We, the undersigned, believe that the principles enunciated in the charter once again merit strenuous protection. Any constraint on editorial independence inhibits the ability of journalists to report without fear of favour, a crucial element of a vibrant and healthy democracy. The charter protects journalists from external pressure and it vests in them a responsibility "to report and comment on the affairs of the city, state, nation and the world fairly and accurately and regardless of any commercial, personal or political interests, including those of any shareholder, director, manager, editor or staff member". This principle fosters public trust in The Age's journalism. It underpins the commercial value of a proud 158-year-old masthead and encourages a flourishing public discourse. Louise Adler AM publisher, MUP; Dennis Altman AM FASSA professor, La Trobe University; Clare Bowditch singer; Steve Bracks AC Victorian Premier 1999-2007; Julian Burnside AO QC barrister; John Cain Victorian Premier 1982-90; Matt Cameron playwright; Glyn Davis AM Vice-Chancellor, University of Melbourne; Jane den Hollander Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University; John Denton architect; Peter Doherty AC Nobel Prize-winning scientist; Gareth Evans AC QC Chancellor, Australian National University; Jacob Fajgenbaum QC barrister; Alan Finkel AM Chancellor, Monash University; Elizabeth Finkel co-founder Cosmos Magazine; Richard Flanagan author; Tim Flannery scientist; Malcolm Fraser AC Prime Minister, 1975-1983; Mark Fraser chairman, Bonhams (Australia); Ian Freckelton SC barrister and academic; Philip Freier Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne; Michael Gawenda Age editor 1997-2004; Petro Georgiou MHR (Liberal) Kooyong 1994-2010; Max Gillies AM actor; Peter Gordon lawyer; Germaine Greer writer and academic; Doug Hall AM Australian Commissioner, Venice Biennale 2009 & 2011; Steve Hambleton AMA president; Sonya Hartnett author; Andrew Hewett executive director, Oxfam; Michael Heyward publisher, Text Publishing Company; Chloe Hooper author; Shane Howard singer-songwriter; Peter Jopling QC barrister; Sarah Joseph director, Castan Centre for Human Rights; David Karoly scientist; Ged Kearney ACTU president; Paul Kelly songwriter; Joan Kirner AC Victorian Premier 1990-92; Ranald Macdonald former managing editor The Age; Patrick McCaughey director, Melbourne University's Festival of Ideas; Barry McGaw AO Vice-Chancellor's Fellow, Melbourne University; Simon McKeon AO executive chairman (Melbourne) Macquarie Group; Fiona McLeod SC barrister; Ron Merkel QC barrister, former Federal Court judge; Joanna Murray-Smith playwright; Christine Nixon APM retired Chief Commissioner Victoria Police; Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE professor emeritus, University of Melbourne; Lady Lyn Nossal; Norman O'Bryan AM SC barrister; Dave Oliver ACTU secretary; George Pappas chairman, Committee for Melbourne & Chancellor, Victoria University; Guy Pearce actor; Michael Pearce SC barrister, past president Liberty Victoria; Ian Ramsay professor, commercial law, University of Melbourne; Hannie Rayson playwright; Robert Richter QC barrister; Matthew Ricketson professor, Canberra University; Geoffrey Rush actor; Charles Scerri QC barrister; Morry Schwartz publisher, The Monthly and Quarterly Essay; Mike Smith Age editor 1989-1992; Neil Young QC former Federal Court judge.

Cold wind blows CANBERRA is full of paid lobbyists. Money talks. However, money is not everything. This is what we look for in our political leaders and our media - some balance and judgment that assures us there is still something in it for us: the ordinary, decent, honest citizens who make up our great democracy. I love newspapers. I subscribed to The Australian for years - but no longer do so. When you read a byline and can predict what will follow; when you read opinions that are irredeemably biased; when you read a daily section called ''Cut and Paste'', which should be called ''Castrate and Poison'', disillusionment sets in. If Gina Rinehart does attain the influence she desires over Fairfax we face the stark possibility of further abandonment of the vibrant debating heart of democracy - for mere dogma. Churches have been feeling the cold wind of rejection of fixed ideas for decades. Fairfax may be about to feel the same. Tony Newport, Hillwood, Tasmania

