Credit: Megan Herbert
The article regarding changes in suspension policy in NSW public schools (“Policy to cut school suspension rate by 50%”, February 19) is another example of this government’s program of distraction from the underlying issue of the lack of teachers both in the classroom and in training institutions. I can see nothing in it that is different from what any open-minded principal could implement. Long suspension has always been a last resort to adjust plans and arrange for things to be better upon a student’s return. Students have been routinely “returned” well before the expiration of the period. Indeed, with the cooperation of all parties (school and family) and the establishment of appropriate plans and management systems a student might be back in just a few days at the discretion of the principal. Of course, the principal also has the responsibility to maintain the safety of all students, staff and adults in the school and there are occasions when a few days is just not enough. Stephen Rollison, Lennox Head
Students come to classrooms with many behavioural issues that teachers have to “manage” and work with. That can take a considerable amount of teaching time away from other students, not to mention the stress and tension generated for these students. Their concerns and rights are equally important. All children have the right to be taught and learn without so much disruption. Unfortunately, in most schools when a student does need time out, there are few safe options where they can go to and be supervised so they can settle and hopefully continue working and learning. Much more support staff are needed to help with disruptive students. Another issue is when a student is suspended, where do they go if their parents are working and unable to care for them? There has to be more provision made so students with behaviour issues can still be taught but are in a situation where they do not disturb every other student. Money must be spent on solving these problems instead of expecting class teachers to handle them with minimal training. Augusta Monro, Dural
The NSW government might be putting itself into a precarious position legally with the new rules on school suspensions. In a scenario where a disruptive student causes physical harm to other students, or even disrupts their learning, could the Department of Education be leaving itself wide open to legal action on behalf of those students? Indeed, teachers as well would have a good case under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to pursue legal action relating to disruptive and dangerous behaviour from students. The most obvious solution would be for every school to have a staffed time out room where disruptive students can still learn, but at the same time receive the counselling needed to ensure they will be safe in a classroom situation. Perhaps the funds for this solution could be found by stopping all funding to rich private schools. After all, many of those same schools expel disruptive students and they end up in the public system. Mary Lawson, Marrickville
Massive roads project simply not worth cost
Your correspondent (Letters, February 19) says that although the Willoughby electorate may oppose the Beaches Link Tunnel, that is not the case with the beaches electorate. However, she does not speak for beaches residents in blue ribbon heartlands who bemoan the proposal for the same concerns as their lower north shore fellows. Why should our environment, with its unique bushland and Indigenous heritage, amenities and open spaces (not to mention the health of children) be sacrificed to unfiltered smoke stacks so a few selfish privileged motorists can commute a bit faster to the city? Catherine Brookes, Manly
I believe that people who chose to live in Avalon were aware that they were a long way from the airport and the CBD. However, residents of Dudley Street, Balgowlah, could not have imagined that their homes (more than 30 of them) would be bulldozed to make way for an expensive car tunnel to be built for your correspondent’s wish for a slightly shorter trip by car to the airport. Perhaps an efficient public transport system for the northern beaches would be a better solution for everyone. Anne Egan, Killarney Heights
Mea culpa. How did I fail to see that the needs of an Avalon Beach resident to drive to the city and airport in one hour should override unresolved issues of air, land and water pollution, destruction of open space, traffic chaos and the Western Harbour Tunnel’s flawed business case? Catherine Turner, Cremorne
I live on the “insular peninsula” and we don’t all want more roads. If you want to solve the traffic problem on Military Road, make it a rail tunnel. If you build more roads, you just get more traffic. And, yes, I’ve heard that northern beaches folk don’t want a rail line up here because all the miscreants from the western suburbs will come here. News flash – they can afford cars now and are already here every sunny weekend – and their tradies every other day. We need mass transit, not mass carparks. Larry Dwyer, Beacon Hill
Why was a Metro alternative never taken seriously? Yes, they are expensive, but if the goal is to free up local roads, mass transport options make the most sense. They’re also less invasive and polluting. Metros free up roads and don’t spew toxic air into communities. There’s an opportunity here to stop building our city the wrong way. We should take it. Marc Enners, Cammeray
Hawke’s chilling history denial
Michael Koziol’s excoriating expose of the Immigration Minister (“Hawke the PM’s wingman”, February 19) exposes a ruthless Liberal apparatchik. An important disclosure was Hawke’s denial of Australia’s treatment of its Indigenous people in his claim “there was no stolen generation”.
