Credit: Cathy Wilcox
Peter Hartcher says “the Morrison government is not racist” (“Failures built on complacency”, May 4). Really? The India ban is merely continuing a long standing practice that started with the White Australia policy and has continued through Tampa, children overboard, offshore refugee detention, Biloela, etc. Dog whistling has become an art form with this mob. We are a racist country and politicians on all sides pander to this. We should better than this. Chris Danckwerts, South Turramurra
The reasons Australian citizens may be in India are immaterial. Our COVID-19 testing mechanisms have proven good enough; however, quarantine failures have been the result of the federal government’s abrogation of duty. The country’s success has been due to the states’ efforts. Rather than fixing the quarantine problems, Morrison has found some monsters. It is almost double Orwellian: making criminals out of nothing. Meanwhile, they’re still looking behind the couch for the vaccines. Tony Doyle, Fairy Meadow
Credit: John Shakespeare
The PM and health minister argue the ban on citizens returning from India is based on medical advice and is needed to “keep Australians safe”. Why don’t they pay attention to the medical advice about the risk to the health and safety of Australians from climate change? Alan Russell, Netherby (SA)
It only needs 45 planes, each with 200 passengers, to bring 9000 Australians home from India. It would not be “logistically difficult” – the usual government excuse to avoid its responsibilities for quarantine – to find extra hotels paying staff high wages, even requiring them to remain in the hotel. After two weeks, the returnees would be isolated in their homes for a fortnight wearing 2electronic bracelets. Tony Re, Georges Hall
The government has painted itself into a dark corner. If it is to avoid the natural assumption that the White Australia policy still haunts the halls of Parliament, it must threaten to imprison Australians from Europe or North America trying to come home next time COVID-19 cases reach newsworthy levels there. But perhaps that’s what they want – to steadily isolate the country from the rest of the world. Mark Cox, Kanahooka
Leaders have an obligation to make their country and their people the best we can be: the most compassionate, the cleverest, the best educated, the most motivated. Instead, our leaders leave our own citizens languishing overseas, they subsidise fossil fuels when 80 per cent of us oppose their use, and they cut university funding and exclude overseas students from assistance. Our leaders clearly have very little thought of what constitutes the best we can be. Penny Rosier, North Epping
There are mining towns left to go into disrepair when the mines close. These have houses for personnel and airstrips. We could renovate them and use them for quarantine. Rosalind Ward, Balmain
Four beds and lots of funding could be freed up for returning Australians by relocating the Sri Lankan family from detention back to Biloela. Bob Cameron, Coffs Harbour
Coalition cronyism is an attack on our democracy
Thank you Jenna Price (“Long shadow of the loyalty effect”, May 4) for highlighting the unashamed cronyism in so many judicial appointments by the Morrison government. The appointments to the AAT are particularly egregious. Then they have the hide to talk about “merit”. If this continues we will find ourselves inheriting the problems that beset the United States. This unacceptable practice is another attack on our democracy by those who should know better. The end does not justify the means. Jan Kent, Farmborough Heights
It’s high time governments were held to account for the selection process of “mates getting plum jobs”, as pointed out by Jenna Price. Far too many failed politicians and their minders appear to be handsomely rewarded in their “new lives” with lucrative appointments to boards and courts. It should be front-page news how these appointments are being decided, so that we can decide ourselves if it was the game of politics. Peter Miley, Chatswood
What’s wrong with “conservative” judges, Jenna Price? At least they know that elected parliamentarians make laws and are accountable to the electorate every three years. Some of the new breed of judicial appointments consider that they have a mandate to “change the world”. They do not. They should concentrate on declaring what has been, over decades and even centuries ( if you include English judges) the gradual, glacial accretion of the law rather than radical strides in policy, disguised as legalese. That’s for parliamentarians who know what they are doing and have the approval of the electorate, even if but for a brief time. Oh for the (brief, but enervating) yin of the (constructive) radicals and the (longer, stabilising) yang of the (wise) conservatives. Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga
Stacking every board, commission, tribunal and advisory panel with mates, stooges and fossil fuel lobbyists may be entirely legal, and some may even be qualified, but it smells of soft corruption.