Power in numbers I'VE just bought some Fairfax shares. Now I can ask questions at the Fairfax annual general meeting. I can vote for directors who will uphold the policy of editorial independence in a responsible media outlet. This is vital to the democratic, informed and fair society I'd like to leave for our children and grandchildren. I can vote against lackey directors of a billionaire who doesn't want to pay a more adequate share of tax for non-renewable resources that are being dug up too quickly. Maybe others can also afford to risk a bit of their hard-earned cash. If enough of us put our proxies together, we could get a director who can both plan for a profitable future, and guarantee editorial independence. Susan Davies, Outtrim

We all have biases I DOUBT there is any true editorial independence in our media. We all have biases that form over many years and generally remain with us. I'm sure journalists are no different. Journalism is a difficult and competitive profession, calling for strong wills and minds and, ergo, strong opinions. As editors almost invariably come from the ranks of journalists they arrive at the job with mindsets formed over their careers. Mrs Rinehart might be of real benefit in such a difficult time. Further, a newspaper with fair, unbiased coverage would provide her with the influence critics say she is seeking. Ron Thomlinson, Inverloch High emotional cost

THE Premier wants students to ''match the performance of students in Finland and Shanghai within 10 years'' (''Baillieu plan to get rid of bad teachers'', The Age, 21/6). His plan appears strongly influenced by, but not critical of, the Grattan Institute's Jensen report. It cites Hong Kong as a ''leading example of successful education strategy and implementation'' and Shanghai as a centre of education excellence that should be emulated by Australia. The consequences of ''academic achievement at any cost'' in Asian cultures are becoming clear. From 2005 to 2010 the suicide rate among teenagers aged 19 and under reportedly increased by 58 per cent. Nearly a quarter of children in Shanghai - some as young as eight and nine - have considered committing suicide because of academic pressure, according to a survey conducted by Fudan University and Shanghai Academy of Education Sciences. Extensive research indicates the leading cause of suicide of Chinese children is excessive stress from school work. Yes, China is forging ahead … but at what cost? Julie Ann Zabinski, Wantirna Price of bailout

AFTER massively subsidising Alcoa's power for decades and providing brown coal from the Anglesea mine for royalties amounting to a few cents per tonne for 50 years, it appears Victorian taxpayers are to provide millions more to bail out the company (''Alcoa bailout to cost taxpayers tens of millions'', The Age, 25/6). Surely it is time the community received a dividend for its investment? The government has just renewed Alcoa's leasehold over the Anglesea heathlands for another 50 years and, although it covers approximately 6½ thousand hectares of flora and fauna of national significance Alcoa has no plans to mine beyond about 600 hectares. Isn't it time for a magnanimous gesture from Alcoa to us for our generosity? The Geelong Environment Council has suggested Alcoa hand back the leasehold it has no intention of mining - a wonderful idea. Better still, why don't the federal and state governments extract this return as part of the bailout? Associate Professor Geoff Wescott, Deakin University, Burwood Labor drags heels

AS PART of the Clean Energy Future package, the government claimed it was going to do some planning on what an Australian 100 per cent renewable energy scenario for 2030 and 2050 would look like. Beyond Zero Emissions produced its plan in 2010, relying heavily on volunteer researchers on a shoestring budget. Yet after almost a year, the Australian Energy Market Operator and Martin Ferguson's Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism have not produced a page of their report; apparently they have not even finished the scoping document. Germany, Denmark, Scotland and the Maldives seem able to make these plans, while New Zealand is going to 90 per cent renewable energy. Cynics would say the government's strategy on renewable energy is to always delay, delay. Every delay means more profits for polluters. On whose side is the government?

