As the political crisis in Ukraine unfolds, Vladimir Putin talks of ''provocative and criminal actions on the part of ultra-nationalists who are in fact being supported by the current authorities in Kiev'' and the ''real threat to the lives and health of Russian citizens and the many compatriots who are currently on Ukrainian territory'' (''World leaders warn Putin over Crimea crisis'', 3/3). All of this sounds eerily familiar. Following the German occupation of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in October 1938, Adolf Hitler made a speech to the Reichstag in which he said: ''For months the Germans in Sudetenland have been suffering under the torture of the Czechoslovak government … The Sudeten German population was and is German. This German minority living there has been ill-treated in the most distressing manner.'' Let's hope such ludicrous accusations made by a world superpower against a smaller neighbour are this time given the short shrift they deserve but, to the community of nations' great detriment, did not receive in 1938.
Paul Doogood, Templestowe
Strength and weakness
Russia is now the world's largest exporter of oil, exporting more than seven million barrels a day, roughly equal to the number of barrels the US consumes in a day. While this is concerning, it is noteworthy that Russia's revenue from oil exports accounts for more than half of its federal budget. Trade sanctions will, therefore, need to be discussed carefully, but the West will have a valuable tool in any diplomatic efforts.
Harrison Woollacott, Camberwell
A haunting reminder
Russia's move on the Crimea is a reminder of, among other things, the crucial importance of warm-water ports on the Black Sea and who controls them. It is these ports that give essential alternative sea access to the rest of the world in the winter months when the ports on the northern European shoreline freeze over. The Crimea has long been a contentious prize in international conflict because of its strategic significance. It was, after all, the reason the Anzacs were landed on the Gallipoli peninsula - to help secure the Dardanelles Strait as the gateway between our Russian ally and the Mediterranean. With our next Anzac Day approaching, it is ironic that a vital strategic consideration from that time has come back to haunt us.
Terry Hewton, Henley Beach South, SA
Denounce all wrong deeds
I agree, Malcolm McDonald (Letters 5/3), the US, UK and Australia ''didn't set a good precedent by invading Iraq on false intelligence and against a decision of the UN''. But two wrongs do not make a right. What the US, UK and Australia did in the case of Iraq was wrong. And, what Russia is doing now with ''its partial invasion of Ukraine'' is also wrong. A wrong must be condemned whenever it happens and whoever the wrongdoer is.
Rajend Naidu, Glenfield, NSW
Blurred border lines
While I don't agree with Vladimir Putin's actions, the Crimea is only nominally part of Ukraine, having being transferred to Russia by Khrushchev, ''an ethnic Ukrainian'', in 1954, in what was a dark sleight of administrative hand. To call it Ukrainian is like calling Tibet part of China or the West Bank part of Israel; they are, ''but only currently''. Should Kurdistan be part of Iraq, a country invented in 1919 by the victorious allies by carving up Turkey? Mr Putin has the right to protect his nationals in the same way other European nations do in Africa etc. We need to get over the ''integrity'' of made-up nations as a baseline concept.
Peter Topping, North Melbourne
Come down to earth
Amending the Qantas Sale Act, as the Abbott government wants, is simply a euphemism for, "let's sell Qantas to foreign ownership and control''. For a better alternative, consider Air New Zealand, which became insolvent in 2001. The NZ government provided an $NZ885 million rescue package, and took up 80 per cent ownership. Now Air NZ has made a record half-year profit of $NZ140 million. Among many factors bringing about the turnaround was the installation of Rob Fyfe as chief executive. He became notable by working for a day a month face-to-face with travellers, sometimes as one of the cabin crew. Passengers could find that they were being served tea or coffee by the airline's chief.
While a small step, it was a symptom of an attitude that has brought about a huge improvement in relations between management and staff. The commercial success we can see today was the result. One cannot imagine Alan Joyce doing this; he seems locked into the poisonous relationship between himself and staff. Nor can one imagine the Abbott government looking for a constructive solution to the problems of what is, at least for now, our national airline.
John Penny, Fulham Gardens, SA
Only our brilliant politicians could come up with a proposal to allow the sell-off of the profitable domestic arm of Qantas, while insisting that Australians must retain ownership of the unprofitable international arm of the airline (''Tony Abbott invokes memories of Hawke-Keating government to pressure Bill Shorten to support Qantas changes'', 4/3). Privatise the profits, socialise the losses: poor fellow my country.
John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW
It's the dollar
If addressing our prospects of retaining and creating new jobs domestically, one might say ''it's the economy, stupid'' but one might also say ''it's the exchange rate, stupid''. No one seems to want to blame the Reserve Bank and the setting of interest rates, but they should. How a bunch of leading economists and business leaders nestled in their sinecure, overly fearful of too much inflation, can continue to be so dismissive of an exchange rate that feeds the importer and overseas producers at the expense of local jobs, is incomprehensible.
If interest rates were set in the vicinity of those in the major overseas economies, the speculators would rapidly drive our dollar to where it should be at around 70 US cents. Australia has become deluded into thinking we can strut the world stage lecturing the rest on everything from climate change, multiculturalism and human rights, and economic management while we perhaps irreversibly damage the future security and well-being of our own people. And no one is actually listening anyway.
Barry Aston, Balnarring
Tony Abbott's address to the timber industry in Canberra (''Loggers 'ultimate conservationists': PM'', theage.com.au, 4/2) illustrates his sycophantic desire to appeal to each business group by telling them what they want to hear. Sound-bite phrases such as forestry workers are ''the ultimate conservationists'' and ''man and the environment are meant for each other'' (?) brings to mind what Calvin Coolidge observed about men and power: ''It is difficult for men in high office to avoid the malady of self-delusion. They are always surrounded by worshippers … They live in an artificial atmosphere of adulation and exaltation which sooner or later impairs their judgment.''
