July 17, 2026 — 8:00pm“How does that sound?” To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has indicated proposed legislation is to be introduced next year aiming to ensure data centres or more accurately, computing factories, do not increase power prices or compete for land. The problem is that data centres are being fasttracked and built this year, despite little or no information available publicly on their expected energy and water consumption.Given that this legislation is scheduled for next year, we should adopt the moratorium on data centre construction as imposed by the governor of New York, while similar concerns regarding energy and water consumption are investigated. We should certainly adopt her stance to repeal any tax exemptions or concessions being considered for large data centres.In short, we can learn from the experiences of others in order to do this right. But will we? Sadly, I doubt it.Stephen Farrelly, DonvaleThe revolution that could breed rebellionWhen IBM word processors were introduced to our office the typists were gradually laid off and the visiting band of typewriter mechanics became extinct. AI, however, promises to threaten work and livelihoods much more than the computer revolution ever did. The data factories are furiously scraping all existing knowledge and skills and, from this immense accumulation, further levels of AI can identify new patterns that could be used to shape our world in ways we may be unable to imagine. Some of humanity’s best brains have created and led the AI revolution, but it will not just be those in everyday jobs who are at risk from its implementation. It seems that the work of lawyers, doctors, engineers, mathematicians and other higher level roles are also on the line. When they join the ranks of the unemployed, stand by for a massive counter-rebellion.Peter McCarthy, MentoneThey can pay for a desal plantIt seems to me that if we are to sacrifice the precious commodity of water to AI data centres, then it is only reasonable that they can pay for a desalination plant to supply them from our Werribee sewerage discharge.John McIntyre, East BrightonHow strong will the government be?The rules set for data centres seem to be good. However, if the data centres break the rules will the government apply appropriate penalties or lamely “express concern”? The government doesn’t have a good record dealing with big corporations.Peter Carlin, Frankston SouthTHE FORUMCulture shockColumnist Waleed Aly correctly identifies Hanson’s “monoculture” as pining for “a time redolent of the white working man’s paradise” (Comment, 17/7). Yet it is much more than a yearning for “stability and security”. It is a gut-felt but calculated appeal to anyone who thinks their ″⁣culture″⁣ (namely Hanson’s) should be the default.One Nation’s campaign slogan, “We’ve got the guts to say what you’re thinking” suggests ″⁣we″⁣ are repressing thoughts about cultures other than our own, and that we don’t truly embrace them. It suggests we aren’t genuinely committed to fairness in the workplace, equal rights for women, or to reducing our carbon footprint, or to the idea that people who are different from ourselves are just that: different, not better or worse. It suggests that underneath those ″⁣dishonestly tolerated″⁣ ideas about race, language, identity and custom we are repressing our desire to go back to ″⁣the way things used to be″⁣. God forbid.It just might be that leaders who encourage ″⁣tolerance″⁣ open up opportunities for real appreciation and genuine inclusiveness. The biggest exponent of saying what you’re thinking, who has emboldened many to do the same, now has the world in a darker place.Fiona Colin, Malvern EastOff messageA significant example of a political party demonstrating its core message is the ability to walk the talk, thus showing and demonstrating why its message is true rather than just mentioning it. Pauline Hanson’s trips overseas and now her being spotted on the deck of a pool at a Sicilian hotel where rooms cost up to $2788 a night, leaves me speechless. Yet she continues to bemoan the cost of living pressures facing Australian farmers and fails to name clear policies that will make a difference to the housing crisis, aged care, and healthcare, jobs and wages and welfare. Her recent behaviour not only belies her message but also flies in the face of ordinary Australians struggling to make ends meet.Julie Ottobre, Brunswick EastA shaky vibeWhether it be Pauline Hanson’s legendary fish and chip shop in Ipswich, or Barnaby Joyce’s paean to his northern NSW constituents’ humble ″⁣weatherboard and iron houses″⁣, the title of his autobiography, her holidaying around the elevated Sicilian coastal ″⁣jet set″⁣ idyll of Taormina symbolises surely a stark betrayal of their political party’s origin story. ″⁣One Nation″⁣ is nothing if not a populist vibe. The latter has, it seems, now been trashed comprehensively.Jon McMillan, MorningtonAttendance, pleaseWe are continually bombarded with statistics on attitudes to political parties and politicians, their policies and performance. The one I have never seen (but it may exist) is the one showing how many parliamentary sessions each politician attends in person in a given term of parliament. My guess is the independents would win hands down but would love to know if my guess is correct.Jenny Callaghan, HawthornTackling root causeI recall being very distressed as a child seeing huge areas of ringbarked native forests as our family drove along the highways. Now at the age of 80 I see no noticeable improvement in native forest and habitats, just increasing vulnerability to heatwaves, fires, floods and droughts, leading to mass extinction of many species. Yet no ban on the root cause, the burning of fossil fuels and the release of methane emissions.John Merory, Ivanhoe EastBuild roads properlyI agree