Graeme Finn, Summer Hill
Jenna Price’s disturbing chronicle of federal judicial appointments did not distinguish why the Administrative Appeals Tribunal is the worst receptacle. As its name suggests, the AAT deals almost exclusively with appeals against decisions of ministers and their bureaucrats. Hence this government is particularly anxious to appoint members whose Coalition affiliations reduce the likelihood they would overturn original government decisions, however egregious. Geoffrey Briot, Stanmore
Shoot down warmongering hawks
War with China (“War with China is likely: general”, May 4)? The “yellow peril” of the Menzies era is back. The fact that in a military war we would be a Pekinese pup fighting an elephant is immaterial – let the verbiage roll.Any concern at all that China is a nuclear power? Might be best to wait until we have our mighty fleet of submarines in 15 years or so. Now that would really frighten any prospective enemy. What is really concerning is that a press of a button in Beijing could take out our beautiful new casino. Might be best if the warmongers were to give the silly talk a rest. John Hinde, Millers Point
A war with China would last but three days. Four ballistic missiles dispatched, one each for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Pine Gap. Then a tweet to ask if we have had enough, with the plus that the iron ore then becomes free. They wouldn’t worry about Canberra, why would they? Geoff Harris, Mount Victoria
Please, can we replace the Minister of Defence with a Minister of Peace before it’s too late? Robert Hickey, Green Point
If our right-wing politicians and military hawks are going to be belligerent with a regional country, I vote we choose New Zealand. Greg Thompson, Bega
Heritage under threat
Jilly Gibson (“Let’s think big and avoid a bridge crime”, May 4) ) is right to be perplexed by the clamour of voices for the heritage values of an ordinary building and perplexed by the silence when a real heritage treasure is under threat. This goes for the Harbour Bridge and also for the Chief Secretary’s building in Macquarie Street. This building was brought to the attention of readers by Elizabeth Farrelly (“Compare and contrast: Viv’s beauties v this city beast”, May 1-2), but there has been no clamour of voices. Yet what is proposed is quite outrageous. This building has the finest Victorian interiors we have as well as the richest exterior. Yet the government is to sell it (99-year lease) for it to become a platform for a 48 storey hotel. Such buildings should not be being leased. Heritage belongs to us all, step up and say so. Where is our civic pride? Clive Lucas, Neutral Bay
Surely, it is more logical, as well as a better use of space, to install a lift at the northern end of the bridge to aid both bike riders and pedestrians? The lifts that have been added to many railway stations are invaluable, why not here? Much more compact than someone’s fancy idea of a ramp that grabs so much of the park area. Marjie Williamson, Blaxland
Rather than build a new access way for cyclists at Milsons Point can’t we move the bridge to nowhere and install Moore Park’s Tibby Cotter bridge? John Bailey, Canterbury
Going underground
The proposed 11km Blue Mountains tunnel (“Mountain tunnel would be nation’s longest”, May 4) will still spew its vehicles into historical Medlow Bath with 60km/h limit, two sets of traffic lights and vehicles entering and exiting three intersections, a service station and the Hydro Majestic Hotel. Why not start from before Medlow, which will provide a gentler gradient of tunnel to Hartley? Russell Brown, Medlow Bath
Please can we have a combined road and rail tunnel from Penrith to Lithgow, not a road-only tunnel from Katoomba? The residents of the Blue Mountains deserve this. Not only will it take trucks off the road but it will allow the government to implement very fast trains. With new track these trains would run on from Lithgow to Bathurst, Orange and Parkes thus bringing the first of these towns within commuting distance of Sydney. At Parkes the train could link up with the Brisbane to Melbourne line, providing fast travel between three capital cities. Bruce Welch, Marrickville
Inquiry put on ice
Dan Howard (“Drug reform failure shocks inquiry leader”, May 4) is spot on is calling the government’s non-response to the ice inquiry a disgrace.This government has prided itself on its COVID response and “listening to the experts”. Why is expert advice, comprehensively documented through an exhaustive inquiry it called for, now being ignored? The answer is when it comes to the health and well being of people who use illicit drugs and their family and friends, politics, not evidence, rules the day. The politics were visible at the end of last year when, following the recommendation of the NSW Police to the inquiry – a Criminal Infringement Notice scheme – Cabinet was thrown into such a spin that the promised government response to the inquiry has now been pushed back to mid-year. All because any evidence-based strategy would be at odds with the “tough on illicit drugs” approach that currently increases the harm to the community. Mary Ellen Harrod, CEO, NSW Users and AIDS Association
Has there ever been a better example of the frustration and exasperation felt by the informed public than Professor Dan Howard’s experience? The appalling inaction, prevarication and mendacity of the Coalition, as has been the case in so many instances of late, is entirely counter productive.
To listen to the weasel words of the Treasurer, “It is not unusual for the government to take substantial time” is sickening, do they not understand the urgency of the recommendations? No wonder it is “beyond belief and unacceptable”. Gus Plater, Saratoga
Sound advice ignored
If the ministers had to personally incur the hefty courts costs, it is a safe bet they would heed the sound advice that, “an ounce of mediation is worth a ton of litigation” (“Holgate to ministers: mediate or I’ll sue”, May 4). Steve Ngeow, Chatswood
That’s your funeral
I’ve graduated from reading funeral notices (Letters, May 4). I’ve started noting the burial plots for sale. Garry Donnelly, Repton
I once heard that if you fall over when you’re young, everyone laughs. If you fall over when you’re old, everyone panics. Joan Short, Killara
Until I wake, eat brekkie, cast an eye over the funeral notices and spot my name, then and only then will I be convinced of my mortality. Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Childcare relief
There will be financial relief for parents to work and have their children cared for (“Federal childcare boost lifts G8”, May 4), no matter the income. What about parents who want to stay home to look after their own children, no matter the income? Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill
Let’s shake on it
Like most people I stopped shaking hands last year, but now we’re back at work I’ve noticed some people are still reluctant to do it. I now wonder if HR departments should make it policy to avoid handshaking at work altogether. Surely for health reasons – reducing colds and infections – it makes sense. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury
The digital view
Online comment from the story that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
Taxpayers could be on the hook for millions if Chinese owner forced to sell Port of Darwin
From Andrew Bernard: ″$30 million is a drop in the ocean for a federal government where initiatives are usually in the billions. This hardly seems like an impediment. This should proceed immediately.″
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