Politicians protest too much at Tingle’s views on racism

It’s always educational to hear the quick responses from the thin-skinned pollies who can’t handle being called out over bias (“ABC’s Tingle under fire for ‘racist country’ comments”, May 28). Joyce, Coleman and Price were on the blower early to criticise Tingle, who dared speak her mind about their views. If pollies can’t handle any criticism or accept that opposing views are legitimate in our democracy, they shouldn’t be in parliament. Keep it up and your job should be at risk. Ian Ferrier, Long Jetty

Barnaby Joyce and Jacinta Price are accusing Laura Tingle of bias, yet these two led the attack on the Voice referendum by using divisive language. It was merely their opinion that “if you don’t know, vote NO” and that giving a voice to Aboriginal People would divide our nation. Everyone has an opinion, which is a bias. If a journalist cannot express an opinion at the writers’ festival, this country is in deep trouble. Is Australia really a racist country? That is a question for all of us to answer. Chris Moe, Bensville

Laura Tingle has stated the obvious that any ethnic person, like me, can tell you. During the Christmas break last year, I had to change an asbestos roof. The only tradies available were Sri Lankan temporary visa holders. They did a fabulous job with their heart and soul. But I was told by a white fella that he wouldn’t let these people come into his house because of how they looked. This is happening now. So don’t blame Tingle for stating the obvious. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill

Australia is racist to the core. Remember the Voice referendum? Suddenly all these whispers appeared that if the referendum passed, “the Abos” would be taking your home and your farm. Never happened with the Wik case, never happened with Mabo, but still the belief exists. Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba

I see Laura Tingle is being criticised for declaring Australia a racist country, and Peter Dutton is appealing to that racism with his proposed immigration policies. The critics believe this is inappropriate for a journalist from the public broadcaster. Personally, I like my journalism to be truthful, not neutral. Tim Parker, Balmain

What other conclusion can you draw about a country that is yet to acknowledge the colonial massacres of Indigenous peoples, where Aboriginal footballers are booed into retirement, where genuine refugees are demonised by both major parties, where the leader of the opposition scapegoats immigrants for problems of his own party’s making, and where the population cannot bring itself to allow the most fundamental recognition and a voice for Indigenous people? Until we recognise and accept the deep undercurrents of racism that flow through the life of the nation, we cannot hope to be better. Tom McGinness, Randwick

Wordsmith Barnaby Joyce gives lefties a tongue-lashing for being “all turned up inside out” about the “lefty issue du jour today”. The late, great tautology master Rex Mossop would have been very proud of his successor’s venture into a new field, that of bilingual tautology. John Payne, Kelso

Could national service be an option for Australia?

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a snap election. If his party is successful at that election, he proposes to reintroduce national service (“Sunak gambles on national service”, May 28). Given the vast amount of crime being committed in Australia, would it not be worthwhile to consider reintroducing it here? Discipline, pride and self-respect are the main traits which can be gained from national service, and it may very well benefit, not only the whole community, but particularly the individuals, both male and female, who would be required to participate. After all, violence is increasing, and nothing else seems to be working right now, nor has it for some considerable time. Christine Helby, Forbes

Just as Rishi Sunak needs to appeal to his base in the UK, so too, the Coalition in Australia. So, it is not inconceivable that the opposition leader may soon announce his version of a national service scheme. While Peter Dutton attributes a number of social evils to immigrants, the traditional belief continues to exist that also our young people are lacking discipline and good behaviour. What better way to restore the country to the order that existed decades ago than to re-introduce national service? Of course, in today’s version of such service there would be none of that nonsense that accompanied national service in the Vietnam War years, that is selection by your day of birth. This time around it should be one in, all in, and watch the nation be transformed for the better overnight. As with nuclear power, it is clear that the opposition leader is attracted to ideas and solutions of dubious merit or benefit, so it would not be surprising for him to piggyback on Sunak’s plan. Ross Butler, Rodd Point

“You’d have to wonder whether a bloke who can’t organise an umbrella in a rainstorm can be trusted to organise an army of 18-year-olds,” Peter Hartcher muses. Yeah, but give the guy his due. He has heroically revived that species so deplored by Maggie Thatcher – the “Tory Wets”. Clive Kessler, Randwick

I would have thought that Sunak’s election promise to reinstate compulsory national service was the coup de grace for a government already on the brink of death. Bernard Moylan, Bronte

Sunak’s election vow is to bring back national service? Is that Sunak with a silent “a”? Viv Munter, Pennant Hills

Thank you, Rishi Sunak, for calling an early election so that we may lose the Trump occupation of the media pack for a while. Ken Osborne, Bowraville

Take men off the street with AVOs

Other than words on paper with a court seal, AVOs or ADVOs are an ineffectual deterrent against the violence they are meant to prevent (‴⁣⁣I’m not going to stop until she’s dead’: Rising number of men ignore domestic violence orders”, smh.com.au, May 28). “Apprehended” violence, by its very nature, has a violence-infused behavioural antecedent. This being the case, it is arguably a “no-brainer” that the “apprehension”, given opportunity, provocation and will, segues into the “actual”. The “actual” is what needs to be prevented by the removal of the opportunity from a potential perpetrator.
For once, the law must be stood on its head such that the evidence supporting the successful grant of an AVO or ADVO ought also to be sufficient to remove the respondent from committing actual (or further) violence to a facility for supervision and treatment. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

