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Congratulations, Clem Bastow. Finally, at the age of 36, you received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (The Age, 12/12). You had spent your life wondering why you were the way you were and felt the way you did and, no doubt, were filled with frustrations and other negative feelings.
INTEGRITY COMMISSION UNLEASHED. Illustration: Andrew Dyson
What I find concerning about autism diagnosis in cases such as yours – and which are currently being talked about so much – is that people in general seem to believe most autistic people are high functioning and can live productive lives.
I do not want to diminish or dispute the problems that you have faced. However, you are very lucky you are not among the still very large percentage of autistic people who are very low functioning: an IQ below average, without speech or other effective way of communicating and limited receptive language. They are unable to independently remove themselves from stressful situations because they cannot communicate to others how they feel when they are faced with sensory overloads, etc. These are people who cannot dress themselves or have other "independence skills" which other people take for granted.
Their frustrations often take the shape of violent behaviour towards other people as well as themselves – to the point that, if they are in public, security officers and the police may be called. Sometimes this is because a member of the public, out of ignorance and fear, has decided the police need to attend, even when they do not. Sadly, Clem, you and others with high-functioning autism have been undiagnosed for many years.
Now it seems that we have forgotten the low-functioning ones. Can you imagine not being able to express your fears and thoughts? I have met many low-functioning autistic people and have two very low-functioning, autistic sons (one your age). Sometimes I cannot bear to think of their suffering.
And can I mention how stressful and frustrating it can be for a carer or parent to go out in public, not knowing from one minute to the next what might happen – meltdowns, escapes, running into heavy traffic, drinking, eating poisonous products, etc. All it takes is one second for things to go horribly wrong. Perhaps we need diagnostic terms which differentiate between high and low-functioning autism so that the general public has a better understanding of the word autism.
Elisabeth Appelgren-McIntyre, Mount Martha
It is important that we all ask: 'Are you OK?'
I was not able to hold back tears when I read Sumeyya Ilanbey's story about Landon Vulic, a young man who saved the life of an 18-year-old woman after she jumped off a bridge into the Yarra River (The Age, 13/12). He displayed great empathy, which led to his act of bravery.
It is very unfortunate that a young person had suffered so much that life was too much to deal with. In this country, we have one of the world's highest suicide rates by young persons. Dozens of mental health professional and academics write about the causes and how to prevent it. Yet the rate remains alarmingly high. Depression is one of the main causes of attempting to suicide, more importantly for the youth.
I have first-hand experience of how depression can gradually decay one's will to live, especially in the absence of support. As a mature adult, I survived the inconceivable effects of depression, partly because I was able to open up and tell my family what I was feeling; with their empathy and encouragement, I sought professional help. This first act of acknowledgement, and a willingness to seek help, were vital.
In this country, we are fortunate to have excellent professional support for people with mental illness. However, a supportive family environment is the best start for preventing this and, when necessary, supporting a sufferer. Unfortunately not everyone has a supportive family and friends but this should not stop a sufferer seeking help elsewhere.
Let us be more proactive and ask people around us: "Are you OK?" Someone close to us may need some attention.
Zafer Ilbahar, Bentleigh
THE FORUM
Let the juries decide
High-profile defendants may believe it would be advantageous for them to have a judge-only trial (The Age, 14/12), rather than a jury which may be influenced by the notoriety of the case.
However, my feeling is that many judges are too out of touch with today's societal attitudes to be given the responsibility of both conducting a high-profile case and being the sole arbiter of guilt or innocence. A jury of 12 peers is better placed to be able to see beyond personal prejudices and arrive at a collective decision.
Julian Guy, Mount Eliza
Weighing up the odds
I will be surprised if there is any support for the move to trials in front of a judge alone. A criminal lawyer knows the better odds of getting a criminal acquitted is to go before a jury. Some high-profile acquittals have plainly shown that is easier to fool a jury of 12 than one judge. As the adage instructs: If you are innocent go before a judge alone. If you really did the crime, test your luck with a jury.
Peter McGill, Lancefield
Dangerous power
Enshrining religious rights in law (The Age, 14/12) risks turning Australia into a nation like Ireland where ordinary people, especially women, were virtually controlled by the Catholic Church. It took almost 100years for people to override these laws and take back their rights. If you think that cannot happen in Australia, just look to the United States.
Breda Hertaeg, Beaumaris
Another 'age of consent'
The Ruddock report into religious freedom has caused justified concern about LGBTI students being refused enrolment in religious schools, but not about religious freedom for children under the age of reason being subjected to forced indoctrination into their parents' religion. They cannot have "a genuinely held religious belief" and lack the intellectual capacity to know what can or should be believed.
There are laws specifying when young people can drink, drive, vote, have consensual sex and marry. A similar law should apply to when children can voluntarily adopt a religious belief, particularly one with prescriptions and proscriptions that severely restrict their lives.
All children should be taught comparative religion, critical thinking, logic and secular ethics. They should decide on a religion, if any, only when they are sufficiently mature and informed.
Rosemary Sceats, Macleod
Our fundamental nature
The elephant in the room in Philip Ruddock's religious freedom review is whether any publicly funded school has the right to overtly or covertly teach that it is not OK to be gay – to deny or condemn a gay student's fundamental nature.
Douglas Beecroft, Hawthorn
Money-saving proposal
Perhaps the roles of National Wind Farm Commissioner and proposed Freedom of Religion Commissioner (The Age, 14/12) could be combined. Both are unnecessary, but it would mean two for the price of one.
Jen Hooper, Box Hill
Another toothless tiger
A new "integrity commission" that is closed to public input, secret from the public's gaze and prevented from investigating all forms of corruption is not open, not transparent and not designed for integrity.
