Big-picture look at nation’s progress should sound alarm

It feels like Groundhog Day in our news. A daily repetition of disaster – each detail enough to wound us, and in combination fatal. An unstable energy grid, eye-watering power prices and the desecration of our natural landscape and farming land, forced on us by the foolish and unnecessary chimera of net zero. A snowballing, unsustainable National Disability Insurance Scheme. A report card in the classroom showing worsening results and unacceptable behaviour. A Defence Department at which many expert commentators simply shake their heads in sad disbelief. Our resources and agriculture sectors, the major source of our national income, now tempting targets for an emboldened left. Porous borders. Bloated bureaucracies seemingly growing in inverse proportion to business as they impose more and more onerous restrictions and regulations. Increasingly brazen youth crime blighting our suburbs. The tragedy of generational welfarism. The concept of merit abandoned. Add your own.

It brings to mind the Elaine Bromiley video used in medical training. All hands focused on achieving their own goal. No one focused on the critical big picture. Spoiler alert: The patient dies. And the kicker? Any untrained observer, like us, could see it happening.

Jane Bieger, Gooseberry Hill, WA

Naval gazing

Australia is being strategically threatened by increasingly belligerent powers around the world, yet our government is more concerned with appeasing Western Australia and South Australia by shoring up their shipbuilding capabilities (“Small and lethal: navy pivot”, 19/2). It would be far better to purchase the ships quickly off the shelf and to invest the substantial savings in the recruiting and training the crews that will be required.

Ross McDonald, Gordon, NSW

Unfair to Israel

With respect to the judgment of the UN International Court of Justice, Ramesh Thakur (“Israel ‘genocide’ ruling wilfully blind to Hamas atrocities”, 19/2) correctly states, “The 15 majority judges have contributed to normalising the Hamas standard of mass atrocities.” This condemns Israel to a lower standard of integrity and equity in the court’s decision-making process.

The words of Golda Meir, prime minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974, remind us of the burden inflicted on the democratic sovereign state of Israel whenever a conflict arises with its Arab neighbours. She said the guiding principle of the Arab states was not what was advantageous to them but what could destroy Israel. Every attempt to normalise relations with Israel has been rejected by Arab representatives.

Thakur reminds us Hamas initiated the savagery on innocents and “the ICJ judges could be said to be holding Israel to a singular standard while they walk past with eyes averted to Hamas standards of behaviour”. Global stability is threatened by the partnerships of Iran, China, Russia and North Korea and their well-funded and weaponised proxies. There will be no legitimate warning if any of these bullies decide to further their military ambitions on the back of the notorious behaviour of the ICJ.

Aviva Rothschild, Caulfield Nth, Vic

Tyranny of majority

Since the result of the voice referendum was declared there has been a steady procession of triumphal No voters writing columns, letters to the editor and posts on social media. In their commentary they have called for an end to welcomes to country and the display of Australia’s Indigenous flags. They seek also to silence discussions of treaty and truth telling and to end contention over the celebration of Australia Day. In my recollection, none of these issues was included in the referendum question. Somehow these people believe suppressing the expression of the culture, symbols and languages of a minority group of Australian citizens is a pathway to unity and cohesion in this proudly multicultural country. Opponents of the voice have consistently asserted the No result was not racially motivated. The emergence into the light of this “tyranny of the majority” gives the lie to that claim.

Joe Morrison, North Shields, SA

Council waste

On the same day as the story “Councils seeking billions to help weather cost-of-living crunch” (19/2) appeared, I received an email from my local council promoting a free film night. Just days before another WA council was debating whether it should send a goodwill party to its sister city of Split in Croatia. It seems many councils, especially inner urban councils, are spending a lot of money on programs beyond those required with the costs passed on to ratepayers. Instead of asking the Prime Minister for money, perhaps they should get back to providing the services for which they were elected.

Kingsley Sullivan, Mt Hawthorn, WA