Diplomatic pose prompts a different view of Dan Andrews

Excuse my antenna for inconsistent logic (“Andrews doesn’t care, but he has lost his moral compass”, September 4) but we endlessly await an appointment to meet Donald Trump, who visited the North Korean dictator on his turf. A Quad member – Narendra Modi of India – continues to buy oil from Vladimir Putin, while another, Trump, brandishes his friendship with the same dictator. All in the name of peace and business, of course. But when Dan Andrews figures in a photo with these dictators all hell breaks loose. What memo on friendships for profit did I miss that excludes working to get investment into a state that Andrews represented earlier? Manbir Singh Kohli, Pemulwuy

We are meant to be outraged that Dan Andrews and Bob Carr accepted an invitation to the celebrations in Beijing. Both men (neither of whom holds elected office) are accused of somehow losing their “moral compass” because they could be seen as having fraternised with dictators. Diplomacy has never had a moral framework. It is concerned with protecting and promoting national interests. The same critics who found the presence of Andrews and Carr in China so deplorable attack the prime minister for not securing a meeting with US President Donald Trump, who is causing real damage to Australia and other countries through his spiteful tariffs. The hypocrisy is obvious. China is our largest trading partner. A sensible relationship with that superpower is vital to our economy, standard of living and security. We might not like China’s ideology, but we are happy to keep selling it our raw materials, food and wine while wearing its cheap clothes, prattling on its phones and driving its electric cars. Sinophobia is pointless provocation. David Salter, Hunters Hill

As clearly put by James Massola, “Andrews doesn’t care” and obviously doesn’t give a stuff about the damage he is doing to Australia’s reputation and his Labor mates. As reported, Andrews has “lost his moral compass”, and that is truly disappointing from a former state premier. His legacy is forever tarnished. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach

Outrage is not Dan Andrews going to China, it’s Loveness Tsitsi Mauwa (“Many migrant essential workers face abuse, racism”, September 4) and the like being ignored and overlooked in developing nurses across NSW. A Zimbabwean nurse isn’t a former premier, but she has earned and deserved respect and recognition for decades of service to NSW Health, which it failed to recognise. Have the guts, NSW Health, to recognise talent and commitment and put your 19th-century prejudice in the furnace of yesterday, where it belongs. Barry Ffrench, Cronulla

China’s strange priorities

China certainly has an amazing array of military hardware and technological wizardry (“Lasers, missiles and robot wolves: weapons on show”, September 4) but it would be much more beneficial to the world if China used the money it puts towards this, and its knowledge of how to build new islands in the middle of the sea, to help islands now at risk of being inundated so they might be built to a height that keeps their populations safe. The world would certainly see China in a different light – and what a legacy Xi Jinping would have. Merilyn McClung, Forestville

The latest display of Chinese military equipment included underwater drones. Of course, we have no way of telling how effective they are (they might only be models, for all we know) but they are clearly a weapon that can be developed over the next 10 years. By the time we see our first American submarine, manned submarines could be so vulnerable to attack as to be obsolete. We are spending billions of dollars on weapons whose exact purpose has never been spelt out and that might never be worth putting in the water. The AUKUS fantasy needs to be reviewed. Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy

How do we know the rockets in China’s military parade were not papier-mache? Barry Lamb, Eastwood

Who can you rely on?

Without migrants, Bathurst would not be able to provide a medical service (“A migration freeze would be costly”, September 4). Aged care facilities would suffer, as would staffing for home care packages. We would lack choice for restaurants and cafes. By maintaining the level of immigration, all these essential services can continue in the manner we have become accustomed to. Robyn Lewis, Raglan

On New Year’s Eve 2019, our area was devastated by a catastrophic fire that destroyed more than 100 homes and took three lives. During the days and weeks that followed, we were in survival mode while services and life emerged from the rubble. One shining light was the arrival of the volunteers from T4A (Turbans for Australia), who came and set up a barbecue for everyone (free of charge), which was very welcome. How many of the black-clad neo-Nazis help the community they profess to be part of, by volunteering? How many of the Australian-flag-draped anti-immigration individuals are helping their community? As a volunteer with the RFS, I support my community, as the Sikhs did when we were at our lowest ebb. In fact, many ethnic volunteers came to our aid, but there was not a black-clad neo-Nazi in sight. Robert Antill, Lake Conjola

Energy heckle? The hide!

Australia’s commitment to net zero is two-faced (“Minister slammed for approval of Mudgee coal mine expansion”, September 4). On the one hand, we have our Dr Jekyll (Chris Bowen) valiantly doing his best to encourage and promote the switch to renewable energy, and on the other hand we have Mr Hyde (Murray Watt) doing his best to approve new or extended coal mines such as the Ulan coal mine. While Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel was about the duplicity of human nature, our government has been similarly duplicitous in its approach to net zero. It is well time for our Mr Hyde to meet his fate. Peter Nash, Fairlight

I note that Environment Minister Murray Watt has approved an extension of the Ulan coal mine with 57 “strict” conditions. That’s certainly a relief. I can only presume one of those strict conditions is “not burning the stuff”. Rod Hughes, Epping

