Last Post: smoking guns, Wuhan, global boiling and bad grammar

The more we read about the cover-ups and lies fed to us about Covid-19 and how we handled the pandemic, and the more our government ignores them, the more we need a prime minister with the conviction to call for a royal commission (“Aussie scientist’s Wuhan fears”, 31/7).

Ross McDonald, Gordon, NSW

Excellent coverage of the scientific debate over the true origins of Covid. But you don’t need to be a scientist to understand the smoking gun was and is the extremely defensive reaction of the Chinese government to any inquiry or investigation. If it really were a wet market accident, Beijing would have been open and transparent.

Stuart Hall, Glen Iris, Vic

Remember when Anthony Albanese promised us a new dawn in politics? Parliament was going to be a calm, consultative place. He is now threatening his bosom pals, the Greens, with a double dissolution if he does not get his way. Another broken promise like my cheaper energy costs.

Vy Lingham, Rowville, Vic

Surely it’s obvious by now … all governments, whether state or federal, need to include within their cabinet a Minister for Collateral Damage or a Minister for Unintended Consequences. Every day our unsuspecting citizens are seeing the unleashing of new policies that have glaring side-effects that are obvious to them if not to the politicians who’ve authored these policies. Too much to expect?

Bob Bennett, Mt Gravatt East, Qld

I agree with the Oxford don who said that the main aim of education was to be able to tell when another man was talking rubbish (the euphemism is mine).

Sally Graham, Malvern, Vic

If we can believe the UN Secretary-General that “the era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has arrived”, our goose is cooked.

George Fishman, Vaucluse, NSW

I am sorry to say, Lynnette Benjamin (Last Post, 31/7), one of my English teachers at school taught my class that hens lay eggs and people set tables.

Louise Blatchford, Thornbury, Vic

Further to letters in Last Post regarding grammar (David Morrison, 29/7 and Lynnette Benjamin, 31/7), I would like to add that “number” applies to nouns that can be counted and “amount” applies to nouns that cannot be counted. My late mother, a stickler for correct grammar, probably turns in her grave every time a journalist or politician says “amount of people”.

Susan Dornan, Beecroft, NSW