Time for deeds, not
words, from AFP
"BANK note and bribes: more arrests to come" (The Age, 2/7) is an extraordinary yarn. With the full weight of the Australian Federal Police spin team behind its media release announcing the arrests, it looks as if it has got something right.
Then again, the Wheat Board inquiry, the Bali 9, Dr Mohammed Haneef and various other matters involving the AFP, not excluding its colonisation of mainstream policing across Australia, also looked as if the AFP might live up to its own marketing as the premier law enforcement agency.
Policing organisations are measured by their deeds, not their words. I suspect the "bank bribes" matter has a long way to go. The AFP's competency will need to live up to a higher standard than it has in the past.
Often it appeared that by its standards, the ends always justify the means.
Dr Michael Kennedy, head of program, bachelor of policing, University of Western Sydney, NSW
Merger makes sense
SHAUN Carney's assertion of a permanent coalition between the Greens and the ALP (Comment, 2/7) makes sense. The Liberal Party formed a coalition with the then Australian Country Party in 1922 and has governed in a coalition for 41 of the last 61 years.
Look at the House of Representatives: the Liberals only hold 44 seats to Labor's 72, seemingly indicating little prospect of them holding majority government in their own right at any time in the near future.
As the major parties become more centrist and poll-driven, they will have no choice but to form alliances if they wish to hold government.
Given that the Greens' and the ALP's general principles are vaguely similar, and are more aligned than the Greens could ever be with the Coalition, it makes political and common sense (unfortunately, the two do not often go together) to consider a coalition. This would allow it to present a united face before the next election.
Paul Bugeja, Caulfield North
A steady decline
HOW long will it be before someone in the ALP realise that the wheels are falling off a once great political party? Support for it is down to 30 per cent of the primary vote. Now we have a leading union official Paddy Crumlin, president of the 4 million-strong International Transport Workers Federation advocating a return to commercial whaling (The Age, 2/7). After the next election, Labor will be able to have caucus meetings in Mr Crumlin's lounge room.
Hans Pieterse, Narre Warren North
Patience, please
THE grounding of Tiger Airways has caused huge problems for customers, but the customers' behaviour has been unreasonable.
Tiger could not have been expected to provide much notice to passengers who planned to travel on Saturday morning, as it was grounded at 11pm on Friday.
A chaotic night probably ensued as new travel arrangements were made.
Also, many customers seem to have forgotten that they paid next to nothing for their fares, yet they expect to receive the service of a normal airline. You get what you pay for.
James Baird, Hampton
Why we're NIMBYs
MATTHEW Guy, affordable living does not correlate with building on steep hills with ocean views at Spring Creek "Planning minister faces anger over Torquay plan" (The Age, 2/7).
This is compounded by the fact that a development for 60,000 people has been already approved at Armstrong Creek, a seven-minute drive away, on cheaper land.
It seems there is no point in the community giving its opinion on the Spring Creek development as 2328 written submissions and a 3000-person strong rally against it have fallen on deaf ears.
For a development as agressive as this, it is no wonder we are NIMBYs. The only people who are not are those who stand to make financial gain.
We may as well destroy Torquay by building a McDonald's and Bunnings at its entrance. Oh, right, that has been done.
Miyo Fallshaw, Bellbrae
But who will pay?
OF COURSE Hazelwood power station should close (The Age, 1/7). It was obvious ever since the Kyoto agreement in 1990.
Steve Bracks and John Brumby offered Hazelwood a new, 25-year contract in 2005.
So who will pay for the breach of contract now? The taxpayer, of course, not those who were responsible for the contract.
The money should come out of Bracks' and Brumby's parliamentary superannuation.
How can we expect to have responsible politicians when they are never held to account?
Graeme Taylor, Cockatoo
The Valley's history
MICHAEL Chopping (Letters, 2/7) is mistaken as to the events surrounding the privatisation of the generators in the Latrobe Valley.
According to the SECV annual reports and the 1993/94 Generation Victoria report, employment at the generators commenced falling in 1989/90, after the introduction of the SECV's voluntary redundancy scheme and prior to the Kennett government.
Numbers in the generation sector fell from 9900 in 1988/89 to 2950 in 1993/94. The Kennett government was elected in October 1992. Privatisation of the generators, which were owned and operated by the SECV, commenced in 1996.
Since privatisation, the fall in employment numbers has been small. It is government policy which has caused the reduction in the Latrobe Valley workforce in the 1990s, with privatisation being only a minor influence.
It will be government policy on carbon dioxide tax which will cause further hardship in the region.
John Bell, Ashwood
Back to the future
WE WENT to the Australian International Motor Show on Saturday to drool over vehicles not of this world. What an eyeful we got. I am not talking about cars but the impossibly young and attractive female "information providers" who worked the floor for the big car brands.
From my middle-aged perspective, they looked good. However, this marketing strategy harked back to the bad old days when women were merely objects draped over cars to make them look good.
Haven't we moved away from this clumsy sexism? Did these women need to be dressed like Kewpie dolls? Thankfully, most stands had regular men and women answering people's questions. I felt insulted, and just a little sorry, for those women who worked their hearts out for big business. The big car brands should pull the plug on sexism and use ordinary men and women.They might even sell more cars.
