Congratulations to Penny Wong for taking the brave steps to commence a debate on the conflict in the Middle East (“Dutton rebukes Wong on Palestine”, April 11). Simon Birmingham claims that it sends the entirely wrong signal to Hamas and that such moves would only embolden them further. Most terrorist organisations rise to prominence as a result of the sense that they are ostracised from society and that the people they claim to represent are pariahs. Things must change to help halt this absurd carnage and to provide hope for these people and their future generations. Tony Bennett, Broke
Foreign Minister Penny Wong.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Of course he does. Margaret Grove, Concord
Peter Dutton would condemn the Palestinians to an eternal existence as second-class citizens in what was once their own country. I have come to expect nothing less of a man who supports the Nauru solution for desperate asylum seekers. Genevieve Milton, Dulwich Hill
Foreign Minister Wong is to be congratulated for opening the inevitable debate on recognising a Palestinian state. One of the responses from a representative of an Australian Jewish organisation was to deplore the proposal because such recognition would validate the proposition that violence can lead to political change. I remind him of the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, World War I, World War II and the many wars overthrowing the colonial powers (in particular, the Vietnam War). When a state refuses to acknowledge the legitimacy of another people’s claims to dignity, which certainly seems to be the case with Israel’s attitude to the Palestinians, then violence, regrettably, is the only option. We can only hope that Wong’s proposal will hasten the conclusion of the sickening, never-ending horror between Israel and the Palestinians. Terence Golding, Bolwarra
Only by recognising Palestine and creating a genuine homeland for Palestinians can Israel ever be safe and at peace. The alternative, a state of constant war, serves well the political agenda of right-wing Israeli politicians, but it does nothing to contribute to the safety and lives of Israeli or Palestinian peoples. Robert Smallwood, Coffs Harbour
When is the “right time” to talk about Palestinian statehood? It’s been 76 years since the Jewish people have been given a homeland, yet we are no closer to providing the Palestinians with the same solution. Now, over 1,000 Israelis and 32,000 Palestinians have paid for this intransigence with their lives. The more the world procrastinates, the more polarised the attitudes and opinions of the two sides become, and many more innocent lives will be lost. Robert Hickey, Green Point
Let’s not give up on the Israel/Palestine situation. Even Northern Ireland’s Catholics and Protestants at last arrived at an agreement. Barry Riley, Woy Woy
On April 10, 1998 (26 years ago), the Good Friday Agreement was signed, setting in place peace in Northern Ireland, fragile at first but now enduring. That peace was borne of an understanding that both Protestants and Catholics needed to co-exist within a framework that accorded fair recognition of each side’s beliefs, rights and needs. With that in mind, how should we view Penny Wong’s call for an independent Palestinian state? Yes, the issues are far more complex, and the fissures deeper, but it is very probable that her call is right, being the only way forward.
There needs to be a partition of all the holy lands. Given neither Israel nor the militant Palestinians are likely to agree on the shape and boundaries, the UN needs to appoint experts to decide on the basis that once determined, the international community will enforce those boundaries and oversee peace. It seems there is no other way to put an end to the centuries of hatred, with its mutual suffering and accelerating death tolls. Ian Morison, Forrest (ACT)
Before lecturing Israel (a nation in the midst of an existential war, with hostages still captive and a community in mourning) on how to make peace with an entity sworn to its destruction, perhaps Penny Wong should focus on making peace within the ALP instead? While she may not achieve her sweeping goals of Middle East transformation, she has certainly succeeded in making the Australian Jewish community feel even more alone. Adrian Deutsch, Randwick
Social wellbeing depends on public schools’ health
As our society has become more diverse, I have noticed how people have acquired an increasing tendency to congregate into homogeneous groups or “communities”. Is it any wonder, then, that people are rejecting public schools in favour of private schools? (“Painful paradox for public schools”, April 11) The need for a sense of belonging to those of your own kind might be a natural human tendency, but in education it is a great loss to children’s ability to respect difference as adults, and possibly a threat to social cohesion. It is ironic, especially given how much we champion the rights of all our diverse communities, that while this diversity is on full display in our public schools, they have apparently fallen out of favour. Lyndall Nelson, Goulburn
NSW Minister for Education Prue Car.Credit: Rhett Wyman
Public schools are a litmus test of our society. It is the public system attended by the majority of NSW students and not the private sector that will determine the future health of our society by teaching values that we as a community admire: determination in the face of adversity, courage, commitment, consideration and inclusiveness. Having been educated in state schools in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and matriculating in a Sydney Western Suburbs high school before attending Sydney University, I have taught for over four decades in both public and private schools in NSW and Italy.
