Avril Moore’s opinion piece about being a caring grandparent left me feeling a bit sad for her (“I’m a grandmother, not a child carer. I did the job the first time around”, July 24). She seems to forget that when it comes to putting a roof over one’s head, our generation had it much easier than the current generation. I’m sure there are plenty of grandparents helping out with child care through sheer financial necessity as well as those grandparents who simply want to be part of the family. Tim Herborn, Blackheath
GrandparentsCredit: NFS
Just as some grandparents refuse to do child care, many of us love this special time. I never hear resentment only appreciation. Our care of nine grandchildren over 15 years has fostered a very close relationship with them all. Amazingly we still manage a satisfying life of work, theatre and holidays. Our assistance is highly regarded by our family just as we were grateful to my parents for allowing my husband and I to pursue careers. It’s called family. Sally Spurr, Lane Cove
I am proud to be a grandparent who supports her family by providing care for grandchildren. I am fortunate that I do not provide full-time care as I recognise that this can be physically and emotionally demanding as grandparents age. I feel privileged to have time to develop a strong bond with my grandchildren and wish those critical of older Australians to recognise the value they give to their communities. Linda Page, Baulkham Hills
Avril Moore rightly asserts her rights to a post-retirement personhood, freed from the yoke of the unwanted child carer role thrust in her lap. One solution to lighten the childminding load is a neighbourhood crèche of grandparents taking turns looking after a brood of toddlers from several families. My cousins and I were cared for between aunts, uncles, grandparents as well as retiree neighbours with time on their hands. My primary school teacher mother often took my toddler self to her staff room. I sat quietly in the classroom corner for two years before I started kindergarten, and am brighter for this early school lesson immersion! Joseph Ting, Carina (Qld)
Avril, I appeal to you on behalf of the grandchildren of the world. While I might confess to not changing as many nappies as I could have while a young father, that doesn’t negate the nonsensical shenanigans and ridiculous laughter that happen during school pick-ups and other unique times with the grandchildren. It’s not too late, even for the non-males out there who shouldered the bulk of the load when the kids were little. Put away the resentment. There are precious times to be had with your grandchildren. Pick them up when they ask. Enjoy the moment while it lasts. Before you know it, it will be “Hi, have a nice life”. Vic Alhadeff, Kirribilli
I’m a grandfather who takes great joy and considers every day a blessing in the company of my grandchildren, five of whom are under five. Yes, they need nappy changes and often have a cough, cold and a running noise, and no two want the same meal. I consider the days I care for them as something very special and to be enjoyed while we can. Shane Hogan, Riverview
Trump insults hurled out by our politicians too
It is clear that the Trump campaign will use vicious and disgusting tactics against Kamala Harris (Letters, July 24). Even before Joe Biden stepped down, numerous Trump droogs were wearing t-shirts describing her as a “hoe”. Most Australians find such tactics appalling, and think this couldn’t happen in our Australian democracy. But not all that long ago, at a protest on the lawns of our own Parliament House, a number of Coalition leaders were happy to stand in front of banners calling then-PM Julia Gillard “Bob Brown’s Bitch” and similar disgraceful insults. Nobody will be surprised at how low Trump will go to try to bring Harris down. Let us hope American voters don’t fall for it because they now have a real choice: a former prosecutor and attorney-general or a liar and convicted felon.