Matthew Wright, executive director, Beyond Zero Emissions, Fitzroy Weasel words A FEATURE of government reports seems to be the use of weasel words or pretentious language. Instead of talking about ''sacking'' 5 per cent of teachers, Ted Baillieu's report talked about ''exiting'' the staff. Is the report credible if it cannot face its own truth? Further, the state government has spent millions over the past few years supporting netbooks in classrooms. A report was commissioned to investigate the program. Was it called ''The netbook trial evaluation''? No, that was the subtitle. The official title - ''Ultra mobile personal optimised devices trial in Victorian schools'' - would undoubtedly have secured the approbation of Sir Humphrey Appleby himself. Ross Hudson, Camberwell

ALP has done that ''THE government needs to reintroduce both offshore processing and temporary protection visas, or a variation thereof'' says Amanda Vanstone (Comment, 25/6). My understanding is that the government has reached out to the opposition with a compromise which does just that - as the opposition demanded - and it is the opposition which has turned its back on the olive branch. Tony Abbott and his right-leaning supporters still refuse to discuss solutions with the government, despite the murmuring of some opposition frontbenchers to change their tune, and despite desperate people still losing their lives at sea. Abbott's scaremongering and his lack of statesmanship make him unfit to lead the opposition. Bring back Malcolm Turnbull and we will finally see decent leadership of the Liberals. Tim Reynolds, Port Melbourne Time for fresh blood

"WHEN I was minister for immigration in the Howard government blah blah blah…'' So goes the predictable rant from Amanda Vanstone who, along with Peter Costello, brings down the standard of the Comment & Debate page by continually harking back to ideas from a government booted out of office. Let's have some fresh blood please. Bryan Fraser, St Kilda No excuses GRANT Hackett's rampage in his apartment should not be excused because he didn't physically harm his wife. Just because he didn't hit her doesn't mean he wasn't violent. The behaviours detailed in the article ''Judge me on crisis response: Hackett'' (The Age, 25/6) - targeting his wife's prized possessions, wrecking walls and upturning furniture - are violent and intimidating. They are textbook examples of intimate partner violence and are yet another sad example of the pervasiveness of violence against women in our society. All of us can and should take a stand to prevent violence against women in all its forms. Rita Butera, Women's Health Victoria

Finish line in sight I WANT to reassure Des Lowry (Letters, 25/6) that Indonesian, both method and content, will continue to be available to students studying LOTE (languages other than English) in Bendigo's faculty of education. Even in areas where some subjects may no longer be offered, existing students will be able to finish their degree if they complete in the normal time period. Professor Tim Murray, La Trobe University ...AND ANOTHER THING IT STRETCHES credulity to think Tony Abbott is a regular churchgoer.

Noel Howard, Heathmont Coalition politics THE state government wants to prop up a profitable US company with further subsidies, even though the Point Henry plant is well past its use-by date technologically (hence unsustainable), to support 600 jobs. Meanwhile, it is to slash 3615 workers from the public service under the guise of sustainability. Go figure. Kim van den Berghe, Highton CHRISTOPHER Pyne believes a charter of independence is a relic from another era. He might regard the Fairfax readership similarly, but would no doubt think twice about their vote before opening his mouth.

Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills A PROMINENT Liberal member's election commitment to have a rail crossing upgraded in her electorate is to be honoured, whereas an election commitment to make Victorian teachers the highest paid is not? Maxwell Spence, Montmorency PREMIER, you may have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but what of those who were born with a wooden spoon in theirs? David Seal, Balwyn North

WITH state Liberal governments in Queensland, NSW and Victoria cutting jobs by 20,000, 10,000 and 3600 respectively, who needs to wait for Europe to bring on a recession here? Greg Oates, Huon Creek NEW Liberal Party election mantra: more boats under sea; more votes for Ton-ee. Brett O'Sullivan, Newstead LET'S call a spade a spade. Clive Palmer will address the Liberals' right wing while Andrew Bolt will speak at the extreme right's dinner during the party's federal council.

Phil Alexander, Eltham Black Caviar IT SHOWS just how good the horse and jockey are to win a race like that with neither putting in their best performance. That's why they're champions and the rest of us (especially the critics) are also-rans. Belinda Burke, Hawthorn IT IS a little sad that the most successful Victorian in the world is a horse.

Roger Mendelson, Toorak DON'T let her go to the US. Sigbert Muijsers, East Ballarat Other matters EGYPT'S new Muslim Brotherhood leadership promises to ''rule for all Egyptians'' … under the strictest of fundamentalist Islamic law?

Rosie Elsass, East Brighton Loading IMAGINE, across the globe, a ''no news'' day, including about celebrities and politicians. Could peoplekind cope? I doubt it. Stan Marks, Caulfield