I have seen the abundance of resources in private schools, and I weep for their lack in the state system, which has always succeeded despite being neglected by successive governments. To cut yet again the budgets for state education is to plunge public schools into a vicious cycle from which recovery will be virtually impossible. To cite occasional feel good stories of individual schools in lower socio-economic areas that triumph despite all the disadvantages that their students face does little to address the overall issue of funding and the difficulty of staffing schools.
We ignore the adequate resourcing of public schools at our peril because it is on this foundation that the future cohesiveness and health of our society depends. Diane Dennis, Epping
Teachers have recently received a modest salary increase in an attempt to stem the torrent of those leaving the profession or to entice new recruits. Now, in an attempt to raise the funds to pay these increases, many teachers have been given additional roles to fulfil without further compensation. Has the Education Department advised these teachers what parts of their current role statement they no longer have to perform in order to give them time for their new responsibilities? Pat Lewis, East Gosford
The government says education budgets can be cut because of the decreasing percentage of children enrolled in government schools. Is it possible parents are opting for private schools because their local government school is being so starved of funds, basic educational services are no longer being provided? An example of this recently was the ceasing of many interschool sports due to the government no longer supporting the provision of buses to transport the students. We all want the best education we can afford for our children. Katriona Herborn, Blackheath
Dutton is little more than Dr No
Shaun Carney lists the only two policy changes proposed by the Coalition, namely allowing the raiding of super accounts to purchase a home, which will further inflame house prices, and the proposal to use nuclear power which, if Dutton were to win, would not actually start operating until after he had left office (“Replace the other mob and change nothing: Welcome to modern Australian politics”, April 11). Other than these proposals, all the leader of the Coalition has done is to emulate Tony Abbott’s temporarily successful strategy by saying “no” to everything. This is a tragedy for the country because it allows the federal government to coast along rather than implement policies that the majority are crying out for, like standing up to the miners and gas producers and preventing any new coal mines or gas fields. At the last election, one in three electors cast their vote for a minor party or independent so it would appear that voters are recognising the truth to the headline. Peter Nash, Fairlight
Shaun Carney’s article should be placed in the National Archives. His succinct analysis of the state of Australian politics today will probably ring true in 20 years’ time. A 10-year-old child today who in 2044 is struggling to buy or rent a residence will read it and nod in agreement. Carney points out the plethora of problems that have accumulated due to successive governments’ inaction. For both major parties, retention or attaining government is the number one priority. Rather than necessary major reform we get tinkering at the edges. Mike Kenneally, Manly
Pain of Parkinson’s
In sharing his experience of Parkinson’s disease, I can assure John Watkins that readers have been informed, moved and filled with admiration for his powerful communication skills as well as his endurance (“Parkinsons takes a toll, but it has not yet won”, April 11). Watkins has succeeded in making us care about the disease and those who suffer from it - especially him. Thank you for contributing one of the best pieces of writing I have read in the Herald or anywhere for a long time. Janet Keller, Centennial Park
John Watkins: “Just to make sure I don’t get too comfortable and because it hates to be beaten, the PD has recently caused swallowing to be more difficult.”Credit: Janie Barrett
Disgrace of sextortion
While we should be using every educational, technological and legal tool at our disposal to combat sextortionists, there is something we can all do that will protect teens and disrupt the criminal business model (“Sextortionists target teens in scam”, April 11). The shame felt by these young people was not created or sustained by Nigerian scammers, it starts and finishes with us and the messages we give young people about their sexuality. There is no doubt the release of such photos will be embarrassing for a time, even reveal aspects of youngsters’ sexuality they would prefer to keep to themselves. We should also let kids know that these things pass, that there is nothing shameful about their bodies and the sheer number of nudes out there means it is unlikely to affect their career or social standing as adults. They should know that they are loved and supported and that what feels like a catastrophe now will be a dinner party story in the future. This can be done simply and without technology or legislation if we stop using judgement and shame to control adolescent sexuality. I look forward to the day when teens faced with the threat of releasing such photos have the confidence to reply “so what?” Colin Stokes, Camperdown
No shame in sex work
It has been disheartening to see the focus of the Seven fiasco become partially fixated on sex work (“Why we shouldn’t put the Spotlight on sex work”, April 10). Sex work got me through a difficult time after my second child was born. I couldn’t find a local job that worked with the limited days daycare had available and school pick-up timing. I did, however, find work at a mature-aged brothel on Sydney’s lower north shore. The ladies were lovely and many were in a similar situation to my own. Many women were married and the partner knew. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was good money and I was able to converse with actual adults and make the after-school pick-ups.
