Frank debate needed to combat bigotry

Brendan O’Neill is absolutely correct in his assertion (“Candace Owens is a bigot, but banning her will backfire”, 29/19) that Immigration Minister Tony Burke’s decision to block the entry to Australia of online conservative bigot Candace Owens is quite wrong. Burke, in withholding the grant of visa entry to Owens, is reported to have said Australia’s national interest is best served when Owens is somewhere else for she has the capacity to incite discord in almost every direction.

As O’Neill asserts, the only person who will benefit from Burke’s edict is Owens herself for she may pose as a persecuted truth-teller. Burke by his action denies what O’Neill describes as the best means of tackling bad ideas; not by forbidding them but by mocking them, by subjecting them to the unforgiving spotlight of free discussion and frank ridicule. Burke’s action takes away from all Australians the liberty to hear, to decide and to act accordingly. We do not need the protective silence he would impose on us nor can he contain exuberant discussion that is our precious right. It is to be hoped that those who came to this country because of that long-held liberty who now reside in western Sydney will feel the same and abjure Burke’s deceptive conjuring.

Ian Dunlop, Hawks Nest, NSW

Brendan O’Neill is spot-on in advocating to allow Candace Owens to speak in Australia. In 2003 Holocaust denier David Irving was refused an Australian visa. He attracted far more media attention than had he been allowed in and tackled with historic facts and truth. Today’s internet connectivity gives these purveyors of twisted philosophies an unrestricted platform without the benefit of face-to-face debate. Let her come and let us attend her meetings to ensure balance. Who knows, we may even convince some people of her evil.

Alan Slade, Dover Heights, NSW

Immigration Minister Tony Burke states that Candace Owens could “incite discord” if she were allowed to enter Australia. What does Burke call the utterings of all those Islamic preachers spewing forth hatred towards Jews then? Surely the ability to “incite discord” is not limited to the ultra nutters of the right, or is it?

Meg Davis, Corinda, Qld

Undervalued teachers

After a career as a management consultant my wife spent over a decade at home looking after our three children. This year she began teaching maths at a NSW public high school on completing dual degrees in maths and education. Each night she took hours grading exam papers, preparing curriculum materials. She worked through weekends and public holidays at home.

As a first-year teacher, she earned less than half of her corporate salary from 20 years ago. But she is passionate about teaching and enjoys her time with students. I think the taxpayers got a bargain with her. If our country wants to build state-of-the-art submarines for our national defence, surely we need more qualified engineers and skilled workers with strong foundations in maths and science, meaning more investment in our schools. And that should begin with better pay and conditions for our dedicated public school teachers.

Han Yang, North Turramurra, NSW

Renewables missing in action

To approach Broken Hill from the west, one drives past a huge solar farm, while wind turbines tower over a nearby range of hills. I was amazed to read that neither facility is able to contribute a single watt of power to nearby residents during the ongoing power failure. Millions of dollars spent on renewables have proven completely useless, most notably in a time of extreme crisis.

This reminds me of a visit to Coober Pedy a few years ago, when the locals assured me that the large wind turbine near the town provided no electricity, the diesel-driven power plant being preferred by the local energy provider. Both are examples of the nakedness of the renewables emperors, their assurances of green nirvana wilting in the sunlight and blowing away like dust on the breeze.

Neil Philby, Eden Hills, SA

Practical solutions

Nyunggai Warren Mundine’s voice is the voice that needs to be heard (“Property ownership key to closing the gap”, 26-27/10). His invaluable research and logical, practical solutions embedded in his “four pillars” actually address what underpins the key gap issues. Additionally, his focus on home ownership and workforce injection into communities would generate positive long-term outcomes. Action plans based on these ideas could be implemented to not only alleviate the suffering of our most vulnerable Indigenous folk but also could begin to support long-term thriving communities. By eliminating wasteful, dysfunctional internal hierarchies and empowering individuals, communities may just be able to stand on their own two feet. Is anyone listening to him?

Deborah Cumming, Carine, WA