June 15, 2026 — 8:00pmTo submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.ONE NATIONOne Nation appears to stand on a platform of negativity, us-and-them divisions, and mining. We are yet to hear from One Nation any true vision or plans for the long-term future of Australia.It is very easy for them to say, “If you’re not happy with what you’ve got then vote for us”, but that is not enough. People need to understand what they are voting for, when they are going to vote, not just what they are voting against.Of further concern, is trying to envisage Pauline Hanson or any of One Nation’s representatives generating the necessary credibility to generate respect on the world stage.It is important for Australia to remain a strong partner in regional and global discussions but we have had no evidence that they have turned their attention to anything beyond our borders.Please Australia, when you are voting, listen to the anger and rhetoric, observe the black hole of policies covering health, ageing, housing, and the economy – and consider what is really at stake.Claire Merry, WantirnaImagine a Labor and Greens’ coalitionSean Kelly’s column ″⁣ALP revolution v One Nation Express″⁣ (15/6) could have gone two steps further in making an assessment where Australia goes from here. The single party Labor government should now engage in a fierce, challenging and open debate with One Nation about the complete irrelevance and danger of its policy approach, and declare the ALP to be social democratic party of the left.Let us also consider a formal coalition of Labor with the Greens in a governing majority and enable our country go forward on the path of progressive social democratic reform.Henk van Leeuwen, ElsternwickWe’ve been here before″⁣Voters want Hanson as PM″⁣ (15/6). Sure, just like it was Joh for PM, Bronwyn Bishop for PM and John Elliott for PM. Next?Campbell Duncan, HawthornHanson’s many hatsWe have a Victorian Labor Party and a Coalition, but where is a specific Victorian One Nation Party? Where is that party’s Jacinta Allan or Jess Wilson equivalent?If One Nation were to win power in the November state elections, who would fill the roles of premier, treasurer and other ministers? People with no parliamentary or governing experience? It’s a frightening thought.Pauline Hanson and her small clique centralise all decision making and demand members’ compliance.The most likely result would be a state government controlled from Queensland, with Hanson (who also has no governing experience) as an unelected, outsider proxy premier/treasurer/minister for everything. An equally frightening thought.Jenny Herbert, MetungIs this a case of eyes wide shut?According to The Age, a majority of Australians prefer Hanson to Albanese as prime minister.She promises, just as Trump did, to ″⁣clear the swamp″⁣. It worked with Trump, twice, despite his proving to be, arguably, the most corrupt president in American history.Does this mean that Hanson supporters haven’t been paying attention to what is happening in the US? Or, does it mean they have, and like what they see?Either way, this being a democracy, we shall surely get what we deserve if we elect Hanson.Claude Miller, CastlemaineTHE FORUMGoodbye, Anthony ...Anthony Albanese, even true believers like myself have lost faith in you as a leader. Sadly, there is not a glimmer of anything Keating-esque about you.You unashamedly grovel in the presence of Donald Trump, and you believe that the throwing of millions of dollars at future projects will sway voters. Well hello, it’s not working.The way you and Richard Marles have disallowed any discussion on AUKUS will be the albatross you will be saddled with. Stand up for future generations or hand over the keys to The Lodge to someone who will thrive on the mess you have created.By the way, your use of caucus solidarity to get your way appears to be very Trumpian to me.Christopher Morgan, Northcote... and so long, JacintaAs a long-time Labor advocate I can say, without doubt, that Labor won’t survive the next Victorian election if the party keeps Jacinta Allan in play. She and her hunting cronies need to go now and Labor needs someone more empathetic to Victorians and their love of nature.Labor has never seemed to make the connection that Australians, on the whole, are huge animal and environment lovers. Its policies on these points are archaic and belong in some long ago colonial soup. Why? Surely the party does demographic research? There are more wildlife rescues and environmental groups than ever before. Not to mention those who oppose any animal cruelty not only gaining numbers, but doing so in large proportions. So why keep