After a year, I went back to university to complete a master’s degree in nursing. Sex work gave me money, sanity, a better relationship with my husband and a deeper compassion for men and women. I’m a registered nurse now and I credit sex work with giving me the confidence and understanding to talk and relate to just about any patient. Unfortunately, due to stigma, it remains an uncredited part of my life. Name and address withheld
Rental myths
Despite the seemingly high $750 a week rent for a typical Sydney house, the annual return of $39,000 on the median house value of $1.4m is only 2.8 per cent (“Rents in Sydney hit record highs”, April 11). After the rates and other expenses, the return is even less. Mustafa Erem, Terrigal
Ladies’ Lounge matters
Kirsha Kaechele’s brilliant and witty installation; the Ladies Lounge reminded me of my days at Sydney University in the late ’60s when Manning House was designated women only (“Mona curator speaks out after ruling”, April 11). Here, female students could kick off their high heels and have a rest between lectures. Those days have gone but the hilarity at Mona reminds us of the many examples of women being excluded from male spaces. Perhaps some Tasmanians need to learn about irony. Jan Boyd, Sylvania
Kaechele is seeking legal advice after being ordered by the Tasmania Civil and Administrative Tribunal to allow men entry into her artwork the Ladies Lounge.Credit: Jo Duck
I think when men enter the Ladies Lounge at MONA the women inside should stop chatting and stare; just as men did to women who had the temerity to enter the public bar in the past. That’s the point. Jane Fowler, Marrickville
Is the decision of the tribunal in the matter of the Ladies Lounge exhibit at MONA a pyrrhic victory? Julia Bovard, North Sydney
So the wash-up from the MONA discrimination case in Tasmania is that the artist Kirsha Kaechele only wants to exclude men because men have excluded women for years (especially in pubs) and she was only highlighting that point. But isn’t art meant to be appreciated (and enjoyed) by everyone?
Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga
The horse has bolted
Livestock meets rolling stock (“Pony express: thoroughbred gets rails run on wrong track”, April 11). What are the odds? Adrian Connelly, Springwood
What a God-given gift to a journalist seeking a headline. You’ve got to hand it to the horse. Anna Searls, Randwick
That poor horse on Warwick Farm station must have been terrified. But he was probably better off risking death being hit by a train than continuing living the miserable life of a racehorse. Susan Hunt, St Ives
A cut above the rest
I consider entering Angelo de Marco’s William Street salon for the first time as my coming of age moment (Letters, April 11). At 16, in 1963, I broke loose from my parents DJs short back and sides regimen and rebelliously had my “continental” haircut, and would continue using the said salon, until university when long hair and beards became fashionable. Five chairs, flat out, the second occupied by a barber surrounded by haircutting trophies declaring him the best in Australia - what a blast from the past! Robert Hosking, Paddington
Badinage about persiflage
Persiflage is all very amusing but one does prefer company with a good line in badinage (Letters, April 11). Peter Fyfe, Enmore
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