For the next six months, the NSW transport minister should be required to undertake all her personal and official travel by public transport (“Haylen to pay back cost of personal Hunter Valley tour”, February 2). A report on her experiences and insights gained during this time would enable the minister to comprehensively discuss and highlight where improvements are needed across the bus, tram and train networks. Sue Dyer, Downer (ACT)
The NSW Minister for Transport should have known that using a government vehicle for a private trip would never pass the pub test. It wasn’t just for a drive to the local shops, either. No wonder politicians have lost credibility. Stewart Copper, Maroubra
Transport Minister Jo Haylen apologises on Sunday.Credit: Oscar Colman
Cut-rate schools
North Sydney Council’s proposed rates rise of up to 87 per cent is an alarming burden on ratepayers (“North Sydney councillors to consider 87 per cent rates rise”, February 1). While it is understood that council rates fund essential services and infrastructure, the scale of this increase is unprecedented and raises serious questions about fairness in who contributes. One glaring inequity is the exemption granted to numerous private schools in the council’s jurisdiction, many of which occupy prime real estate. These institutions benefit from council services, including road maintenance, waste collection, and soon, the newly renovated North Sydney Olympic Pool. Yet, they contribute nothing in rates, leaving local residents and businesses to shoulder the entire financial load. While North Sydney Council has recently moved to seek voluntary contributions from private schools and is considering levies under its draft infrastructure plan, these measures must be enforced, rather than optional. Wealthy institutions should not be exempt while North Sydney households and small businesses face skyrocketing rates. Ratepayers deserve a fairer system in which all who benefit contribute their fair share. Marina Cardillo, North Sydney
Both Northern Beaches and North Sydney Councils are considering massive rate rises. This begs some critical questions. Should councils undertake massive infrastructure projects, like the refurbishment of North Sydney pool? Do they have the expertise given the recent over-budget, over-deadline Nielsen Park seawall renovation? Should they even be responsible for the management and maintenance of infrastructure at all? There is one underlying question no politician wants to answer, but it should be asked. Do we need three tiers of government in Australia? Neville Turbit, Russell Lea
Cost-cutting folly
Peter Dutton tells us that his economic team will “cut wasteful spending … and restore prudent spending” (“Dutton flags cultural diversity jobs are in the firing line”, February 1). He certainly has some knowledge of the subject. In its last nine years in government, the Coalition delivered nine consecutive deficits including the three largest in our history. Their waste was legendary, with highlights such as $40 million spent to acquire land valued at under $3 million, $80 million to buy water rights from Eastern Australia Agriculture, which made a tidy $52 million on the deal, $6 billion to build French subs without producing as much as a scale model, and the greatest waste in our history – $40 billion paid in JobKeeper to entities that were not eligible for any funding. Dutton’s own record is not great and includes $10,000 of taxpayer money spent in legal fees over his decision to allow two au pair girls to stay in Australia. Barry Harrod, Fig Tree Pocket (Qld)
Michael McMullan was spot-on about the folly of retrenching public servants (Letters, February 1). As a retired public servant myself, it never ceases to amaze me how people in general see us as a horde of workers sitting at desks, doing very little. They seem to forget that the public service is employed to serve society and it includes teachers, police, firefighters and nurses. These workers are vital to our social fabric and the public is first to notice when there aren’t enough of them. Tatania Podmore, Cremorne
Peter Dutton says he will save money by cutting 36,000 public service jobs. To put this into context, in the last year of the previous Coalition government, some 54,000 consultants were employed costing $20 billion, about $370,000 each. Is Dutton going to promise that he will not repeat this blunder when he finds he can’t get the necessary work done because he has sacked so many cheaper public servants? Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Peace via education
Further to the two insightful Herald editorials (“Jews deserve better than silence over caravan” January 31 and “Antisemitism fight demands co-operation” February 1), Australians need to appreciate the deeper strategy that has been practised repeatedly by antisemites for generations. It relies on the default human behaviour: the more often people hear lies and see troubling incidents like violence and vandalism associated with Jews, the more likely people are to blame Jews for causing those troubles, regardless of the truth. Unbiased education is necessary to avoid going down that very dangerous slope. Peter Allen, Castle Cove
Destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza.Credit: AP
Reader Keith Woodward finds Israel’s bombing of Gaza’s homes, schools and hospitals to be intolerable (Letters, February 1). I must point out that Israel says it bombed these buildings because Hamas was using them for military purposes. In my opinion, it’s Hamas’s human-shield tactics that were actually intolerable. Woodward finds antisemitism in Australia to be relatively minor in comparison to what happened in Gaza, but we all know where it can lead if left unchecked. It would not have been relatively minor if the caravan bomb plot had succeeded and, indeed, it is not relatively minor to have a whole community live in constant fear. In fact, it is also intolerable. Alan Shroot, Forrest (ACT)
Keith Woodward’s views beggar belief. Indeed, the scenes of returning refugees in Gaza are horrifying and the bombing of apparently civilian infrastructure during the war is appalling. However, he appears to ignore that these schools, hospitals and apartment buildings were used by Hamas to store weaponry and shield their combatants. The IDF claims it did all in its power to mitigate civilian harm, but it appears Hamas was quite willing to sacrifice its people in pursuit of their goals. Woodward also said antisemitism in Australia appeared to be a relatively minor problem in comparison. Yes, that’s right, no one has yet died, no school or synagogue has been blown up, and, hopefully the authorities will bring this under control. What Woodward clearly does not understand is the incredibly unsettling, anxiety-provoking fear among the Jewish community caused by rising antisemitism. He should have acknowledged that Israel’s actions have nothing to do with Australian Jews and that we, as a society, should foster a culture of safety and acceptance of each other’s race, religion and ethnicity, allowing each and every one of us to go about our daily lives without fear. Michael Berger, Bellevue Hill
Like your correspondent Alan Keating (Letters, February 1), I am appalled and offended by the demand of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that “we expect the Australian government to do more to stop this disease”. It is galling to be lectured on antisemitism and safety for Australian Jews by yet another leader from a government that in 1950-51 was strongly implicated in a campaign of synagogue bombings in Baghdad to encourage the mass exodus of Iraqi Jews to Israel, and which is said to have sacrificed hundreds of their own citizens in the IDF’s response to the October 7 attacks by Hamas. Hugh Thomson, Echunga (SA)
Coppers in choppers
Superintendent Chris Nicholson’s claim that police helicopter sorties have had a significant deterrent effect on incidents of antisemitism sounds dubious at best (“Police high-tech helicopter patrols above the eastern suburbs”, January 31). It assumes, first, that further acts have, in fact, been planned and, secondly, that they have been thwarted by chopper surveillance. No evidence of either is offered. Ever since I hung a dream catcher at my front door, no one has broken into my home. It doesn’t follow that anyone was planning to; or, if they were, that my new talisman is responsible for putting them off the idea. Ross Duncan, Potts Point
The decision to deploy helicopters in this way seems to be a knee-jerk response to understandable community concerns about potential antisemitic vandalism. But no thought appears to have been given to the tremendous and sustained noise of low-flying helicopters, not to mention very intrusive searchlights. The result has been severe sleep disturbance and anxiety to the whole eastern suburbs community. Nor was any notice given. Clearly targeted and thoughtful strategies are needed to deal with the unacceptable behaviour, but helicopter night flights are a highly questionable solution. Juliet Papp, Waverley
Loose lips sink ships
Peter Dutton, of all people, should understand the principle of not talking about operational matters (“PM battles anger over terror plot response”, February 1). That’s what he and Scott Morrison kept saying when they wouldn’t tell us about what the navy was doing to “stop the boats”. It’s his usual scaremongering. Instead of trying to make people feel good about this country, he just wants them fearful, knowing that usually means voters swing to the right. Lawrence Dwyer, Oak Flats
You report our prime minister saying “I do not talk about operational matters for an ongoing investigation”. Does anyone else question a politician or other interviewee’s motives when they refuse to answer a direct question? The implication is that the answer will be unfavourable to them. As Monty Python said: “Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.” Alan Slade, Dover Heights
Bold policies desperately needed
