Congratulations to Jewel Topsfield on her excellent article on ageing, ageism and how to work on embracing the privilege of growing older, and old (“Inside the psychology of ageing”, December 23). Changing society’s attitudes to that remains an uphill battle. One reason is that ageing “gracefully” runs counter to the bottom line when it comes to the cosmetics industry, whose profits rely on products that promise a more youthful appearance, whatever age we are. And so, we have my local pharmacy assistant not even laughing when she hands me, a naturally ageing 82-year-old, free samples of products labelled Youth Cream and Proactive Youth Skincare, both of which I accepted with a view to writing an article about the absurdity of that. Anne Ring, Coogee
What matters is not the amount of time we have left, but how we live that time.Credit: Getty Images
Ageism can be far more subtle than many understand. At a few recent Christmas gatherings I have asked others about their occupations. Lengthy replies are rendered, often from the beginning of their careers. Helicopter pilots, naval personnel, crane contractors, mediums, all interesting. There the conversation ends, with no questions about my past or even new career post-retirement. It happens so often I have come to expect it. There is no law that can assist: it is good manners and an awakening in young/middle-age adults that there are others besides themselves with a story to tell. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
People who worry about ageing would do well to heed the advice of the Stoic philosophers. What matters is not the amount of time we have left, but how we live that time. Marcus Aurelius cut to the chase “What we do now echoes in eternity.” Mark Porter, New Lambton
Let’s face it, as some wit once quipped, “Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” Edward Loong, Milsons Point
Terminal idiocy
In 2014-15, we were in the throes of climate change denial and obstruction from former prime minister Tony Abbott and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. Now, 10 years later, Australia is in the ridiculous position of building terminals on the east coast to receive bulk LNG carriers of gas, quite possibly to be imported (“States turn to gas imports as energy emergency looms”, December 23). What a huge price we’re paying, and how different it could have been had the succession of Coalition governments implemented responsible climate and energy policies. Obviously, we can’t change that now but let’s make sure that, in 2035, Australia is not contemplating another lost opportunity, following the capping of renewables at 54 per cent of the energy mix, under the ill-conceived Coalition nuclear plan of 2024. Rob Firth, Red Hill (ACT)
Reading about the looming gas shortage in Victoria and NSW makes me glad I replaced my gas hot water system with a heat pump last year. I’m now immune from any interruptions in supply and any increases in price. And because a heat pump is four times more efficient than gas, it operates at only a fraction of the cost. Better still, if you have solar, like I do, you don’t pay anything at all. I’ll repay the investment in the heat pump in just five years – sooner if my children were still living at home and taking long showers. It’s a win-win situation, and something people should consider if they own their own home. It’s a sure-fire way to save money. It’s a good way to save the planet, too. Ken Enderby, Concord
A cynical strike
As much as I support the right of unions to strike, this current action by the RBTU is the height of cynicism (“Sydney rail workers offer to drop industrial action”, December 23). Firstly, they have a rigid yet ambitious claim for a 32 per cent pay rise over four years. A train driver currently earns between $85,000 and $110,000 annually. A nurse earns $80,000 to $90,000. Secondly, they strike at Christmas and New Year, not at a time that would cause minimal public inconvenience. And now they have made a compromise offer to postpone the strike action if the government will give free fares to commuters until the Fair Work Commission approves a new agreement. So they “generously” committed the government (read taxpayer) to millions of dollars in lost revenue. So where is the compromise? This is a cynical public relations exercise because the public is turning against them, and they appear avaricious and indifferent. At a time when our state government is trying to repair years of neglect to all our essential workers, this union needs to take a wider view beyond its own interests. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle
Transport Minister Jo Haylen and Premier Chris Minns tried to prevent rail workers going on strike over Christmas.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer and Edwina Pickles
The rail union’s proposal to withdraw industrial action provided the government allows free train travel for commuters seems, at best, counter-productive. Surely, the more revenue your employer earns, the more able it will be to accommodate your increased pay demands. Ross Duncan, Potts Point
Senseless sentence
In response to my letter, former DPP Nicholas Cowdery says that despite lacking a proper understanding of sentencing laws, laypeople’s comments are welcome and are taken as guidelines by the judiciary (Letters, December 23). I apologise if I was mistaken on that aspect. I believe most people aren’t out for revenge and believe in rehabilitation. However, when a young, pregnant woman is killed by her husband and he receives a non-parole sentence of just 16 years, it is hard to see how the judiciary is meeting society’s expectations. Sally Spurr, Lane Cove
Nicholas Cowdery says it’s OK for the people, generally, to comment on criminal sentencing processses. This is a huge relief but it’s water off a duck’s back in those frequent situations where it’s obvious the butler did it, and admits it, yet is handed a few years inside, much of which has already been served, or else a gentle stint of community work. Rosemary O’Brien, Ashfield
Yes Nicholas Cowdery, I totally agree that public administration should be open to scrutiny and reasonable comment. But does anyone listen to us? Usually not, unless it is an election issue. Unfortunately, the hoi polloi are ignored by most administrators, public service powerbrokers and other influential groups. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach
Tax the titans
Yet again it looks like the Reserve Bank will not deliver a rate cut early next year as hoped (“Delay in rate cut may have a silver lining” , December 23). Shane Wright endeavours to analyse a complex issue. It does seem, however, that there is some “uncertainty with estimating non-accelerating inflation of unemployment”. So inequity for young people, first home buyers and people generally facing increases in cost of living continues. It’s more than time to review the tax paid by multinationals to mop up some obscene profits to reduce inflation and to stop pointing to the unemployment figure as an excuse to delay a rate cut. Jan Marshall, Collaroy
