Student activism has turned insidious at our schools

The Granville Boys High School student support officer, Sheik Wesam Charkawi, has downplayed the vile anti-Semitic comments made by the two Muslim nurses at the Bankstown Hospital. He claims their comments are being misunderstood. Really? Imagine this: there is a nurse at Bankstown Hospital who is found on a YouTube video to say that he would refuse to treat, and threatens to kill, Muslim patients. Then we discover he belongs to and trains with a white supremacist group who are anti-immigration of people of colour, especially those from Middle Eastern countries. Do we think that the Muslims clerics and leaders would be saying that he “never meant to be literal or intended to be a threat to patient care”?

John Whiteing, Willoughby, NSW

Scars of war

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, reminds us that 63 hostages are still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza. With great sorrow, he asks us to mourn the tragedy of the Bibas family, the innocent souls of the mother, Shiri, and her two boys, Kfir and Ariel, with Hamas parading the corpses. Ambassador Maimon is right that the international community must support efforts to dismantle Hamas and that the “path to a future without fear begins with the end of Hamas’s reign of terror” (“Bibas tragedy reflects true nature of Hamas” 27/2).

Any reconstruction of Gaza without the identification and expulsion of all those associated with Hamas would just leave the Strip exposed to further bombing in retaliation for repeats of the October 7, 2023 terror attack that Hamas has repeatedly promised.

Anthony Bergin, Reid, ACT

Election season

I agree with The Australia’s editorial (“Voters deserve a better debate”, 27/2). While the focus is on the leaders of the major parties, the same applies to other political parties on critical topics such as cost of living, housing, integrity, energy and climate change.

There is too much opinion, political advertising and misinformation. The demise of fact-checking leaves voters at a disadvantage, although AAPFactCheck still allows citizen submissions. What we need is more in-depth, independent, competent journalism.

Ray Peck, Hawthorn, Vic

A respected scholar

The outdated and sexist column item (“Labor minister’s partner snags funding victory”, 27/2) undermines the significant contributions of Rae Cooper to workplace gender equality and employment relations policy. While it is true that she is the partner of a Labor assistant minister – a fact transparently stated in the grant submission – the implication of favouritism unfairly diminishes the achievements of a highly distinguished academic and researcher.

Professor Cooper’s work has been recognised with an Order of Australia and by her election to the learned society ASSA by senior peers. As an internationally respected scholar, Professor Cooper has built a reputation as a trusted adviser to governments of all political persuasions at both state and federal levels, as well as to industry and business. The grant involves multiple universities, and the grant process was transparent, rigorous and underwent a competitive process. The work to be undertaken includes consultation with an industry advisory board comprising distinguished figures from across the Australian business and community sectors.

Professor Cooper’s leadership and decades of collaboration with colleagues across institutions secured this grant – not her marital status. Her work has shaped public policy and industry practice in many meaningful ways. To imply otherwise is unfair, sexist and dismissive of her substantial achievements.

Professor Leisa Sargent, dean of The University of Sydney Business School, and Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, chair of The Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion @ Work.

Power out

Not only do we have the Albanese government using taxpayers’ hard-earned money to embark on an economic suicide mission with its rollout of renewables, batteries, pumped hydro and whatever else is lying around, but the states are in on the act as well. The NSW Minns Labor government intends underwriting the development of two eight-hour batteries and a pumped hydro facility to support wind and solar developments (“All clear for hydro, batteries”, 27/2). NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe says the three projects would ensure electricity reliability and affordability. Who is she kidding? Because they are totally dependent on the wind blowing and the sun shining on demand, renewables are incapable of guaranteeing reliable electricity. As for affordability, ever since renewables wormed their way into the electricity grid, power costs have never been higher.

Dale Ellis, Innisfail, Qld