I don’t expect Donald Trump knows much about geography, but did not a single one of his aides tell him that Norfolk Island (new tariff of 29 per cent) is a part of Australia and is represented in our parliament by ACT senators (“We’re about to be hit by Trump’s tariffs. Here’s what we know about ‘Liberation Day’“, April 3)? This tariff debacle gives us a new chance to rejig our relationship with the US. I am pleased that Australians are openly talking about boycotting US goods, which I have been doing since Trump’s initial threat of tariffs on Canada. These goods should include film and television products, a major source of their “soft power”. Consumers need more guidance about which products to avoid, since sometimes the US content is hard to determine. Finally, even the UK has misgivings about AUKUS, that ludicrous, grovelling agreement made after Scott Morrison suddenly pulled the plug on the French submarine deal. When will we pull the plug on AUKUS? Leon Le Leu, Googong
Credit: Cathy Wilcox
I see that the uninhabited Heard Island near Antarctica has also copped 10 per cent tariff, presumably because it’s an Australian territory. This is outrageous, and I hope the penguins lodge a protest in the strongest possible terms. Then Norfolk Island gets 29 per cent because some goon in Trump’s team doesn’t know it’s also an Australian territory. The mind boggles. Bill Yonge, Frenchs Forest
Does the Trump administration actually know where Heard and McDonald Islands are? What exports do they think these islands send to the US? Penguins? Levane Abdoolcader, Padstow Heights
Come on Albo, let’s hear that we are contesting the tariffs at the WTO, putting a heavy impost on Pine Gap and Northern Territory, US troop access as well as imposing a high fee for “US tech” mining our news and freely publishing it online. After that, belt the US with a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all imports until a WTO ruling is made. Finally, dump AUKUS, a dumb deal filled with debt and holes. Then take a breath and get back to the Lodge in May. Bruce Hall, Avalon
Trump’s move on our beef might have a silver lining apart from the health benefits of lowering consumption (“Cattle farmers would rather cop Trump’s tariffs than diseases from American beef,” April 3). In the Upper Hunter and many other places, there are grazing properties on steep, treeless land where almost nothing edible is left. The ribs of the cattle are visible from a distance, and their manure pollutes local streams. It was once densely forested and a refuge for native species. It should never have been farmed or grazed. If owners now have to move on to more profitable and sustainable businesses, Trump will have done them, and the rest of us, a huge favour. Ronald Watts, Newcastle
The uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands have been slapped with a 10 per cent tariff by the US.Credit: Matt Curnock
I’m proposing an immediate retaliatory 25 per cent tariff on all US tennis players: during the next summer of Australian tennis, they’ll start each game at 0 – 15. Craig Selman, Willoughby
Meagre offering
Niki Savva’s article (“Wakey, wakey, Dutton looks shaky”, April 3) and Cathy Wilcox’s cartoon highlight the evident shallowness of the well from which Peter Dutton is drawing policy. That in itself is scary – this bloke and his cohort want to run the country. When considering the policy bumbling – think Kirribilli, implied interference in the ABC, muddled assessments on environmental and energy needs, public service purges and other talking points from the Trump playbook – one wonders whether the conservatives’ quaint born-to-rule mentality has clouded their political judgment. That, in itself, should offer adequate guidance as the voting public heads to the ballot box. Or, as the old cliche goes and Labor might contend, Peter Dutton is a gift that not only keeps on giving, but one that may already have sealed his own fate. Bradley Wynne, Croydon
Cathy Wilcox has done it again with her cartoon comparing Dutton and Trump. Simple and undeniable – again confirming that a picture can be worth a thousand words. There is possibly an unintended sting here, however, as the depiction of Peter Dutton as a populist leader may not be considered by many voters as a negative, especially when linked to the perceived strength of Trump. The Coalition’s campaign so far is largely negative and contains a continuous undercurrent claiming that Albanese is weak, indecisive and incompetent. I hope Wilcox’s undoubted brilliance does not backfire. For many voters, driven by gut feel rather than logic or policy, the idea of a strong Trump-like populist leader might be all they care about. But that’s the beauty of a great cartoon: it so often has a double-edged message. Andrew Caro, Greenwich
Peter Dutton has rejected comparisons of him to Donald Trump.Credit: AP, Alex Ellinghausen
Insult to doctors
