‘Cheap sniping’: Critics of the next governor-general are way out of line

Julia Baird is right to criticise the way some media dealt with the appointment of Samantha Mostyn as our next governor-general (“Sick joke that insults our new GG”, April 6).

Baird mentions that Mostyn is a businesswoman, that she worked for Labor in the 1990s, and that she has sat on boards such as Virgin Australia, the Sydney Swans, Mirvac, Transurban, the Climate Council and the GO Foundation.

This experience and the respect she has generated was not enough to prevent headlines in some media, such as “Cushy job for the wokest of women” and “the most political pick for GG in a long time”. Perhaps she is paying the price for being only the second woman to be appointed governor-general, as sexism has a continuing history.

Many will not be aware that the University of Adelaide was second in the world and Australia’s first to admit female students on equal terms in 1881 and the first women commenced studies in 1882. Female students also commenced at Sydney University in 1882, and female undergraduates at Sydney University now outnumber males 57 per cent to 43 per cent.

Critics of Mostyn’s appointment are way out of line. As Baird says, the idea that an appointee needs to demonstrate an absence of opinions and have no party background is a fiction, as male political leaders have filled the position without criticism. James Moore, Kogarah

Illustration:Credit: John Shakespeare

Baird, as usual, hits the nail on the head with her thoughtful analysis of the masculine and predictably right-wing response to the appointment (horror of horrors) of a woman as governor-general. However, I don’t think Mostyn will be over-concerned at such petty commentary and might remember the eventual respect other women in similar positions have won for themselves. It is interesting to note that at the moment the only state without a female governor is Western Australia if you don’t count the Northern Territory. And they both had one until very recently. It speaks for itself. Mary Billing, Allambie Heights

Mostyn’s appointment is political, despite what Baird says. That she was appointed, not elected, a proxy head of state is an absurdity, especially when the head of state is a foreigner who talks to his plants. The fact Mostyn is a corporate executive involved in charity work is standard fare (and why she got an AO), but her substantive accomplishments are limited and she lacks real distinction. There is also no virtue in being a woman: a woman is just as capable as any man of being cruel or incompetent. In any event, being governor-general is not a position worth defending. We need an elected Australian head of state, not an appointed proxy. Michael Boylan, Glebe

Baird’s demolition of the cheap sniping by naysayers on the appointment of Mostyn as governor-general is well justified. But what’s this epithet “woke”? I consider that I am progressive. I am concerned for asylum seekers, First Nations people, workers, equality and honest government. If that makes me woke, I’ll bear the appellation with pride. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

I have rarely ever shown any interest in who is appointed as governor-general. However, reading that conservative media and right-wing campaign group Advance has burst a blood vessel over the fact that our next G-G is not only a social progressive but has never had basic arms training, means she’s got my vote. John Bailey, Canterbury

I suspect that the only reason the governors-general have not been all men is that the names Sam and Quentin were mistaken by short-list selectors as being male monikers. No wonder those who adhere to the status quo are up in arms. Nell Knight, Avoca Beach

Players should stop when the booing starts

Malcolm Knox highlights the influence that Latrell Mitchell is able to produce, the good that this allows him to initiate, and the incongruity of mindless booing by football crowds (“State of disgrace: Real impact of booing NSW’s most important person”, April 6). But I wish Mitchell’s mum had coached him to be less careless with his elbows. Derrick Mason, Boorowa

If we and the players agree there is a racist element to the booing of Mitchell, then a simple solution would be for the players and or the officials to cease playing or officiating when the booing takes place. No respect, no game. Indigenous players have been an important part and pathway in rugby league and Aussie rules for decades. Another Adam Goodes episode would make many very sad. Simple solidarity with the player by the players would send an important message.
Not too hard with a little leadership, I reckon. I will happily speak to every club captain or every ref if that will start a movement and save us from our worst selves. Matthew Wright, Waterloo

