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Columnist Angela Pippos (Comment, 19/8) makes the point that men in football have the power to create a safer and fairer environment for women, if the will is there. My son is a 20-year veteran of the game. He says that this is an opportunity for the AFL to come out and insist on meaningful change at every level of the game. The AFL has spent years telling us about the power of football to influence society. Well, here’s an opportunity to prove it. Not with another glossy campaign, another carefully crafted statement or another round of lip service, but by actually demanding better behaviour and accountability across the entire football culture. Talk needs to become action – respect women, challenge misogyny and don’t stand by when behaviour crosses the line. The AFL has enormous influence. It also has an enormous opportunity. The question is whether it intends to use that influence to actually change football culture, or simply wait until the next scandal comes along and release another statement.Carolyn Brydon, Brighton East
Stand up against men’s behaviour
Angela Pippos calls it out. Men’s misogynistic behaviour is not just confined to the football world, it’s everywhere. Stand up for your sisters when you see and read it. Pippos got that right. But standing up to it is always right.Margaret Skeen, Ocean Grove
Language matters in these times
Past and present AFL leaders, current and former players and media ″personalities″ continue to make excuses for the inexcusable behaviour of their own. They fail to ″read the room″ on how broader society views their appalling attitudes and dismissiveness towards women. Thank you to Angela Pippos in explaining that language matters. Players are adults, and surely in charge of their own destinies – if they are unable to manage their behaviour off the ground then should they be permitted on the ground?Felicity Browne, Toorak
Male-dominated culture has lot to answer for
I am appalled at the reaction and some of the media reporting surrounding the recent sexual assault allegations. The very first reaction was not compassion for the alleged female victim, it was how this would affect the players and an AFL club and competition so close to the finals. Where on earth have our priorities gone, in this whole atrocious event? This male-dominated sporting culture sure has a lot to answer for.Frank Flynn, Cape Paterson
The women must not be forgotten
Although we do not know the full details of the alleged sexual assault, I am sure there are many stories circulating in the community. The focus of the news reports have been on the timing of the incident at the pointy end of the season, and how the players have let down their team and their partners. Because this is a police matter the details of the incident have not been divulged, but the hyperbole is out of control. What about respect for the women involved, not only in the incident but in general as women are often painted not as victims but as seducers? There is no place for sexual misconduct in our society, and the boys will be boys attitude is not good enough.Julie Ottobre, Brunswick East
‘Shocked and disappointed’ at CEO message
Thank you for The Age editorial, and column from Angela Pippos (19/8) specifically highlighting the passive language used by Sydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich. Given his leadership position, I was ″shocked and disappointed” that he implied the players involved had somehow just fallen into the situation. Pippos’s article debunks this. Just imagine if a man had taken the leadership and time to put out such a clear message.Sally Polmear, Barkers Creek
THE FORUM
NDIS ripple effects
My 36-year-old intellectually disabled daughter cannot take herself to the movies. She cannot even cross the road by herself. The NDIS promised reasonable and necessary services to maintain as near a normal lifestyle, with dignity, opportunity and access to social and community experiences, as the rest of us. Now the NDIS changes seeks to slash by half or more anything that comes into that orbit.
My daughter reasonably and necessarily requires the assistance of a support worker to take her out of the house she shares with and in which she is cared for by oldish parents, say once a week. This is to do ordinary things like walking or being driven to the shops, the park, beach, a gallery, show, movie, meeting friends, having a coffee, walking a dog or whatever. The NDIS only pays for the worker’s hours no matter what the activity or location of the care undertaken and the rate is the same as in-home care. All expenses like movie tickets are covered by my daughter as has always been the case despite wild exaggerations about what NDIS actually pays for and who is rorting the system. Her plan has always been strictly monitored and is in keeping with pre-NDIS days to maintain her wellbeing, safety and security.