someone like Allan, who has time and time again behaved more like a dictator rather than a spokesperson of the people?Duck hunting was set to be banned but she makes a captain’s call and keeps the atrocity going. Jumps racing should have gone too. As well as the horrendous kangaroo harvesting which now is in public parkland. She has almost singlehandedly destroyed Labor in Victoria.Diane Roberts, BonshawBoy cries wolfThe prime minister’s actions are like a modern version of the fable ″⁣The boy who cried wolf‴⁣⁣. He’s done something credible in continuing fuel supplies to Australia with the prices dropping to pre-Iran war levels, but people have turned their backs on him long ago. He disappointed voters so often on gambling reform, a tax on gas, and affordable housing that he’s been left on his own to face the One Nation wolf.Des Files, BrunswickNo easy answersIt is great to see discussion building about the causes of so much that is happening – ″⁣Wealth Creation″⁣ and ″⁣Stop your squabbling″⁣ (Letters, 15/6). The move to populist parties (such as One Nation and Reform UK), crime rates, anti-immigration protests around the world and more all stem from the ever-growing income and wealth inequality.The ″⁣ordinary person″⁣ in the street is disillusioned with their current position, and their and their children’s future position, and simplistic ″⁣blame this lot or that lot″⁣ is all that is being offered and therefore grabbed with both hands.Similarly, ″⁣adult time for adult crime″⁣ and making bail harder are doing nothing to address the same underlying cause. If two working parents are struggling with rent and have little hope for a successful future, why wouldn’t latchkey teens turn to crime, gangs, cash for arson, home break-ins etc?It might be after my time here is done (Boomer that I am), but unless something changes, I feel a lot more trouble is ahead.Keith Wilson, RyeMission not accomplishedThe prospect of a ceasefire in Iran (″⁣Let the oil flow’: Trump says Iran, US have reached peace deal″⁣, 15/6) is welcome news, though it is unclear what the US and Israel have gained from this war.The Iranian regime did not collapse, and the killing of Ali Khamenei only resulted in him being replaced by his more extreme son Motjaba. The ceasefire deal does not seem to address Iran’s ballistic missile program, or its funding for terrorist proxies. The US and Iran have agreed to further negotiation over Iran’s nuclear program, though productive negotiations were taking place before the war too, until they were disrupted by the American-Israeli strikes. The war accomplished virtually nothing other than to increase cost-of-living pressures around the world.Nikhil Dhanabal, Clyde NorthData centre questionsIs it time for technology impact statements to be required and used before decisions about data centres are made?On reading ″⁣Data centres power what we do online,″⁣ (14/6) about the claims of operators, three matters struck me: there was no mention of the amount and quality of the water needed to cool the data centres and where this would come from; do we need so many data centres?Who will benefit and what are the negative spillover effects that impact on communities? Lastly, the claim about an urgent timeline for investment reminds me of the old sales trick of manufacturing a competing bid. Let’s take our time and get this right for once.Rosemary Marcon, HawthornLatrobe Valley towersDriving along the Princes Highway to the Latrobe Valley, I see many paddocks with four sets of electricity transmission towers that have been there for decades. Elsewhere, I see many long-standing towers on farmland. The landowners and power companies all came to an arrangement for these towers, so I’m left wondering why it’s such a problem now and with how many landowners.Would we hear as many complaints if they were to connect new coal-fired or even nuclear power stations? Or is the real problem a minority of landowners who just don’t like renewables? Or is it simply a more mundane negotiating tactic to get a better payment deal? I suspect city people aren’t getting the full picture, and I’m wondering if rural communities aren’t either.Mark Freeman, MacleodMade for walkingI’ve often wondered how to walk the length of our Yarra River, a vital part of Melbourne’s history, and had given up trying to plot a walk due to confusion about what areas were already open and what areas seemed inaccessible or confusing to navigate.The Birrarung Valley walk (″⁣The bid to create a world-class Yarra trek, from river mouth to near mountain source″⁣, 15/6) lays it all out for us at last. What a wonderful walk, a combination of city, country and culture. I’ll be polishing up the walking boots in anticipation.Shelley Durance, BeaumarisBack to the futureRe the proposal to use drones to automatically track and recognise sharks (“We can resist bites and live alongside sharks. Will we?