Childcare, aged care, hospitals, housing – when sectors that involve the care and shelter of society’s members who are at their most vulnerable become investment vehicles producing rivers of gold, it’s the vulnerable who pay the price (“For-profit operators defend ‘highly regulated’ system amid calls for reform”, July 3). All of us need a home, many of us have children in care, most of us will use a hospital and the majority will get old. As a society we must be prepared to pay the cost of ridding ourselves of private investment that puts profit before people and give government oversight and ownership of the sectors that provide the care, support and safety that we all deserve throughout every stage of life. Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga
Despite their denials of breaching safety protocols, it is obvious that some for-profit childcare operators are not maintaining required standards and have not been properly regulated. It is also offensive that senior executives are paid multi-million dollar salaries while many childcare workers struggle with high costs of living.
Tony Simons, Balmain
Would children be better off in the first two years of life being cared for by their mothers? Governments have tended to focus on the benefit to the economy of women being in paid work, but is the economy more important than the welfare of small children? Feminists will perhaps focus on women’s rights to undertake paid work, while others, especially faith-based groups will focus on the value of women’s role in the home and family. Some women have little choice. I believe we have undervalued the roles of women who look after children, whether their own or others. We need to look at women as people, with a value surpassing being a cog in the economy, which may include financial assistance for their unpaid work. Vivienne Parsons, Thornleigh
Illustration by Marija Ercegovac
The call to ban men from working in childcare has the unfortunate potential to cast suspicion on any male working with young children (“With more allegations of sexual abuse at childcare centres, is banning men the answer?”, July 3). This then extends to male teachers in primary schools, coaches of children’s sport and leaders in other organisations. Yes, safeguarding is the priority but access to positive male role models is just one of the ways that we nurture respectful and responsible young people. Introducing a culture of fear and isolation is not the answer. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
Two headlines side by side highlight the dangers of kneejerk reactions. The first calls for urgent action in light of the horrific allegations concerning abuse in child care centres. The second calls for a ban on men working in the sector. Rather than urgent action how about a thoughtful considered response? As for the second headline, should we also ban men from becoming paediatricians, scout leaders, ministers of religion, or even fathers? All have been implicated in child abuse. Politicians might gain plaudits for “decisive action”, but simplistic solutions driven by headlines rarely result in intelligent outcomes. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove
I agree with Meredith Williams’ thoughts on males working in childcare (Letters, July 3). There are children in childcare without a male role model at home making it important for the children to be in the company of male carers. The urgent call for strict vetting at childcare is very important and hopefully we will not be hearing about more horrible childcare abuse. More male teachers in the infants and primary schools would also be a bonus for young children in need of a positive male role model. Robyn Lewis, Raglan
Missing the point
Jenna Price draws our attention to many of the issues facing the Liberal Party and its women problem (“Ley’s revelations about coercive control will help women. It’s a shame her party won’t do the same”, July 2). One she misses is the hypocritical claim that quotas are undemocratic. Perhaps they mean only when they apply to women. Isn’t there a quota that ensures the Nationals have a suitable percentage of members in the cabinet after each election? And who can possibly believe that Barnaby Joyce was appointed deputy prime minister on merit while Julie Bishop sat back looking on? Richard Prosser, Armidale
The NSW Liberals sure do have a woman problem (CBD, July 3). Not only are they short on women, but the new woman they do have, Senator Jess Collins, seems more “disappointed” about misogynistic comments about women being “sufficiently assertive” being leaked than about the actual comments themselves. Then, in a truly awful piece of irony, she jokingly blames herself for such comments, after providing advice to the Libs Administrative Committee about “how to improve the outcomes for women”. Now that’s a woman problem.
Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown
Seize the four-year moment
“Labor must seize the moment” writes Shaun Carney (“Albanese era must leave a legacy”, July 3). I wish that the PM would use some of his enormous political capital and seize the moment by reaching out to Sussan Ley with the suggestion of bipartisan support for a legislated four-year term for the federal government to commence after the next federal government term. This way no one party could be perceived as being disadvantaged by this sensible change. If this change cannot be legislated and needs a referendum to alter the Constitution this could be done at the next federal election. That would be something that will be remembered in 40 years’ time. Dale Bailey, St Leonards
Illustration by Dionne Gain
The National Party, because it is a regional party will never be able to govern on its own, will always need the softer right-of-centre party in the Coalition to ever govern again. The paradox at the heart of conservative politics in Australia is that the only way the Liberal Party could ever form government is with the support of the cities, which in recent years have virtually abandoned them. So by making themselves more relevant to the city they become increasingly irrelevant to the regions. This will be a lose-lose situation for years and years. Chris McKimm, Karangi
Australians have entrusted the Albanese government with their trust because the Coalition was untrustworthy. This is not just an opportunity for the government – it is an obligation. After three Coalition terms of going nowhere and a first term of housekeeping and fending off Dutton’s disingenuous attacks, it is time to effect much needed changes. Shaun Carney is right, Australia is a different place to what it was for the Hawke/Keating times of change. The time is right, there is a mood for lasting change to be implemented. The biggest threat may still be the Coalition outliers, an unruly mob, harder to control than a herd of cats. The Australian people are watching. Geoff Nilon, Mascot