Are people like her now to be confined to their rooms or in front of a TV or video with little opportunity to join in and enjoy the life of Melbourne and suburbs like any other 36-year-old?Kaye Powell, Malvern
Opt-out is useless
The gambling legislation, supported by the Coalition, looks like it will be passed with an “opt-out ability”. This is likely to be as ineffective as the “do not call register”, which was useless. It will only apply to online advertising. We, and our children, will still be subjected to all other types of advertising on TV, radio, and all printed forms of advertising.
Monique Ryan hit the nail in the head with her speech in parliament opposing this legislation when she said Anthony Albanese was not listening to the people who overwhelmingly support the banning of gambling advertising.Jenny Callaghan, Hawthorn
Gambling a health issue
The government has sidestepped taking strong action to curb gambling (″Gambling can police itself? Good luck with that notion″, 19/8). This is despite the recommendations of the Murphy inquiry, input from the Greens, churches and welfare groups, many of whom deal with the harmful effects of gambling.
The main reason for the government’s reluctance to act on gambling reform is that it generates a huge amount of tax revenue – about $10 billion for all states. Electronic gambling machines are the largest cash generators for the government. In the Northern Territory, 12.1 per cent of its total revenue comes from gambling. As well as this, gambling is an integral part of the Australia social system and Australians are now the biggest gamblers in the world and also the world’s biggest losers per capita. But the adverse effects of gambling are destructive. Nearly two-thirds in every dollar going into a poker machine come from people who are addicted to gambling.
There is an approach for gambling reform. Advocates such as Tim Costello, chief advocate at the Alliance for Gambling Reform, recommend gambling be treated like smoking – that is, as a health issue.
Australia banned smoking advertisements in 1992 and today Australia has one of the lowest rates of smoking in the world. Tackling our gambling issue must be a priority.Leigh Ackland, Deepdene
Blind government
Once again the Albanese government demonstrates it has lost sight of the light on the hill.
Gambling is a public health issue. The social impacts are well-documented. Suicide, family violence and financial destitution are just some of the fallout from this insidious activity, the proceeds of which are largely repatriated tax free.
The impact on advertising companies and the gambling industry should never be made a consideration in the outcome of this legislation. It is appalling, although not unexpected, that the unambiguous findings of the late Peta Murphy’s report, You win some, you lose more, be treated in this contemptuous manner.
It’s a slogan that may well come to haunt Labor’s gamble on this pressing issue electorally.John Mosig, Kew
Vested interests win
Rob Harris’s concluding line “The real loser is the rest of us” best sums up the outcome of the revised gambling legislation (Analysis, 19/8).
Despite the significant community outrage at the predatory and unscrupulous behaviour of the gambling industry, laid bare yet again at the recent Senate hearings, the government and Coalition have negotiated a bill that falls well short.
Vested interests appear to have won the day over the wellbeing of our citizens. Shame on the Albanese government and the Coalition.Anne Lyon, Camberwell
Rise of the algorithm
Monday’s 4 Corners exposed algorithms rationing aged care funding, leaving almost 154,000 people waiting for support they’ve been assessed as needing, signalling a betrayal of everything the royal commission promised.
This isn’t just an aged care failure. It’s an integrity failure, and the same pattern runs through Australian life.
On climate, fossil fuel companies donated nearly $4million to the major parties last election and receive roughly $10 billion a year in subsidies, while home insurance in disaster-prone areas has risen up to 400 per cent.
In aged care, costs have outpaced funding for decades, and still the government has handed $1.5 billion in assessment contracts to for-profit providers; this is the exact conflict the royal commission warned against.
On gambling, Australians have lost over $100 billion since mid-2023, while reform decided this week does not meet the pub test.
On social media, engagement-driven algorithms feed boys a diet of misogynistic content.
Different portfolios, one pattern: vested interests get a seat at the table; Australians get the algorithm, the waitlist, and the bill.
