Credit: Illustration: Badiucao
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BRITTANY HIGGINS
Brittany Higgins’ declaration that “it is now time to heal” following the Lehrmann defamation case that brought her the restorative justice that was denied to her in the criminal justice system, is apt.
Indeed, Higgins was put through a protracted and torturous emotional and psychological wringer by competing interests and forces. (“It is now time to heal’: Higgins breaks silence on Lehrmann case”, 20/4)
However, despite having everything bar the kitchen sink hurled at her, Higgins has had the last word in this sordid tale.
Namely, with respect to Justice Michael Lee’s ruling that she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann (on the balance of probabilities), Higgins already knows “l was raped”. A “shame, humiliation and fear” that silences so many other survivors, but didn’t silence Higgins’ voice.
And, despite her “health, memory and relationships hav[ing] been impacted by my rape”, she is still able to offer an olive branch to her former boss, who seemingly can’t see the big picture of harm done to Higgins. Bravo. Jelena Rosic, Mornington
Justice Lee has raised the bar
There has been universal praise for Justice Michael Lee’s 324-page judgment and his two-hour presentation summarising his findings. His reasoning was “emphatic and nuanced” with “sentences ... sometimes paragraph length, with many sub-clauses nestled within” (“Virtues of slowness in an era of vicious social media cycles”, 21/4).
No doubt, those with an interest in challenging his conclusions will be examining these sub-clauses microscopically for weaknesses. Is it too much to ask for our politicians when proposing far-reaching policies, (such as $100 billion submarine deals, changes or rejection of changes to the tax system, actions required to meet our climate commitments etc.) that they also present such nuanced and lengthy analysis instead of the current spin and wedge methods?
Any opposition to these proposals would also require similar detail and nuance.
Hopefully, Justice Lee has raised the bar in more jurisdictions than just the law.
Peter Thomson, Brunswick
Coming to terms with an accusation
Justice Lee properly gave due consideration to a scenario pertaining to a person who has been sexually assaulted coming to terms with ongoing challenges in the workplace. I think he should also have given equal and proper consideration to how a person, after consensual sex, is affected when suddenly confronted with an allegation of rape.
As someone who has been threatened to be “destroyed” by a disaffected former partner, after having had a consensual relationship, I can assure the judge that my state of mind was a combination of panic and helplessness.
Such a situation could well help explain how a series of lies “all over the place” could be made by the accused in some desperation to defend themselves.
Name and address withheld
Higgins’ actions led to workplace review
Brittany Higgins’ statement about Justice Lee’s judgment shows grace, integrity and leadership. Higgins spent five years seeking justice.
Speaking publicly about being raped led to the Jenkins Review that acknowledged the history of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces. Many women thank Brittany Higgins for her courage and resilience.
Sarah Russell, Mount Martha
History repeats itself
Human history is, at heart, the constantly repeating story of men’s violence against men and women, usually generated by religion, power, greed or just sheer stupidity, or all of these combined.
Robyn Westwood, Heidelberg Heights
THE FORUM
Male violence
The Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has called for men to ″step up″ to reduce male violence against women. He claims that men will listen to men and that we should all take responsibility for what we say and do that disrespects women.
Yes, if men were more respectful of women, this may eventually have some impact on serious violence against women, but currently men generally are excusing themselves from doing anything because they don’t see themselves as potential murderers, nor have they been ordered by a court to do a men’s behaviour change program.
While the content of such group programs is educational, the fact that attendance is seen as court-ordered punishment, often results in resistance to participation and learning.
However, when such programs are advertised as ″men and family relationships″ and participation is voluntary, men tend to be much more responsive and often recruit their mates. Perhaps the minister could follow up his ″step-up″ request by increasing access to voluntary local programs in health centres or neighbourhood centres.
Robert Semmens, Brunswick
No single Jewish voice
As a long-time activist in the Jewish community, there has always been division over religious issues, social issues including the Voice, and of course Israel. There has never been just one voice representing approximately 100,000 Jews in Australia, just as there is no one organisation representing any other minority religious or ethnic groups. (“Battle over who speaks for the Jewish community”, 21/4).
