The tram strike was a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate why we should remove all antiquated trams and replace them with buses. On Thursday, the buses which replaced trams pulled over to the side of the road to pick up passengers. It was much safer for people who were alighting, rather than having to get off trams at crazy traffic islands, as we have in Richmond. Our current road laws allow buses to re-enter the traffic stream safely and quickly. Cars and trucks can continue to travel along the road, rather than being blocked by trams which have stopped. What a concept. No more crazy sprints to get past the tram before the next parked car. But wait, let us go a bit high-tech, as  they do in Germany and Sweden. Their buses are electric and recharge at stops or by using pantographs. They can travel independently for 20 kilometres. If we had the same system in Melbourne, our buses could use the existing overhead tram wires. Getting rid of our lumbering giants and introducing high-tech buses would reduce traffic congestion and improve travel times for all commuters. Thank you for the strike. It showed us where we could be, in the near future, governments willing.

Alan Johnson, Surrey Hills

Unions need to move with the times

I find the argument used by officials of the construction union, the CFMEU, and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union in citing safety as the reason for their rogue actions to be breathtaking in its arrogance. To hear the latter's Victorian secretary Luba Grigorovitch's feeble attempt to justify the inconvenience she imposed on the Victorian community – on the grounds of safety – was laughable. The unions might have got away with this deception in the past, but I sense that the public sees through this sophistry. The people responsible for this behaviour are a handbrake on our society, as they devote their efforts to preserving the status quo and their comfortable feather beds.

Garry Ringwood, Kew

A courageous battle for workers' rights

Three strikes by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union. Well done. A strong union, and one led by a woman too. Not since Irene Bolger led the Australian Nursing Foundation have I witnessed such a tough enactment of workers' rights in the face of seemingly inflexible demands by employers. If the Australian Education Union's leadership had the guts to bring teachers out in such a fashion, the teachers would get everything they wanted within a week – and perhaps there would not be approximately 6000 fully registered teachers who are unemployed in Victoria.

Simon Clegg, Donvale

Dangerous? Difficult? Really?

So the train drivers cannot do "repetitive running" – going up and down the same line more than once per shift ("Explained: what is really at stake for city's rail network", The Age, 8/9). The union says that this is dangerous because it raises the risk of driver error. Good grief. How would life be if all trades and professions followed this practice?

My husband had a cataract removed this week by a skilled surgeon, and he was followed by several other people who were having the same operation. Surely this was efficiency and reliance on the high skill and professionalism of the doctor. Cannot train drivers manage repeat drives without undue danger to their passengers or themselves? Breaking up the Metro system to a series of lines with less crossovers sounds eminently sensible and could help bring our network up to world standards.

Margaret Rolfe, Flemington

The right to strike

The trade union movement is severely hampered in its capacity to deal with the alleged exploitation of 7-Eleven's work force and that of similar workplaces. Unions' right to strike, and act in sympathy with other workers, are restricted through industrial legislation and the application of secondary boycotts

In another era, say, the mid-1960s, unions could have declared 7-Eleven "black", gone on strike in sympathy and banned deliveries, acting to support the vulnerable and bring 7-Eleven to its senses. Despite the existence of the Fair Work Ombudsman, which does a great job, unions need to be able to exercise their own strengths to ensure proper working conditions are adhered to. Maybe the 24/7 model of convenience stores is not viable unless workers are exploited. If so, let us get rid of them.

Karl Reed, Eltham

Egoistic untouchables

Congratulations to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons for the prompt and brave action in organising a survey to quantify the degree of harassment (sexual or otherwise), bullying and discrimination by surgeons affecting trainees under their care (The Age, 10/9). As standard reporting procedures seem to be out of the question, one suggestion would be to set up a register of culprits, ensuring anonymity for aggrieved persons. This would help to dampen the sexual urges and feelings of overwhelming superiority of those surgeons who believe they are untouchable.

Maurice Cauchi, Brunswick

Ouch, that hurt

Discrimination and bullying of surgeons by surgeons? It sounds like the unkindest cut of all.

Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale

Learn from the master

Ian Hudson, in lamenting the demise of a lot of Australian manufacturing, indicates he is not proud that we are the world's second largest manufacturer of poker machines (Letters, 10/9).

I am not surprised about our success in that field. A few years ago, as part of a federal government consulting study of export potential of Australian industry, I investigated innovation in manufacturing, using such measures as patents applied for and the percentage of revenue devoted to research and development.

Disconcertingly, by such criteria it was a major poker machine manufacturer that was identified as the most innovative Australian manufacturer. While the causes of the shrinking of Australian manufacturing are complex, perhaps if the manufacturers who have disappeared had been as innovative as this poker machine company, some of them might still be around.

Thomas Hogg, East Melbourne

No man is an island

Colin Douglas (Letters, 11/9) says charity should begin at home. A good place to start but not to finish. Australia can afford to absorb 20,000 to 30,000 refugees. All it needs is a change in Coalition and ALP policies. Close the detention camps on Manus Island and Nauru, with savings of billions from the payments to Transfield. Stop the bombing of Syria, which will create more death, injury and refugees, and save more money.

In Germany, which is accepting 800,000 refugees, small towns are asking for them in order to revitalise their economies. Why can't we place refugees in hospitable country towns? Yes, we have domestic problems, small ones compared with those faced by asylum seekers, but nothing that could not be solved by a redirection of government spending and a change to humanitarian policies.

Gael Barrett, Balwyn North

Just keep repeating it

This government claims it is doing more per head of population that other countries, whether it be greenhouse gas reductions or taking refugees. These claims are spurious and do not stand up to close examination. Do we have a propaganda department now? Tell the "Big Lie" long enough and people will believe you.

