Michele Bruniges’ suggestion that private schools open their doors to disadvantaged students (“Comprehensive schools carry a disproportionate burden of disadvantage”, March 5) opens up the timeworn public policy issue of how to solve inequities in our school system. I would think by now it’s not what to do but who will do it. We surely need to invert funding more to “disadvantaged” public school students and far less to the already advantaged students in private and selective schools. Sending the “disadvantaged” to well-funded private schools sounds like a charity solution. It reinforces the sense of superiority and well-being for the giver and denies the receiver their right to a well- funded public education. Jill Napier, Phegans Bay
Michele Bruniges. does she have the answers for the school test?Credit: Sydney Morning Herald
The editorial points out that Gonski identified the inequity in our schooling, but I disagree that all governments have tried to address the imbalance. While Labor has tried to honour many of Gonski’s recommendations, the Coalition when in power has wound back some of the good that Labor achieved. There is still too much funding directed to wealthy private schools. Nearly every day I see the fleet of buses owned by a few nearby private schools ferrying students around or parked at the nearby racecourse. No public schools that I am aware of own a fleet of buses. As far as selective schools go, there are simply too many. I have stated many times that ‘selective’ means about 2 per cent of the population, but parents interpret this as 2 per cent plus their child. Michele Bruniges was one of the few directors general of education that I had any time for during my teaching career. What she says at the Herald Schools Summit should be listed to carefully. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury
Strategies to reduce public school students to competitive scholarship holders at the local private school, as suggested by Michele Bruniges, should never be a solution to the funding crisis in our public schools. All our public school students should be lifted, not further marginalised. Where is the real educational leadership that lifts our public schools and its students up, rather than flattening them all to the ground? Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
What Michele Bruniges is highlighting is the need for schools to focus on more than literacy and numeracy, if the learning needs of students are to be met. Unfortunately, psychologists, therapists and other health and welfare professionals were not mentioned in yesterday’s funding announcement. If education is to lift individuals out of poverty and generational disadvantage, it requires a whole-person approach. Something that is missing in the government’s tightly targeted funding announcement. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
It’s taken a long time for the bleeding obvious to register with education ministers and bureaucrats. NSW increased the number of selective schools, it was claimed, as a rival to elite private schools. By systematically stripping the best from non-selective schools, the only possible result was to make those schools unattractive and increase the flight to private schooling. It should have never happened. Michael Berg, Randwick
Loosen up the hoops
Christopher Harris (“Schools must level the playing field: expert”, March 5) points out the great dichotomy within public schools, the shining lights of the selective schools and the extreme disadvantages some schools still operate with. Disadvantage should be treated with more support and let us hope the injection of new funds will loosen up some of the onerous hoops schools must go through to be eligible for extra help. Most schools have student support learning officers to help students with specific needs, but the funding formula is so tough that even schools with huge populations are only eligible for one or two permanent support staff. This leaves many students who would benefit from support out on a limb. Brian Thornton, Stanmore
Dutton hoodie ban
Peter Dutton has again entered his favourite space of community fear (another divisive tactic) (“Dutton set to revive Safer Communities fund in votes push”, March 5). Once again we see Dutton beating up the idea that our community is unsafe and we need cameras everywhere to catch these naughty boys and girls. He would be better off putting his money into helping families who live on the edge of poverty and, of course, their children, rather than stirring up the community about the possibility of being attacked or robbed. Anyway, good luck catching them as they all wear hoodies. Maybe he could introduce a law to ban hoodies. Bruce Thompson, Long Jetty
Here we go again: the Coalition not only blatantly pork barrelling but managing to stoke community anxiety and divisions at the same time. The suggestion that “restoring a sense of safety and security” can be achieved by funding surveillance equipment, lighting, “external blast walls and windows” and nebulous intervention services would be ludicrous if the divisions and sense of danger it creates were not so corrosive to our society. The hallmark of the Coalition’s campaign is sweeping statements, with no credible data or analysis, used to whip up discontent and anxiety. Sound familiar? Make no mistake, it’s straight out of the Trump playbook. Is that a road we want to go down? Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga
I’m patiently awaiting the first letter blaming Peter Dutton for Cyclone Alfred. Mitch Geddes, Palm Beach
Return of the consultants
The proposed removal of WFH for public servants is another attempt to undermine that workforce (“Union vows to fight Dutton pledge on WFH at tribunal”, March 5). The Coalition will be hoping that many of the public servants affected, particularly women, will be forced to leave, allowing for the return of expensive consultants to do the work. Another example of their fee for service philosophy. Michael Blissenden, Dural
Peacemakers welcome
Credit: Matt Golding
The prime minister has demonstrated maturity and strong moral conviction by indicating his government could potentially send peacekeepers to Ukraine (″PM’s shock move on peacekeeping force″, March 5). Not only is this a show of solidarity with the embattled Ukrainians and support for Europe as a whole, it is a welcome move towards more independence in foreign policy. Our military and police are well experienced in performing peacekeeping duties and any deployment will do the nation proud. On the other hand, Peter Dutton, true to form and devoid of any instincts to co-operate or collaborate (″PM changes tack on sending peacekeepers″, March 4), has rejected the idea of sending any peacekeepers. Worse still, he sounded very much like a mouthpiece for Donald Trump, declaring it was a job for the Europeans. Anthony Albanese clearly recognises that the Ukrainian war is about democratic values, justice, freedom and security while the opposition leader in tune with the US president only sees an opportunity to create some political advantage. Ross Butler, Rodd Point