Knox asks why fans from teams other than South Sydney boo Mitchell. If the journalist watched Saturday’s game where the Rabbitohs fullback was reported twice, once for an alleged elbow to the head of an opponent and once for an alleged spear tackle, he would understand why. Louise Dunbar, Cammeray

Lattrell MitchellCredit: Stephen Kiprillis

“The most important person in NSW” was placed on report twice on Saturday. For outright thuggery. And your columnist wonders why he gets booed. David Calvey, Gosford

Booing has been a part of sporting crowds since I was a boy, although the reasons for it may differ. Mostly sportspeople are booed if they are not producing on the field in a way that is commensurate with their pay packet. At the moment, and far too often, Latrell fits that category. Comparing this with the treatment of Adam Goodes is tenuous, given that Goodes never gave expletive-ridden comments on live broadcasts and always gave his best on the field. The abuse directed towards him was racially based and disgusting while Latrell’s has largely been brought on by himself for reasons other than race. Latrell may be a good ambassador off the field but currently he is proving less than that on the field that made his reputation. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne

There has been a lot said about the on-field booing of Mitchell. Lots of reasons given but no recognition of the real elephant in the room. Latrell is an Indigenous man with too much to say.

We tolerate First Nations people when they do and say things that meet our paternalistic approval but be prepared for a public flogging if an assertive and aggressive voice is heard.

The shameful lynch mob mentality of football crowds at Souths games of late is a national and international disgrace. Peter Dowling, Kensington

More good journalists than bad

The facile contention of my former 60 Minutes colleague Ray Martin that the “sordid saga” outlined under oath by Taylor Auerbach in the Lehrmann action “reflects badly on … every journalist” is nonsense (“Spotlight’s grubby ‘exclusive’ puts us all on the nose”, April 6).

As Margaret Thatcher once inquired of George Negus, “who” were the people he claimed were criticising her? I wonder just “how often” strangers have asked Martin: “What’s happened to journalism?” Many fine journalists outnumber Taylor Auerbach. Susie Boswell, Port Macquarie

Martin laments the taint that the latest in the Lehrmann-Higgins saga has done to true journalism. Yet so often we see pushy tabloid interviewers shove microphones under people’s noses in public, demanding instant answers to loaded questions. Is anyone really surprised that back-room deals are done in seedy circumstances to grasp the attention of a salivating audience and beat the competition to the spoils? Every industry has its noble beasts, just as it has its hyenas. It’s the appetites they try to satisfy that are the problem. Adrian Connelly, Springwood

Leadership lacking

Surely, replacing any knee-jerk, eye-for-an eye reaction to any enemy should be the first, not the last, attempt at finding solutions (“Days of living by the sword need to end”, April 6. ). Already, the destruction in the Middle East has been enormous, the death toll outrageous and the bitterness between parties rancorous beyond words. Have we pondered what kind of world we might inhabit if even a relative form of peace-making was practised? A world now bristling with weapons of mass destruction is far too precarious for us not to consider alternatives. Where would we ever find an audacious and forward-thinking leader prepared to venture into this uncharted territory of abandoning, even as a starting point, the sword for dialogue? The editorial gave no answers. Bernard Moylan, Bronte

One Australian aid worker has done more for the people of Gaza than any of our meek politicians. But they will take the kudos (Letters, April 6). Colin Longbottom, Cronulla

Cash conundrum

Your article notes that businesses incur costs for cash transit services, though they don’t pass those costs on to cash-paying customers (“The Armaguard saga shows we’re a long way from ditching cash entirely”, April 7). Businesses also incur costs from banks when the customer makes an electronic payment. And some add that to the total bill. So banks and retail businesses absorb the costs of handling cash (including counting, transport and security), yet it’s fine to charge customers who use electronic payment, on which there is negligible actual cost per transaction? As we shift even further into cashless transactions, I suggest there will need to be some code or standards on associated service charges to prevent gouging. I concede that many of those continuing to use cash may have limited incomes, and a fee for using cash would hurt them disproportionately. Stephen Nicholson, Port Macquarie