I hope Mr Abbott's judgment is not already so flawed that he will condemn our forest reserves to open slather ''development''.
Kim van den Berghe, Highton
Try a global queue
I accept your challenge, Rodger Hyde (Letters, 5/3). A realistic alternative is to fund and support decent holding centres around the world, and calculate our capacity and nominate the number of the world's refugees we can absorb every year, and start a queue. Anyone from anywhere can join, and as long they are a refugee, they will be accepted in order. If they try to come early by boat or plane then they just go to the back of the queue. Use the billions of dollars spent to secure our borders for programs to welcome and train these people needing help. If we need more money, pay new mothers 48 per cent of their salary, not 50 per cent. It's not pixie dust, just an actual willingness to help.
Matthew Gilbert, Hampton Park
Adam Goodes, Australian of the Year, said the John Pilger documentary Utopia was a ''must see'' for all Australians. This is hard to do as it would seem that few cinemas ran the film and it is now off the circuit. Is the film too much of an ''inconvenient truth''?
Margaret Bottari, Rosebud
The Sydney Swans' hue and cry over the loss of the cost-of-living allowance is approaching the farcical (''AFL hold on Swans' extra cash'', 5/3). As a recently transplanted Melburnian to sin city, I found that the difference in cost of living between the Sydney and Melbourne is narrowing fast. This sits in line with The Economist cost of living survey that ranks Melbourne sixth and Sydney fifth in terms of the most expensive cities to live in.
Yes, rents are slightly higher here, but that is the only expense I see as much greater than Melbourne. Food, bills, entertainment and the rest are all up there, with Melbourne even creeping ahead in some cases. And let's face it, if on my very average income (I'd be lucky to earn $60,000 from the various creative gigs I have) I can still put a roof over my head, food on the table and down the odd beer at the local, even those Sydney Swans players at the lower end of the salary scale will somehow ''struggle'' through without the allowance.
Paul Bugeja, Darlinghurst, NSW
Very rich, very real
Somehow, James Packer managed to endear himself to people like me when he openly stated what a mess his personal life was (''James Packer: 'My personal life is a disaster''', BusinessDay, 4/3). He loves his casino investments, but acknowledges that it is the excitement he relishes. Rich he is, but a real person he also is.
Anne Josefsberg, Balwyn North
Betraying the patient
The area of cosmetic surgery deals with people who approach us at a time when they are at their most vulnerable. Where there is a specific area of concern to the individual, it is the role of the surgeon to help define that issue clearly, give advice as to what options may be available - including potentially not intervening at all - provide realistic expectations of any procedure and make sure they are aware of all the potential risks and possible complications.
Adolescents, in particular female adolescents, are especially sensitive to body image. Suggestions by an authority figure, such as a doctor, to undertake invasive procedures when the individual sees no problem contravenes the doctor/patient relationship. The fact that this occurred when cosmetic surgeon Ashley Granot's daughter Orley was under 18 (''Two of Us'', Good Weekend, 1/3), she had no concerns herself and, as is often the case, it was a temporary situation (resolving once healthy eating and exercise returned), and most distressingly at the suggestion of her own father, I find abhorrent.
Dean White, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Hawthorn
Hard to stomach
In ''Two of Us'', I learned: that rather than accept my genetically determined bulges and exercise/eat healthily I could simply opt for liposuction; that more doors will open for me if I increase my advantage in the physical department (intellectual advancement unmentioned); wide hips makes me less employable; and that my body in a bikini on the beach can be perceived as a ''collection of problems''. Oh, and in spite of all the above, I am beautiful as long as I have a beautiful personality. Is this the year 2014?
Louise Maxwell, Surrey Hills
Peter Maher merely hints at the fecklessness of these wandering royals (Letters, 5/3); I would go even further. It is more than about time they justified their wealth and status in society.
I admit I am not personally affected by these highly subsidised people and as I live in a small seaside village 180 kilometres from Sydney, I feel safe knowing that no European royal will ever wander down this way.
Pat Berzin, Culburra Beach, NSW
And another thing
Trains and boats and planes: Tony Abbott is stopping all of them.
Henry Herzog, St Kilda East
Without support from the independents in the Senate, Mr Abbott's plan for Qantas is like an overburdened plane. It won't get off the ground.
John Byrne, Randwick, NSW
Qantas Act 1: the PM will present legislation with no hope of it passing through the Senate. There is no Act 2.
Rob McCasker, Ballarat
Where was Amanda Vanstone and her opinions when Julia Gillard was getting ripped to pieces by the media (''Media vultures circling Morrison need to face facts'', Comment, 3/3)?
Ian Hetherington, Moama, NSW
John Fien's article (''If only politicians knew how to earn respect'', Comment, 5/3) should be compulsory reading for all politicians.
Leigh Ackland, Deepdene
It's OK for the West to invade Afghanistan and Iraq, but how dare the Russians go into Ukraine.
Ed Veber, Malvern East
An iron curtain is once again descending over Europe.
Alan Williams, Port Melbourne
John Stathis, Ascot Vale
While you are at it, Parks Victoria (''The culling fields'', 5/3) authorise hunters to shoot any cattle heading to the high country, for the very same reasons you want deer eradicated from national parks.
Lawry Mahon, Port Fairy
Just think how much money Victorian taxpayers will save now that the royals will not deign to visit us.
Marie Nash, Doncaster
Why not an AFL-free day once a week in the media (Letters, 3/3)?
Susan Munday, Bentleigh
Don't be irritated by cyclists. Remember each bicycle is one less car between you and home.
Julette Alexander, South Yarra