The candour and truth of Laura Tingle in stating that “Australia is a racist country” is supported by the examples cited by the Herald readers (Letters, May 29). Deliberate and casual remarks and opinions that denigrate Indigenous Australians and immigrants abound. It is concerning to note that racist views are often aired with confidence and a presumption that one will agree with, and certainly not challenge, such hurtful bigotry and prejudice. Michelle Peters, Norah Head
Solid ground.Credit: Cathy Wilcox
Laura Tingle’s observation that Australia is “a racist country .... always has been” is criticised by Barnaby Joyce as “mad left wing”, David Coleman as “extraordinary and completely indefensible” and Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as “blatantly partisan”. Until people acknowledge the gradually emerging and long concealed facts about this country’s history of widespread massacres of Aboriginal inhabitants by settlers well into the 20th century or even the Anglo-Saxon ethnic bigotry of the White Australia Policy, they will simply be viewed as hypocrites. Stuart Pratt, Ocean Shores
Many letter writers believe Laura Tingle is entitled to be partial and present her own views and opinions. Like all of us, she is entitled to views that are biased and lacking objectivity. But not when being employed by the public broadcaster as their number-one political commentator. Tony Nicod, Crescent Head
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce asked,“why do we fund something that only wants to talk to half of Australia”? Mr Joyce is also taxpayer-funded, but would only talk to much less than half of Australia. Les Reedman, Cooranbong
Laura Tingle is bound by the ABC charter that calls for impartial viewpoints. As a board member and senior political journalist, she should know better. The ABC has steadily been losing viewers due to this kind of behaviour. Australians expect the ABC to deliver fair, truthful and impartial news. Pamela Shepherd, Balgowlah
I still think that top ABC journalists can ask the right questions in an apt manner, without burdening the viewer with their own opinions or palpable hostility to the person they are interviewing. With paywall platforms for all media, the privileged position of the ABC has to be questioned. Why must we pay for it? If I want Laura Tingle’s opinions on any topic, I’d prefer to be free to pay a subscription for it, or not. Perhaps ABC TV’s Q+A could ask itself the unthinkable question – whether the ABC should be reduced to one-half or one-third of its present size? The question bites when stats on actual audience numbers are considered. Is the ABC now an entity multiplied far beyond necessity? Ivan Head, Burradoo
ABC management needs to stand up to the Coalition stooges with their feigned outrage over Laura Tingle’s comments on racism. I suspect the majority of Australians would agree with her views. Doubters need only ask people of colour if they have ever faced discrimination. It seems the Opposition reserves the right to peddle misinformation and disinformation for political gain, but expects ABC commentators to remain mute on inconvenient truths. They accuse the ABC of bias, but their frequent, mindless attacks on the public broadcaster are indicative of their own innate bias. The fight against racism must continue. Pretending it doesn’t exist is an abrogation of responsibility. Graham Lum, North Rocks
Re Barnaby Joyce’s rantings; Rex would have probably said that it was the most unheard of thing that he had ever heard of. Ron Russell, Leura
Other options much more viable than national service
National service is still very much a hugely-expensive military training program (Letters, May 29). So the discipline that your correspondent refers to is not the highly valued self-discipline. It is an automatic unquestioning, conditioned response to a command with accompanying penalties for non-compliance. And it seems a bit odd that we should attempt to counter the current spate of violence by training for military action which is the greatest act of violence that a nation can commit. Better to look to Médecins Sans Frontières for inspiration. It is always open to recruitment with no governmental expense nor involvement. Trevor Somerville, Illawong
Critics of Rishi Sunak’s national service policy have called it a “Teenage Dads Army.” Courtesy BBCCredit: photos@smh.com.au
Some form of national service is not as silly an idea as many are trying to make out. There are many areas, apart from the military, where an infusion of physically able but relatively unskilled labour would be of great benefit to the community. These include areas such as support services for elderly people, removal of noxious weeds from public land and recycling of waste materials. The other advantage would be that young Australians would have the opportunity to meet and work with other young Australians from different walks of life, who they would not normally have encountered. Who knows, perhaps we may even arrest the decline in tolerance and understanding which appears to be a feature of modern Australia. John Croker, Woonona
