Main events want to point out ethical braveness

Your correspondent (Letters, October 7) prioritises the return of “the stranded Afghans” and Julian Assange over “ISIS girls and kids”. These poor children had been by no means ISIS. Our nationwide anthem reckons “we’ve boundless plains to share”, not “bonds to share”. So deliver ’em all residence, I say. Kent Mayo, Uralla

Damaged residence

Sorry to say that like Humpty Dumpty who sat on a wall, Willow Grove won’t ever be put again collectively once more (Letters, October 7). Garry Horvai, Pennant Hills

Ready to listen to when Willow Grove can be rebuilt will in all probability take so long as ready for the Nationwide Parks and Wildlife Service to take away the momentary COVID charges charged to camp within the overwhelming majority of parks. Michael McFadyen, Kareela

Individuals individual

“Individuals earlier than crops”? Has younger Scotty Morrison, advertising wunderkind and famend slogan slave, discovered himself a brand new job? Invoice Younger, Killcare Heights

High of the rainbow

Dialogue of rainbows (Letters, October 7) made me take into consideration Rainbow Avenue, which connects Kingsford and Randwick. As a child, it was onerous work driving a motorbike from Rainbow Avenue College to the summit, from the place one walked the bike down the steep descent into Kingsford. Bob Phillips, Cabarita

My kitchen guidelines

Your picture of a grim rental kitchen appears rather a lot like my ceaselessly morning kitchen (‴⁣⁣Actually, actually horrible’: Grim pickings for renters as vacancies dry up”, smh.com.au, October 7). Perhaps folks of their seventies see the world in another way? Keith Russell, Mayfield West

Flood answer: why not unplug Sackville Gorge?

I applaud Susan Templeman’s name for some lateral considering on the Warragamba Dam’s wall elevating (“For a protected Warragamba, decrease the dam water stage”, October 7). She might have opened the floodgates to a extra nuanced answer to the Hawkesbury/Nepean flooding. Elevating the wall by 14 metres is clearly on the nostril politically and environmentally, and decreasing the utmost water top by 12 metres is dangerous for provide safety. So why not analysis the results of (say) elevating the wall by three metres, decreasing the utmost stage by three metres and, importantly, revisiting the choice of unplugging the Sackville Gorge’s major explanation for the flooding? Peter Russell, Coogee

I’m stunned the Perrottet authorities hasn’t engaged somebody to dredge the dam to make it 14 metres deeper. Maybe the premier might assign this job to Matt Kean, who’s an revolutionary thinker and by no means places politics earlier than the atmosphere. Philip Bell, Bronte

What’s the Labor plan regarding Warragamba Dam – as we all know Perrottet can be main the opposition come the following election? Zuzu Burford, Heathcote

Earlier than the final state election, Gladys Berejiklian made positive the destruction of a stadium started. Presumably, this was in order that, if the election had been misplaced, the work must proceed. Perrottet’s “quick monitoring” of the Warragamba fiasco appears to be in the identical mould of considering. Get it began earlier than the election so it has to proceed. Peter Thompson, Grenfell

Elevating the wall by 14 metres will add monumental stress to the dam. Has anybody competent calculated if the present construction is able to this enhance? If not, then a future dam collapse will flood greater than any previous catastrophe. Richard Kirby, Campbelltown

I keep in mind, within the mid-noughties, Sydney skilled dry years and Warragamba sank to unprecedented low ranges. This provoked a knee-jerk response to hunt different provides of water, and so the desalination plant was constructed as a back-up. It has not often been used. We now have the other with an overabundance of water, so this time the knee-jerk response is to lift the dam wall. I’ll wager that within the subsequent few years Sydney will once more run into dry intervals and we’ll all be gazing on the water stage 20 metres or so decrease than the costly new wall. David Hellstrom, Wahroonga

