Justice Michael Lee judgement on Lehrmann case as cultural touchstone

There is no single Jewish voice
As a long-time activist in the Jewish community, there has always been division on religious issues, social issues, including the Voice, and of course Israel. There has never been a voice representing the approximately 100,000 Jews in Australia, just as there is no organization representing any other minority ethnic or religious group. (“Battle for who speaks for the Jewish community”, 21/4).
What may be the main difference between the Jewish and Muslim communities is that it is very rare to hear any Arab/Muslim organization or group criticizing the behavior of the Palestinians, or their military tactics, or praising Israel.
Conversely, you hear Australian Jews from all sides of the political spectrum, including anti-Zionists and pro-Palestinians, despite being a very small but very strong and active minority.
That said, Israel is what unites most Australian Jews.
There is constant furphy about the so-called influence of the “Jewish lobby”.
If it exists, it certainly isn't doing very well convincing Penny Wong, Anthony Albanese, universities, unions, or the myriad of other organizations and groups that support the Palestinian narrative about the Israel-Hamas war.
Michael Burd, Toorak

Minority voice
Australia Israel and the Council of Jewish Affairs and other Zionist groups do not represent me.
Thank God for the voice of the Jewish Council of Australia, which has the courage to call out the atrocities being committed by Israel and call for an immediate ceasefire and “Palestinian freedom and justice”.
Rita Thorpe, Coburg

Whose homeland?
The Jewish Council of Australia has a huge credibility problem when it comes to defining what is and isn't antisemitism.
For example, it has previously been claimed that there is nothing anti-Semitic about the slogan “Zionism = racism”. Since Zionism is about the right of Jews to have a home in the land where they have had a continuous connection for over 3000 years, the JCA must answer whether it believes that Jews are the only ethnic or religious minority in the world that he has no right to self-determination in his ancestral homeland.
Geoff Feren, St Kilda East

Unforeseen circumstances
An out-of-control Israeli prime minister who could plunge the world into war (″​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ , the UN decided to provide a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Malcolm McDonald, Burwood

Religious identity
Regarding the article “The vacancy in the Senate opens the ethnic division of ALP”, 20/4).
Of the four women mentioned, why does Sorina Grasso identify as Jewish? What is each other's religion, or are they irreligious? does it matter
What is Ms. Grasso's profession? What is your experience in business or politics?
David Hall, Montmorency

Student debt burden
Many eyes will be on the Albanian government's HECS changes (“'Simpler and fairer': Albanian marks HECS changes in budget relief”, 19/4). That the government currently earns more funding from HECS student debt ($4.9 billion in 2022-23) than it does from the oil resource income tax ($2.3 billion in 2022-23) is a terrible statistic.
Norway properly taxes its oil and gas industry and offers free tertiary education. At the very least, young Australians, already challenged by the cost of living, the climate and the housing crisis, deserve to have their student debt burden lifted.
Amy Hiller, Kew

Indigenous names
Richard Frankland's efforts (“The push to change our hideous, racist place names”, 21/4) to replace place names that are offensive to our Indigenous peoples with Aboriginal names require the support of all Australians.
However, Suzannah Henty's suggestion about the “ceremonial destruction” of monuments to her family (the first Europeans to settle in Victoria) could also apply to other families, and they are well-meaning, but there is a alternative
These statues and monuments were produced by skilled artists and merchants, so their destruction would be too brutal, so they deserve to be preserved. The subject of his work is unworthy of any fame, but his craftsmanship is worth preserving.
Why not find a lone paddock in regional Victoria (call it the 'Paddock of Shame') and put them all on display to remind us and future generations of their deeds?
For the same reasons, add a plaque listing offensive names that have been changed to indigenous names.
Kevin Vidler, Mount Waverley

Rename solution
I can suggest a simple solution to change the name of streams and places that are offensive to indigenous peoples. Name them after the tree or grass or shrub etc. which is endemic to this area. Then it can remain locally relevant, educate people about the local flora and certainly not offend anyone.
Apart from indigenous peoples, there are too many pressure groups or religious groups that could throw up their hands and cry foul.
It will be a bureaucratic nightmare to have multiple focus groups to ensure there are equitable naming outcomes for, say, a rural bridge. Redgum Creek sounds amazing.
Who, besides developers, doesn't like a tree?
Shaun Dunford, Mount Gambier, SA

Opportunity to learn
Cultures are constantly changing, but many understandably want to keep the old to maintain connections with the past.
Changing the names of places that offend First Nations peoples is a fantastic opportunity to grow as a nation by walking together to acknowledge the wrongs of the past and deepen our understanding and connections with each other.
We non-indigenous people need to educate ourselves about the historical circumstances that make these names very uncomfortable for the first peoples living here.
There are many men who have been honored with place names, who certainly do not deserve praise. Everyone has their limits though, and I'd have trouble 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 poor audience figures are due to a lack of female presenters. The latest ratings survey showed 3AW had more than double the overall audience share of the ABC (13.8 compared to 6%) despite having even fewer female broadcasters. Nine's success is its breadth and diversity of opinion, giving all its listeners an equal voice.
Roger Farrer, Hampton

More conservative women
Your correspondent says the lack of female presenters is one of the reasons ABC Melbourne radio's ratings are so poor (Letters, 20/4). Until recently, Virginia Trioli and Jacinta Parsons were regular high-profile presenters, but their ratings were similarly low.
The problem with the ABC is not the gender of the hosts, but what they talk about.
People are fed up with the relentless focus on ″​​progressive″​​ issues that will probably only appeal to a left-of-center audience.
Perhaps the ABC could appoint some women broadcasters with conservative views, thus fixing both problems in one fell swoop.
Greg Hardy, Upper Ferntree Gully

X by Elon Musk
Elon Musk's response to the e-commissioner's request to take down content surrounding the Sydney stabbings is disgraceful. (″​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Australia has every right to, and indeed should, strive for a decent and non-violent online community. We must not accept that anything goes. It's hard to see the value of X recently, which seems to be largely a sanctuary for trolls.
Fiona White, Alfredton

Knowledge of Eltham
Re ″​​Growing up Green″​​, 20/4, Merrick Watts comments about punching in Eltham pub lounge.
I have lived in Eltham since 1981 and drank in the saloon every Friday and took my family there for dinner frequently in the 80's and 90's and never saw a fight or altercation.
Public bar, of course.
One time a guy came in with a chainsaw and started cutting the furniture, in the public bar, not the lounge. Bob Morrow, Eltham