Rob Phillips, North Epping
Kamala Harris and Donald TrumpCredit: AP
Despite the work over many years fighting ageist stereotypes and biases it seems that there is much more work to do. The constant rhetoric about the US president - 81 and Trump 78, belies the fact that many people even older are physically and cognitively normal, resilient and able to pursue normal active lives. Age per se does not determine a person’s abilities or impairments. Health problems are more common with age but it is the mix and nature of those health problems that counts. Many people of 81 and over are active, participating in life. Please stop referring to the president’s age but rather his medical problems and consequent frailty. Tuly Rosenfeld, Randwick
The Trump campaign claims this “War on Democracy” will be stopped by the man who took a bullet for democracy. I thought retired fireman Corey Comperatore took the bullet, heroically protecting his family. Tony Nicod, Collaroy
The US faces a tough choice come November, it has to pick between two candidates, one, a man described by one of his former professors as “the dumbest goddamn student I ever had”, a notorious liar, an adjudicated rapist, a convicted felon and the oldest presidential candidate in US history; and the other, a smart and honourable woman 27 years his junior, a successful prosecutor and legislator, who carries the not inconsiderable burdens of her sex, and not being white, in the US. Let us pray that Americans choose wisely. James Walsh, Woronora
The red states and some others have very active voter suppression to bar the black and female vote. This ranges from purging electoral rolls to placing one voting place in large black population areas, resulting in many hours long waiting times to get to the poll. Not to mention denial of water and food to these long queues. Then there are the heavily armed “vote watchers” whose sole purpose is to intimidate Democrat voters. Michael Hughes, Grays Point
One of the most important tasks for Vice President Harris is to maintain her personal dignity and the dignity of the office she holds and will potentially hold. Trump and Vance will attempt over the next four months to denigrate her position, race, colour and sex with an unrelenting campaign of slander and outrageous claims but Harris must continue to hold her head high and show Americans, and the world, that there really is something great about America, even though it is currently under a cloud. The dignity of the office to which she aspires must remain paramount. Terry Charleston, Cootamundra
Heritage vanishes by stealth
There seems to be a bronze removal program in Turramurra (“War memorial stolen from Sydney park ‘in dead of night’”, July 24). The apparent theft of the 1928 war memorial honour roll is the latest example. Nearby, a stone fence along the entire Pacific Highway was once topped with a chunky bronze chain. It had solid square links anchored to sandstone through the open mouths of growling bronze lions. Mysteriously, one by one, the chains disappeared before the bronze lion heads followed. A little further up the highway the substantial bronze gates of Mahratta, a mansion built in 1941, were tugged off their hinges in the dead of night some years ago. All four gates have been replaced with reproductions made of a less valuable alloy. Whatever the price of melted copper ingots, the much-praised heritage of this area is being gradually ripped out. Robert Grundy, Warrawee
A war memorial at Turramurra was stolen according to Ku-ring-gai mayor Sam Ngai.
Deniers, repent
The world recorded its hottest day ever on July 21 (“The world has just recorded its hottest day on record”, July 24). The opposition wants to stall the implementation of renewables to embrace nuclear in the future. In the US, Trump has stated he wants to “drill, baby, drill”. Voters will hopefully remember July 21 and will rebuff those whose who still have their heads in the sand about the need to urgently address global warming. John Cotterill, Kingsford
Two important climate articles in the Herald in the same morning. The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering has joined other leading critics of Peter Dutton’s plan for nuclear power plants that are uncosted, unnecessary and unavailable for at least 15 years (“Top agency casts doubt on small nuclear reactors touted by Dutton”, July 24).
This was closely followed by a report from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service that Sunday, July 21, was the hottest day ever recorded, and that “every month since June 2023 has now ranked as the planet’s hottest since records began, compared with the corresponding month in previous years”.
Surely, the opposition leader must swing his wholehearted support behind Australia’s efforts to transition from fossil fuels to renewables rather than the opposition’s nuclear fantasy. Rob Firth, Red Hill (ACT)
Great leaps forward
Having taught from the old syllabuses over 50 years ago and worked with all the changes until retirement two years ago, I am thrilled that these reforms are being made (“‘Biggest change in decades’: New science, history syllabuses in NSW schools”, July 24). It is good to see that they will take two years to be fully implemented as many younger teachers will need to learn some of the content themselves.
At last the voices of teachers who could see what was happening, and who had complained bitterly about lack of structured content and airy-fairy theory and methods, have been heard. That and of course the falling results prove the point. New syllabuses are not the single cure. The other is hard work by students as well as teachers. Maybe now educators will have back-up for having high expectations for student achievements.