The news yesterday gave me a sense of horror and disbelief that this was 2024. A man bashing his wife unconscious with a brick despite an AVO. A girl or woman giving birth on the bank of a river then fleeing – what terrible social situation made her afraid to go to a hospital? Women are still suffering the abuse and social pressures of previous centuries despite our so-called enlightened modern world. Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt

Priorities are wrong

What are our priorities (“Thousands buried alive in landslide”, May 28)? Australia’s lack of response to potentially 2000 deaths in PNG’s landslide is embarrassingly slow. According to our deputy PM, “Government officials have been in discussion about support”. Contrast this to the enthusiastic announcement last week that our federal government would invest $600m in the next decade for a rugby league franchise. Kim Crawford, Springwood

Steady as she goes

I couldn’t agree more with your correspondent (Letters, May 28), who asked critics of Anthony Albanese to spell out their concerns without reference to vague generalisations. This Labor government has had to confront the debris left by its predecessor over a decade of mismanagement and inaction and its achievements have been both considerable and significant given the complex economic, social and international challenges that it has had to face. In a turbulent, threatening world environment, we need a steady and predictable hand on the wheel, not a charismatic disrupter. Dennis Metcalf, Drummoyne

The final excuse

Many years ago, as I sat with prospective jurors, two citizens were dismissed when they announced they were “smokers” and would need to leave the courtroom for a smoke every couple of hours (“Hey, age equals experience, sheriff”, May 28). As a former smoker, I understood their predicament, but when I questioned the Sheriff’s office about their “excuse”, their dismissal became the final allowed in that category. Margaret Hogge, North Curl Curl

Me, myself and I

Many years ago, I was trying to find a parking spot for disabled drivers at the local shopping centre (Letters, May 28). As I manoeuvred the van to reverse into a spot, a woman zipped in and parked. Since she didn’t have an MPS card, I told her it was a parking spot for disabled drivers and she replied that she was picking up her disabled mother. Sometime later, she returned with her shopping. I reminded her that she’d forgotten her mother – only to cop a mouthful of invective. There are (sadly) some people who think only of themselves and couldn’t care less about those who have a greater need. There are some who park in spots for disabled drivers on the northern side of Penrith railway station using out-of-date MPS cards and others who don’t bother about MPS cards at all. Since the area is a Transport for NSW car park, Penrith Council has no jurisdiction and the police aren’t interested – nor is TfNSW. As a result, the misuse continues. David Gordon, Cranebrook

Gliding into the sunset

Continuing to fell forests that house the greater glider (“Glider rules stop logging in 14 forests”, May 28) in such a slipshod manner, with one eye on profit margins and the other closed to sustainable alternatives, will inevitably see this remarkable and vulnerable entity glide off into the sunset of extinction. The Forest Corporation must work in concert with the likes of Wilderness Australia, the WWF, the Farmer’s Federation and entrepreneurial farming communities to see a network of young-growth forests flourish across rural Australia and savour the survival of the old ones. Steve Dillon, Thirroul

Full steam ahead

The NSW government has two options with the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo. It can keep it closed for several years, remove all traces of the award-winning museum conversion of 1988, strip it back to the bare walls of the original power station and create an area consisting largely of three huge boxes three or more storeys high. These, essentially function and event areas, will be decorated with a few temporary items. A new building will be an unwanted “creative arts hub” with entertainment areas. Very few people support this idea, which will cost $350 million (plus inevitable cost overruns). Or they can keep it open, do some roof repairs for a few million, allocate maybe $50 million for upgrades, and thus revive our world-class museum of applied arts and sciences. The steam engine collection, in the wonderfully built 1899 powerhouse, is certainly one of the best such collections in the world. There is almost universal support for this idea from all stakeholders. Tom Lockley, Pyrmont

Life’s a gas

No need to fear helium (Letters, May 28). Helium atoms are so light they escape from the Earth’s atmosphere and head off into space. Bill Tango, Manly

Your correspondent recommends we use the new Brisbane quantum computer to determine the impact of helium on the environment. Even if it makes our voices squeak, the answer is still 42. Craig Lilienthal, Wollstonecraft

Self-improvement

In an Aldi store with only one human check-out open (Letters, May 28), we were fourth in line when the cashier requested we move to the check-out three gates away. We complied, but no one came to serve us. After 5 minutes or so, I shouted across the gates, “Excuse me, mate, how is this working?” He replied, “I’m in training, and I’m only allowed three customers.” I’ll skip
my response. Brian Jones, Leura

I don’t understand all the fuss about supermarket self-serve checkouts. Society has seen a plethora of previously assisted services abolished, such as banking, petrol bowsers, passport checks, libraries and some hospitality sectors. Self-checkouts have to be safer when it comes to transmitting winter lurgies. Elizabeth Maher, Fiddletown

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