High achievers deserve praise, but so do all other HSC graduates

Of course the high achievers in the HSC list should be recognised and congratulated (Letters, December 16). However, all students who sat the exams should be acknowledged and deserve our praise for having strived, persevered and worked hard to do their best, many under difficult circumstances. We honour all those young men and women who lost family members, their homes to fires and floods, who suffered physical, emotional and mental issues but still went on and did not give up. We admire each and every one of you. Rita Zammit, Concord

Year 12 students, Balgowlah Boys campus. Credit: Nick Moir

Every year thousands of young people experience the dramas and challenges of the HSC high-stakes testing regime. Every year we have the same media frenzy about the highest achievers and the highest achieving schools. Whilst the students and schools who have achieved highly will have a rightful sense of self-pride and self-satisfaction they do not need this public spotlight. For the 95 per cent of the young people not recognised through this process who will form the next adult cohort to lead and service the society, they do not need this either. Warren Marks, Hill Top

It’s all very useful and informative to have the Herald analyse and report on HSC exam statistics, every year, but their acknowledgement that they are not privy to, nor able to report on, all the data is problematic. The idea that schools and students must vie for league table positions rather than encourage an intrinsic love of learning, is not conducive to best education practice. The notion that band six results are the only indicators of a school’s performance and that all students can equally make significant improvements every year regardless of school resourcing, socio-economic and other factors, is fallacious. Vanessa Tennent, Oatley

As an ex-student who left Balgowlah High after the old Leaving Certificate in 1964, age 16, to go to Sydney University, I swell with pride at the school’s outstanding HSC results. Commonly call Bally High or Shacktown, life was interesting but rambunctious in the junior school with large classes, the cane and the Surfie-Rocker Wars to contend with in the playground. Senior year teachers were excellent and all my friendship cohort did well in later life. Well done boys, no need to pay high fees for a private education to achieve in life. Jim Rogers, Byron Bay

I’m indebted to (The Association of Independent Schools NSW’s) Jim Hanna, who has informed me that independent schools offer their facilities to common folk such as myself. I’m looking forward to a few laps at Cranbrook’s splendid Olympic pool next week. Should I say that Jim sent me? David Farrell, Erskineville

North Sydney pool has been closed for a while. Could Jim Hanna tell us which local private school pool we could swim at meanwhile, as there a few. (Am not aware of a public school nearby with a pool). Ingrid Radford, Waverton

Non-selective public and private schools should be ranked separately to selective schools (“The schools that blitzed HSC English”, December 16). While selective schools fight out for academic supremacy, many quality non-selective high schools educate students to success in their HSC and later life.
John Cotterill, Kingsford

There are two sides to every story, even this one

Many thanks to Ruth Ritchie for her insightful article (“My peers won’t mention the war. At least not to me”, December 16). She makes some very pertinent points about Australian’s unwillingness to acknowledge that there are two sides to this war, and that many of the pro-Palestinian groups are in fact antisemitic. We hear you, Ruth. Pamela Shepherd, Balgowlah

Writer Ruth RitchieCredit: James Brickwood

Regardless of the horrors inflicted on any individuals, peoples or groups, they cannot claim free licence to inflict their own horrors. And when they do, and are criticised, they cannot dismiss it as prejudice or “anti” anything. If there’s an “uncomfortable silence” around supporters of Israel’s current actions, perhaps it’s because the risk of being labelled an antisemite means it’s too high to speak. Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point

Don’t be frightened Ruth Ritchie. The silent majority are with you.
Riley Brown, Bondi Beach

I’m not especially interested in what actors have to say about the Israel-Hamas war. There are plenty of others out there who have dedicated their life to an important issue, or been directly affected, whose viewpoint is more likely to make me sit up and take notice than those who are paid to pretend to be someone else. Alicia Dawson, Balmain

I will stand with Ruth Ritchie. As a Christian gentile and member of the Labor Party, I am appalled at the fear and stigmatism so many of the Jewish community are feeling. I am particularly angry at the use of the term “river to the sea” being appropriated by Palestinian supporters. These words come from the Bible and refer to God’s promise of the land to his chosen people, they are now being used to pledge the annihilation of that people. Not to condemn Hamas means to support this proposition. I am also disappointed that my own government has failed to condemn Hamas in an adequate way. The Labor Party helped set up the state of Israel after WWII, is it prepared to watch its extinction in a second Holocaust? Vivienne Parsons, Thornleigh

As the percentage of actual grown-ups attending the theatre continues to plummet, we’re almost at the point of seeing content advisories that play may contain “course language, partial nudity, theatrical haze, actors wearing scarves, and a diversity of opinion” and disclaimers that “no board members have harmed during the season of this production”. Whatever happened to a good hurrupmh and a spirited vent on the way home? Peter Fyfe, Enmore

O’Neil better than Dutton was

The country must hope that Clare O’Neil is up to the task of fixing the mess in which immigration policy has been left after nine years of poor policy-making by the Coalition (“O’Neil’s burden: fix immigration”, December 16). Her task involves making policies, not only for those seeking a better life in this country but also those seeking to escape the risk of persecution in their homelands. She should not overlook the fact that bad policy-making relating to refugees dates back at least to the time of the Keating government when mandatory detention of boat people was introduced. So, her task begins with changing deeply entrenched mindsets within her own party, the opposition and her department. Paul Fergus, Croydon

