Illustration: Alan MoirCredit:
As a nation, we are being offered a tremendous and generous gift from our Indigenous sisters and brothers (“Division in senior Liberal ranks grows”, July 29). It is an opportunity for us to grow into the best nation we can be, healing past hurts and growing together into a better future.
We should not take this gift lightly. The US has failed to acknowledge the injustice and violence of its origins, resulting in division and continued violence which affects the whole of the nation. Do we want to similarly ignore our past and foster divisive partisan politics? This is too important to be politicised. I hope that we can meet the courage and grace of Indigenous Australians, united in appreciation and recognition of what we are being offered. Susanna Gorman, North Ryde
I’m a white Australian of Anglo-Celtic descent. My ancestors would have displaced Indigenous people from lands owned for 60,000 years. The Uluru Statement from the Heart and the proposed Voice to parliament is a unique chance for all Australians to show unity and respect to all who live here.
Senator Jacinta Price has set up a false choice in suggesting that we must choose between a “symbolic gesture” and “practical outcomes” for her people. Symbols matter and they affect thinking and outcomes. We can have the Voice and practical outcomes. The Voice will provide public opportunity for representatives of Indigenous people, not political parties, to propose directly to parliament practical solutions for the many problems that were created and remain unsolved by 234 years of white government. Kevin Fell, Cooks Hill
By speaking against a referendum to enshrine a Voice to parliament, Price has given her leader Peter Dutton his first test of leadership. There will be no successful Voice to parliament referendum without bipartisan support. I agree that the Voice is a virtue-signalling symbolic gesture but these are good things if they open conversations and finally require our largely non-Indigenous parliamentarians to pause and listen to the voices routinely suppressed or ignored in our public debates. Bring on the referendum with the wholehearted support of all sides of parliament. Elfriede Sangkuhl, Summer Hill
A correspondent says that Price’s maiden speech is “parroting the nonsense put out by the right-wing rump” and it “disqualifies her from being any sort of spokesperson for First Nations people” (Letters, July 29).
To me, she does not seem to be anyone’s right-wing person. I thought her speech was reasoned, cogent and clearly her own deeply held views. We would do well to listen carefully and critically to what she says. Ivan Head, Burradoo
Manly debacle shows conversation beats coercion
I hope that organisations and workplaces have learned from the Manly Sea Eagles pride jersey debacle (“Respect and rainbows: Manly fans urge harmony”, July 29). You do not, indeed cannot, impose your politics on your workers. Woke culture does not work that way. We need respectful conversation and persuasion, not coercion. Hendry Wan, Rosebery
There is a reason “pride” is one of the seven deadly sins. There is a reason “pride cometh before the fall”. To be puffed up over one’s achievements, or status, or ethnicity, or colour, or intellect, or sexuality is not a virtue.
Pride leads to tribalism, arrogance, conflict, and division – just ask Manly. Rather than pontificating loudly and dogmatically about “pride”, might we consider just quietly and humbly shining a light on the “dignity” of others? Further, one can manifest compassion and mercy towards another without subscribing to an ideology – or wearing wristbands, ribbons and other assorted trinkets. Peter Day, Queanbeyan
Credit: John Shakespeare
Your correspondents claim a multicultural society requires the right to sign employment contracts but to retain the right to freely break contracts if they can claim to do so on rather selective religious or cultural beliefs (Letters, July 29). Don’t they find it strange that this argument is only ever made when it involves LGBTQIA+ communities? Samantha Chung, Randwick
As a gay man who struggled with a strong religious overlay, particularly in my teenage years, the group I am most concerned for in the controversy over the pride footy shirts is any LGBQIA+ members of the footballers’ own religious congregation and cultural community. There will be some members, maybe in the closet, regardless of whether this is denied, and they will be struggling for acceptance and maybe for survival. May God have mercy on their souls. Bernard Chapman, Lindfield
Captain’s pick appears
Your article and photo gave me, a Hughes voter, my first sighting of Jennifer Ware, our new member (“Applause for thoughts as new crew settles in”, July 29). A captain’s pick who appeared miraculously with a policy, promoted by our Liberal mayor, to do up a few parks and then won. Let’s see if she does anything for our electorate other than embarrass it less than Craig Kelly. Jane Rouvray, Menai