I am an emergency physician who has worked in the NSW public hospital system since 1987. I am appalled by comments of the acting secretary of health, Matthew Daly, that “we probably overstaff” (“Doctors to defy court order and strike for three days over pay ,” April 3). This is worse than a Trumpian lie. In my 38 years of working in hospitals, I have never seen an “overstaffed” department – either with doctors, nurses or any other staff. I have only ever worked in a system that is understaffed, overworked and at times dangerous, which sadly is getting worse as demand inexorably increases. This is why NSW doctors (staff specialists and junior doctors) are taking the unprecedented and difficult step of industrial action next week. I believe that NSW patients deserve the best in public hospital care. This starts with trying to attract and retain staff by having sustainable working conditions and respect for the staff. Mr Daly’s comments clearly show no understanding of the issues or respect for doctors in NSW. Dr Keith Edwards, Five Dock
I just don’t get it. The NSW state government has agreed to substantial and well-deserved pay rises to teachers, ambos, police and other frontline workers. However, there seems to be a great reluctance to afford pay rises to doctors and nurses. During the pandemic, these workers were considered our heroes – now they need to go to industrial action to get the pay rises they deserve to keep in line with other states. Still the NSW government refuses. I wouldn’t blame them at all for leaving our system. They could be paid much more in other states or working privately, or even working as locums replacing themselves in hospitals. There is a barrier here of unknown making and the state government needs to get over it for the good of our public health system. Sally Banfield, Marrickville
Minority no monstrosity
Correspondent Ross MacPherson misses the point about minority government (Letters, April 3). Julia Gillard had a high rate of passing legislation while in office. This was because Anthony Albanese showed his skill as a negotiator, and much of the legislation involved negotiation with the cross benches, which resulted in better legislation. The respondents to my door-knocking reveal an appetite for minority government, which they feel will break the Labor and Coalition duopoly. Tom Meakin, Port Macquarie
Former prime minister Julia Gillard with Anthony Albanese.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Correspondent Ross McPherson must have a bad memory. Julia Gillard’s minority government had a strong record of passing legislation. As the majority of independents are women, we can have every confidence that if there is a minority government come May, they will negotiate to get things done. I imagine they will walk into Canberra holding hands whistling “I am woman, hear me roar” or even better, “We will rock you.” Michele Nicholas, St Ives
I, for one, Ross Macpherson, would be happy with a return of the mostly highly productive, minority Gillard government – particularly the Gillard ingredient. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell
ABC is vital
Any cuts to the ABC by a future Dutton government would hardly come as a surprise, and no doubt receive widespread praise from his number-one cheer squad – the Murdoch media (“Dutton tells ABC to show ‘excellence’ or lose funding”, April 3). But at least Dutton is signalling his intentions, unlike one of his predecessors, Tony Abbott, who solemnly promised not to reduce ABC funding and then took an axe to it once in power. It would be interesting to know Dutton’s definition of broadcasting “excellence”. Could his model be Murdoch’s Sky After Dark nightly right-wing rants? Or Fox in the USA, which did so much to get Donald Trump into the White House? While by no means perfect, the ABC remains Australia’s most trusted news source – more important than ever in an election where, as in war, truth is the first casualty. Nick Franklin, Katoomba
No interest in rates
Thursday’s letters include the usual anti-Dutton tirade but absolutely nothing on the Reserve Bank keeping interest rates high, citing among other factors, our lack of productivity growth under Labor and how this acts against any real increase in wages (Letters, April 3). People seem to enjoy shooting at minnows while the huge elephant of uncomfortable truth runs rampant in the room. William Lloyd, Denistone
Each-way bet
Never mind Jason Wood’s conflict of interest and late reporting – such sloppiness by politicians is no longer the firing offence that it should be (“Shadow migrant services minister declares family interests in visa agency,” April 3). But it’s the blatant hypocrisy that is really troubling. On the one hand, the Coalition demonises migrants, particularly international students, and proposes cuts to immigration, while on the other they help migrants appeal visa refusals. Trying to straddle the fence is likely to become painful. David Rush, Lawson
Liberal MP Jason Wood.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