Thank you, Nick Bryant, for spelling out the issues contributing to the increasing polarisation of Australian society (“How a fractured Australia lost its laid-back spirit”, February 1). With a federal election looming, those of us who really care about the country’s future are literally begging for leadership and policies to tackle income polarisation, the housing crisis and the changing climate. We don’t want more of the same, and we don’t want a government that is too timid. We want some bold policies that will effectively change the country’s trajectory, such as using the tax system to help young people into the housing market, cutting immigration for a few years, ensuring that all corporations and the wealthy pay a fair amount of tax, encouraging the decentralisation of population through construction of an east coast fast train, and assisting all towns and suburbs to reduce energy uncertainties through big battery programs. We can’t afford divisiveness and negativity any longer. Catherine Rossiter, Fadden (ACT)
Randwick council cleaners remove antisemitic graffiti from a home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.Credit: Edwina Pickles
I wish to inform Nick Bryant that it was not only Peter Dutton who thought Penny Wong was unsuitable to represent Australia at the Auschwitz commemorations. Many Jewish Australians, non-Jewish Australians and politicians also thought so. Wong is largely responsible for voting repeatedly against the interests of Israel at the UN, only to be congratulated by the Israel haters. She was clearly the wrong person to represent Australia in Auschwitz. Good on Peter Dutton. Andrea Kalowski, Rose Bay
Dodgy behaviour
Interesting article on fare dodgers (“I’ve declared war on fare dodgers”, February 1). I’ve sometimes wondered whether a free transport system may encourage public transport patronage as a more environmentally friendly mode of transport. This would be paid for by the community as a community service. But then, of course, we have the other artful dodgers – the tax dodgers who make this option a rather utopian ideal. Janet Cook, Waverton
As a frequent bus traveller it amazes me to see how many people don’t pay. It’s easy for me to be judgmental, I’m a senior Opal cardholder and travel is cheap. But it baffles me how often bus travellers who don’t pay loudly thank the driver as they exit (usually by the back door). Leo Corbin, Rockdale
Nowhere to run
Like Joseph Moran, having also run the six World Marathon Majors (WMM), I was disappointed to have missed out on a ballot spot for this year’s Sydney Marathon (“Joseph has run every major marathon in the world. But he’s been rejected from his home city’s”, February 1). I have also run several other international marathons, plus Australia marathons including Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Gold Coast and even Wagga Wagga. Unfortunately, I didn’t run the Sydney marathon for the past two years as I was excluded from automatic entry. However, I had hoped that the organisers might have provided similar allowances for people who are well on their journey to completing the WMM. Not so. I imagine there’d be many WMM aspirants from overseas who have missed out and shelved their trips down under. I guess I’ll have to find myself an entry from a charity, or hope I get lucky in the 2026 ballot. Silvio Del Vecchio, South Coogee
Joseph Moran training at Blues Point Reserve.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Trick of the lights
It would only take a small tweak of the traffic lights, but a major change in the mindsets of road traffic controllers, to give pedestrians and cyclists equal “right-of-passage” on our roads. (“The change to our traffic lights that could make you happier”, January 1). There are so many examples of very busy crossings where pedestrians are considered a low priority. A classic is at Coogee Beach, where the pedestrian green light is not automatic, and if no one pushes the button people wait forever and a crowd develops, sometimes spilling onto the road. Another example is the busy Anzac Parade crossing at Centennial Park gates. It is very dangerous because the pedestrian sequence comes last, at the end of the lengthy car sequences, and pedestrians take chances rather than wait for ages. Then there’s the Bourke Street bike path at Albion Street, where crossing is not synchronised with the foot crossing sign, leading to all sorts of confusion. As a priority, all pedestrian crossings should be set for the pedestrian sequence to come first, not last. It is only a tweak away. Lesley Spicer, Coogee
Delusional president
Donald Trump thinks there are people with serious psychological and intellectual problems who are in jobs beyond their abilities in the US (“Trump blames diversity hires, Biden for fatal aircraft crash without evidence”, January 31). Look in a mirror, Mister President, look in a mirror. Ann Clydsdale, Bathurst
Your shout, Jim
I saw Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers on TV at the weekend saying the new beer excise would only add 1¢ to the price of a pint. I’ll have to start going to his pub as my schooner goes up 20¢ today. Perhaps his inspectors will be able to help. Laurie Powell, Woy Woy
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