Fix the integrity, and the rest follows.Melissa Lowe, Hawthorn
Trump’s winning ways
The scary thing about Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Oman, an ally of the US in the Middle East, is that he won’t lose a single vote from his base who seem wedded to his ″strongman″ tactics. Such war-like, bullying behaviour should make him completely unelectable. Fifth Avenue, Oman; Trump gets away with it.Nick Toovey, Beaumaris
Land access for all
It goes against good rules of community wellbeing for a wealthy landowner to lease community parkland (“Community anger over bayside private school’s plan to ‘lock public out’ of park”, 19/8). Brighton Grammar claims it would thereby enhance the land, Wilson Reserve, and promises all sorts of inducements. The school also wishes to buy a public road, Young Street. The school is seeking exclusive access to the adjacent Wilson Reserve for large parts of each day, in the Brighton area which already has insufficient public space.
A better proposal would be for Brighton Grammar to allow community access to its grounds on the weekends for the community to play sport. After all, the public, via its taxes, is contributing significantly to all private schools, while public schools languish. Active and passive recreation is very important to health, so let’s even up access.Jan Marshall, Brighton
Benefits of taxes
The last party I will vote for is the party who will offer to lower taxes. I like what my taxes pay for, such as social welfare, health, education (although more should go to government schools rather than private), infrastructure, medical/scientific/environmental research, helping devastated communities here and abroad, even defence.
Why would a civil and functioning society want lower taxes?
Unless you want to live in America, which currently cannot be described as either civil or functioning.Robyn Westwood, Heidelberg Heights
Just got on with it
I am also a daughter of a Japanese POW (Letters, 19/8). My father was a POW in Japan for 3 years, having been captured in Java and spending time in Changi. Yes, he had huge issues of PTSD for his entire life, but he came home and just got on with it, as did his lifelong friend in the same situation.
They were told by the army that no one knew how their captivity would affect them, so they should just go out and live, no counselling or other support.
But my father and his friend and others who he met regularly at POW reunions never resorted to the appalling behaviour we see now.Louise Kloot, Doncaster
Just a blunt stick
One Nation is a party of protest – not progress.
The only thing they offer voters is a blunt stick to poke in the eye of the established parties. They have no defined policies for health, welfare, education or the economy, but rather an anachronistic anti-immigration policy more suited to a xenophobic white Australia from last century. Their leadership is well past its use-by dates.Peter Ozard, Hampton
Bard weather is brewing
Regarding Shakespearean news reports (Letters, 19/8), Melbourne weather forecasts could sign off with: “To be, or not to be, that is the question.“Deborah Morrison, Malvern East
AND ANOTHER THING
Gambling
Labor and the Coalition agree gambling can ″police itself″. Don’t bet on it (″Betting bill will pass but Labor faces fresh battles″, 19/8).Annie Wilson, Inverloch
The shamefully weak gambling legislation demonstrates that the biggest addicts are governments addicted to gambling taxes.Michael Meszaros, Alphington
″Squibbing it″ is an apt description for the likely outcome of the gambling legislation process.Jim Spithill, Glen Waverley
Labor can ″spin″ their gambling reform however they like, but they’ve still welched on a true opportunity to advocate for those less able to themselves.David Cayzer, Clifton Hill
Swans
As a Swans supporter I am reminded that respect is gained in teaspoons and lost in buckets.Stephen Dinham, Metung
Whether they assaulted women or not, why did Swans players stay out drinking until early morning? Culture counts.Glenda Johnston, Queenscliff
Furthermore
4 Corners on Monday showed that the federal Public Service delivers frank and fearless advice through secret algorithms.George Reed, Wheelers Hill
Will Anthony Albanese ensure aged people will not live in fear of insensitive algorithms?Ralph Tabor, Pakenham
If a lawn bowls club closes, it removes the ability of an aged bowler to feel young again (″Brighton Bowls Club faces demolition″, 18/8).Malcolm McDonald, Burwood
Donald Trump threatens to bomb ally Oman if it “gets in the way” of reopening Hormuz Strait. I suspect that both enemy and ally are finding Trump’s threats wearing thin.Kevin Burke, Sandringham
Finally
It used to be a pleasure to go for a drive in the countryside. That is no longer the case due to the potholes.Tony O’Brien, South Melbourne