Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher’s attempt to theocratise the Australian Catholic University must fail (“The abortion speech, the student walkout and the Catholic civil war”, December 4). The ACU has a legal status and constitution, it is not Fisher’s to regulate. The two lawyers, Damien Tudehope and Greg Smith, in my view, need not be taken too seriously. Both are former Liberal MPs for Epping, part of the northern district’s bible belt and both would know the decriminalised status of abortion. It appears they are trying to beat the anticipated federal legislation on educational institutions. Shame on them. Anne Eagar, Epping
Anthony Fisher, Archbishop of SydneyCredit: Steven Siewert
ACU’s website states: “You don’t need to be Catholic to work at ACU. But you do need a set of personal values.” Maybe those who walked out were ascribing to their own personal values and should not be vilified but championed for upholding another of the university’s codes – personal integrity. Isobel Lanesman, Cremorne
It’s the 21st century, not the Middle Ages. How is it appropriate for a patriarchal religion to fund and seek to control the beliefs promulgated at a university? Australia is a secular democratic society. ACU is partly funded by taxpayers. If the Catholic Church wishes to use tertiary education to further its ideological aims, it should not expect government support and, I hope, would not be allowed to claim its institutions are “universities”. Philip Bell, Bronte
Someone should tell Archbishop Fisher that students enrolled at ACU don’t have to be Catholic. They’re entitled to walk out of any speech they choose. Patrick McMahon, Paddington
ACU receives public funding. There are a limited number of positions in the university that are exempt from anti-discrimination laws and restricted to Catholic appointees. I held one such position for 14 years. The majority of staff and students are not Catholic. That some students walked out on a graduation speech was their right. Staff are required not to damage the institution’s reputation. On the other hand, they also have a right to exercise academic freedom, as required by federal legislation on universities. To see this as a major failure in the Catholic identity of the university is to misunderstand the nature of higher education and ACU’s place in it. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove
The central issue in the spat raised by the Catholic heavyweights’ dispute with the ACU is not whether or not it is Catholic. It is whether or not the ACU is a university, by definition an institution devoted to the pursuit of ideas without preconceptions. How can the ACU claim to do this when it is set up to “defend the faith”? Norman Carter, Roseville Chase
Church housing
I fully support the proposal for churches to step in to build additional low-income and affordable housing (“Churches to help fill housing gap”, December 4). While this is a worthwhile proposal, it must be backed by the church business unit which owns the land and building being fully responsible for paying all ongoing council rates and charges plus state government fees and charges. If there are too many institutions not paying for services provided by councils and governments, then an unfair burden is placed on the remaining homeowners and tenants. Geoff Lindsay, Thurgoona
Close the account
The banks make billions providing only small interest rate payments on term deposits of accounts of workers and pensioners, yet charge them significant interest rates on home loans (“‘Kick in the guts’: Minister urges CBA to rethink $3 fee for branch withdrawals”, December 4). The Commonwealth Bank had planned to make you pay a $3 withdrawal fee on your own money. Like Senator Jane Hume, I hope all state and federal MPs close their accounts with the bank. Paul Reid, Campsie
CBA’s decision to move some customers to accounts that charge a fee for withdrawing cash from branches is a blunder under CEO Matt Comyn’s watch.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
The first branch of the Commonwealth Bank opened in 1912 in Melbourne. It had an agreement with the Postmaster-General’s department that exists today to also trade through post offices. The bank was guaranteed by the federal government. It was the bank school kids of my era deposited money into every week. Around 1991 the Hawke government began privatising the bank. Contrary to government assertions that privatisation creates competition and we, the punters, will be better off, the opposite always happens – every time without fail. Today banks don’t care about their customers, only the shareholders and the bank hierarchy.
John Nelson, Mudgee
The Hawke government’s 1991 decision to sell off and privatise the Commonwealth Bank was a terrible one, killing off any chance of having an honest broker in the marketplace. Where did Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones think the race to gouge profits from everyday Australians would end up? His remarks hide the folly of the CBA’s sell-off by his predecessors. Richard Talbot, Cremorne Point
Poor old CBA. Management thinks annual profits in double-digit thousands of millions of dollars aren’t enough. Could it be possible, when many are struggling to make ends meet, CBA shareholders might do the right thing and tell the bank’s management that planning to charge this fee was both unjustified and patently inappropriate? Stuart Pratt, Ocean Shores
I note the account into which the CBA had planned to move many of its customers charges for in-bank withdrawals but is known, ironically, as “Smart Access”. Meanwhile, the Virgin Velocity Frequent Flyer scheme has announced it is making it more difficult to redeem points on international flights as part of what it calls “enhancements to the program”. I’m in awe of the language marketing bods come up with to make out that getting less for one’s buck is an act of corporate benevolence. Call me cynical if you like; I prefer, “creating irresistible opportunities for critical thinking”. Ross Duncan, Potts Point
Charging a price for cash withdrawals and other payment services is just as important as asking customers to pay prices for other things. Prices are the usual signal for businesses recovering costs fairly and competitively. Prices in the retail payments system need to shift from the illusion of “it all looks free” to recovering real costs with explicit prices. Peter Mair, Dee Why
Top of the class
What a wonderful and well-deserved success for Fairfield West Primary School and the others mentioned in your article (“How to make a higher achiever”, December 4). Let it be a shining example of what all our schools could be and a herald of the end of the annual scrabble of tutoring, pressure, competition and exorbitant fees to get students into the so-called “better schools”. Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills
Year 5 students at Fairfield West Public achieved well-above average results when compared with students of a similar socio-educational background.Credit: James Brickwood
Two-state solution