Smoking bans are futile
I’ve always loathed smoking, so am personally attracted to your correspondent’s call (Letters, March 5) to ban the sale of all tobacco products. The problem is that prohibition rarely works, unless society is prepared to spend big on enforcement and making social pariahs out of those who break the rules. To give one small example: there are at least three cafes in Merrylands where smoking openly occurs on the premises and the authorities do nothing about it. Roger Gallagher, Merrylands
Time to raise rent on Pine Gap
We can now see exactly what treaties and free trade agreements with our Great and Powerful Ally are worth (“Trump pauses US military assistance to Kyiv days after Zelensky meeting”, March 5). Our first action should be to raise the rent on Pine Gap, North West Cape, and other communications bases to an amount which more than covers AUKUS payments. Legislation allowing the deportation to Nauru or some other suitably remote Pacific or Indian Ocean destination of anybody involved on those bases who is not an Australian citizen should be passed immediately. Jim Mackenzie, Cherrybrook
As Trump sees international relations as essentially transactional deal making, perhaps Australia should accept this new reality and lease Pine Gap to the highest bidder? I don’t recall the US thanking us for our support recently. Michael Britt, MacMasters Beach
Stick to the facts
Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the man with two budget surpluses to boast of.Credit: Louie Douvis
Has your correspondent (Letters, March 5) been getting his economic information from the Liberal Party’s website, or has he just made it up? He claims that this government is “the biggest spending government in our parliament’s history”. The facts (easily checked) report that Jim Chalmers has delivered the two biggest back-to-back budget surpluses on record: a $22.1 billion surplus in 2022-23 and a $15.8 billion surplus in 2023-24 and the first back-to-back surplus in nearly two decades. By contrast, the Morrison Coalition government delivered the two largest deficits in our history, with the 2020 budget almost doubling our debt to a trillion dollars, our biggest national debt ever. The Coalition’s claim to be “the better economic managers” is pure fantasy and not borne out by even the most cursory scrutiny. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
Simplistic solution
Ross Gittins (“Housing industry’s 30-year smoko”, March 5) says the lack of productivity is a critical issue for the building industry. The governmental approach to improvement, chronic poor planning notwithstanding, is diminished by the simplistic view that regulation is the solution. If one accepts that a portion of the industry’s revenue is from remediation and repair with impact on material costs and available labour, lack of productivity improvement is already built in to the low output for new dwellings. Adding regulations and increased certifications for compliance for new builds is full on. Applying these additional layers to older, current built infrastructure, much of which is driven by poor initial construction or latent defects, raises upfront costs, delays and/or cancellations, both of which impact productivity. Robert Caraian, Crows Nest
Please go to Manly
Who’s kidding who? Manly has always been the place to be. (Christmas Day on Manly Beach, 1913, by Ethel Carrick.)Credit: Manly Art Gallery & Museum Collection
Well, Manly does not get my vote (“Manly voted best beach, and is a hit with buyers”, March 5). If Manly is so great, why did the First Fleet not settle north of the bridge? Bondi even has its own TV show: what does Manly have – a Sunday afternoon gig at the South Steyne? Give me a break. Along with Bondi, we have the holy trinity of sun, sand and surf – Bronte (Where God surfs) and Tamarama, which was good enough for Roy Rene. Manly, 7 miles from Sydney and 1000 miles from “We don’t care”. Bondi has even gifted classics in our lexicon, “Off like a Bondi tram” and the ever so likeable “Bondi cigar”. Please go to Manly, and leave us who appreciate the fine things in life to celebrate in peace. Ian McNeilly, Darlinghurst
Young and reckless
From my own observations driving around Sydney there seems to be a lot of P-platers that drive very fast (“Critique, don’t shriek: how to raise safe motorists”, March 5). It is no wonder that drivers under 26 made up a quarter of annual road fatalities in 2021. Even if the learning hours were doubled it wouldn’t change the fact that it is easy to be reckless when you first go solo behind that wheel. The day my father had a quiet word telling me that my mother was scared of my driving was indeed sobering and effective. Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay
Look no further
If you need an example of the “Jewish conspiracy controls the world” type of antisemitism, please look no further than Michael Buining’s letter (Letters, March 5). Along with the Herald’s decision to print it, of course. Robert Buist, Randwick
Charging ahead
Col Nicholson makes a valid point about the availability of EV charging stations (Letters, March 5). The most obvious place to position these is at existing petrol stations. These stations rely more on in-store purchases than the sale of fuel. A simple plan would be to charge your car, and at a discount, purchase food and drink from these stores. The other option is people power. Private homes could offer their charging stations at home to travellers for a small cost. Airbnb for car charging. Pankaj Rao, Merewether
Col Nicholson, a gentle reminder to pack your spectacles and to plan ahead. EVs are for the thinking person. Tim Schroder, Gordon
Politics and prostitutes
At least with prostitutes, they’re not all talk, but deliver – so I’m told (Letters, March 5). Compare them with many in politics – one of the other oldest professions (PS I’ve been to see Anora. Preferred Pretty Woman). Edward Loong, Milsons Point
Gender imbalance
Longtime readers of and correspondents to these pages (Letters, March 5) will recall a time when published epistles appeared over the name displaying only one or two initials and the surname. Gender was not an issue. These days even some first names don’t always give a clue whether it’s a lady or a man. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook
Him or her, and does it matter on a letters page? Millie-Anne ProblemsCredit: Simon Schluter
At the risk of being labelled ageist, I wonder whether the gender imbalance in letters publication may be due to many contributors being retirees. The chores for older women continue while men have more time on their hands to polish their epistles. Judith Campbell, Drummoyne
I wish to sincerely thank Richard Griffiths for his magnanimous altruism and claim first dibs on his relinquished spot in the letters page. Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi
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