What might make the major difference between the Jewish and Muslim communities is it’s very rare to hear any Muslim/Arab organisation or groups criticise Palestinian behaviour, or their military tactics, or praise Israel.
Conversely, you hear from Jewish Australians on all sides of the political spectrum, including anti-Zionist and pro-Palestinian, notwithstanding that these are a very tiny, but very loud and active minority.
Having said that, Israel is what ties the majority of Jewish Australians together.
There is the constant furphy about the so-called influence of the “Jewish lobby”.
If it exists, it certainly is not doing a very good job convincing Penny Wong, Anthony Albanese, universities, trade unions or the myriad of other organisations and groups supporting the Palestinian narrative over the Israeli/Hamas war.
Michael Burd, Toorak
Minority voice
The Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council and other Zionist groups do not represent me.
Thank goodness for the voice of the Jewish Council of Australia, which has the courage to call out the atrocities that Israel is committing and advocate for an immediate ceasefire and “Palestinian freedom and justice″.
Rita Thorpe, Coburg
Whose homeland?
The Jewish Council of Australia has a major credibility problem when it comes to defining what is, or isn’t antisemitism.
For example, it has previously claimed that there is nothing antisemitic about the “Zionism = racism” slogan. Given that Zionism refers to the right of Jews to have a home in the land in which they have had a continual connection for over 3000 years, the JCA needs to answer whether they believe that Jews are the world’s only ethnic or religious minority not entitled to self-determination in their ancestral homeland.
Geoff Feren, St Kilda East
Unforseen circumstances
An out-of-control Israeli prime minister who could plunge the world into war, (″Only one man can stop the world plunging into full-scale war″, 21/4), wasn’t foreseen when in 1947, the UN decided to provide for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Malcolm McDonald, Burwood
Religious identity
Re the article “Senate vacancy opens ALP’s ethnic divide”, 20/4).
Of the four women mentioned, why is Sorina Grasso identified as Jewish? What is the religion of each of the others, or are they irreligious? Does it matter?
What is the profession of Ms Grasso? What is her experience in business or politics?
David Hall, Montmorency
Student debt burden
Many eyes will be on the Albanese government’s HECS changes (“‘Simpler and fairer’: Albanese flags HECS changes in budget relief”, 19/4). That the government currently gains more funds from student HECS debt ($4.9 billion in 2022-23) than from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax ($2.3 billion in 2022-23), is a terrible statistic.
Norway properly taxes its oil and gas industry and offers tertiary education for free. At the very least, Australia’s young people, who are already challenged with cost of living, climate and housing crises, deserve to have the burden of student debt removed.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Indigenous names
Richard Frankland’s efforts (“The push to change our gruesome, racist place names”, 21/4) about replacing the names of places that are offensive to our Indigenous peoples with Aboriginal names, requires support of all Australians.
However, Suzannah Henty’s suggestion of the “ceremonius destruction” of monuments to her family (the first Europeans to settle in Victoria) could also apply to other families, and are well-meant, but there is an alternative.
These statues and monuments were produced by skilled artists and tradespeople, so their destruction would be too brutal, thus they deserve to be retained. The subject of their work is unworthy of any fame, but their craftsmanship is worth keeping.
Why not find a lonely paddock in regional Victoria, (call it “Shame Paddock”), and place them all on display to remind us and future generations of their misdeeds?
For the same reasons, add a plaque listing the offensive names that have been changed to Indigenous names.
Kevin Vidler, Mount Waverley
Renaming solution
May I suggest a simple solution to renaming creeks and places that are offensive to Indigenous peoples. Name them after the tree or grass or shrub etc. that is endemic to that area. Then it can remain locally relevant, educate people about the local flora, and surely not possibly offend anyone.
Indigenous peoples aside, there are far too many lobby groups, or religious groups that could put up their hands up and cry foul.
It will be a bureaucratic nightmare having multiple focus groups to ensure there are equitable naming outcomes of, for example, a rural bridge. Redgum Creek sounds awesome.
Who, aside from developers doesn’t love a tree?
Shaun Dunford, Mount Gambier, SA
Opportunity to learn
Cultures are constantly changing, but many, understandably, want to retain the old to keep connections with the past.
Changing place names that offend First Nations people is a terrific opportunity to grow as a nation by walking together to acknowledge past wrongs, and deepen understanding and connections with each other.
