High time children were in the vaccination spotlight

Jordan Baker got it right (“The rich get the rules they asked for – elsewhere”, August 21-22). I understand the complex and changing situation COVID-19 has created, but why has the Premier imposed a curfew only in selected LGAs? What has happened to the notion that “we are in this together”? It would be nice to see all of us accepting a curfew deemed necessary to beat this virus. – James Archibald, Enmore

I have been a supporter of the NSW approach to containing the virus, until now. I can see a society in which tempers are fraying. The kinds of fines and curfews being added to the list of penalties comprises an overreach and I fear they are taking our politicians, government, and our police force, in a dangerous direction. Not everyone has a spacious home, or accrued wealth, or a harmonious relationship, or a generous landlord, or sound physical or mental health, or self-directed and calm children. I dread to think that if backed into a corner with no escape that the most vulnerable will be forced to resort to pitchforks and violence. – Evan Toliopoulos, Blackheath

No one should be surprised at the behaviour of some of our young men (“Young men targeted in south-west Sydney as NSW enters last stand against Delta”, August 21-22). It was inevitable as soon as the government decided on lockdown apartheid. That decision might have been economically sound. It might have even been acceptable from a health point of view. But it was truly dumb from a sociological and psychological perspective. Did nobody foresee the reactions and repercussions? The resultant divisive wounds to our city are going to take a long time to heal. – Brian Haisman, Winmalee

How good is Deltaful NSW? Thank you, Gladys, for not imposing strict lockdowns on those of us in eastern Sydney but waiting until it spread out west where those rule-breaking bogans could be locked up and blamed for the whole bloody mess. – Ray Morgan, Maroubra

How sad to read Baker’s piece about the great divisions in Sydney. People’s welfare, rich or poor, is important. We should not be treating these citizens as if they have done something criminal. The rules should be the same across the board. – Hilary Diack, Jannali

Baker claims the champagne-swilling, harbourside elite called for lockdown measures that have only been enforced in less affluent areas. So, it’s not about the COVID-19 case numbers generated from her suburb and others; nothing at all to do with the serious number of young men disregarding lockdown restrictions. Really? I thought she would be more responsible, instead of fuelling this childish notion that some suburbs are being ‘picked on’. That’s where riot and protest begins, when people feel victimised. – Rob Ferguson, Dulwich Hill

Australian inaction a tragedy

Peter Hartcher’s adroit analysis of the incompetence and lack of imagination of the Morrison government on various critical fronts is distressing (“Dawdling to our destruction”, August 21,22). It is apparent that it cannot respond to the incredible challenges that Australia and the world faces. At present, its hopelessly inadequate vaccination rollout has led to people unnecessarily dying and enormous suffering. However, even more worrying is that its lack of action around climate change will contribute to our children and grandchildren having to live in a world that could be barely habitable. The only policy issue that seems to get them excited is highly questionable tax cuts. – Alan Morris, Eastlakes

“Too little, too late” could well be the description applied to our Prime Minister’s action on almost everything: response to fire catastrophe, vaccine rollout, helping our Afghan partners/supporters, and – as Hartcher points out – our action on climate change. Not only have we not improved our already feeble targets since 2015, we still refuse to even acknowledge the elephant in the room: our coal and gas exports, which adversely affects everybody on the planet. I heard our health minister berating those not doing the right thing in COVID-19 restrictions by saying “they just don’t care about the future”. I say the same to every politician who supports the ongoing export of fossil fuel without even a plan to reduce it. – Peggy Fisher, Killara

What a tragedy for Australia. Our Prime Minister, at such a critical time in our history, is a small man interested in show rather than substance. He leads a government that is interested only in being in power and that openly uses our money to buy votes. Why they want to be in power is a mystery; they promised nothing at the last election and that is exactly what they are delivering –except, of course, tax cuts for the wealthy. – Michael McMullan, Five Dock

Morrison tells us that a decision made by National Cabinet to reopening Australia when vaccination targets have been met was a deal made with “all Australians”. This is a prime minister who has refused to release any information about the background to that decision under the guise of cabinet confidentiality. So, to suggest we, as ordinary Australians, were parties to the “deal” is plain nonsense. Once again, he is politicising the pandemic and trying to wedge Andrews, McGowan and Palaszczuk. – Gordon Lambert, Kiama Downs

Quit horsing around

Over 800 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases a day, yet the government is still restricting departures from Australia, lest people return to this country carrying COVID-19. The horse has bolted – it’s time to stop closing the stable door. – Stephen Scholem, North Ryde

