Your correspondent (Letters, October 7) prioritises the return of “the stranded Afghans” and Julian Assange over “ISIS girls and kids”. These poor children have been by no means ISIS. Our nationwide anthem reckons “we’ve boundless plains to share”, not “bonds to share”. So convey ’em all house, I say. Kent Mayo, Uralla
Damaged house
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 will probably be rebuilt will most likely take so long as ready for the Nationwide Parks and Wildlife Service to take away the non permanent COVID charges charged to camp within the overwhelming majority of parks. Michael McFadyen, Kareela
Individuals particular person
“Individuals earlier than vegetation”? Has younger Scotty Morrison, advertising wunderkind and famend slogan slave, discovered himself a brand new job? Invoice Younger, Killcare Heights
Prime of the rainbow
Dialogue of rainbows (Letters, October 7) made me take into consideration Rainbow Road, which connects Kingsford and Randwick. As a child, it was laborious work using a motorbike from Rainbow Road College to the summit, from the place one walked the bike down the steep descent into Kingsford. Bob Phillips, Cabarita
My kitchen guidelines
Your photograph of a grim rental kitchen appears to be like loads like my perpetually morning kitchen (‴Actually, actually horrible’: Grim pickings for renters as vacancies dry up”, smh.com.au, October 7). Possibly folks of their seventies see the world otherwise? 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 consequences 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 reason for the flooding? Peter Russell, Coogee
I’m shocked the Perrottet authorities hasn’t engaged somebody to dredge the dam to make it 14 metres deeper. Maybe the premier may assign this activity to Matt Kean, who’s an modern 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 will probably be main the opposition come the following election? Zuzu Burford, Heathcote
Earlier than the final state election, Gladys Berejiklian made certain the destruction of a stadium started. Presumably, this was in order that, if the election have 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 huge stress to the dam. Has anybody competent calculated if the present construction is able to this improve? If not, then a future dam collapse will flood greater than any previous catastrophe. Richard Kirby, Campbelltown
I bear 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 hardly ever been used. We now have the alternative with an overabundance of water, so this time the knee-jerk response is to lift the dam wall. I’ll guess that within the subsequent few years Sydney will once more run into dry durations 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 various the mis-truths being unfold by the NSW Labor opposition and the NSW Greens. She stated households are paying “as much as $6000 a 12 months in tolls”. The supply of this determine is analysis commissioned by the NSW Labor Social gathering 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 12 months and benefiting about half 1,000,000 folks. Earlier this 12 months, the federal government introduced a toll assessment to take 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 subject with the quantity of labor happening within the inside west close to the place she lives, together with on the brand new Sydney Metro line connecting Parramatta to town. Given she admitted she hardly ever leaves her house throughout 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 instances for households a lot additional afield than the inside west, together with these dwelling 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 wonderful transformation over the previous 15 years, and it’s essential we proceed to make it engaging for folks to stay, work and play in our outer suburbs. These are the folks we’re excited about day-after-day. 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 follow. It’s the one medical arm that has been in decline for over a decade and that’s largely as a result of authorities coverage or mismanagement. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle
Let’s get some stability 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 workers in any respect ranges have been distinctive. I’d hardly name that “third world”. Tony Gapes, Pymble
Who’ll need second class?
Further 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 trainer”. Who will probably be ready to take second finest? Extra acceptable pay for all certified lecturers is the one sensible answer. Ian Roberts, Warriewood
Horse has bolted
The Archbishop of Canterbury is anxious {that a} break up within the native Anglican church “says that we don’t maintain onto the instructing of Christ … that his followers will probably 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 will probably be unhealthy for the church however it may additionally be wonderful. Presently in Anglican historical past, the dear message of affection, peace and hope is usually hidden behind arguments over irreconcilable variations. Certainly our aim is to not protect the establishment however to obviously preach Jesus. Rev Nigel Fortescue, Senior Minister, Christ Church, St Ives
Fascinating answer
All these politicians attempting to get youthful folks into house shopping for. The Labor authorities can actually assist that by altering the adverse gearing preparations, which benefit traders. The very best factor to do is to stop traders from claiming curiosity on the mortgage as a tax deduction. Householders can’t. Set a date from which any new purchases will probably be unclaimable as tax deductions. The rest 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 bought 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 joyful 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 discuss of not breaking guarantees is reducing no ice.
Lecturers, as traditional, as they need to, bought a lot assist this week in opposition to 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 choose of who was the higher trainer? Why would this cease folks leaving the occupation? The questions have been many and the solutions have been few.
There was vigorous dialogue additionally about bringing house Australian girls and kids trapped in Islamic State camps in Syria. Largely, writers are in favour, on humanitarian grounds and the sensible grounds that the returnees may extra simply be watched right here than abroad. A couple of 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 finances troubles was handled with the same old exasperated mockery of hardened Sydney commuters.
Harriet Veitch, appearing letters editor
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