The non-Indigenous people need to self-educate ourselves as to the historical circumstances that make these names very uncomfortable for the first peoples living here.
There are many men who have been honoured with place names, who certainly didn’t deserve accolades. However, everyone has their limits, and I would have trouble getting my head around going to the Naarm Cricket Ground.
Howard Tankey, Box Hill North
ABC radio ratings
I was puzzled by the letter (“ABC Female Deficit”, 20/4) in which the writer believes ABC Melbourne’s low audience figures are due to the lack of female presenters. The latest ratings survey showed that 3AW had an overall audience share more than double that of the ABC (13.8 versus 6 per cent share) despite having even fewer female broadcasters. The success of the Nine radio station is its breadth and diversity of opinion, and it gives all its listeners an equal voice.
Roger Farrer, Hampton
More conservative women
Your correspondent says a lack of female presenters is one of the reasons why ABC Melbourne radio ratings are so poor (Letters, 20/4). Until recently, Virginia Trioli and Jacinta Parsons were both regular high-profile presenters, yet their ratings were equally dismally low.
It’s not the gender of hosts that is the ABC’s problem, but what they talk about.
People are sick of the relentless focus on ″progressive″ issues likely to appeal only to a left-of-centre audience.
Perhaps the ABC could appoint a few women broadcasters with conservative views, thereby fixing both problems in one hit.
Greg Hardy, Upper Ferntree Gully
Elon Musk’s X
Elon Musk’s response to the eCommissioner’s request to pull down content around the Sydney stabbings is disgraceful. (″Take down order ‘unlawful and dangerous’: X rejects Australian law″, 20/4).
Australia has every right to, and in fact should, strive for a decent and non-violent online community. We do not have to accept that anything goes. It is difficult to see the value of X of late, which appears to largely be a sanctuary for trolls.
Fiona White, Alfredton
Eltham lore
Re ″Growing up Green″, 20/4, Merrick Watts’ comments on punch-ups in the lounge of the Eltham pub.
I have lived in Eltham since 1981 and drank in the lounge every Friday and took my family to dinner frequently there during the ’80s and ’90s and never saw a fight or any altercation.
Public bar, sure.
Once, a bloke went in with a chainsaw and started cutting up the furniture – in the public bar, not the lounge. Bob Morrow, Eltham
AND ANOTHER THING
Anzac Day
What are we “celebrating” on Anzac Day? Thousands of our young men were conned into going (and dying) to a war which had nothing to do with Australia.
David Ginsbourg, East Bentleigh
What’s in a name?
The Jewish Council of Australia, clearly isn’t the most representative of the various Jewish groups in Australia but they serve a very useful purpose of being a healthy counter-balance to the other hardline organisations. (″What’s in a name? The battle over who speaks for whom in Australia’s Jewish community″, 21/4).
Kevin Burke, Sandringham
I saw footage of a young Palestinian girl ,maybe 10–12 years old, crying pitifully, saying “I want my legs back”. They were both taken off at the knee. How can America and other countries, including us, show such indifference to the murdering, maiming and starving of children?
John Cain, McCrae
Furthermore
How do the doomsayers declaring that the Victorian economy is tanking with businesses fleeing the state explain the fact that Victoria has the fastest growing population in the nation?
Peter Bennett, Clifton Hill
I enjoyed David Astle’s views on apostrophes and punctuation (“Taylor’s title pulls a poetic Swiftie”, 21/4). Singers/poets are usually aware of correct use, but recognise the need for poetic licence: purists will continue to weep.
Mary Cole, Richmond
Having read the article ″Your Brain Waves are up for Sale″, 20/4, my comment would be: ″You won’t have a mind of your own soon″.
Marlene Laurent, East Bentleigh
Re “Coffee curve tells all about consumption”, 20/4. Coffee sophistication in the 1950s was a bottle of Bushells Essence of Coffee and sweetened chicory.
Margaret Skeen, Pt Lonsdale
Trump didn’t fall asleep in court, he was just resting his lies.
Jamie Dwyer, Cowes
Finally
Aren’t all experiences “lived″?
Robyn Carey, North Fitzroy
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2024-04-21 10:00:00Z
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