Damian Willcox, Ashwood

Throw-away society

Local beaches are inviting in winter and spring. Such a variety of colours: so many pretty blues and fresh mint greens. And that is just the bits of nylon rope.

Drinking straws, bottle tops, dummies, balloon ribbons, toys, combs, water and juice bottles, plastic spoons, sauce sachets, chip bags, bubble wrap, lolly wrappers, plant pots, styrofoam and cable ties are not detritus from fishing boats but the signifiers of a comfortable society in a stream of unconscious spillage from cars and rubbish bins.

This week, 50 metres off Parkdale beach, gannets were dive-bombing the water for food, mostly fish I hope. It is a tolerable "personal stretch class" picking up the deadly small bits of plastic. A bag fills quickly. Maybe we could snare more of it before it washes out to our bays?

Christine Cemm, Mornington

Slick salesman's patter

"Hurry, hurry, hurry. Last chance for the free trade deal or China will walk away if we keep pressing for a fair deal for our workers." The more strident and used car salesman-like that Trade Minister Andrew Robb becomes, the more suspicious I am of this murky, secretive agreement which fits so neatly with the Coalition's long-term ideological aim of lowering the cost of labour in Australia.

Peter McCarthy, Mentone

Wonderful memories

Our longest reigning monarch, Elizabeth II, was a young, attractive woman when I met her in 1954. Well, she came within 10 metres of me in Grattan Street, Carlton. As I looked past my saluting rifle, she waved at the onlookers behind me. I was a nasho protecting the Queen in a guard of honour.

She soon passed us on her first Melbourne visit and everybody moved on. We went back to Puckapunyal Army Camp, having risen at 4am to catch the train for the big parade. Since then I have observed the Queen's life as the monarchy's role has changed over the years. Now, she and I are in our eighties in a world extremely unlike that of 1954. I would love to be back in Carlton watching her on that day, with many years of happy living ahead of me.

Leo Gamble, Mentone

It's time to cut the ties

Nigel Jackson (Letters, 11/9) states that the basis of the Queen's character and performance is her (should that be Her?) "deep faith in one of the world's great sacred traditions, Christianity". I think it is rather her deep faith in privilege; in having it, keeping it and passing it on to the next generation of undeserving hangers-on. The sooner we realise this and remove her from her undeserved position as Queen of Australia, the better.

Ken Farmer, Port Melbourne

Poor use of our money

Ian Porter (Comment, 7/9), the car industry needs to argue that it is a more worthy recipient of taxpayers' dollars than recipients such as renewable energy, health research and education. Expenditure on these activities creates jobs, just as the car industry does. Expenditure on these also creates social benefits, whereas cars pollute the atmosphere and are bad for our health and our cities. The profits go to overseas corporations.

The broader impact of the industry's closure depends on what the government does with the freed-up funds. Industry assistance is a zero sum game (or worse, it reduces overall economic activity by encouraging us to do things we are not that good at). By subsidising one industry, other industries are held back. Subsidies use tax revenue; where does tax revenue come from? Other companies. Closure of the car industry will be devastating for places where it operates. Perhaps this is the most powerful (or only?) argument to continue its operation.

Will Henderson, Castlemaine

Dated, dull, offensive

Ben Pobjie's review ("Time to drop punt The Footy Show", 9/10) was not only hilarious but spot on. Much of the program is cringeworthy. From the blokey, 1950s-style humour and publicity-seeking stunts by Sam Newman to the embarrassing "Street Talk" segment which mocks members of the public, the show has, for a long time, had very little to do with football. How Garry Lyon and James Brayshaw, who hold high-profile positions in football, can be associated with this dreadful program is beyond me.

Tony Healy, Balwyn North

Heartfelt thanks

Thank you to the crossbenchers for "keeping Australia safe" from the unfair, punitive actions that were to be inflicted on our unemployed youth ("Senate reprieve for benefit to young people losing jobs", 10/9).

Joan Segrave, Healesville

AND ANOTHER THING

Victoria

Let's have another election so that tram and train unions can get pay rises. It worked for the paramedics.

Kuno Mikkor, Melbourne

How ironic that trammies are criticised as attempting "a cash grab" by VECCI chief executive Mark Stone, a man on a huge salary.

Paris Andriske, Footscray

Syria

Planes, pilots, bombs, um ... a plan?

Alan Williams, Port Melbourne

Syrians: some will be welcomed, others will be bombed. Positive discrimination or selective

non-racism based on religion?

Penny Mackieson, Kew

Respond to violence with more violence? All we are saying, is give peace a chance.

Marie Douglas, Camberwell

Surely no politician would cynically go to war just to win an election. Or would they?

Terry Malone, Warburton

Australia sends bombers into Syria with no clear strategy for defeating Islamic State. Excellent politics.

Lawrie Baker, Lorne

Politics

Andrew Robb says China may walk away from the deal if its introduction is delayed. Wouldn't that mean China wasn't really serious about it?

John Davies, Kambah, ACT

Leaders wore Richmond colours at the Pacific Island Forum. Tropical shirts or a topical tip for the finals?

John Byrne, Randwick, NSW

A prime minister who can hop on one leg: I'm definitely voting for him.

Anne Smith, Dookie

Our Walter Mitty prime minister now fancies himself as a rugby star. Another Jarryd Hayne perhaps?

John Walsh, Watsonia

The last word

Has anyone noticed that everything nowadays is described as "incredible"? Hard to believe ...

Harvey Mitchell, Castlemaine

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