The rush forward by this new Premier is a massive mistake. Once again,health workers will be cannon fodder so businesses can open. My bet is it won’t take long for it to go sour and back to lockdown because of a lack of patience and prudence. Or maybe God has it all under control.Michael Keene,Stanwell Park
Patience is not only a virtue,but a necessity in managing a pandemic,and being “a man in a hurry” is not a good qualification for the job (“Man in a hurry”,October 9-10). Viruses have developed good survival skills over the millennia,and all the COVID-19 virus needs to do is wait around until a hasty misjudgment enables it to roar back bigger than ever. Hopefully,tearaway Dominic Perrottet will not be in so much of a hurry that he makes that fatal misstep.Doug Walker,Baulkham Hills
I am not a person of faith,but I did receive some religious education (“Voters outside ‘weird’ inner city will trust Premier”,October 9-10). It strikes me that the words and actions of Jesus as he fought against the conservative church of money and power,with their public expressions of faith but little regard for those at the bottom of society,would make him stand out as one of the “weird” ones that Parnell Palme McGuinness rails against.Graeme Finn,Summer Hill
The writer seems to celebrate the fact a proposed assisted dying bill may fall over because of the religious views of our political leaders,or maybe she just celebrates slapping inner-city types in the face. But assisted dying is supported across NSW,not just in the inner city,and is especially supported in the regions. It’s amusing that we are to take guidance from churches that have shown surprisingly little moral or ethical superiority for some time.Ingrid Strewe,Bronte
Joyce’s troll call is a knee-jerk
Good on the Deputy PM for calling out the tech giants’ avaricious business model (“Raging Barnaby calls time on trolls”,October 9-10). But why does it take a personal encounter with the vile but ubiquitous online trolls to get the long-awaited regulation of this unfettered and out-of-control sector?David Beins,Cooks Hill
Heartening it is to read of the Coalition’s concerns over malicious and false rumours being spread by social media. It is in stark contrast to the Coalition’s silence over the Labor death tax rumour that swamped voters prior to the 2019 election,a rumour allegedly spread by prominent Coalition MPs via social media. Labor is no innocent either,as the 2016 Mediscare campaign indicated. Perhaps now is the time to call for a commitment from all parties,including One Nation and the UAP,to cease rumour-mongering,vilification and campaigning via social media. Ending funding for MPs social media activities would be an easy start.Christopher Gow,Austinmer
I remind Scott Morrison that he was dragged kicking and screaming to get rid of Craig Kelly,and George Christensen remains a member of the Parliament. Both have utilised Facebook unconscionably to spread COVID conspiracy theories.Rani Sachdev,Cronulla
Are tech giants,such as Facebook and Google,the cause or the symptom of societal damage? They have facilitated the rise of individualism,while at the same time creating new,niche communities around notions of freedom and self-determination,which have challenged social order,the rule of law and the role of governments. Interwoven with individualism has been consumerism,which is nowhere better promulgated than on the internet. The problem for Western democracies is how to protect their citizens both from themselves and from forces that,in other contexts,would be welcomed as essential to liberal,capitalist,secular societies.Philip Cooney Wentworth Falls
I have no respect for the behaviour of the owners of Facebook and their view of profit over any level of social decency,nor for the appalling trolls who post the rubbish that they do. I would suggest,however,that many more daughters will suffer due to Joyce’s views on climate change than will suffer from Facebook.Brenton McGeachie,Queanbeyan West
Joyce has just won the hearts and votes of so many parents.Jenny Greenwood,Hunters Hill
Innocents of ICAC
Despite the controversy about the timing of ICAC inquiry into the then premier,Gladys Bereljklian,it is an important bulwark against corruption (“Minns supports ICAC inquiry into Labor”,October 9-10). Nevertheless,for people who do not follow the details of the open inquiries,there is a tendency to assume that anyone who appears before it is corrupt. To minimise damage to innocent people caught up in the machinations of corrupt officials and who have to appear before ICAC,it should clear these people publicly and as soon as possible. As much as I love reading about the “gotcha” moments in the open inquiries,I believe ICAC proceedings should be closed.Thiam Ang,Beecroft
Pru Goward’s statement that ICAC findings “destroy a person’s career but never actually lead to any legal outcomes” is patently false. The convictions of former Labor MPs Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald are evidence of legal outcomes resulting from an ICAC inquiry while former Liberal MPs Nick Greiner (currently Australian Consul-General in New York) and Barry O’Farrell (currently Australian High Commissioner to India) demonstrate that career destruction is not the inevitable outcome of an ICAC inquiry.Wendy Michaels,Northbridge
Home where the rent goes
What will Australia look like with an entire generation of ordinary Australians,and those to follow as well,locked out of home ownership as they are now (“Home truths”,October 9-10)? With the government offering only trivial and even counterproductive nonsense like the latest idiocy of making loans harder to get for first home buyers,and refusing to do the obvious,have any of our politicians imagined what society will be like when Australians can no longer own a stake in their own country? Have they imagined the discontent,the alienation which will swell into bitterness and rage when people are left at the mercy of the rental market and can’t even afford that? Have they imagined cities where essential workers have to live forever like students in shared accommodation? Can they not see that the longer they leave it to turn this ship around the more damage there will be? There will be a reckoning,and it will not be happy for this country.Jennifer Briggs,Kilaben Bay
Pay,treat nurses properly
Australia is a rich country. We should be training more nurses,paying them more and ensuring that they are not overworked to the point of being “burnt out” (“Nurses,doctors defy border ban amid healthcare crisis”,October 9-10).Bronwyn Bryceson,Mangerton
Double standards on travel
On the day that Tony Abbott made a provocative speech on China in Taiwan as a “private citizen” after no doubt receiving yet another travel exemption,I received a refusal from Home Affairs to travel to Britain to assist my elderly brother in the care of my 101-year-old mother who is suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s (Letters,October 9-10). I am fully vaccinated,planned to be away for at least a month and not return before home quarantine is allowed,so not be taking the place of a stranded Australian. Another rule for pollies and ex-pollies and no compassion for the rest of us.Michael Lockwood,Annandale
Buildings beware
So,out of the world of Modernist and Brutalist into the world of Perro-Trumpian architecture. (“Perrottet,Trump and their towering pie-eyed beauty”,October 9).Geoffrey Williamson,Woollahra
Silent Chant
Move over Dr Kerry Chant,the bean counters have arrived (Letters,October 9-10).Laurie Powell,Woy Woy
Gladys Berejiklian,come back! All is forgiven. We’ve all kissed frogs. It was just unfortunate that you met up with a poisonous one.Genevieve Milton,Newtown
Cry freedom
What a poor misnomer is “Freedom Day”. We are not out of the woods yet. Nor is it about individual democratic rights. A name such as “Society Day” would be far better – it is a day that we all work together for the common good.Trevor Taylor,Port Macquarie
Surely,it is “Responsibility Day”.Chris Ramos,Sydney
For many people,the best thing about the end of the lockdown is being able to hug your parents again.Peter Miniutti,Ashbury
The first bells of Sydney’s jacarandas are just beginning to open,an appropriate time to celebrate the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. How good is that?Nedra Orme,Neutral Bay
Good jab,NSW.Michael Deeth,Como West
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday onsmh.com.au
Australia on track for 90 per cent vaccination rate
FromNothing to see here:″Great work Australia,keep it up! A shout out to all the folks who have worked selflessly and tirelessly to make this happen. This Australian,who hasn’t been home for four years,is very much looking forward to coming home and visiting family and friends.″
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