Jolly bad fellers
For more than 40 years I lived in northern NSW, travelling regularly between Nana Glen and Dorrigo by a back road through state and native forests (Letters, December 23). Tim Cadman’s letter about deforestation reminded me of the destruction I witnessed of both by Forestry Corporation and private loggers. At no time did I see any care taken to preserve habitat or old-growth trees. It was just clear fell by bulldozers and chains. Christine Tiley, Albany Creek (Qld)
Readers are alarmed at the rate of logging in state forests.Credit: Justin McManus
Net zero? Not so
I, too, installed a large solar array a while back and they have paid for themselves in savings. I struggle to see how others like me have power bills of “mostly zero” (Letters, December 23). Do they turn off their fridges and freezers at night? Are they tucked up in bed whenever it is dark, not watching TV or with even a ceiling fan running? My bill has reduced substantially, but I still get power bills that are higher than I wish. Andrew Brown, Bowling Alley Point
Coalition out of power
I see that Chinese carmaker BYD is holding 5000 orders for an electric dual-cab ute, the type Scott Morrison said would ruin weekends, and which other right-wing luminaries damned and decried. Well, perhaps not the treasurer at the time, who seemed content with his EV. One would have hoped by now that the Coalition’s odd bias against electric power, including renewables, might have abated but the nuclear reactor “policy” suggests it has not. It puts its voter base in a tricky spot – vote Coalition and destroy your investments in solar panels and electric cars, while whingeing about the cost of living and trusting the vacuous policies of the Coalition to bring down inflation by slashing government spending, which at the moment seems to be the only thing keeping the economy moving. Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights
Peace and goodwill to all teachers
Does anyone believe that outstanding HSC results in one subject at one school flow from a unique confluence of talented students in that subject at that school? The skill and engagement of gifted teachers are fundamental to students achieving their full potential. Many of us have had at least one life-changing teacher during our education. A Christmas shoutout to all teachers, particularly those in the battling public system. Gillian Appleton, Paddington
As a white-walled alumnus of Epping Boys’ High School, I take vicarious pride in the success of its HSC Nestorians, their NSW year 12 class, who shared top math’s results in 2024 (“State’s top schools for maths revealed”, December 23). In 1964, I failed general mathematics with honours. The following year I struggled on to pass. My then year 5 maths teacher was supportive. He sacrificed his own lunch break to offer remedial support to a small group of students who were (and still are) tormented by mathematical concepts. To B or not to B was also their own reward. I still include him in Saint Francis of Assisi’s song of praises. Mike Fogarty, Weston (ACT)
Ashfield Boys High senior study teacher Rachel Bennett with year 11 students.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Dean Clark (Letters, December 23) is absolutely right to reject Elfriede Sangkuhl’s outrageous assertion (Letters, December 20) that HSC scaling is intended to favour males over females, but he is wrong to accept her other assertion that the positive scaling of maths and science is something newly introduced. There was no change in 2024 to the scaling process, though the extent of scaling has almost certainly changed. Dean is also wrong to suggest that the (supposed) changes to scaling are about making allowance for the differing difficulties of subjects. Scaling is actually about making allowance for the differing academic merit of the groups of students taking the various HSC subjects. Ross Drynan, Lindfield
For the edification of your correspondent Elfriede Sangkuhl regarding the scaling of HSC maths and science favouring boys, here are some facts: boys made up 51 per cent of candidates in mathematics, but they were 61 per cent of the extension maths candidates – all 7741 of them – and the male/female split in science was exactly 50-50 but more girls sat for extension science. The slight gender imbalance in maths is hardly enough to give boys an unfair advantage. For real gender imbalances, look no further than English advanced (60 per cent female), extension English (73 per cent female) and foreign languages (generally 65 per cent female). But these imbalances fade in comparison to the imbalance in candidates scoring low marks, for it is here where boys really show girls how it’s done – comprising about 80 per cent of low-scoring candidates. Ryszard Linkiewicz, Caringbah South
Your correspondent Dean Clark is mistaken – extension maths and science are not “harder” than other subjects (Letters, December 23). There is more content, but as it builds upon itself, it is not more complex than, say, a history extension. The real problem is this is not recognised by the male-dominated statisticians. Scaling is way out of proportion to difficulty. This translates back to the high number of single-sex male schools, and the circle perpetuates itself. Michael Blissenden, Dural
The comments from teachers at well-performing schools in HSC maths revealed common themes. “There are no secret tricks, no faddish teaching methods”, “solid foundation in primary school”, i.e. teach and drill maths tables, “use explicit instruction”, and “write with pen and paper” rather than use devices for both student and teacher. These principles are not new, in fact, they used to be commonplace before teaching methods, promulgated by educational “experts”, were changed to so-called group and student centred learning. It’s gratifying to learn that these latest successes indicate that the teaching “dinosaurs” like myself were correct all along. As the principal of Epping Boys noted, “There isn’t anything magic going on”, it’s just good, explicit teaching.” Max Redmayne, Drummoyne
Now that’s what I call a lie
Many statements are contenders for the “biggest lie of all time”, but surely the one that surpasses all others is “Your call is important to us” (Letters, December 23). It usually precedes a 30-minute wait to speak to a human and leads to high blood pressure. Eric Sekula, Turramurra
Robotic rites
Will the growth of AI mean that having a letter published in the SMH will first require me to prove I’m not a robot and then identify bicycles or traffic lights in random photos? John Bailey, Canterbury
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