Voice referendum result reveals who we are

Amid the grieving, a small consolation

The vast majority of Indigenous people are grieving today at the failure of a majority of their fellow Australians to vote Yes. More than 5 million Australians who voted Yes will be similarly grieving the nation’s loss. We all had a chance to make it better, and we failed.

It may be small consolation for our Indigenous peoples, but 5 million of your fellow Australians displayed their love, compassion, understanding and generosity for you, and will continue to do so.

Ross Robbins, Launceston, Tas

Albanese: chief advocate’s shallow thinking

The chest-beating and wailing from the Yes camp is sad but predictable. The Yes vote failed because it was a flawed product and its chief advocate, the prime minister, misrepresented the implications of his proposal by claiming he wanted to implement the “one-page” Uluru Statement from the Heart, even though it contains 27 pages.

Ultimately, the proposal was flawed and indicative of Anthony Albanese’s incapacity to see the consequences of his shallow thinking.

Greg Angelo, Balwyn North, Vic

Let’s hear the No ideas for closing the gap

I eagerly anticipate the many ideas from No voters on how to reduce our Indigenous community’s disadvantage and despair. I’m naturally intrigued by the prospect of the Coalition revealing solutions that seemed to elude it during nine years in government. I’m encouraged to learn that so many non-Indigenous Australians feel strongly that they know what’s best for our Indigenous brethren. Even after 235 years of miserable failure.

It’s going to be eye-opening, maybe even eye-watering, to contemplate the brilliant ideas suddenly revealed. Or not.

Graeme Russell, Clifton Hill, Vic

Dutton’s lack of principled vision

The bitterness, doubt and sense of emptiness Coalition voters feel now after the referendum result is what they can expect if they stick with Peter Dutton. The reason for his No advocacy was seen in Queensland: 68 per cent voted No. Having no principled vision, he was bound by the polls. Rather than rising with leadership, fear won in our great country. Such governance is beneath what it means to be Australian.

Martin Bell, Balgowlah, NSW

All-or-nothing stance falls flat

Loose terminology together with vagueness and ambiguity contributed greatly to the Voice being rejected. Don’t let this all-or-nothing approach happen to our electricity sector. Renewables can and should make a valuable contribution but they’ll never reach 100 per cent without sending us broke.

Gordon Thurlow, Mooloolah Valley, Qld

Let’s indeed move on from the mortgage ‘cliff’

John Kehoe (October 12) is right to try to move the economic debate on from the unhelpful “interest rate cliff” analogy. This gave the misleading impression that all or most borrowers with fixed-rate loans would transition to much higher variable rates at once.

In reality it was always going to be a much more gradual process. And the transition is not an unexpected shock either.

Borrowers with fixed-rate loans have known since April 2022 that the Reserve Bank was in the process of moving interest rates up from the unprecedented COVID-era lows to something more normal. So if they did not already have any buffers, they have had a lot of time to gradually adjust their spending patterns.

Kehoe is also right that the “last mile” of the inflation fight may be the hardest. The RBA’s own forecasts show inflation falling from almost 8 per cent at the end of 2022 to just over 4 per cent by the end of 2023. But it then takes two more years before inflation falls below 3 per cent.

John Hawkins, University of Canberra

Not too late to heed the man from Galilee

Like the Jews in Israel, the Palestinians are Semitic people. These various Semitic tribes have been fighting over the same piece of land for some 3000 years, but with more deadly weapons and effects as each year passes. A sect that became Christianity emerged out of Judaism when a Jewish peasant advocated non-violence as the solution to this incessant conflict by learning to follow the golden rule of loving one’s neighbours as oneself.

He got executed for his teaching and way of life, but not before it had taken hold and spread into the neighbouring world and beyond. Gandhi picked up this belief and considered Christianity the best religion if only it was practised instead of being used to colonise and convert the rest of the world. Nelson Mandela, after a period of armed struggle, adopted non-violence in overcoming the violence of apartheid and transitioning to democracy in South Africa. Hopefully, after some 2000 years, this Jewish peasant from the Galilean hills will get a better hearing among the present combatants in the Middle East and the wider world.

Richard Smith, Claremont, WA

Complex conflict requires context

The events of the past few days, beginning with the Hamas incursion into Israel and the subsequent retaliatory actions, have sent shockwaves globally. The complexity of the issue is difficult to comprehend, let alone report on in a manner that appeases everyone.

It should be noted, however, that the media’s dominant narrative has been shaped by decades of geopolitical and strategic interests, and can contradict humanitarian objectives. Such reportage is complicit in the violence that we saw spill into Israel. Failure to acknowledge the helplessness accrued from 75 years of dehumanising occupation is unhelpful.

When the oppressed know of nothing but violence, violence is what they shall use. This has been made evident. Historical context is essential to understanding what is unfolding in Gaza and Israel.

Cameron Stevens, Melbourne, Vic

My favourite quote is Joe’s take on Twiggy

Following previous leads (e.g. “Not your average Joe”, Letters, October 11), I think The Australian Financial Review should invite all readers to nominate their favourite line from Joe Aston. Mine was on Twiggy Forest: “If Twiggy was standing outside the state library in a Nepalese poncho with a megaphone, you’d cross the street to avoid him. Instead he’s the proprietor of a $65 billion company with a massive cheque book, so everyone nods along in unison.” We’ll miss you, Joe.

Martin Palin, Collaroy, NSW

Double standard for Assange in prison

Australians, I am sure, welcome the release of Cheng Lei from prison in China after very public and strong representation from the Australian government (“China frees Cheng Lei from jail”, October 12).

The same level of pressure has never been applied to secure the release of Julian Assange. The Australian government appears timid and weak in attempts to release Assange, as if unable and unwilling to publicly demand an ally drop its charges. Perhaps Assange would have a better chance of freedom if he were in a Chinese prison.

Ian Christesen, Yandina Creek, Qld