Universal basic income
Rob Phillips (Letters, July 3) ponders on the likely effects of AI on work availability. Much of this thinking has already been done, and trials have already started of a universal basic income as a solution to the problem. Every adult gets a government-funded no-questions-asked payment roughly equivalent to current welfare payments, replacing and simplifying current welfare structures. It not only supports people without employment or adequate hours, but it ensures demand for goods and services does not fall with collapsing employment. It places no impediment for enterprising people to still create their own wealth. Most alternate scenarios involve the dystopian nightmare of increasing concentration of wealth for the few, and an underclass in extreme poverty. Stein Boddington, St Clair
Letters champion loquacious to the last
I went to Joan’s funeral yesterday afternoon (Letters, June 29). It seems Joan just couldn’t stop writing even at the end. In true Joan Brown-from-Orange style she wrote a poem about her life entitled “This is who I am” for her funeral service and she even wrote the eulogy which was read by her sister, Marion. Talk about a prolific and persistent wordsmith. She will be sadly missed not only by her family and friends but also the readers of the Letters pages. Valerie Craig, Orange
Bradfield knife-edge
Your correspondents who evidently supported the independent candidate in Bradfield are missing the point (Letters, July 3). Had Ms Kapterian been elected on as fine a margin as Ms Boele now has, I very much doubt the latter would not have used every measure possible to challenge that result. Ms Kapterian won the first count by about four votes and lost the second by 24. While I agree that our electoral commission is the very best, it evidently can still make mistakes in the count as this shows. Ms Kapterian won the first-past-the-post vote by a very large margin. She owes it to those supporters to challenge the result and seek a fresh election which would very likely be a two-horse race. Whoever wins that, then so be it – she will have very clearly proven her mandate. Peter Thornton, Killara
Independent Nicolette Boele won the seat of Bradfield following a recount.Credit: Oscar Colman
Assuming the Liberal Party is successful in its appeal for a by-election in Bradfield, what platform would it campaign on? Is nuclear power still on its manifesto? Is the Liberal Party still opposed to cutting the lowest tax rate from 16 per cent to 14 per cent? Will women return to the Liberal Party cause on the promise that possibly some time in the future they may consider quotas to increase female representation in the party? If the good people of Bradfield were happy to reject the LNP in May, I don’t imagine things would have changed significantly by July-August. John Bailey, Canterbury
You would have to wonder on what grounds the Liberal Party would seek to overturn the election result. They would have to have evidence of serious misfeasance or malfeasance. There has already been a full recount under the strictest scrutiny imaginable. “We should have won. It’s our seat. We thought we had won and now they reckon we lost. Boo-hoo” does not cut it. Seats are won by the person who gets 50 per cent of the votes + 1. John Burman, Port Macquarie
Selective wake-up
The disturbing article relating to testing for selective and opportunity classes in our schools should be a wake-up call for future schools of this type (“Secret warning before test chaos”, July 3). One parent said “by that time, the children had lost interest”. Of course they had. Money would be much better channelled into creating classes in normal schools where the gifted children could be educated with other students while their exceptionalism would be well catered for, and their education for life being much more rounded. Ann Babington, Thornton
Take pride in Lions
May I put forward the most worthwhile of all hobbies (Letters, July 3)? Join a service club such as Lions. My wife and I did just that a decade or so ago and have joined a great community of volunteers which contributes so much to our local, state and international peoples in need. Annual fees are minimal, no expensive equipment has to be purchased – only your time and labour are required, we have lots of fun and we know that all our funds go to the people who need it. There are no paid positions so none of our funds get “wasted” on administrators. You can give as much time and effort as you wish, from a couple of hours a month and upwards. There is bound to be a club close to your home. Lions clubs are crying out for members so please join us and learn that we are more than just Saturday morning sausage-sizzlers.
Graham Carter, Eglinton
I discovered the pleasure of reading aloud when I volunteered to become a reader for Librivox.org – an organisation dedicated to recording all written works (out of copyright) for the free enjoyment of everyone. It’s easy, they are delightful encouraging people to work with and it can be done from your own home, requiring minimal equipment. Jennifer Beckett-Wood, Chichester
I so agree with accepting new challenges to stimulate an ageing brain and body, because I know first hand it absolutely works. I started ballet for the first time at 80. This year it’s computer training and as the City to Surf with 90,000 starters is not safe for me, this month I will exactly replicate the course without the crowds so I haven’t missed the experience. Starting fresh becomes so important to a good quality of life with advancing years – embrace it. Elizabeth Kroon, Randwick
Ukulele as an inexpensive – $40 – hobby? Perhaps, but you would need to spend many thousands of dollars extra to build a soundproof room in which to practice or risk being murdered by your family or neighbours. This brings us to the old riddle – what is the difference between a ukulele and a trampoline? You take your shoes off before you jump on a trampoline. Ian Morris, Strathfield
In reply to John Swanton’s letter asking if AC/DC can be performed by bells, as a practising campanologist I can claim that, at the age of 72, I’m a member of a heavy metal band. Jennifer Derrick, Orange
Airs, no graces
Why is Museums of History NSW bleating about the proposed development next to its Justice and Police Museum at Circular Quay (“Sydney law museum embroiled in own fight for justice”, July 1)? A few years ago, it sold the developers the air rights over part of the museum for millions of dollars and this in turn has facilitated the scale of the development. You reap what you sow. Peter Watts, Lilyfield
Erode least travelled
How to afford a beachfront home? Buy across the road and wait (“We grabbed the cat and got out. The waterside dwellers facing rising sea levels”, smh.com.au, July 3).
David Sayers, Gwandalan
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