Dispossession includes government-approved removal of generations of Indigenous children in acts of legalised racial abuse. Perhaps Hawke should consult Jordan Elizabeth Cory, whose article about Indigenous children aged 10 being locked up also appeared in the Herald on Saturday. Hawke’s denial of the stolen generations is all the more galling as he is Morrison’s “machine man”, ignores living witness testimony, historical documentation and Australia’s Aboriginal intervention laws of the last century. Despite the inspiring Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017, Indigenous dispossession and generational suffering continue. Gerardine Grace, Leura
Two of the most powerful men in our country, our PM and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, have a church background. If God requires all who profess faith to be humble while acting mercifully and justly, why are the Murugappan family still hanging in political limbo and not living in Biloela? Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Thank you, Jordan Elizabeth Cory, for your brilliant summation of the shameful treatment of our Indigenous children. It shames us as a nation that we lock up Indigenous children as young as 10 when proved alternatives to incarceration exist. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer
Libs blind to realities
In another demonstration of chronic tone-deafness, and oblivious to the hiding NSW handed to Libs in Bega and Willoughby, it seems the PM wants to strongarm more “apparatchiks” into federal seats, inciting parliamentary and executive Libs to threaten legal action (“Liberal preselection brawl heads for court”, February 19). Has anybody asked who Morrison thinks he is? The Liberal process is that its parliamentary members choose the PM, not the reverse. The major parties deserve what they get but the voting, taxpaying public deserves much better. Russell Murphy, Bayview
I don’t know why Liberals are upset about Morrison selecting Liberal candidates. He loves Alex Hawke and Sussan Ley and endorsed Craig Kelly. What could possibly go wrong? Elizabeth Sayers, Wentworth Falls
About-face on China
It is encouraging to see the Herald calling out the government for its dangerous anti-China scare campaign against the ALP (“Coalition’s China scare campaign against the ALP crosses the line”, February 19). The government’s unsavoury campaigning does it no favours, instead sacrificing truth, national security and Australia’s reputation in its gamesmanship. Let’s not forget it was politically expedient for a Liberal government to sign the 2015 China-Australia free trade agreement and in 2018 Morrison said, “Australia welcomes the contribution the Belt and Road Initiative can make in meeting the infrastructure needs of the region, and we’re keen to strengthen engagement with China in regional trade and infrastructure developments that align within the international standards of governance and transparency”. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Alison Stewart, Riverview
RBA path to inflation
As noted out by Ross Gittins (″The interest rate debate is missing a crucial ingredient″, February 19), unemployment has fallen to a historically low level, surprising both the fiscal and the monetary authorities. There is a fair bit of accentuating the positive, eliminating the negative going on. Commonwealth government spending, and its deficit, has been enormous. The Reserve Bank, without coming out, has adopted modern monetary theory whereby all guns are trained on reducing unemployment. What are the negatives? Ultra-loose monetary policy, involving extremely low-interest rates, destabilised the housing market. It has promoted cryptocurrency craziness, leading the ignorant down a very dangerous path. Most egregiously, the Reserve Bank apparently sees nothing wrong in expropriating community wealth by running a regime of zero interest while seeking to raise the rate of inflation. Mike Bush, Port Macquarie
Mere lip service
Jessie Tu’s opinion (“Heart to art”, February 19) that Klimt’s The Kiss is a picture of “rapturous love” is off the mark. Look at the body language. He has her head clamped, her face has a look of resignation with closed lips. Her left hand has only her fingertips touching him, and her right-hand fingers are scrunched up so she barely has to touch him. It should be called The Unwelcome Kiss. Anna Marshall, Leura
Respect naval dead
Perce Partington, my great-uncle, was aboard HMAS Perth when it was sunk by the Japanese in 1942 (‴It’s a war grave’: new battle over future of shipwreck″, February 19). He survived and spent three years in a Japanese POW camp. Sadly, many of his shipmates did not survive. To not recognise the wreck as a war grave and to propose opening it for tourism is an insult to those who perished. The wreck must be protected and the memories of those who died must be respected. Greg Partington, Quakers Hill
Through thick and fin
Thank you for the letter about respecting sharks (Letters, February 19). I came to Australia almost 50 years ago and made a pact with the sharks: I won’t go into their habitat and annoy them, and they promised not to annoy me in mine. It has worked perfectly. Jean Stiller, Bowral
Adult problems
Your correspondent (Letters, February 19) makes strong points on the plague of plastic. However, the idea of exhibiting the shocking image in every classroom is flawed. Every boardroom and factory, please. Let the adults face the realities. Children are anxious enough these days and should not be the repositories of all that is going wrong in our greedy, shortsighted world. Shirley Prescott, Forest Lodge
Time to care for nurses
Now’s the time to listen to and respond to our nurses (Letters, February 19) with commensurate wages and conditions. They have travailed during the pandemic and sustained our health system magnificently while we were trying to get back on our feet, fundamentally and fiscally. “It’s Time.” Virginia Frame, South Turramurra
Words out of reach
Please, everyone, stop “reaching out” to me. Ask me, interrogate me, contact me, connect with me, question me – but for Pete’s sake, just stop your infernal reaching out. Anthea Doe, Russell Lea
The commentators for the Winter Olympics have perfected medalling and podiuming to such an extent that I would like to medal them for clicheing. David Isaacs, Eastwood
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
Morrison on a collision course with the states over hospital funding
From Bella’s mum: ″The Federal Government prefers to spend money on its pet projects – submarines and tanks, and pork barrelling – than the health of the nation. The only useful thing it does is hold the purse strings (via our income tax) and then have the states beg for cash.″
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