An aid for parents
As a telephone counsellor with Parentline Victoria (which became defunct last month) I fielded many calls from parents distraught about their teenagers’ behaviour and psychological wellbeing.
Many (if not all) of the issues raised by parents related to smartphone and technology use. Addiction to social media resulting in disengagement from social and sporting activities, education and family life as well as online gaming and cyber bullying were common problems with which parents were grappling.
The changes coming into effect next month in relation to restricting access to under 16-year-olds to a range of social media platforms will be welcomed by most parents.
While some teenagers will certainly get around the ban, they will give parents the mandate needed to stem the growing number of young people becoming addicted, bullied and exposed to adult only online content. These laws will go a long way to empowering parents by giving them the legal authority to say no.
Prue Blackmore, Carlton North
Reconsider ban
Thank you, Zac Seidler, for the insight into the ramifications of the social media ban for teenagers under 16 (″We are closing the doors on young men″, 26/11). Although focused on boys, his concerns about a huge vacuum in teenagers’ lives equally applies to girls and other genders.
Quite rightly, he denounces the federal government’s failure to think through other options for children. In my view, the government has made the serious and far-reaching mistake of refusing to acknowledge the positives and benefits of social media to young people. Negligence by omission.
And there will be consequences, especially with the timing of introduction of the ban in the holiday period when teenagers are deprived of both the social connection, support and refuge of school and social media. Just imagine the plight of children in violent homes, or low-income homes with no discretionary finances for outings and entertainment let alone beach houses and travel.
At the very least the introduction of a social media ban should be postponed to the beginning of the school term in 2026. On behalf of all the teenagers, particularly the marginalised and lonely facing a long summer break, the government should be reminded to act with compassion, knowledge and deep reflection on its decisions. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.
Diana Yallop, Surrey Hills
Library moves dismay
As a qualified librarian, teacher, teacher librarian and researcher in the field for more than 50 years, I am dismayed to learn of proposed cuts to State Library staffing, opening hours and public access computers.
The whole purpose of the State Library is to collect and archive Victorian documents and provide an accessible reference collection for the people of Victoria. Part of that is provide sufficient qualified librarians for proper collection management and guidance in its use, and opening hours to ensure people from across the spectrum can use the SLV for study.
These proposed cuts are indicative of a failure by the government and management to understand the key cultural and educational significance of the SLV in our state’s democratic functioning.
In these times of creation and promulgation of false and misleading information, Victorians need the expertise of reference librarians to guide them to authoritative information sources. I look forward to Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks acting to reverse these decisions and to ensure the SLV board and the executive include people who know how a State Library is meant to operate.
Dr Anne Whisken, Portarlington
Destination unknown
It was ironic to be welcomed at the new State Library station, with new tram stops and signs directing all to the library, at a time when services at the library could be reduced. Hopefully, the advisers about transport and pedestrian are better than those advising about how to maintain a major cultural institution. Sadly, a few signs in a State Library don’t improve collection building or access to the right resources in an effective and efficient way. Any cuts to librarian numbers fails to understand its significance for Victorians and Victoria.
Amanda Bede, Richmond
Cultural positives
This week I wandered downtown and bought The Age from our local Indian newsagent. Next I ventured into the local coffee haunt and enjoyed a breakfast prepared by a Lebanese barista and Chinese chef. A Nepalese worker, an ex-student actually, helped me locate an item at the supermarket. Later in the week there are appointments with my Syrian-born doctor and a specialist from the Netherlands.
But I’m with Pauline Hanson. Too many immigrants are threatening our way of life.
Craig Jory, Albury, NSW
Housing remedy
It’s ridiculous that during a housing shortage so many properties sit unoccupied (″Number of empty homes surges amid housing crisis″, 27/11). A government should have the right to use a property for social housing for three years if it sits unoccupied for 12 months or more. This would be regardless of whoever owned it. This would put a dampener on speculators and house banking.
Paul Chivers, Box Hill North
Climate change the threat
The US calls mass migration an existential threat to Western civilisation. If Donald Trump is serious, he should drop his “drill, baby, drill” policies and start tackling the climate change that’s accelerating global migration.
Andrew Gunner, Brunswick West
Safety first
Senator Lidia Thorpe and the president of Liberty Victoria Gemma Cafarella have recently criticised Victoria’s new police search powers – innocent people would become the victim, the laws were an intrusion on people’s rights and civil liberties.