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil Credit: Eamon Gallagher

As described by Peter Hartcher, Clare O’Neil is tough and not to be underestimated. Under constant attack from her Coalition predecessor stoking fear in the community and over-egging the risks associated with the release of immigration detainees, O’Neil was not cowed and gave as good as she got. On another front, O’Neil has carefully analysed the construction and operations of the Home Affairs department and rightly concluded that reform is necessary, pinpointing the lack of vision and ineffective policy implementation under the reign of Peter Dutton and the former departmental secretary. Ross Butler, Rodd Point

Dutton’s failure to reign in the out of control Pezzullo over a long period as well as the legacy of one million unprocessed visas are black marks on his record as home affairs minister. In contrast, Clare O’Neil gives the appearance of a competent minister and a very decent individual who does not insult the voters’ intelligence. Tony Simons, Balmain

Good on you Clare! If Dutton is feeling anxious about this grounded and intelligent female, she is probably doing a lot right. He should review his own female representatives with contorted faces and shouty voices attempting faux outrage about things the Coalition contributed to creating. Even some of the more sophisticated ones are demeaning themselves by poor attempts at portraying Dutton’s mood. How about good policy and debate, well articulated by convincing and trustworthy operatives? Brian Jones, Leura

Profit surge

Banks short-changing their customers goes well beyond savings accounts and fixed-term deposits (“Loyal bank customers lose billions”, December 16). The major banks hold $750 billion or more as deposits in everyday transaction accounts on which, essentially, no interest at all is paid. As the official cash rate has surged so have the profits banks are making on their “free” deposit books. The big banks are looking flush with funds. The market for bank deposits has failed across the board and will not self-correct. There is little point anyone shopping around for basic transaction account facilities.
Peter Mair, Dee Why

Myth debunked

I have always bought the argument that women were weaker physically than men and needed men to protect them when vulnerable in pregnancy and when nursing young children - and this explains male dominance, but Julia Baird’s brilliant explanation of the evidence refuting this blows it out of the water (“Men hunt and women...or so we gathered”, December 16). Well done Julia. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

When’s dinner? Credit: John Shakespeare

The “men hunt, women gather” myth has now been totally debunked. How about someone challenge the “those who can do, and those who can’t, teach” myth that devalues each and every teacher. Marjie Williamson, Blaxland

Drum silent

Thousands remain shocked by the ABC’s decision to axe The Drum (Letters, December 16). No longer will we hear the considered judgements of expert presenters and so many contributors on the crucial issues of the day. ABC Chair Ita Buttrose has been reported as trying to cheer up those still remaining at the ABC, arguing that the Commission must adapt and must respond to audience trends. Well, Ita, there is a massive audience trending toward reinstating The Drum - one of the few shows with serious investigative journalism at its heart. Ron Sinclair, Windradyne

In an era of contesting media platforms vying for ratings at all costs, The Drum delivered considered, respectful, and at times humorous discourse with people who had on the ground, lived experience of the issues at hand rather than using the usual well-known talking heads. Using viewer numbers as the decider to axe this important program goes in part against the ABC Charter, which is to provide Australia with innovative, comprehensive broadcasting that reflects the cultural diversity of our Australian community. Susan Bromley, Wentworth Falls

I was one of many viewers who were absolutely devastated by the “decommissioning” of The Drum, probably the only programme on Australian television where a diversity of opinions were expressed by a wide variety of participants on topics of relevance to all Australians. Surely one of the basic tenants of democracy is a free and fearless public broadcaster being adequately funded so it can report without fear or favour. I remember back in the day when people took to the streets to protest about the cuts being made to the ABC, maybe it is time this happens again? Sue Armstrong, Pyrmont

Disaster coming

Deborah Snow’s article about a former defence force chief (“From defending the high seas to saving the entire planet”, December 16) showed that Australia needs people like Chris Barrie to stir them from their complacency about what is probably the greatest threat humanity has ever faced: global heating and resulting climate change. Mr Barrie’s fear that on current trends, limiting planetary warming to 1.5 degrees has disappeared — “now it may be two, but it’s much more likely to be three” degrees is well-founded, and scary. Three degrees doesn’t seem like much, but it’s a global average, and more than the historical difference between an ice age and a euphemistically-named “warm period”. A three-degree rise will make large regions of Earth uninhabitable for most, if not all, humans. On current trends, including those set by our government, we are headed for such a disaster. The age of fossil fuels must end, and soon. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)

Former head of the ADF Admiral Chris BarrieCredit: Nick Moir

Cup runneth over

Writing a letter to the Herald

and writing poetry –

both are like sipping water

from a cup that never becomes empty.

Peter Skrzynecki, Eastwood

Love my dog (or else)

There’s a seldom-mentioned societal “no-no.” If you’re not a dog lover and that fact is dragged from you in conversation, the air turns instantly frigid and the warmth doesn’t return. Rosemary O’Brien, Ashfield

Jones in Japan

Eddie Jones can pick a Japanese rugby team made exclusively of Australian rugby players currently playing in that country (“Rugby, lies and Eddie Jones”, December 16). Graham Russell, Clovelly

Lights out

The problem with getting old is by the time it’s dark enough to go and look at the Christmas lights you’re ready for bed (“Brightest lights, for the right reasons”, December 16). Michael Deeth, Como West

Folbigg’s pain

Even if money could compensate Kathleen Folbigg for 20 years’ vilification and misery (Letters, December 16), how can anything compensate for the loss of four children? Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale (Vic)

Gift of comedy

The memorial service for Barry Humphries was a reminder that his ability to make us laugh at ourselves was a remarkable gift (“National icon lived life full of character”, December 16). Vicky Marquis, Glebe

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