Jab equation still vexed as PM’s zero tolerance fades

Memo to Gladys Berejiklian from Shakespeare’s Coriolanus: “… when the sea was calm, all ships alike showed mastership in floating”. All except for the Ruby Princess cruise ship? Not to worry: “… we cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed”, as Othello’s Iago so aptly put it. – George Zivkovic, Northmead

We have ethical obligations to innocent victims of war

Before the infamous Tampa incident in 2001, Australian governments, whether Labor or Coalition, accepted significant numbers of refugees. As Peter Shergold and Barney Glover remind us (“History gifts PM a chance to do good”, August 23), compassion, ethics and international diplomacy combined to decide policy. The Morrison administration has committed to accepting about 3000 refugees in the next 12 months. It can, and must, do more. Other Western nations involved in Afghanistan – including the US, Canada and Britain – have committed to much larger numbers. Like Malcolm Fraser before him, Morrison must acknowledge our ethical obligations to innocent people displaced by a war that was encouraged by Australia’s military intervention. It has a special obligation to the many Afghan citizens who risked their lives supporting the Western allies in the long struggle against the tyranny of the Taliban. – Roger Bell, Greenwich

What did the Australian government know but won’t disclose, that led to the closure of our embassy in Kabul on May 28? Now we get weasel words from the Prime Minister about our inability to accept a larger number of refugees. What’s preventing the current Coalition government from being compassionate in the current situation? Oh, that’s right, we can’t even grant safety to a family of four, beloved by their adopted community. – Stephen Dunn, Bonnells Bay

Our PM is never proactive. In May, Australia was pulling its diplomats and staff out of Afghanistan; how were the Afghans who helped this country for 20 years going to get out, with the inevitable fall of their country to the Taliban? Like the asylum-seeking family from Biloela, it is yet another monumental failure of our supposed Christian PM to act. Shame on him. – Evelyn Palmer, Vaucluse

Shergold and Glover make an eloquent case for showing compassion and generosity towards Afghan refugees. It reminded me of a personal experience that drove home the same point. Three of us, my wife, her colleague and I decided to have dinner at an Iraqi restaurant in south-west Sydney. Two young men spotted us and rushed towards my wife’s colleague and hugged her. They were Iraqi refugees, and she had taught them English. We walked together to the restaurant, where they joined some friends for dinner. We met several other refugees, all former students of my wife’s colleague, now working as teachers themselves. When I went to pay for dinner, I found that the two young men had already paid for us. – George Rosier, Carlingford

You have to wonder how the Australian War Memorial will spin our 20-year Afghanistan venture in its new half-billion-dollar wing. – Jeffrey Mellefont, Coogee

Thank you, Patrick McGrath (Letters, August 23), for your explanation of why our right-wing politicians so love wars. As a returned serviceman, from the Vietnam debacle in my case, I couldn’t have said it better. – Ian Usman Lewis, Kentucky

Trees lost for greed and gridlock

And so it begins: the trashing of Sydney’s lower north shore by the Berejiklian government. Five hundred trees to go, unfiltered emission stacks, increased congestion on surface roads and the possible destruction of Aboriginal heritage. And for what? A mammoth shiny $14 billion toll road tunnel that monetises congestion but doesn’t solve it (“‘Devastating’: more than 500 trees being cut down for Sydney motorway project”, August 22). – John Berry, Cammeray

The good burghers of northern parts of Sydney rue the loss of 500 trees. This loss provides an opportunity for them to reflect on their car obsession, often large SUVs. Whilst they continue to elect representatives who build more freeways and more tunnels to feed that obsession, then they should expect no less from their Member For Willoughby. – Ian Muldoon, Coffs Harbour

A bad smell this way comes

Something is rotten in the state of NSW (“Millions spent on consultancy fees” August 23). Our government is ‘doctor shopping’, rorting and shredding itself to avoid accountability or scrutiny. Self-preservation and self-interest have become the standard against which policy is judged. As the stink rises, surely a reckoning awaits. – Deb McPherson, Gerringong

The NSW Government uses, and misuses, taxpayers’ money for ideological and political purposes, and frequently in a deceitful and dishonest way. The selling-off of our assets, privatisation of services, gutting of the public service, TAFE and public housing, pork-barrelling, and cabinet secrecy has made the state less resilient for this and other pandemics, climate change and whatever else the future might hold. Creating shell companies, with private consultants, to try to hide their incompetence, is a new low. – Marie Healy, Hurlstone Park