Letter writer Christine Helby suggests the unemployed and/or criminals could be suitably occupied by national service. The last people I want near even better weapons are criminals, and the military is a job which requires focus and engagement. I cannot think of two less suitable groups for the military. Like teaching, the military requires a particular type of person for a successful career in it. Preferably one who values structure, rules and putting others first. Eva Elbourne, Pennant Hills
The army is known to be a challenging workplace with its history of bullying, racism, sexual harassment and intolerance of weakness. How exactly does Christine Helby expect disadvantaged young people to suddenly discover “pride and self-respect” doing national service? We already have soaring levels of anxiety and depression among this group. National service wouldn’t magic that away and most likely would make it worse. Our youth needs affordable education, affordable housing and a decent, accessible mental health service. Lucy France, Cronulla
Many countries have a national service program for their youth. Australia could develop a service program involving options including military service, but also community service such as aged-care assistance, environmental management and building community resources. Benefits for those completing a program could include 10 bonus ATAR points, one per cent discount on home loans, free TAFE courses, even an increased rate on unemployment benefits. The young help their nation, and the nation helps their young. Win-win. Eric Sekula, Turramurra
Dutton needs to be careful if resurrecting national service as an election policy. Too many bad memories remain of its last implementation during the Vietnam War and its aftermath. I was conscripted age 20, having just graduated from uni and ended up in the Infantry after “winning” the totally unfair Birthday “Death Lottery”. Fortunately, I ended up with a cushy job at headquarters but many I trained with were killed or seriously injured physically or mentally and carry the scars to this day, as do their families.
Jim Rogers, Byron Bay
Minns can’t build his way out
Chris Minns could build half a million new apartments here in Balmain alone, but unless and until his federal Labor colleagues have the political guts to ameliorate the repulsively regressive demand-side tax incentives that have destroyed the proper functioning of our housing market over the last two decades, property investors will just keep pricing would-be first home and key worker buyers out of the market, and out of the area (“Two weeks after the budget, I’ve realised I missed its most surprising revelation”, May 29).
Jack Robertson, Birchgrove
The housing crisis.Credit: John Shakespeare
Ross Gittins may be correct in seeing a promising change in housing policy but the results of any change will take years to make any difference. We also need an emergency program to convert unused buildings quickly into basic homes and allow up to perhaps three tiny homes or demountable houses on vacant residential blocks. The homes could be supplied by either the landowner or the occupiers, with the rental for houses and/or land being controlled but indexed. Norm Neill, Darlinghurst
Premier Minns has the chance to do something intelligent in the way of housing and urban management. It is the recognition that we have a very large country where the urbanisation is both strained and clumped together. Minns has the chance to really leave a footprint and change direction with a specific policy to make multiple urban hubs, joined by very fast rail with their own sustainable energy and water supplies. It is imaginative and future-proofed and requires planning way beyond electoral timing. Give it a go, we have nearly lost the opportunity. John Beattie, Eastwood
Cold comfort
Hats off to Cold Chisel for lasting 50 years as a rock band and planning another tour (“Chisel take another stand to celebrate 50 years”, May 29). The chiselled lines on hands and faces tell a story as old as Methuselah. I am reminded of Dead Poets Society in the use of “Byron and Shelley” (in the lyrics of the song Getting the Band Back Together) to get a rhyme for “fire and belly”. Good thing it wasn’t Tchaikovsky and Mayakovsky. Especially pleasing to read that former drummer Steve Prestwich is not forgotten as he was co-writer with keyboardist Don Walker of Flame Trees. Fifty years on the road and still trailing dust. Exciting to see the last plane out of Sydney still hasn’t gone. Peter Skrzynecki, Eastwood
Cold Chisel pictured in 1981. Eleven shows will stop in every state in the country for The Big Five-0 tour.Credit: Palani Mohan
Good to see that Barnesy is still working hard to make a living. Dave Horsfall, North Gosford
Kudos to the person who did the layout on page three today. An article about Cold Chisel above an article about wine consumption with the headline Cheap wine and a little growth. Brilliant! Nick Bencsik, Hunters Hill
Juvenile justice
