It is a worrying trend when people feel safer in the hands of the big tech companies than they do in the justice system (“Judges hit by loss of faith from public”, July 30). It would be easy to think that this is due to a lack of understanding of the legal process but it can also be attributed to the adversarial system itself, where truth often takes a back seat. Mostly, however, I would suggest that it is the apparent high incidence of serious offences committed by those on bail that has diminished faith in the ability of courts to adequately determine the genuine danger posed by an alleged offender. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
Pollster Jim Rees uses the Lehrmann prosecutions as a reason why less than one third of Australians trust the justice system to deliver. On the contrary, a majority of Australians are more concerned with alleged violent criminals being let out on bail and when they are found guilty, receiving relatively light or non-custodial sentences. Another frequent shortcoming of the courts is where celebrities, represented by celebrity lawyers, are found guilty of a criminal offence and get away with “conviction not recorded”. Until these issues are addressed, Australians’ faith in the justice system will remain diminished. Riley Brown, Bondi Beach
There is certainly a problem with inconsistency in legal judgments, but it is difficult to have faith in a legal system where financial backing is often the key. Arguably only two types of people can seek justice, the rich and the poor. The poor will benefit from legal aid, while the rich can engage an expensive legal team and consider appeals against a judgment until the opposition is broken psychologically or financially. Such a war of attrition can hardly convince one that justice is inevitably done. Geoff Harding, Chatswood
Just 30 per cent of Australians have faith in the country’s courts and justice system according to a new poll conducted on behalf of the Herald. Credit: Michele Mossop
For 42 years I have worked closely with our judiciary from magistrates to senior judges within our criminal justice system. The essence of the article was the quote from pollster Jim Reed “less than a third trust the justice system to deliver...” To deliver what? Our system of justice and the judiciary therein do not exist to provide the public with what some see as “justice”. They exist to administer the law. And herein lies my criticism of the media. So often I see the media jumping on the bandwagon of “injustice” when in truth it’s about someone not getting what they wanted. This erodes the public’s confidence in the integrity of a system that has stood for the test of time. Brian Roach, Westleigh
Onus on all of us
In response to the appalling statistic that 31 per cent of the NSW prison population is Aboriginal, a letter writer asked what local Aboriginal communities are doing to fix this problem (“Shameful and appalling”, Letters, July 30). Representing less than 4 per cent of the Australian population, they are doing a lot, but how much can they do? Australia emphatically said no to giving First Nations People a voice in coming up with solutions. Clearly the NSW government, police and government agencies can, and must, do a lot more. Post-referendum federal and state governments have dropped the ball on Closing the Gap and empowering Aboriginal voices in matters that affect them. The rest of Australia must now do the heavy lifting and keep the fire burning to hold our elected governments to account for effective change. Karen Wyatt, Pyrmont
Privy to positions
Yes, Tony Burke has picked up a heavy ministerial workload but isn’t it refreshing to be informed, that unlike with Scott Morrison’s multiple secret ministries debacle, we, the public are made privy to the changes made by those we have elected (“Minister for Everything”, Letters, July 30)? Glenn Johnson, Leura
Missed opportunity: A ‘Yes’ badge in support of The Voice referendum. Credit: Cole Bennetts
Many reasons to celebrate
I despair for those like Pamela Shepherd (“Long, leisurely look at national day”, Letters, July 30), who are so confused about our national identity. Australia is a success story on so many levels, with so many reasons to be at least grateful, if not openly proud. Our vibrant and tolerant multicultural society is a blueprint for all nations troubled by inflexible sectarian divides. Compulsory voting and an independent electoral commission mean we have one of the most robust democracies on the planet. Our achievements in all fields from science to sport are internationally recognised. Of course, there’s still much to do, most notably the missed [Indigenous Voice] opportunity last October, but if ever we fully break free of the ideological straight-jacket of colonialism, we’ll need more than a long weekend to celebrate! Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn
It is clear that January 26 cannot continue to be Australia Day when it holds such terrible significance for many Australians. Solution: Make January 26 Reconciliation Day and use it as a springboard to meaningful conversation and action. Then: Turn the King’s Birthday holiday into Australia Day, thus preserving the number of public holidays and kickstarting the road to a republic. Eric Scott, Bondi Junction
Apologies to Eric
It was Eric the eel and Eddie the eagle, but we knew who you meant (“The Olympic bandwagon”, Letters, July 30). Robert Hickey, Green Point
Baulked at borked
I must have led a very limited life because I have never encountered the word “borked” before (“Could the next meltdown lock you out of your smart home?“, July 29). Now that I know it means broken, or not working properly, I shall seek to incorporate it into my everyday language (and maybe even a letter to this paper)! Alicia Dawson, Balmain
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