Brian Noble, Ferntree Gully
Animal welfare first
I APPLAUD Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig for visiting the Northern Territory to offer farmers a $30 million bailout "No quick fix for live export: PM" (The Age, 1/7). Like many Australians, I care about our hardworking cattle farmers' plight. However, we cannot sustain incomprehensible cruelty to animals, as was shown on Four Corners, in the process. Human beings are given jurisdiction over animals and with this comes responsibility for their welfare. If that cannot be achieved, the live export trade should be abandoned.
Susan Hudson, Huntingdale
A horrific trade
MOUNT Isa farm electrical worker Neil Byrne says: "I have $60,000 of equipment sitting in my shed. Where's my compo?"
Where is his business acumen? The cruelty has been going on for years, why did he and his associates not act?
I am happy to see some of my taxes pay for the feed necessary to keep animals in transit fed, but beyond that I have little sympathy for those involved in the industry. They have been making large amounts of money over the years and should divert some of those funds into getting themselves out of the hole they have dug for themselves.
Greens leader Bob Brown is right when he says the live export trade should be banned.
Greg Oates, Huon Creek
Penalties too soft
I WONDER if the war on drugs is rendered less winnable "Decriminalisation an option in an unwinnable war" (The Age, 1/7) because the users who provide the profit motive for drug lords are treated with relative benevolence.
It seems that when people are caught red-handed with drugs they are subject to warnings and diversion programs. That is hardly likely to strike fear into the hearts of the Mr Bigs who see the trickle-down of money become a flood. This motivates them and generates violence and corruption.
I do not understand why the users are not fined heavily and made to fund the "war" against the social ills they are perpetuating.
Philip Eagles, Mill Park
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What was reported about the AFP 'bank bribes' arrests and should investors worry about bank-related investigations?
The article describes an AFP media release about arrests in a so-called 'bank bribes' matter but cautions that policing organisations are judged by deeds, not words. The piece suggests the case may have a long way to go and the AFP will need to demonstrate strong competency. Everyday investors should monitor official updates and regulatory findings—short-term headlines can affect sentiment, but wait for confirmed details before making investment decisions.
How could a potential permanent coalition between the Greens and the ALP influence policy and investor expectations?
The article argues a Greens–ALP coalition makes political sense given current seat distributions and centrist, poll-driven major parties. For investors, a closer Greens–ALP alignment could mean greater policy continuity and a higher chance of progressive policy measures being pursued. Keep an eye on formal alliances and policy announcements, as these can affect sectors sensitive to government policy.
What does the grounding of Tiger Airways reveal about risks in low-cost airlines for consumers and investors?
According to the article, Tiger Airways was grounded with little notice, creating chaos for passengers. The letter-writer notes customers paid very low fares yet expected full-service performance—'you get what you pay for.' For investors, this highlights operational and reputational risk in low-cost carriers: tight margins and service trade-offs can lead to customer dissatisfaction and sharp short-term impacts on demand and brand value.
What are the financial and public-policy issues raised by the Hazelwood power station closure debate?
The article states Hazelwood should close and recalls a 25-year contract offered in 2005, asking who will pay for any breach—answering that taxpayers are likely to pick up the cost. The letter suggests political accountability for contractual outcomes. Investors should note that plant closures tied to environmental policy can create compensation costs, regulatory risk and taxpayer involvement that affect the broader energy sector.
How did employment change in the Latrobe Valley and what does that mean for regional investment prospects?
The article explains generation-sector employment in the Latrobe Valley fell sharply between 1988/89 and 1993/94—largely due to an SECV voluntary redundancy scheme and government policy—while privatisation from 1996 had only a small additional effect. It also warns that future carbon dioxide taxation policy could cause further hardship. For investors, sustained policy-driven job losses can weaken local economies, impacting property, consumer demand and regional businesses.
What issues did the Spring Creek development raise and how can development disputes affect property investors?
The article describes strong community opposition to a steep-hills Spring Creek development—even though a large nearby Armstrong Creek project on cheaper land is already approved—and labels the reaction NIMBYism driven by concerns over aggressive development. Development disputes like this can delay projects, change planning outcomes and influence local property values. Property investors should research planning approvals, community sentiment and competing nearby developments before committing.
How might the $30 million live export bailout and animal welfare concerns affect agricultural businesses and investors?
The article notes the Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister offered a $30 million bailout to help farmers after Four Corners exposed cruelty in live exports. Letters argue that animal welfare concerns could justify abandoning the trade, while taxpayers may bear costs for short-term fixes. Investors should be aware of reputational and regulatory risk in the live-export–exposed agribusinesses and factor in potential policy shifts or public backlash.
Can marketing choices like using sexualised promotional staff at motor shows harm car brands and their sales?
The article criticises car brands for employing 'impossibly young and attractive' information providers that hark back to sexist marketing, suggesting it can insult audiences and may be counterproductive. The writer argues brands should stop such tactics and use ordinary men and women instead, which might even boost sales. For investors in consumer-facing companies, branding missteps and perceived sexism are reputational risks that can influence customer sentiment and long‑term sales.
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