“(15/6). Marine scientist and columnist Culum Brown writes, “This is where the future lies”.As a child on Frankston beach in the 1950s, I recall the shark plane which used to fly around the bay looking for sharks. At the sound of the shark alarm, swimmers would rush out of the water in great panic.Jules Klok, Noble ParkHothouse or outThank you to your correspondent (Letters, 15/6) for chiding The Age for the expression ″⁣elite schools″⁣. The most expensive schools in Australia are only elite in that they can pick and choose their students, in other words, exclusive.No kids with learning difficulties or poor behaviour there, and if anyone’s parent can no longer afford the obscene fees, the kid is out.What started as church schools before compulsory education, private schools no longer disseminate religious values but pander to those who want a hothouse education for their offspring.Megan Peniston-Bird, KewCome togetherAustralia’s 2-0 soccer victory over Turkey at the World Cup was not just a spectacular display of emerging talent, but it was also good for the country in bringing about a tangible sense of civil unity that has been sorely absent in recent years. How refreshing, too, to see young athletes singing the Australian national anthem, rather than standing grimly, looking morose and mouthing the words half-heartedly.Regardless of how much success the Socceroos have in their remaining games, a defining win both on and off the pitch has been resoundingly achieved and Australia is all the better for it.Peter Waterhouse, CraigieburnBolt the doorThe Socceroos mantra from Tony Popovic is, ″⁣why not us?″⁣ Italy won four World Cups playing their renowned ultra defensive soccer, ″⁣Catenaccio″⁣. The Socceroos could go far in this World Cup with their own defence-first style.Patrick Alilovic, Pascoe Vale SouthBeautiful sportIn a world where countries and politics sadly divide people, it’s sport that unites people and is why soccer is called the beautiful game.The sacrifices of some players has lifted them out of poverty and is the culmination of blood, sweat and tears towards their sporting success.Let the passion of the World Cup sweep through Melbourne and even if you think it’s boring you can be swept up in the heartfelt emotions of soccer fans.Pam Papadopoulos, South YarraLove storyWe were sitting outside a cafe in Footscray with my son’s 10-year- old French bulldog when a young family sat down next to us. They immediately began fussing with the dog.″⁣His name is Romeo,″⁣ I told them. The mother smiled and nodded at her seven-year-old daughter. ″⁣And this is Juliet,″⁣ she said.It was love at first sight.Tony Newport, Hillwood, TasAND ANOTHER THINGMatt GoldingWar and peaceIran has pretty much conceded nothing and we are back to where we were under the Obama administration. Fantastic. Great move. Well done, Donald.Brandon Mack, DeepdeneNow that the war’s over, when will they start building the Arc de Trump?Tommy Puckett, AshgroveOne NationWould Hanson as prime minister mean the future demise of the beloved Socceroos? One Nation’s immigration policy would mean fewer talented kids from various backgrounds coming up through the ranks.Sue Peterken, BerwickAustralia’s strength as a multiracial and multicultural nation was on display on Sunday afternoon at the World Cup. Also on display was the silence of the One Nation leadership.Andrew Hewett, BrunswickOne Nation running for political power in Australia is like the dog who chases cars. If it ever caught what it is pursuing, it would not know what to do with it.Rob Dalton, TorquayIf you believe the polls then, like me, you’ll be happy we still have three-year terms. Over in a flash!John Harris, WilliamstownOne Nation voters, like Trump voters, will get the government they deserve.Bill Burns, BendigoPerhaps The Age should conduct a one question poll: “Do you answer truthfully when you are polled”?Chris Waters, OrmondWorld CupI grew up in Hackney (near Tottenham) with a dad and hubby following the Spurs. I watched the Socceroos on Sunday – what joy. Now, that’s real football.Myra Fisher, Brighton EastSurely, Australia’s favourite beach is now Patrick Beach.Bryan Fraser, St Kilda WestInjudicious to be overly confident prior to a contest – especially when competing against an Australian team. Go the mighty Socceroos.Lyn Hudson, KewThe opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. 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