with your correspondent (Letters, 17/7) that “potholes don’t just randomly appear without cause”.However as another correspondent pointed out, the roads need to be constructed properly. From the limited photographs of potholes that I have seen recently in the media, it would appear that the asphalt has effectively been laid directly onto the natural soil or clay base without any layers of crushed rock to help spread the load.This is not a recent problem. When the road to Ballarat was duplicated some years ago, it was only a short time before potholes started to appear and many millions were spent fixing the problem.Many years ago I played a small part in supervising the construction of Tullamarine Airport runways where many layers of crushed rock were spread and compacted, all to provide a good solid sub-base under the asphalt for aircraft to land safely.When did you last hear of pilots complaining of having to dodge potholes as they came into land?Do it properly the first time.Ron McKinna, Wheelers HillCharge users properlyAdding to your correspondent’s observation (Letters, 17/7) about vehicle weight and road damage, the National Transport Commission has estimated that ″⁣light vehicles″⁣ have increased in average weight by 13 per cent between 2006 and 2024, mainly due to SUVs and EVs. It would seem appropriate for road user charges to be calculated on the basis of vehicle weight and distance travelled.Peter Greig, ColacMorning blissYour correspondent (Letters, 17/7) says of her Brunswick cafe-bought coffee, ″⁣on the very first sip, my mouth gives thanks and my heart sings″⁣. Ah, I know that feeling. It happens every morning as I settle down in my pyjamas with my home-delivered copy of The Age and take the first sip of my velvety and full-bodied Moccona Indulgence No. 8 blend. Bliss at a fraction of the price.Elizabeth Foster, Box HillAll cafes are not the sameI have just returned from a trip to the US and paid $6 to $6.50 for a small latte. My friend tells me after her recent trip to Scandinavia a coffee cost her $10. I suggest we calm down about pricing. Also, forget the word ″⁣burnt″⁣, it’s overextracted that causes this burnt flavour, it happens sometimes. I suggest it be sent back. I have the excitement in trying a different cafe each day. Some are good, some average. In conclusion, each to their own. If you want to buy your coffee at the service station, or make it at home so be it, but there is no need to take down all coffee shops to elevate your own choice.Sharon Hendon, Glen IrisHappy at the costI’m happy to pay $5 or $6 for a nice cup of coffee in Melbourne. The payment covers salaries, cleaning and all the other costs of running a business. I expect that all the employees will be paid a reasonable wage – they have to be in Australia, and I take pride in the fact that Australia mandates a minimum wage. If I am charged less than $5 I put some money in the tips jar.Convenience and fast food stores can charge $1 or $2 as a loss leader – the real cost is subsidised by the food you buy. I find it hard to believe that $2 is the real cost of a coffee in Italy – unless the baristas are being exploited.John Pinniger, FairfieldHousing’s flow-on effectConsideration should be given to the unintended consequences of a significant fall in house prices. And it has to be a significant fall to make much difference to housing affordability.A 20 per cent decline in the value of many Australians’ major asset would have effects beyond helping some people buy a house.Not every home owner has made a huge capital gain on their property. Many people who have bought in recent years would face the prospect of selling at a loss. Others with a large mortgage might find that they have negative equity in their home. And the broader economic impacts of all home owners knowing they are poorer than they used to be, the so-called wealth effect, are hard to predict.While a minor fall in house prices won’t really address housing affordability, a significant fall in one of Australia’s major asset classes could trigger undesirable economic effects.Rod Wise, Surrey HillsThe next step . . .What happens when AI decides to invent AI 2?Winston Anderson, MorningtonAND ANOTHER THINGOne NationI am not sure what concerns me the most: Pauline Hanson spending time with Tommy Robinson in England or with Gina Rinehart in Italy. Neither is a positive for Australians.Randall Bradshaw, FitzroyLet’s hope Pauline Hanson didn’t forget to take a thermometer on her European “fact-finding mission”.Bernd Rieve, BrightonOne Nation – the Rinehart franchise.Des Files, BrunswickIf Pauline Hanson is to be prime minister, I would imagine her as a puppet. The real person who would be running the country would be Gina Rinehart. Perish the thought.Doug Springall, YarragonWhy the luxury holiday in Europe? It’s so multicultural, with people speaking in different foreign languages.John Bye, ElwoodRe the article “One Nation gets voters’ benefit of the doubt″⁣ (17/7). More doubt less benefit methinks.Andrew Norris, SunburyFurthermoreRe the article “Libs to axe Deeming as a candidate” (17/7), well, that will take care of that. Let’s move on to the next Liberal disaster.Les Aisen, ElsternwickIf I had a child growing up in today’s AI world, I would urge them to become a plumber, electrician or a union boss.Alan Williams, Port MelbourneFormer prime minister Scott Morrison thinks the Australian military should assist the US in the Gulf by sending assets. Well that’s him in the clear.Nick Eckstein, Kangaroo GroundScott Morrison may have ambitions to be Admiral of the Gulf Fleet, but he’ll always be Scotty from marketing to me.Paul Custance, HighettFinallyWhy am I reading about the best coffee or tea in Melbourne? Are you aware of Donald Trump trying to run the world? Just ask him, he’ll decide it for us all.Teresa Martin-Lim, BrightonFrom our partners