Fired up

Given the considerable body of evidence that hazard reduction burns are of little use in preventing destructive bushfires, and given that – during this pandemic – outdoor walks, jogs and cycling are about the only form of physical exercise and relief from lockdown for Sydneysiders, why, in the name of sanity, are the burns being done at the moment? – Anne Gibson, Wahroonga

Done and dusted

“We need architecture that respects humanity and nature.” says Elizabeth Farrelly (“We can’t regulate for beauty, but we should relearn its lost arts”, August 21-22). Yet modernism and individual rights to build anything, anywhere prevails. Two doors down in our streetscape of gabled cottages and pitched roofs is the first house to be bulldozed. Along with the cottage, the owner also took down a striking Norfolk pine and a glorious weeping jacaranda that had stood sentinel over the modest dwelling for decades. Despite community objections, the new build will be square, grey, flat-roofed and unrelieved by many windows. Brutalist to the extreme. Apparently, council’s hands were tied as it is a “complying development”. No modifications were made despite objections, putting paid to local development codes that require a new build to be sympathetic to the streetscape. – Sandra Van de Water, Gordon

Fighting lines

Anne-Marie Leis (Letters, Aug 21-22), our politicians didn’t get the Afghan war wrong. As former PM John Howard – who led us into the 20-year conflict – told Leigh Sales on 7.30, “the mission has not been a failure … nobody who wears the Australian uniform ever dies in vain”. Scratch just beneath the moral tub-thumping and hand-wringing, and you’ll find it’s in the DNA of conservative politicians to approve regular supplies of human fodder to grease the machinery of war and keep the military industry turning over its annual trillion-dollar profit, whether from sewing buttons on uniforms or building pinpoint laser-guided missiles. Wars keep economies chugging along nicely. Shame about the lingering and overpowering stench. – Patrick McGrath, Potts Point

Trucking along

The sacking of the former NSW transport chief following his raising concerns about the establishment of the Transport Asset Holding Entity (“Fired transport chief opposed ‘budget trick’”, August 21-22) shows once again the extent to which the Berejiklian Government demands support for its proposals ahead of honest advice from public servants. – Norm Neill, Darlinghurst

The audits of the Berejiklian government’s projects and programs have demonstrated poor administration at best, or, at worst, a deliberate intention to deceive its employers: NSW residents. Its reputation as a good economic manager is in tatters. Not once has there been an acknowledgment of responsibility, or an apology, or a commitment to do better. – Ros Irwin, Caniaba

Ever since Berejiklian said that pork barrelling was permissible because “everybody does it”, I have been waiting for the backlash. Not a sausage. Adele Ferguson lists other government misdemeanours such as icare, land deals, questionable relationships and the shredding of documents (“Fiscal dishonesty a hallmark of politics”, August 21-22). I’m still waiting for something to stick to Teflon Glad. Maybe the myth of the Libs being good (honest) “economic managers” has been dispelled at last. – Jim Croke, Stanmore

Follicle fortitude

Michael Murray is correct (Letters, August 21-22). Bald men have thrived in the COVID-19 crisis. The motto of the League of Bald-Headed Men is “denial, acceptance, pride”. – Phil Armour, Yass

Richard Stewart (Letters, August 20) had me recalling the gibe from yesteryear: “get a haircut, or get a violin”. In those days too, a common (but never fashionable) style was the ‘comb over’, an east-to-west sweep of the few remaining hairs across an otherwise bald pate. Whilst I would never succumb by choice, my hair is fast approaching the necessary length should action be required. – David George, Pearl Beach

All those concerned about the quality of home haircuts should be reassured that the difference between a good haircut and a bad one is two weeks. – Clive Williams, Lavender Bay

Sounds catchy

Please tell me that Delta Goodrem is working on an album titled Contagion. – Kirsten Showyin, Mosman

All chook up

Amidst all the sad current news, suddenly, there’s Jackie French sharing her wisdom regarding raising chooks in your backyard (“Think you’re ready to shake a tail feather?” Spectrum, August 21-22). Jackie, aside from being a brave voice for our environment, also encourages us to find joy in the simple things in life. – Lois Katz, Glebe

The digital view

Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
“Morrison backs NSW in war of words over lockdown targets”
From Briann8300: Just love the way the messages change so often and then the inevitable confusion is blamed on the citizens, not the governments.