What about the powers of a knife-carrying thug about to plunge a blade into my body? Forget the intrusion on my civil liberties. What about the intrusion on my body as the blade hits life sustaining organs? What about my loss of liberty if I have to spend weeks in hospital or finish up with life-changing injuries?
I’ll take being a ″victim″ of these police powers or the ″intrusion″ on my civil liberties any day.
Gerry Lonergan, Reservoir
A drab Christmas city
Visiting Melbourne CBD brings disgust at the poor Christmas displays on and around the streets. Having been overseas in major cities at Christmas, Melbourne’s attempt to be on par is very disappointing. It’s sad, dirty and has a faded glory. A bad example to show overseas and interstate tourists and visitors. Melbourne City Council should hang its head in shame.
Anthony Straker, South Yarra
Adult speak, please
Thanks to your correspondent (Letters, 26/11). As a rusted-on ABC listener for 50 years, I feel furious when I hear educated presenters ″child speak″. Is this an attempt to attract a younger audience? Really? What happened to the expectations of standards from the ABC.
Barry Buskens, Beaumaris
Designs on helmet
If athlete Nick Timmings misses out on a medal in the upcoming Winter Olympic Games, he should at least get an honourable mention for artistic design on top of his helmet (″Sliding to success an Olympic dream on ice″, 27/11).
Michael Hanrahan, Alfredton
Diversity benefits all
I am holidaying in Tasmania. I also read The Age every day and find at present an article or letter about immigration. I believe we cannot do without immigrants. Everywhere I go in Tasmania I am served by people who have English as a second language. Without migrants we would have no tourism industry.
I grew up with migrants changing the demographic mix in primary school back in the 1960s and some of my friends came from migrant families. I suggest you should just get to know your fellow man. Don’t be afraid to.
Don’t blame migrants for poor government planning.
Keith Hawkins, Point Lonsdale
The Don Quixote Libs
As Australia reaches record levels of renewable energy production one cannot help but be amused by the disarray in energy policy by the Coalition. They are lurching forward in an anti-renewables stance but have no clear objective of what they would do differently. Their current stance is alienating the young voters, a cohort they need to engage with if they ever hope to regain power.
Never has the analogy of Don Quixote tilting at windmills ever been more accurate.
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Stop fossil fuels
It’s encouraging that Australia’s climate pollution has dropped by 2.2 per cent over the past year (″Biggest drop in emissions outside pandemic″, 27/11).
Renewable energy policies are clearly working — cutting our reliance on coal and gas while lowering energy costs. But this progress is a bit like shedding a few kilograms while still smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
The health of the planet won’t improve until we stop enabling more of the toxic coal and gas projects that continue to blanket our atmosphere.
Larni Dibben, Glen Iris
The final grade
When one dies, one does not pass, surely one fails (Letters, 27/11).
Barry Doyle, Portarlington
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
Every senator should spend one day in parliament each year wearing a burqa – not as a stunt, but to experience, even briefly, the restrictions and challenges many women face every day. Nothing is quite as impactful as lived experience.
Ian Cameron, Chelsea
I don’t have a problem with Pauline Hanson wearing a burqa in the Senate. So long as she wears it all the time and seeks advice on how to wear it properly.
Ken Richards, Elwood
New laws to protect the environment or new laws to fast track new projects for big business?
Annie Wilson, Inverloch
Trump administration workers are going to be busy with their data collection of crimes and human rights abuses committed by migrants to Australia. They’ll have to go all the way back to 1770.
Jane Ross, San Remo
The US administration wants details of crimes committed by Australians with a ″migration background″. That includes the whole population, except First Nations people.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster
Furthermore
Your correspondent was right on usage (Letters, 26/11). To use a term an American journalist wrote last week our language is being trashed ″bigly″.
Ben Blair, Point Lonsdale
A friend mailed me a birthday card from Brisbane on Monday, November 17. A ″double stamper! ($3.40)″. It arrived on the 26th at St Kilda. Seriously?
Scott Lowe, St Kilda West
Re ″ABM – a glib but troubling acronym″ (27/11) ABM is an initialism, not an acronym. An acronym is an initialism that can be pronounced as a word eg, BOM (to be topical).
Mark Southby, Oakleigh
Finally
Let us Australian cricket supporters not get too carried away. The Ashes series is by no means over.
Neville Wilson, Rosanna
