The people cannot be so easily fooled How dare you, Prime Minister? Do you think we can be hoodwinked by the resignation of Bridget McKenzie when the real transgression is the misuse of ministerial power in handing out government grants? I do not care if previous Labor or Coalition governments have been guilty of similar transgressions. That does not make it right. Lyndal Bond, Toolangi A government's duty to act with probity The sports rorts disgrace should be no surprise to us. The government did not expect to win the May election, so it shored up support to mitigate the loss. It now needs to accept responsibility for its actions. Similarly, holding the refugees in Papua New Guinea and Nauru for six years shored up its "tough on border control" credentials, with an expectation that it would not be the Coalition's responsibility to deal with the underlying humanitarian issue. Another year on, there is still no sense that the government accepts responsibility.

Whatever the complexion of our government, it should act with probity, informed by compassion. Apparently that demand is met with ridicule by the federal political class who act as if political power is all that matters. Harold Zwier, Elsternwick Too many lies and misleading claims It is apparent that a number of federal ministers have lied to the public. How many of them trotted out the "all the projects were eligible" line in their responses to the sports rorts affair? And now we find that almost half of the funded projects were ineligible. Put that with the misleading claim that Australia will meet its emissions target "in a canter" and there appears to be no reason why we would continue to trust this government. Marg D'Arcy, Rye

Is this why Morrison didn't sack McKenzie? It appears the Prime Minister waited so long, and held off sacking Bridget McKenzie, because he was in on the act and complicit. Under our Westminster system, to sack her meant he would have had to sack himself too. Well, that would never happen so McKenzie fell on her sword. No doubt this was after long conversations about her future, including a nice, little sinecure or ministerial position in about 12 months (using the "cricket ball tampering" sentence as a guide). Dennis Whelan, Balwyn Ministers must reject bad or unethical advice Is David Crowe (Comment, 14/2) suggesting that scandals like Angus Taylor's false travel expense assertions and Bridget McKenzie's sports rorts were mostly due to bad advice provided by poor ministerial advisers? Is he suggesting that ministers have so little competence that they are unable to judge the quality of advice and are unable to recognise unethical advice? I think Sir Humphrey Appleby would agree that a minister receives exactly the advice he or she wants.

Judy Kevill, Ringwood THE FORUM Unethical bipartisanship Has the National Integrity Commission Bill – introduced by Greens senator Larissa Waters – been languishing, since September, in the lower house because the Coalition has gagged a vote on it, even though the Senate has approved it? Is this intransigence related to publicly expressed disquiet that many ministers' conduct might merit investigation from an anti-corruption body? Also, given its silence, is Labor privately happy with this inertia? Bipartisanship on self-interest, surely not?

Carlo Ursida, Kensington A very unsafe journey It is late Tuesday night. I have just returned home after collecting my daughter from Royal Park, Parkville. Her tram ride was cut short by an announcement that the tram was running late and the driver had been instructed to dump all passengers, with no warning, in one of the darkest parts of the park, far from main roads. This was so it could get back on schedule and attempt to address Yarra Tram's abysmal punctuality record. This is the same park, and almost the same location, where a young woman was brutally murdered less than a year ago. Less than a kilometre away, another young woman was also murdered, after a violent sexual assault, about two years ago. Unfortunately Yarra Trams applies its policy of dumping passengers frequently. Who at Yarra Trams believes that abandoning them at such a location, after dark, is not taking this policy to an extreme? Nicolette Freeman, West Coburg

Good and bad science? Our government heeds the advice of medical experts regarding coronavirus yet ignores the advice of climate experts regarding the warming of our planet. Their extreme positions suggest they are coronavirus alarmists and climate change deniers. Sarah Russell, Northcote Sensible precautions Jan Ong (Letters, 14/2) says a Filipino friend caught a tram and sat down. The woman next to her "immediately got hand sanitiser from her handbag, rubbed some on her hands and then proceeded to rub it onto her clothing along the side where my friend was sitting".

Rather than jumping to conclusions that this might be "racial abuse", people should spare a moment to think: maybe this woman was sick, taking immunosuppressants and was trying to protect herself from contracting a potentially fatal disease from a potential carrier. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry? Swarna Pinto, Lalor Don't take us for granted Too right we residents are at war with Labor over its proposal to dump contaminated soil in Wyndham Vale (The Age, 14/2). But as with the proposal to build a youth detention centre here, this suggested site may be a red herring to gain acquiescence for another one nearby which may be considered slightly more acceptable. Any site in Wyndham is unacceptable for this waste. Residents are sick of being the recipient of undesirable projects or dumps handed down by government. We already deal with most of Melbourne's sewage and land-fill waste. Enough. We may be a blue-ribbon Labor seat, but not for long.