I note the shadow minister for migration services, Jason Wood, who is married to the half-owner and co-director of a company which touts its ability to find “a path through tight visa rules”, declared no conflict of interest. Is that a pig with wings that just flew past? Jan Bryden, Cronulla
Poor investment
With a median rent of $725, a unit owner receives a gross annual rental income of $37,700. The recent median unit price of $865,000 means that the gross return on the capital value is 4.4 per cent. This is before any mortgage payments, rates, maintenance and other expenses are taken into account. Not a return to write home about (“Angry and bitter’ renters trapped,” April 3). Mustafa Erem, Terrigal
Taking it breezy
All the fuss about an open train door (“Metro passengers left hanging on,” April 3). Really? Anyone out there who grew up riding the red rattler trains, as I did to and from school from the age of seven, will remember that the doors were rarely closed, and if they were, it was because it was raining or cold. What is it about today’s commuters? Can’t they cope with the view rushing by? No air conditioning? As for security guards standing in the open door, just in case … Dee Wyatt, Old Junee
The metro door incident brought back wonderful memories of the red rattlers of the 1970s. Doors were opened and closed by passengers and none were closed on hot days. It was a refreshing experience to claim the prime position near the door and have a breeze in your face rather than stifle inside the carriage. Stephen Kirk, Blackbutt
Gawd, commuters these days are “namby-pambies”. Fellow Boomers, remember the red rattlers? Wedge yourself in against the vestibule’s back wall next to the open door – blissful relief on a hot day. In 2004, I had a letter published reporting that while travelling in the tunnel north from Wynyard, a guard laconically announced over the loudspeaker system “would the passengers travelling in the car with the open door please kick it … it will then close.” Roger Cameron, Marrickville
The fact that an open door on a moving train is considered newsworthy may bring a smile to readers who used to travel on Sydney’s red rattlers, very few of which had automatic doors. Adults and school kids alike would often stand next to the open doors of fast-moving trains, and when the carriage vestibules were really crowded, many would hang on for dear life as the crush could become too great to physically close the doors. Carriages used to carry a sign saying “Do not lean out of the windows or doors. Keep wholly within the car. When standing near doorways keep a firm hold”, after which a wag would sometimes add a line to complete the stanza “If you can get in that far.” Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills
Restoration volunteers Kevin (left) and Tom Clark beside a red rattler.Credit: Steamrail Victoria
Leaky figures
The figures in the Australian Energy Producers full-page Herald advertisement need challenging (April 3). The AEP says the industry tax paid last fiscal year was $17.1 billion, but the ATO figure is $11.6 billion for gas and oil. The AEP claims 215,000 jobs, the Australia Institute (AI) says 16,200. Most mysterious of all is that the AEP industry “contribution” to our economy is $100 billion – a figure based on what exactly? The AI reports that 80 per cent of Australian gas is exported, and in the past four years $148 billion of LNG was exported royalty-free. In the ATO’s own words, the overseas-owned gas producers in Australia are “systemic non-payers of tax”. Our government earns more from teachers’ income tax, HECS repayments and beer excise. Not combined – each. We, the taxpayers, who, incidentally, own the resources, subsidised the coal, oil and gas operations in Australia by $14.5 billion last year. Yes, it’s a paid advertisement, but the information has political impact, especially during an election campaign. Sandra Hanlon, Avalon
Classroom monitors
After reading Jenna Price’s article it occurs to me that perhaps teachers should be like the police and have bodycams. I bet everyone would be a lot more polite if their conversations were being recorded (“Detaining school parents is a bit much, but banning them makes sense,” April 2). Mark Anderson, Coogee
Is there any sound reason why classrooms are not yet equipped with CCTV cameras, activated at the discretion of the teacher? A parent will always support their child’s version of events over that of the teacher unless corrective proof exists. Michael Britt, MacMasters Beach
Hearty start
Kerri Sackville gives an interesting perspective on our daily meals, one I suspect is very urban oriented (“Lunch is sangers, dinner is bangers. Learn the rules, people”, April 3). My mother was a proud Queenslander and lived most of her life in rural towns. For her, the day should start with a “proper breakfast” of bacon and eggs with a sausage and if possible, a lamb cutlet. Mum lived until she was almost 101, and at 92 I feel she gave me a good start. John Crowe, Cherrybrook
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