I am also delighted to hear that jargon has been removed, some of which simply meant very little. Now hopefully the other outcome will be better discipline as it is required for academic achievement. Augusta Monro, Dural
Powerful pedagogue
Eula Guthrie was a really important Australian (Letters, July 24). Among all her achievements, she fought for the introduction of personal development in NSW schools. She won her way, and in 1975, the personal development group was formed with a view to introducing sex education in its widest definition. I was a member of that group and know how difficult it must have been within the very conservative sections of the Department of Education. She fought for a high budget and was lucky enough to benefit from Gough Whitlam’s willingness to spend on such things. Nell Moody, Turramurra
I still remember clearly at Maitland Girls High dreading my interview with the formidable Miss Guthrie to find out if I’d passed her inspection for my teaching certificate. As a first-year-out teacher, the whole experience was harrowing. She had a fearsome reputation and always presented with a box of tissues to give to those reduced to tears by her no-holds-barred assessment of their shortcomings. I did feel a great sense of achievement when I passed but it was nerve-wracking to say the least. Those were the days! Jackie Fairhall, East Ballina
Adding to the eulogies for Eula Guthrie, we were so lucky to have her as our English teacher at St George Girls’ High for our leaving certificate in 1964. She instilled in me a love of the English language. I could not wait to receive her comments on my English essays to the point of having my father drive me to her house to pick them up. We were lucky to be at that privileged public selective school where the teachers were outstanding. Miss Guthrie was not scary as others said ... she knew her stuff and cared. Jane Silverton, Mosman
Waiting for respect
My youngest daughter, now 28, has worked in hospitality all over the world. She is a smart, university-educated woman who loves the industry but she would agree wholeheartedly with Liam Heitmann-Ryce-LeMercier when it comes to Australia (“I’m a cafe worker. There’s one question customers ask that shows a lack of respect”, July 24).
In western Europe, it is a different story: hospitality is a highly regarded career, and workers – often mature people – are treated with far more respect, civility and gratitude, as anyone who has visited a Viennese coffee shop will have seen. Phillip Ennis, Bective
Opportunity missed
The Productivity Commission’s recent report into philanthropy and the taxation treatment of charitable donations recommended, among other things, that tax deductibility of donations to school building funds be discontinued (“Private school charity status sacrosanct despite calls to scrap it”, July 19). Not surprisingly the howls from the private schools were deafening as some claim this would be a direct attack on Judeo-Christian values and others that it was a direct attack on faith-based communities. It was disappointing but hardly surprising that the Labor government fell over itself to reject this recommendation out of hand.
Providing this tax deductibility is yet another backdoor way to continue pouring public money into the already wealthy elite schools at the expense of the far more needy, and often impoverished, government schools. I would have hoped that a Labor government would have embraced this opportunity for a little social equity. Privilege wins once more. Alan Phillips, Mosman
Gains-tax nexus
Gittins nearly nails it (“Who’s really feeling the pinch”, July 24). One factor yet to be considered – tax cuts from July 1. Those higher middle-income earners will gain the most. These taxpayers/investors have been squeezed by higher interest rates. But now these can be sold off with a reduced capital gain bill as gains are linked directly to tax rates. Nice if you can get it. Michael Blissenden, Dural
Exercise myths
You report that a study shows people who exercise between five and 10 hours a week “lowered their risk of death by 26 to 31 per cent” (“What Amy Winehouse and Shane Warne can tell us about death statistics”, July 24). And there I was thinking the risk of death for all of us, no matter what we do, is inevitably 100 per cent. Ross Duncan, Potts Point
Heavenly sounds
Ron E. Sparks joins fellow radio icons Graham Webb, Bob Rogers and Doug Mulray in that great radio station upstairs (“Much-loved radio star dominated Sydney airwaves for 45 years”, July 24). Luckily, we still have Lawsy. Michael Deeth, Como West
Ron E. Sparks in 1972.Credit: Fairfax
The photo of Ron E. Sparks shows a poster of Roberta Flack, whose songs would have helped define the soundtrack of the life of Gregory James Sparks. Glenn A Baker’s fitting tribute to the late radio star catalogues a career spun with passion and a God-given gift of a voice for radio, timeless throughout his outstanding career. Sparks’ distinctive voice and dulcet tones were unmistakably his and he didn’t have to mention his name. As his family, colleagues and millions of listeners mourn his passing We are grateful for the contribution he made to what were the golden days of radio.
Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook
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