John Marks, Werribee Handling toxic material Lest any politician or corporation forget the surge of power and determination the Wyndham community showed in 1997, when CSR tried to turn a quarry into a toxic dump site. Both the Kennett and Bracks governments continued the silly search for somewhere to dump toxic waste, despite expert advice that there were better ways to handle this material. Contaminated soils can be treated, other toxic chemicals can be distilled and reused. Instead of hitting the panic button because a road project is behind schedule, it is time for calm cool heads and independent expertise. Bernadette George, Mildura

Please, keep to the left Lord mayor Sally Capp made a number of good points about Melbourne's "declining manners" (Comment, 13/2). Keeping to the left is becoming a real problem now that our city is growing so rapidly and also because many residents come from countries where keeping to the right is the norm. If the council were to paint a line down the centre of, say, Elizabeth and Swanson streets between LaTrobe and Flinders streets, together with the occasional "Keep Left" marking, I am sure pedestrians would comply and the practice would become accepted throughout the CBD. Rod Evans, Parkville Seeking straight answers Well done, Barry Jones (Comment, 14/2) an excellent article on the "climate change questions" we should ask all politicians. But will we ever get straight answers? I live in hope.

Michael Cleaver, Southbank Waiting, still waiting Will our prime minister answer Barry Jones' fantastic and searching questions? Will it be a statement in the House of Representatives or on Q&A? Or will he brush the matter aside using some well-thought-through marketing ploy? Howard Brownscombe, Brighton Hard slog to own a home

We bought our tiny house for $45,000 in 1978. This took the greater part of two incomes, at a time when interest rates skyrocketed to 17.5 per cent. I made our curtains, covers for furniture we found in junk shops and we frequently drove to trash-and-treasure markets to sell whatever collectables we had to pay our rates. We often arrived at weekends with around $1 in our pockets. Today our house would be worth around $1 million. That is not our doing. It does not mean we are rich. If, as some "experts" declare, people like us should be paying tax on our "asset", we would have to sell it in order to eat. Such are the circumstances of many Boomers. The generation that tried to prevent young men being sent to Vietnam, and campaigned for equal pay, a national health service and access for women to male-dominated jobs, did not create the appalling financial circumstances so many young people now live in. House prices are ludicrous, driving people out of the market or into renting. It is driven by our old pal, "Sheer Bloody Greed", limiting in so many ways that elusive Australian dream. Paulette Gittins, South Yarra The freedom to teach

No wonder 40per cent of teachers leave the profession in their first five years. Wouldn't you if you were forever put under a microscope? It used to be a vocation where a teacher was trained at a teachers college, then trusted to be able to perform their duty without being subjected to peer reviews and forever feeling as though they were not good enough. Let teachers get back to their core role and trust that their training has been of a quality that allows them the freedom to teach without interference. Bernadine Good, Newtown Let the flag fly freely It was great to see the Aboriginal flag flying over the Westgate Bridge on Thursday for the anniversary of the apology to the Stolen Generations. When will we see it flying permanently alongside the Australian flag?

Neil McMillan, Point Cook 60? Just a young girl If Emma Betty's student peers have blessed her with the title "Nana Betty" due to her return to study at the ripe old age of 34 (The Age Online, 14/2), I am intrigued with what moniker may be bestowed upon me who, at the age of 60, returns to university this week. Great granny maybe? Dianne Wilson, Belgrave Relax, it's a bit of fun

Hear, hear Kerrie Sackville – "Don't fall into the Valentine's Day trap" (Comment, 14/2). Let us not stop there. Why not next rail against Mother's Day and Father's Day? These are also "just a social construct created by the industrial complex to exploit the consumer". Maybe birthdays should also not be celebrated? Lighten up, Kerrie. It is not nearly as big a deal as you seem to think. John Paine, Kew East AND ANOTHER THING Politics When our health is at risk, we believe medical science. When our grandkids' health is at risk, we ignore climate science.

Phil Lipshut, Elsternwick What have they got to hide? When will we get a federal anti-corruption commission with teeth? Hylton Reid, Glen Waverley The latest sports rorts revelations highlight the government's win at any cost mentality. Annie Wilson, Inverloch

Happiness is a warm rort. David Blom, Nunawading Corruption is the new normal and seems very lucrative. How do I get some? Is there an application form or do you have to know someone? Craig McArthur, Sunderland Bay The Morrison government, doomed by its own dishonesty.

Tom Quinn, Rowville Imagine having MPs who are more interested in the good of the country than in their own re-election. Sigh. Anna Summerfield, Bendigo US Democrats need a street fighter for the street fight to come. Malcolm McDonald, Burwood

Does the Office of the PM stand for Prime Minister, Pre-Marketing, Past Miracles or all three? Peter Thomas, Pascoe Vale Thank God for Shaun Micallef who preserves current political realities for future quiet Australians. Denis Young, Sandringham Furthermore

Melbourne's declining manners (13/2). Well said, Sally Capp. Joan Campbell, St Kilda Art is what you can get away with. Mark Hulls, Sandringham I remember when CUB unions went on strike at Christmas. Now it's tram strikes during the Grand Prix. Same dog, just different fleas.

Peter Lesuey, Kennington No one is "owed" respect by virtue of their position. It must be earned. And respect is a two-way street. Michael Gamble, Belmont

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