Trolled on tolls

I learn with some curiosity this week Margot Saville’s opinion piece on tolls (“For whom the tolls will ballot in NSW”, October 6). Saville parroted quite a few the mis-truths being unfold by the NSW Labor opposition and the NSW Greens. She mentioned households are paying “as much as $6000 a yr in tolls”. The supply of this determine is analysis commissioned by the NSW Labor Get together to assist its scare marketing campaign on tolls. Who did the analysis? Alpha Beta. The analyst? Andrew Charlton, who subsequently turned the federal Labor MP for Parramatta. Here’s what Saville missed. The NSW Liberal authorities has a toll rebate scheme in place. From January, eligible motorists will stand up to 40 per cent again on their toll payments since July 1, saving them as much as $750 a yr and benefiting about half one million folks. Earlier this yr, the federal government introduced a toll evaluate to have a look at the entire community and the way we will make the pricing system fairer. Saville additionally complained in regards to the lack of public transport and infrastructure throughout our metropolis, whereas taking challenge with the quantity of labor happening within the interior west close to the place she lives, together with on the brand new Sydney Metro line connecting Parramatta to the town. Given she admitted she not often leaves her residence through the week, Saville may very well be excused for holding this fairly slender (and contradictory) view. Each the brand new Metro line and the Rozelle Interchange will slash journey occasions for households a lot additional afield than the interior west, together with these residing in western, southern and north-western Sydney. Final week, I used to be on the Western Sydney Management Dialogue. Western and south-western Sydney have undergone superb transformation over the previous 15 years, and it’s essential we proceed to make it enticing for folks to reside, work and play in our outer suburbs. These are the folks we’re fascinated by on daily basis. Natalie Ward, Metropolitan Roads Minister

Surgical procedure required

What’s the one answer to crowded emergency departments, unaffordable major care, pharmacy prescribing, insufficient regional well being and even aged care failings (“Well being minister hits again at docs’ inquiry claims”, October 7)? An skilled, well-funded, well-serviced and valued common apply. It’s the one medical arm that has been in decline for over a decade and that’s largely on account of authorities coverage or mismanagement. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle

Let’s get some steadiness within the NSW well being debate. I’m not saying there aren’t unacceptable delays in state hospitals. However once I offered on the emergency division at Hornsby hospital with a smashed knee cap final Thursday night, I used to be X-rayed inside half an hour, and operated on lower than 36 hours later. Whether or not I used to be admitted as a public or personal affected person made no distinction to the timing. The employees in any respect ranges had been distinctive. I’d hardly name that “third world”. Tony Gapes, Pymble

Who’ll need second class?

Additional pay for high-performing lecturers (Letters, October 7) will trigger consternation for folks. They are going to demand their youngsters be taught by a “tremendous instructor”. Who can be ready to take second greatest? Extra acceptable pay for all certified lecturers is the one sensible answer. Ian Roberts, Warriewood

Horse has bolted

The Archbishop of Canterbury is worried {that a} break up within the native Anglican church “says that we don’t maintain onto the instructing of Christ … that his followers can be one” (“Anglican schism ’similar as politics‴⁣⁣ , October 7). A second’s thought would have reminded him that that horse bolted centuries in the past. Jan Macindoe, Forest Lodge

The Archbishop of Canterbury is true: a break up within the Anglican Church can be unhealthy for the church nevertheless it may additionally be glorious. Presently in Anglican historical past, the valuable message of affection, peace and hope is commonly hidden behind arguments over irreconcilable variations. Absolutely our purpose is to not protect the establishment however to obviously preach Jesus. Rev Nigel Fortescue, Senior Minister, Christ Church, St Ives

Attention-grabbing answer

All these politicians attempting to get youthful folks into residence shopping for. The Labor authorities can actually assist that by altering the detrimental gearing preparations, which benefit buyers. The very best factor to do is to stop buyers from claiming curiosity on the mortgage as a tax deduction. Householders can’t. Set a date from which any new purchases can be unclaimable as tax deductions. Anything is tinkering John Rome, Mt Lawley (WA)

Postscript

This week, the republic, star of the letters pages for the previous month or so, took a again seat as writers received caught up in different topics. The most important one, the proposed elevating of Warragamba Dam’s wall, began in the course of the week and has been climbing steadily since. There was no trickle: it began as a full-on flood that quickly turned an inundation of the Letters inbox. There have been too many letters to publish; suffice to say that not one author was in favour.
Taxation continues to rumble alongside and writers are getting much less and fewer glad in regards to the concept of holding the stage three tax cuts. They will’t see the purpose of giving extra money to wealthy folks and Labor’s speak of not breaking guarantees is slicing no ice.
Lecturers, as common, as they need to, received a lot assist this week towards the federal government’s concepts about paying the highest 10 per cent of them extra, apparently to encourage the others. The thought was picked to items instantly. Who could be the decide of who was the higher instructor? Why would this cease folks leaving the occupation? The questions had been many and the solutions had been few.
There was vigorous dialogue additionally about bringing residence Australian girls and kids trapped in Islamic State camps in Syria. Principally, writers are in favour, on humanitarian grounds and the sensible grounds that the returnees might extra simply be watched right here than abroad. Just a few writers preserve that it’s simply an excessive amount of threat to Australia.
Information that the brand new airport in western Sydney might open with out correct public transport due to price range troubles was handled with the same old exasperated mockery of hardened Sydney commuters.
Harriet Veitch, appearing letters editor

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