The innate unfairness of the HSC disability provisions scheme is something I have been aware of since my early years practising as a GP and which has only escalated since then (“Surge in HSC help prompts review”, December 1). I first became aware of it many years ago when repeatedly asked for referrals to medical specialists, which resulted in almost every case in the diagnosis of medical conditions which supported eligibility for disability provisions. Awareness of ability to do this was highest in those parents whose children attended private schools and for whom the cost was not a barrier. Today, with the epidemic of increasing diagnoses of ADHD being made and with even higher expense involved to obtain a diagnosis, it is clear which group of students will be able to have their eligibility certified by a medical professional. That 50 per cent of one of the most expensive private schools students have applied makes it clear that the review is essential. Not making changes will allow the entrenched inequality experienced by young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to get worse. Louise Dolan, Birchgrove
How much help do students need? Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
When one in five students from private schools applies for HSC disability provisions, the integrity of the exam has to come into question. Yet another example of the great divide. When will the powers that be listen? A fair education system must be at the centre of our society, it must reflect who we are. Fair funding, a fair playing field for all students equals a fair country, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Why is this so hard? Lisa Williams, Dulwich Hill
Donkey voters
Your correspondent (Letters, December 1) thinks that eligible voters should be allowed the option of not voting, or voting informally, if and only if they are either completely ignorant of the candidates or don’t care which candidate is elected. I disagree. In a democracy voting should be compulsory so one can say the people have spoken. It doesn’t matter that so-called “donkey” voters may determine the outcome of an election. If such voters vote, for whatever reason, for candidates in the order listed on the ballot paper, it is not for any of the rest of us to say they shouldn’t do so. In any case, not all voters view a list in the same way. Many of us would read a list down and to the right. Others, Arabic and Hebrew readers for example, might tend to view a list (as, for example, on a Senate ballot paper) from right to left. Most of us, too, are familiar with graphs having an origin in the lower-left corner, counting upwards and to the right. A “donkey” voter might view the ballot paper list as starting from the bottom. Some donkeys are more or less donkey than others. Ross Drynan, Lindfield
Hydro bungle
Well, the federal Coalition’s only real attempt at some form of renewable energy, Snowy 2.0 (“Bogged, blown out by $10b: Snowy 2.0 digs in for the long haul”, December 1) has shown just how inept the Coalition is in planning any attempt to address climate change through an energy policy. Just imagine what the real cost would be of starting from scratch to build a series of nuclear power stations all over the country and, of course, a plan for the storage of radioactive waste. Can’t wait for their costings and projected timeline. Ken Pares, Forster
It does appear that Snowy 2.0 is back on track, and the extra storage it provides should help silence the critics who insist that an electricity grid powered by wind and solar can never work. Actually, some of those critics will never be silenced, even when renewables actually do reach 100 per cent without blackouts or crippling energy costs. That is because, for them, the issue is not about science or engineering or economics; it’s about ideology. They are fighting the so-called “climate wars”, and will not be satisfied until global warming disappears entirely from public discussion. Sadly, only global action can make that happen. Ken Enderby, Concord
Skin bin
I moved to the Inner West Council area a year ago and have been using a FOGO bin ever since (“Weekly compost collection plan kicks up a stink”, December 1), with reliable weekly collection. If one council can do this, why is the mandate delayed until 2030? This system should be implemented immediately to save another five or six years of landfill. Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt
Secret portfolio
Dutton may not need to worry about finding a replacement for Simon Birmingham as shadow minister for foreign affairs (“Albanese readies January reshuffle to replace Shorten”, December 1). Scott Morrison probably secretly holds that position in absentia. Graham Lum, North Rocks
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