Equal to the delight of observing the new and invigorated government members and independents in the first week of federal parliamentary sittings was the sight of the glum faces of the vanquished – one missing in action – occupying the opposition benches. Schadenfreude? You betcha! Robert Baker, Chatswood
Thanks for the humour, Barry Ffrench (Letters, July 29). Since Peter Dutton has made clear his intention to emulate Tony Abbott as an opposition leader can we title him “The Abominable No-man”? David Gordon, Cranebrook
Good thinking, Barry Ffrench . Some Coalition rebranding is sorely needed. But rather than “Cooked”, maybe “Crook” is a more appropriate name for the ex-PM’S electorate. Pam Timms, Suffolk Park
Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for him, and I don’t know anyone who (admits they) did! Kathryn Newburg, Burraneer
Pretty pictures of bay not a realistic vision
The only thing missing from Infrastructure NSW’s pretty pictures of its oversized vision for Blackwattle Bay is the ensuing pollution from traffic waiting to access the already crowded approaches to the Anzac Bridge and Bridge Road (“Revised Blackwattle Bay trims towers after backlash,” July 29). Not a black cloud or traffic jam in sight. Vicky Marquis, Glebe
The revised proposal for the 12-building Blackwattle Bay redevelopment cuts the gross floor area by 15 per cent from the original plan.Credit: Infrastructure NSW
Is much more destruction of our city possible? Around the corner from Blackwattle Bay’s proposed development is the once quaint, leafy Rozelle Bay tram stop. Originally bordered by beautiful Buruwan Park and Johnstons Creek, it is now adjoined by a concrete “escarpment” and the creek covered by a two-lane road. Nearby, monolithic exhaust stacks are the new skyline. Sydney has just been voted the third-loneliest city in the world. Constructions like this contribute to making Sydney unlivable and isolating. Diane Davie, Rose Bay
While the downsizing of the Blackwattle Bay buildings and the addition of green space is welcome, is there any component of affordable and social housing in the new plan? If yes, how much? If no, was it ever in the plan or was it sacrificed for fewer apartments at market prices and above when the NSW government was faced with opposition to the scale of the development? Gary Moore, Blackheath
Treasurer’s dilemma
You cannot exist politically for long by relying on sob stories, no matter how justified they might be (“Treasurer should end sob story and outline his policies,” July 29). Everyone knows how complex and tough our immediate economic future is, and most voters are forgiving about it. My guess is that if Jim Chalmers were game enough to scrap the stage three tax cuts while explaining that he is breaking a promise because it should never have been made – and it warrants breaking anyway in the interests of the national good – it would be accepted as a one-off exception despite the furore Peter Dutton would try to raise over doing so. Ron Sinclair, Bathurst
Your less than complimentary editorial focusing on the treasurer is premature. After years of self-congratulatory, not fully open dialogue from the Coalition, the new start represented by Chalmers’ preparedness to be upfront on our economic outlook is to be applauded. Voters realise that a positive transition is underway and the treasurer is playing his part by clearly informing the public of the challenges ahead. It is obvious that he will, in due course, expand on his intentions and plans, and at that time a more considered evaluation of his performance would be appropriate. Ross Butler, Rodd Point
Yes, Jim Chalmers, you have inherited a mess, but you and your boss put your hand up as the best team to fix that mess. So stop blaming your predecessors and get on with the job. And if you and your mates can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen. George Fishman, Vaucluse
Inequality writ large
If ever we needed an object lesson on inequality in our “egalitarian” society it is writ large in the article about the extraordinary number of western Sydney children fined for breaches of COVID-19 rules (“Breach fines for children peak in west,” July 29). Samantha Lee, a senior solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, said: “They were in areas that were policed more, areas where people were out of the house more because their parents needed to work. They’re in smaller houses. It’s not an equal playing field out there. It’s the most economically vulnerable part of Sydney. It was a hard enough time for kids as it was, let alone having to fine them.” Let’s not forget, we’re speaking of children here. Kathleen Hollins, Northmead
A load of rubbish