Care for the ageing

Recently, again, hospitals have been under pressure, gummed up with elderly people who can’t be discharged because there is nowhere for them to go. I worked in aged care from 1976 to 2000. For the last 20 years I worked in a geriatric rehabilitation ward.
Geriatric rehabilitation as an in-patient service seems almost to have disappeared from public hospitals. After an adverse event at home, a patient ends up in a general ward, where the search for a nursing home begins. The middle step of possible rehabilitation with a six-week course of physio often resulted in patients returning home, with more support. Australian National University and the University of NSW turn out sports physiotherapists. From my painful experience, these specialist physios have no idea of handling, much less treating, an 80-year-old patient who is in severe pain. Are we training any physiotherapists in aged care? In my case, I finally had excellent private treatment by a physio who trained in Queensland. Later, after spending a few weeks on a waiting list, I received excellent rehabilitation as an outpatient at Prince of Wales. We need to train more physios for aged care. And make working in the area attractive once again as a career option. Susan McKee, Maroubra

Premier caught in crosshairs

I see Shooters, Fishers and Farmers’ Robert Borsak (“Premier in spotlight over hunting”, September 4) claims “hunting is not a hobby. I have the right to be able to go out and get food for my family and myself”. Presumably providing food for his family was the reason behind his trip to Zimbabwe to shoot an elephant some time ago. Shame he couldn’t have brought more of the poor beast home with him. Col Nicholson, Hawks Nest

This might be a hard concept for Premier Chris Minns to get his head around, but shooting a cat, pig or rabbit is not better than doing nothing. To effectively reduce feral animal populations you need to reduce their population by 70 to 90 per cent per year, otherwise you are just harvesting. Poisoning, trapping or biological control are the only effective methods. Aerial shooting can be effective for larger feral species such as pigs and goats. Perhaps Minns should speak to the Invasive Species Council rather than trying to buy the votes of crossbench politicians? Neil Reckord, Gordon (ACT)

Premier Minns must not let the Shooters Party succeed in its efforts to gain “a right to hunt”. Having such a right is dangerously close to having a right to bear arms. Unrestricted shooting in state forests or on Crown land would be an unmitigated disaster for workers and the bushwalking public. Even in the US and Europe there is only a short designated period each year set aside for hunting, to ensure the public’s right to safety. Feral animals are a real problem, but careful management by the government should manage it, it should not be left to gun-toting shooters out for blood-spilling fun. Molly King, Freshwater

More advice for premier

The NSW Government would save a lot of arguments if it swapped plans to redevelop wealthy suburbs like Woollahra with plans to redevelop the eyesores on Parramatta Road (“Mixed views in Woollahra as housing debate rages”, September 4). The area is crying out for improvement, so why destroy the ambience of beautiful suburbs when other areas close to the city and public transport would benefit from new and attractive high-rise apartments? Brett Howard, Mosman

The NSW government’s bold plan to de-gentrify Woollahra will not be easy. May I humbly offer these ideas. As the high ground is best suited for the extra 10,000 houses in 60-storey towers, the dispatch of all the overseas consulates in Woollahra to Parramatta is essential. (Residing there was good enough for governor Lachlan Macquarie). If uncooperative owners of mansions on the slopes hold out selling their under-populated properties to developers, their exile over the Blue Mountains or to an offshore island must be considered. If more area is still needed, all existing churches, synagogues and at least one low-rise hospital will have to go. NIMBYism must not be tolerated. Ian Ferrier, Paddington

Negative can be positive

Your correspondent’s ideas about various tax matters (Letters, September 4) has some valid points, but nervous politicians go to water when the hue and cry come from not only the opposition but those heavily invested in these tax benefits. Of course self-managed superannuation has also played a big part, particularly in property investment. Might I suggest that negative gearing could possibly be resolved with these simple steps? Firstly, “grandfather” current negative gearing. Secondly, only allow negative gearing on newly built housing (within a 12-month period) to help increase supply and then review the process after a set time (five years?) for the future of any further negative gearing. Surely this could stop a lot of complaining? Ken Pares, Forster

Pros of fewer polls

We have arguably the best electoral system in the world (“Longer terms in PM’s sights”, September 4), but according to the AEC the cost of the 2022 and 2019 federal elections were more than $522 million and $372 million respectively. This doesn’t include the hundreds of millions spent on the campaigns by parties, candidates and supporters that could be spent on so many other things. Two elections every eight years, instead of three every nine, makes sense, not just economically, but would also allow a government enough time to introduce progressive policies instead of spending half of their term preparing for the next election. A fixed election date (perhaps the first or second Saturday in May) would also prevent the massive election costs that arise from political opportunism in calling a snap election when polls are favourable, would prevent voter apathy and burnout, and even allow time for the opposition to present some viable, fully costed policies before an election is held. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl

A fixed four-year term would remove the guesswork from election dates. Add to that, a law that you must stay with the party that elected you [unless they kicked you out], for the full term. If you wish to change parties, you lose your seat and must be re-elected. It is unfair that a person can be elected on a party ticket and then opt to go independent. Marjie Williamson, Blaxland

Ageism by algorithm

I’m old enough to remember when peplums were fashionable (“Women over 50 know. The algorithms are not on our side”, September 4), which is probably why my algorithms now (to my dismay) send me information on mobility scooters. Dorothy Barnes, Armidale

I’m tired of the applied mathematics in our lives (I should have studied it harder). I was blissfully ignorant of anything called neck tape, concentrating my attention on improving my “little grey cells”. I hope the algorithm stops the tape at the neck and doesn’t have higher ambitions for the mouth. Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi

There’s always time

I almost never get a letter published in the Herald (Letters, September 4), so my family has no heirloom to boast about. Vicki Zvargulis, Corrimal

We just have to be hopeful that there are no more Hickeys in the household at Green Point with a propensity to submit letters. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook

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