Clearly the Albanese government is reversing Australia’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for domestic political reasons, rather than for what’s in the best interests of Australia as a whole (“Australia to switch stance on UN votes as a pathway to two-state solution”, December 4). Paul Keating was correct. When you change the government, you change the country. Riley Brown, Bondi Beach
Politicians “gamed” for too long
A big thanks to the Herald for its ongoing campaign on reforming the insidious pokies industry in NSW (“Biggest gambling loser clear after a trial doomed to fail”, December 4). Unfortunately, it looks like a lot more campaigning is needed to see the result our state deserves. We can’t turn a blind eye to money laundering or the sneaky practices of an industry that preys on people for monumental profits. Stand up please, premier. Get this done. Stephen Pate, Surry Hills
Poker machine play would no longer be anonymous under a proposed new regime.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
Two of our local clubs have proven that growth in club development is not dependent on poker machines revenue. Coledale RSL and Scarborough-Wombarra bowlo have reformed services by downsizing pokie numbers but increasing community activities to attract patrons. Drawing classes, trivia, book launches, beer festivals, live bands and regular music festivals are all attracting patrons. Governments must reform poker machine use and clubs have proven they can thrive without poker machine revenue, which sucks the community dry. Instead, these little clubs have revolutionised their business models and deliver to the community. It is a winning model that continues to add a vibrancy to the community. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
Both Labor and the Liberals should fess up and admit that they have been successfully “gamed” by the powerful gaming industry for too long. Can someone blow the whistle on this endless game, please? How about whichever government is in power just pass a law to eliminate anonymous cash-based gaming and allow 12 months for industry to make it happen. Just like the under-16s ban on social media recently passed by the feds. Rob Livingstone, Gladesville
It’s hardly a surprise that the watered-down trial on pokies is a failure. The recommendations make no reference to the impact on families and businesses, only on the industry itself. My family helped a friend set up a business with thousands of dollars only to learn that it was a failure due to their addiction to gambling. We had no idea of the destructive power of poker machine addiction and in the end had to walk away. Governments of all persuasions are cowed by this powerful lobby. We cannot even get gambling advertising regulated. Carole Hayes, Newtown
End the death penalty
I do not remember where I was at the time of Van Nguyen’s execution, but I remember writing to Singapore’s representatives as well as signing a petition in the hope of commuting the sentence (“Execution an abiding issue in Asia”, December 4). I have supported an end to the death penalty for quite some time, as without life there is no hope of redemption or reformation, and I believe there are people who genuinely make mistakes and learn from them. And what of those innocent of crimes who have been executed? The system is flawed. Gordana Martinovich, Dulwich Hill
Kitchen conundrum
So without international students Judy McMahon can’t find enough waiters, chefs or kitchen hands to work at her Rose Bay restaurant (“Migration crackdown hard to stomach”, December 4). Clearly this is a failure of her business plan if its viability always relied on international students. They can only afford to work as kitchen hands in Rose Bay because they live in student accommodation in places like Kensington or Chippendale. Local chefs and wait staff cannot afford to live anywhere near Rose Bay. So the problem is not the need for migration or overseas students, it is the need for affordable housing. Couldn’t restaurateurs get together and pool funds to buy or build affordable accommodation for their workforces? The lack of affordable housing in Sydney affects the whole economy. Benjamin Rushton, Birchgrove
Judy McMahon at CatalinaCredit: Dion Georgopoulos
Monkey see, monkey do
I suppose, Christine Miller, if you get enough gibbons and enough typewriters, you’ll get your Decline and Fall of the American Empire (Letters, December 4). Peter Butler, Wyongah
Bad father
It would appear that Vladimir Putin is trying to emulate George Washington to be known as the Father of His Country (“Secret lives: The many lovers and love children of Vladimir Putin”, December 4). Henry Brender, Double Bay
Wealth gap
One in six children continues to live in poverty in Australia, mostly in households relying on social welfare, which we apparently can’t afford to increase (“Our $900,000 share portfolio keeps rising. How do we save our pension?”, December 4). Seriously? Steve Curran, Randwick
All in the family
Zoya Patel’s story of the lack of an extended family while growing up in Australia struck a chord with me (“Overbearing grandparents much better than none at all”, December 4). When my youngest child was in primary school the children were asked to invite their grandparents to the school on a particular day. As we were the only family members in Australia, it was obviously not an option for my child. On the appointed day, my Caucasian Australian neighbours turned up as my son’s pretend grandparents. It was a beautiful gesture on their part. Thiam Ang, Beecroft
We are probably fortunate that there are no Certificate III or IV requirements to becoming a grandparent. Learning on the job is both fun and humbling. Burnt biscuits (my doing), messy arts and crafts appropriating the dining room table (their doing), bush wees (not telling), stories, music, tears, laughter and shared connections punctuate the days when we are together from opposite sides of the world. Judith Fleming, Sawtell
Fix foster care
I concur with Eric Scott’s comments on the out-of-home care system in NSW (Letters, December 4). It is a disgrace that the state has abrogated its collective parental responsibilities to over 14,000 children and young people in the care of the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services. The findings of the system review into out-of-home care are not new and previous inquiries going as far back as the 1992 Usher Report have made similar findings and recommendations, but with little impact on outcomes for children. Ending “motel-type arrangements” and “high-cost emergency care” is a constructive start, but much more is needed to grow foster care capacity. Catherine Mullane, Petersham
Great train ride
Dodging suited politicians and cameramen to board, I too enjoyed a short trip on the first Mariyung train to leave Newcastle Interchange (“A verdict, after five years and $4b, on new intercity trains”, December 4). The ride was smooth and whisper-quiet, the train immaculate. I was heartened to see the presence of security on board, hopefully ensuring safety and respectful passenger behaviour, which seems much harder to deliver than transport between cities. Amanda Berry, Hamilton East
- To submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.
- The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.