Julia Thornton, Surrey Hills
Just more empty words
There is really no point debating or discussing anything that Scott Morrison proposes, no point being outraged or offended by anything he says. Whether it be an integrity commission, so-called religious freedom, or any other "announcements", they will all come to nothing. There is not time. Even Blind Freddy can see that Mr Morrison is standing at the precipice of one of the most spectacular election defeats in Australian history. It will all be over soon, mercifully.
Monty Arnhold, Port Melbourne
In defence of PM May
"Is this Britain's worst-ever prime minister?" asks Robin Harris (Opinion, 13/12). No, Theresa May is not. Her party had a clear mandate from the British voters to Brexit.
All she has been doing is trying to execute that mandate, with little help from the more arrogant EU leaders, especially the main drivers of that organisation, the French and the Germans.
Anthony Whitmarsh, Viewbank
Where the blame lies
Robin Harris, shouldn't that prize go to former prime minister David Cameron? He got Britain into this mess by calling on a referendum as a sop to the right of his own party and then ran away when it all got too hard.
Joan Kerr, Geelong
A hotbed of intrigue
I read, with much amusement, about the alleged "dirty tricks" in the Northcote electorate (Letters, 13/12). I live in that electorate and, in my travels in the area, I did not see any political signs (including mine) that had been defaced or damaged. I do not dispute that it may have occurred to a few signs in certain places. However, I compare the hysteria about it from both the Greens and Labor to Peter Dutton's statement about "African gangs" running amok in Melbourne.
Kevin Ward, Preston
Please, turn it down
Why is it that we care so much about air pollution and not sound pollution? I am an avid beach goer and I love not having to smell cigarette smoke or swim among cigarette butts.
But why do people believe they have the right to pollute the sound waves with a loud techno beat? Get some headphones, I do not want to hear it. Do we need laws on sound pollution too?
Lauren Trethowan, Richmond
High cost of utilities
I have just received a message from my gas supplier. Basically, it states that unless I sign up to a new two-year deal, my rates will continue to increase. Scott Morrison, you are spending taxpayers' dollars to advertise a policy that is supposed to reduce consumers' costs when the truth is they are continuing to go up.
Andrew Connell, Newtown
No myki means no ride
Regarding fare evaders on buses (Letters, 12 and 13/12). The same story goes for the 246 bus through Elwood – I see it myself three times a day. To make passengers pay, drivers must be empowered to say "no myki, no ride", as well-paid and respected bus drivers do in Holland, Denmark and Finland.
I pay $50 a month for my pensioner-concession myki travel. Please, state government: ensure that others pay as well.
Henk van Leeuwen, Elwood
Failing to pull our weight
The climate conference in Poland sought agreement on how countries set their targets to limit global warming, and how to measure whether the goals have been achieved.
Australia's shameful lack of progress was noted in the annual Climate Change Performance Index released this week. It ranked 55 on a list of 60 for its failure to act on climate change.
With all the evidence saying we must urgently transition from fossil fuels to renewables, it is irresponsible and unfair for us not to pull our weight. The Coalition talks about "jobs and growth". What is the point of this if future generations do not have a viable planet to live on? We should heed David Attenborough's words – if temperatures continue to rise, it could have a catastrophic effect on the human race and many other forms of life.
Beatrice Naylor, Ocean Grove
Rwanda's fine example
In correctly using Rwanda as a prime example of "what has gone wrong" – "Australia's hypocrisy on human rights" (Editorial, 12/12) – you did that nation a disservice by omitting to point out that in 10years they proceeded "to penalise the criminals". The program is a world first and worthy of study and adaptation elsewhere.
John Steward, Junction Village
A very limited view
Matt Holden's inability to envision a vegan Christmas dinner (Opinion, 13/12) says more about the poverty of his imagination than it does about the poverty of vegan cuisine.
Adrian Hyland, St Andrews
AND ANOTHER THING
Integrity commission
Morrison's idea of an ICAC: hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.
John Higgins, Hawthorn
Morrison's cover-up machine.
Kevin Pearson, Fitzroy North
The Clayton's Corruption Commission.
Ian Maddison, Parkdale
It would help if Morrison had some integrity.
Perry Becker, Leopold
Politics
Brexit shmexit. Am I the only one who's sick and tired of this saga?
Tim Nolan, Brighton
Dutton and Boris Johnson have more in common than we thought. Neither of them can count.
Andrew McFarland, Templestowe
Trump disrespectfully refers to "Chuck and Nancy". The Democrats should call him Individual 1.
Richard Aspland, Rosanna
Would it be possible to have a Trump-free festive season? He's such a bore.
Robin Parkinson, Geelong
The PM for daily announcements.
Jean Andrews, Cheltenham
The state government could establish a non-profit power supplier using solar, wind or water. Fat chance.Bruce Cormick, South Melbourne
What's happened to the police's inquiry into the Red Shirts affair?
David Bishop, East Brighton
Julian Burnside shouldn't be surprised about Hakeem al-Araibi. The government also deserted Julian Assange.
Robert Brown, Rye
Furthermore
So there was a "significant rain event" in Wangaratta. Who'd have thought it?
Lesley Black, Frankston
Religious freedom: yet another oxymoron?
Bart Mavric, Moonlight Flat
An executive salary is appearance money and a bonus is required if anything is actually done.
Joan Peverell, Malvern
Animals denigrated (14/12)? The cat (wearing its Christmas hat) and I had a good laugh. Focus on truly maltreated animals.
Vicki Doherty, Blackburn