Bruce Stafford (Letters, August 23) states the Premier is running NSW like it was a private company. If the state was in fact NSW Pty Ltd., there would have been a broader range of candidates with far more experience than Berejiklian for the role of CEO. Similarly, a CEO performing as poorly would see shareholders demanding her resignation. We are, however, “voters”, not shareholders and NSW is a democracy, not a private company. Shareholders hold annual general meetings and can call extraordinary general meetings to change leadership. NSW voters get the chance every four years, the next opportunity being in 2023, which feels like an eternity away. – Mike Kenneally, Manly

There must be many under and unemployed chefs around. Treasury could give the hospitality sector a boost and get cheaper service if they took the chefs on to cook the books. – Franz Weiss, Maroubra

Neighbourhood watch

Kerry O’Brien voices the unease of many of us regarding the gravitation towards authoritarianism in this country, exemplified at present by the sight of military personnel in our streets and increasingly heavy-handed police practices under the direction of our combative NSW Police Minister (“O’Brien alarmed by authoritarian drift”, August 23). Yes, we are living in unprecedented times requiring tough measures for social safety, people are anxious and in need of guidance, but our government seems hell-bent on using tactics that it hopes will endear it to a majority under the guise of paternalistic protection, which reeks of political benefit and could well turn into an oppressive prescience for future control. We should be alert and well, yes, alarmed, despite everything. – Judy Finch, Cedar Party

Running out of time

I read with some dismay Ross Gittins’ revelation that the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) “has initiated a climate vulnerability assessment for banks encompassing scenarios up to 3 degrees of average global warming, and has issued draft guidance for companies to stress-test their own finances against scenarios of up to 4 degrees warming”. Australians (and clearly APRA) need to understand that the danger limit for global heating is 1.5 degrees, and, additionally, that it is now also generally acknowledged by climate scientists that 2 degrees represents – beyond question – catastrophe (“Global warming too ‘wicked’ to muddle our way through”, August 21-22). We are currently at around 1.1 -1.2 degrees C of heating and are already experiencing the deleterious effects of intensifying climate change. If humanity fails to resolve the current climate crisis in which we find ourselves, billions of people around the world will die due to food and water deprivation because crops do not grow beyond a certain temperature (no matter how much water is poured on them). We need to act now, as the window of opportunity is closing rapidly. – Catherine McNamara, Hornsby

Ross Gittins highlights the good policy work being done by Tony Woods’ energy team at the Grattan institute (“How Morrison can get going towards net zero emissions”, August 23). Why is this work so essential? As we repeatedly see:
Reporter: “Why won’t you set a net zero by 2050 target?
Morrison/Taylor: “We won’t set a target without a plan”
Reporter: “You’re the government – why don’t you have a plan?“
Morrison/Taylor: “Because we refuse to develop one.“
When the brilliant Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was developed, there was a skilled, dedicated public service team working closely with industry and social society. Presumably all long since fired. – Ian Maloney, Narrabeen

It’s war, boys

The gloves are off. The Deputy Police Commissioner’s regular involvement in the 11am daily COVID-19 update is threatening my almost 53 years of married bliss. Yesterday, my beloved announced: “It’s no secret. I love Worboys.” Time to fight back. I’m petitioning the NSW Government to substitute Commissioner Fuller into the daily televised report which will have the opposite effect and thus restore harmony in this household. – Robert Baker, Chatswood

Just the beginning

Let’s hope “I got it at Bunnings” doesn’t soon take on a whole new meaning (“Last-minute rush for Bunnings before closure bites”, August 23). – Col Shephard, Yamba

Hirsute secrets

What I’d like to know is … how does NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro keep his neat, up-gelled “Astro-Boy” hair-do so perfect when the rest of us are suffering wool-blindness (Letters, August 23)?- Kathleen Molloy, Thornleigh

I recall a sign in the local barbers’ window decades ago that read, “Boy’s Hair Cut $8, Men’s Hair Cut $10, Home Haircuts Repaired $12”. Although not possible in current lockdown conditions, I do expect to see this price structure revisited when we are all allowed out again. – Graham Bird, St Ives

The digital view

Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
“Australia on verge of electric cars boom”
From DavidL: “Politicians don’t seem to consider the fact that we import most of our petrol and diesel for cars and trucks. Fuel is our second-largest import. Vehicles running on electricity generated in Australia, even from coal, make a lot of sense economically. If this electricity is from solar and wind, it’s a no-brainer. Every dollar of imports cut has the same effect as an export. Not to mention the strategic and climate benefits.”