I was extremely disappointed to read about the council garbage trucks in Canterbury-Bankstown (“Council’s trucks have mixed recycling with rubbish for ‘more than a decade’,” smh.com.au, July 29). The Canterbury-Bankstown council website claims they are providing services that align to “greater efficiency, reliability, accountability”. They helpfully inform us about which recyclable items can go in the yellow bin, and how residents can “recycle right”. I can see that these words mean nothing when rubbish collectors are simply putting all waste in the landfill truck. This is extremely damaging to the public confidence in the systems in place and will lead to residents simply not bothering to make the effort of separating their waste. We have one earth to take care of. Let’s do it right. Deanna Hayes, Hurlstone Park
Top marks for stability
Three decades ago, government school teachers had a beneficial state superannuation scheme even though salaries were only adequate (Letters, July 29). By and large, it led to teachers staying in the profession and children’s relative performance results far exceeded those of today. Experienced teachers most often create continuing school stability and consistently good results. The statistical records clearly attest to this. Reintroduce a secure retirement incentive for teachers and watch teacher retention and student results significantly improve. Ian Roberts, Warriewood
Credit: John Shakespeare
Private schools can not only offer teachers “higher salaries”, “reduced workload” and longer holidays than public schools. They can also offer wellness centres, swimming pools, music rooms, rowing tanks, gymnasiums, tennis courts and ballet studios. Even chapels for quieter reflections. Paid for by the public. Anne Wagstaff, Oatley
Your correspondent while extolling the virtues of teaching in a private school did not mention some of the minuses there. These schools tend to call their students clients or even customers and the school board is often full of corporate types who want to run the school like a business. These are all antithetical to how a teacher sees their profession. Students are to be nurtured as well as educated and respected, not seen as assets. Elaine Hoyle, Avalon Beach
No preference for coal
Your correspondent (Letters, July 29) suggests that Greens voters like me should preference a party with an inadequate emissions reduction target below a party that clearly doesn’t want to reduce emissions at all and brandishes a lump of coal in parliament. I’ll do that when little pink fairies dance at the bottom of my garden. Steve Cornelius, Brookvale
Uncommon wealth
With Commonwealth Games two things are certain: a few wealthy nations will shine (“Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy: But Games as we know them are about to change”, July 28). And wealth is anything but common among competitors. Mustafa Erem, Terrigal
Seasickness? See citrus
While working on an old boat in the Mediterranean in the 70s, I felt seasick while crossing from Palma de Majorca to Nice, and being caught up in the mistral winds (Letters, July 29). The boatswain suggested that I insert a segment of lemon in each ear and lie down. It worked. Can anyone explain the science behind this? Tom Meakin, Port Macquarie
On my first day at sea many years ago on an RAN frigate, I was told by an old salt that the best cure for sea sickness was to stand under a tree. John Rickman, Carey Bay
Postscript
“You can find a quotation in the Bible to support any argument. In the furore surrounding Manly’s pride jersey, much has been made of the players anti-homosexuality stance based on what the Bible says. Some are heavily tattooed and seem to have ignored Leviticus 19:28 which says, ‘Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord’,” wrote Tim Overland of Castle Hill. “Rather inconvenient I would have thought.”
He was one of the many who took part in the debate this week about what the refusal to wear a pride jersey by seven Manly players meant: was it an act of homophobia or an assertion of personal rights? In the first few days, many were critical of the players’ decision, labelling it hypocritical and un-Christian. But the opposing point of view quickly came to the fore, with just as many letter writers suggesting diversity would only exist if every player wore a jersey of their choice, rather than having one imposed upon them. “Isn’t that the ultimate team; where respect and understanding of legitimate difference is integral to club, player and fan ethos?” asked Jenny Stephenson of Wollongong.
Col Burns of Lugarno had other concerns. “The Herald‘s decision to publish a front page photograph of an extremely good-looking footballer along with his proclamation that ‘love is love and I love to share it with everyone’ risks Saturday’s Sharks match being inundated not only by league fans but a whole new throng of screaming, besotted Toby Rudolf fans, my wife included.” Pat Stringa, letters editor
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