Wrong on tradies

I have a good idea – train more tradies here (“States demand fast track for tradies”, April 6). We managed to do that before TAFE was hollowed out and apprenticeships were no longer seen as a desirable career path for aspiring tradies. If the countries sending us their migrants can continue to train tradies, why can’t we? It’s never too late to admit policy mistakes and turn again to thinking about future needs. We cannot rely on supply from other countries forever. Natalie Mabbitt, Randwick

Illustration:Credit: John Shakespeare

Weather wilder

With the recent record sea surface temperatures off the NSW coast – up to three degrees higher than usual – we must expect wilder weather (“Evacuation warning as rain lashes city”, April 6). Warmer oceans mean more evaporation, and warmer air has an increased water-carrying capacity, so we often see bigger dumps of rain when the system makes landfall. We haven’t yet heard the description “catastrophic” applied to the recent weather event, but with increasingly severe climate change there will clearly be a lot more of this. Until our politicians actually take the hard decisions (such as no new coal and gas) we’ll have to buckle ourselves in for a wild and very wet ride. Rob Firth, Red Hill (ACT)

Let pressure off

We have just experienced again the situation when Warragamba Dam spills after substantial rainfall in the catchment and downstream (“Thousands evacuated along Hawkesbury River as funding for clean up begins”, smh .com.au, April 7). When the dam spills the area downstream of the dam is already waterlogged and the river levels are high. The outcome of the dam spilling is flooding of the Hawkesbury lowlands, damaging property, obstructing traffic and potentially costing lives. A logical response to reduce the risk of flooding following overtopping of the dam would be to commence releasing water from the dam as soon as catchment data establishes that the dam will be receiving sufficient inflow to fill it. This will cause an increase in river flows below the dam but to levels designed to avoid damaging flooding, and reduce the extent of uncontrolled flooding following the spillage from the dam. Philip Edmonds, Mosman

Stations all set

Your correspondent makes a good point regarding charging stations for EVs (Letters, April 6). Given that most petrol stations have ample room on major highways, I suggest that the most logical place for charging stations is at existing petrol stations. From what I understand, while there is variable profit in petrol/diesel, the main profit comes from in-store purchases, so it makes sense these charging facilities to be located there. Pankaj Rao, Merewether

Boomers rumours

First it was scooters, then e-bikes and now fat bikes (Letters, April 6). In Newtown, we have quite a few of all three. In my experience, riders of the bikes and scooters are well aware of the dangers and are careful. But heavy and wide mobility scooters driven by confident Baby Boomers are a different matter. I would put them first on my list by a long way. Miles Harvey, Newtown

Abbott’s epiphany

“I want the Parliamentary Party to be more reflective, namely, to have more women and to be more diverse” (“Liberals need more female MPs, says Abbott”, April 6). Finally, some words of wisdom from former PM, Tony Abbott. I never thought I would live to see the day. Stephen Healion, Wang Wauk

Abbott is a fine one to suggest more women in Parliament, especially after the way he addressed Julia Gillard. Ron Field, Bermagui

It is sad to learn it has taken Abbott 12 years to realise more women are needed in the Liberal Party. He has at last learnt a lesson from Julia Gillard and her misogyny speech. Robyn Lewis, Raglan

Could Abbott please point to the men in the Liberal Party he believes should give up their seat for a woman? Tim Schroder, Gordon

Just what was Abbott doing on the road to Damascus? Brian Collins, Cronulla

Snippets of gossip

I can confirm your correspondent’s description of Ron the barber’s social hub in the arcade in Blenheim Road, North Ryde (Letters, April 6). I can go back a generation to Ron’s father Norm, known as “the eyes and ears of North Ryde”.
Helen Patterson, North Ryde

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