Those of us interested in the Trump court case who expect a guilty verdict need to remember that when his case arrives at the US Supreme Court that any guilty verdict will be overturned by the five conservative judges (“‘Two-bit big shot’: Robert De Niro unleashes on Donald Trump outside hush money trial”, smh.com.au, May 29). But by then Trump could already be the president. Truth, justice and the American way? David Ashton, Katoomba
Bibi blue
Congratulations Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF, you have helped Hamas achieve results beyond its wildest dreams (“Dozens die in tent camp inferno”, May 29). People who would never have given the Palestinians a second thought now protest on their behalf all over the world. The world is on the brink of officially recognising Palestine as a nation, something that decades of diplomacy could not achieve. And they have secured ongoing recruits for Hamas from the families in Gaza whose lives have been destroyed. Chris Hennessy, Ballina
Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike where displaced people were staying in Rafah.Credit: AP
Perhaps, given the scope and consequences of the Israeli offensive and the actions of illegal settlers on the West Bank, the question of equivalence with the heinous and reprehensible terrorist attack by Hamas has been rendered moot. Arthur Cooper, Alstonville
Three Hamas leaders dead, but 45 innocent refugees killed and hundreds injured in the latest atrocity. And no one is mentioning the mental trauma for the Palestinian people with no end in sight. This is pure torture and cruelty and surely must seal Netanyahu’s arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court. Even if it doesn’t, it puts Netanyahu’s name up there with the worst despots of the 20th and 21st centuries. What a despicable legacy.
Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi
Moore is less
Oh no (“‘I want to keep going’: Clover Moore seeks sixth term as Sydney lord mayor”, May 28)! Not a sixth term. The Empress of Sydney can’t be serious, surely? The car-hating councillor has wreaked havoc on the CBD during her multi-year tenure and now we learn she feels “there is more work to do.” We constituents know precisely what these words are code for. Sadly, for starters, that’s the end of Paddington as we know it. On its knees due to the rival Bondi Westfield megalopolis opening in 2004, Covid closures in 2020-2022, and now the per capita recession; we may as well administer the last rites right now. Should the beloved Lord Mayor be returned by ballot, by 2026 the only moving object in the treasured suburb will be a faint blip crossing the radar very slowly every hour or two. Yes, a lone ranger. Er, sorry, cycler.
Elliott Savdie, Darlinghurst
Clover Moore said she would continue to focus on climate change, greening the city, and affordable housing with good design.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Academic ignorance
I am really angry after reading the report of Kate Manne’s closing address at the Sydney Writers’ Festival (“‘Misogynistic massacre’: Sydney Writers’ Festival closing address dedicated to Bondi Junction victims”, May 27). As a mental health professional I am astounded that an academic would ignore the facts provided by the police and use the tragic events at Westfield Bondi Junction as a vehicle for her own agenda. It not only discredits women who have been victims of misogyny but also invalidates people with serious mental health difficulties. I have heard no evidence that the perpetrator had a misogynist agenda. There are a range of plausible explanations for why there were more female than male victims, likely related to the psychotic episode he was believed to be experiencing at the time. Such comments by someone who should know better are not helpful for anyone. Victoria Bel, Paddington
Snap and solve
There is a solution for reporting parking transgressions by drivers (Letters, May 29). It is an app called Send Snap Solve. I recently took a photo of a petrol car parked at an EV charging station described the location and sent the details via the app. Apparently, the local council was able to issue fines from this process. Worth a try. Tom Meakin, Port Macquarie
Arts hub
I do not understand why some seem determined to deprive Sydney, indeed Australia, of our extraordinary Powerhouse Museum (Letters, May 29). A few seem intent on turning the building into something else completely. Surely there are numerous potential venues around the city that could be converted into arts hubs without destroying this world-class museum. Richard Tainsh, Potts Point
Dutton’s legacy
Does Peter Dutton ever stop to think what sort of world he wishes to leave to his grandchildren as he continues to push forward with fewer environmental restrictions to mining and gas fields (“Plibersek slams Dutton on mines”, May 29)? Katriona Herborn, Blackheath
No brainer
Yes, Craig Lilienthal (Letters, May 29) – but what is the question? Brett Jack, Bonnyrigg Heights
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