denigrated.
A friend said she watches it with her teenage son to call out this behaviour. But what of the children and young people exposed to this who watch, without filters, the behaviour of mature people trying to demean each other with words?
It is learning by example, and allowing such public humiliation should be prohibited. The government is trying to keep social media from some children, at the same time as allowing the presentation of the same sort of unkind and hurtful behaviour as a social norm.
Geraldine Colson, Mentone

Equality goes backwards
Tanya Plibersek asks parents not to let their children watch ″⁣Married at First Sight″⁣ but why do adult women and men watch the show to hear comments relating to obedience and dogs, and the male contestant demanding to be the man of the house? How can we have come so far in our expectations of equality only to then be pushed back again and again with mentality such as this? Is this a case of one step forward and two steps back?
Wendy Daniels, Hawthorn

Speak out for women
It seems that the more women gain rights to live safe and equal lives (equal pay, rights to work, marry, divorce, and not to be treated as punching bags after the wedding) the more that popular culture enshrines their role as a punching bag for angry blokes who had a bad day and need to take that out on someone or some thing.
Wooed by the ″⁣romance″⁣ and ″⁣glamour″⁣ of programs like this one, women fall for the seduction of being seen as desirable if they are obedient in their suburban gulag with their very own husband who loves her for her obedience and punchability.
Thank you, Tanya for speaking out on behalf of women and for being in a position of power to doso.
Kath McKay, Fitzroy North

Ball-up advice please
The new AFL rule at the centre ball-up needs explanation for fans. It requires the ruckman to stay on their side of the centre line before contacting their ruck opponent. We know that out of bounds is when all of the ball is over all of the the boundary line.
But at the centre ball-up, how much of the ruckman must remain on his/her side of the centre line before engaging their opponent before an infringement occurs?
John Groom, Bentleigh

AND ANOTHER THING

Dennis Cometti
Vale Dennis Cometti, an eloquent football poet.
Ian Anderson, Ascot Vale

Classic Dennis Cometti, “Libba went into the pack optimistically and came out misty optically”.
Ian McKail, Cheltenham

Once describing a Gary Ablett senior screamer, the great Dennis Cometti said “that’s not a mark, that’s a party trick”. My enjoyment of watching the footy on the telly declined significantly when he retired. My sincere condolences to Dennis’ family.
Phil Alexander, Eltham

Dennis’ greatest call; I borrow it regularly: ″⁣He chose the third of two options″⁣! Genius.
John Massie, Middle Park

Vale Dennis. Centimetre perfect.
Andrew Norris, Sunbury

Vale Dennis Cometti. Football’s Ritchie Benaud.
Campbell Paine, Toorak

Trump world
There are not many people in history who can actually say that all their childhood dreams came true. It looks like Pete Hegseth is one such person.
Julian Guy, Mt Eliza

It’s very sad when people in power like Pete Hegseth crow about ships being destroyed and people dying.
James Lane, Hampton East

Furthermore
It’s insidious how women are downgraded. The photo in The Age (3/4) didn’t identify Mark Carney’s wife. A quick Google search revealed her name – Diana Fox.
Leah Billeam, Portarlington

In disputing the benefits of work-from-home legislation, Chip Le Grand (5/3) says that if you do your job from home sitting at a computer screen, then AI is coming for you. I presume Chip wrote this on a typewriter in The Age office?
Simon Tatz, Newport

Tim Wilson makes an even worse singer than a politician,
Carole Ruta, Benalla

How refreshing to see Oscar Piastri sans the copycat beard and tattoos. I detect a high IQ.
Kevin Howard, Frankston

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