Does the premier want to privatise all school education?

If the Coalition win they will give Catholic and private schools $50 million to help with the influx of students from public education (“Coalition pledge to private schools”,March 22). I didn’t know whether to laugh at the absurdity or cry. As the public schools get more run down,where are the children supposed to go? Obviously,Dominic Perrottet wants to privatise all school education. Electricity,roads,transport,water,schools;anything left?Rosslyn Jeffery,Castle Hill

This government must believe the best way to provide fair educational opportunities to the majority who attend public schools is to weaken them by diverting funding to “independent” schools. How about $50 million plus going to the public school system to strengthen their facilities so that there will not be further leakage into the private school system? Many private schools have just spent this amount of money each to upgrade their buildings,pools,chapels and sporting facilities. They do not need more “support”.Pamela Wood,McMahons Point

Illustration:John Shakespeare

Illustration:John Shakespeare

Further evidence that education is systematically following the privatisation path is shown in another $50 million grant to establish new private,not public,schools and upgrade infrastructure while leaving the public sector,which educates the clear majority of students,to languish.

In the fastest growing outer suburbs,government failure to build promised new public schools for the growing population is driving the push factors to choose private over public schools. The public sector is being deliberately run down,as a cost-saving measure,to the detriment of the whole education system and to further segregation and inequity.Vanessa Tennent,Oatley

What kind of pretzel logic is necessary to give an extra $50 million of public funds to non-government schools while state schools need permanent buildings to replace 5000 demountable classrooms?John Bailey,Canterbury

People are leaving public schools because they are run down and underfunded. The Liberals’ answer? Give more money to private schools.Graeme Finn,Summer Hill

The NSW education minister has stated the obvious in saying the independent schools play an important role along with public schools in educating children. The only option she has missed are the homeschoolers. With the direction education is heading in NSW,homeschooling may be the best option.Robyn Lewis,Raglan

Thanks heavens,the Liberals have stepped up to the plate with more money for private schools. In these times of increasing costs in running those second pools it will come in handy to get a few extra government dollars.Brenton McGeachie,Queanbeyan West

If the state government has sufficient money to create a future fund for all children,why isn’t that money being used to fund disadvantaged schools right now (Letters,March 22)? After all,if the children from disadvantaged schools are not given the same educational opportunities as advantaged children,their chances of getting to university and be able to use that future fund is less than half as likely,thus it will do little to help close the gap in our education system.Vivienne Freeman,Warrawee

I wonder how many struggling public schools would benefit from the largesse doled out to just one private school? Oh,that’s right;their parents aren’t likely to vote Liberal.Dave Horsfall,North Gosford

‘Moving forward’,but are we going in the right direction?

It’s no news to locals but reports of problems with cancelled buses on the northern beaches,along with the problems with the new ferries,highlights the inept handling of public transport by the government (“I haven’t been on time for work in months’:Voter fury over northern beaches buses”,March 22). The election slogan “moving forward” adopted by Dominic Perrottet is laughable to commuters who are having trouble moving in any direction.Denis Goodwin,Dee Why

The Liberal Party have only themselves to blame if they lose the Northern Beaches this Saturday.

When any government service is privatised the new owners only goal is to make a profit,inevitably cutting services and upping prices to do so. When that combines with an apparent driver shortage – where indeed have they all gone? There appears to be no will by the Liberals to do the right thing by their own grassroots. One would also think incumbent governments would know by now that most of us vote on a government’s record,not its vague promises that we all know are frequently broken.Kay Buckeridge,Mollymook Beach

Sophia Masur says she hasn’t made it to her city job on time for months as her buses are constantly cancelled.

Sophia Masur says she hasn’t made it to her city job on time for months as her buses are constantly cancelled.Kate Geraghty

Congratulations to the mayor of Blacktown Council Tony Bleasdale for calling out a serious lapse of policy by successive state governments (“‘Diabolically unfair’:Western Sydney has been screwed”,March 22). The injustice caused by allowing developers to line their own pockets at the expense of residents needs to be rectified. How timely that there is an opportunity next Saturday to do something about it.John Brown,North Sydney

Labor’s transport policy is,in large part,cancelling poorly thought through government projects (“Labor to scrap Quay makeover and ‘highline’ ”‚ March 22). The Western Harbour Tunnel-Beaches Link was designed to rely on the Cahill Expressway and Harbour Bridge for key connections,making the “highline” impossible. Cancelling the “highline” allows Labor to continue the Western Harbour Tunnel-Beaches Link. Our political system turns our premiers into transport infrastructure tzars. We have no laws for public consultation on services,only environmental impact. Should Labor win the state election,it should pause major transport projects that are in an early stage and launch a pre-budget public inquiry into the rail and major road routes we need to support our land use given social objectives.Peter Egan,Mosman

The conservatives obviously think the cost saving from an under-resourced health service is a great idea until they,personally,need urgent care (“‘Didn’t ask for any favours’:Perrottet denies special ambulance request for wife”,smh.com.au,March 22).Greg Thompson,Bega

US defence ties are perilous

Thank goodness for the sane,beautiful and eloquent voice of Geraldine Brooks (“AUKUS is a dud deal. We’re safer on our own”,March 22). Without any snide comments or put-downs,unlike an ex-prime minister recently,she warns of the dangers of tying an expensive defence strategy to a wobbling United States whose own democratic ideals are under challenge. Please may we all heed her words.Levane Abdoolcader,Padstow Heights

Apart from benignly cruising in caretaker mode,what will our nuclear armed subs actually fire?Catherine Turner,Cremorne

Acknowledged as Australia’s No.1 trading partner and achieving this with its rapacious need for coal and iron ore,China relies heavily on seagoing merchant transport in sea lanes China requires to be open. How decent of us to commit close to $400 billion with our newly adopted forward defence plan to assist keeping China’s trade routes open.Neville Newell,Brunswick Heads

Well-worn rut

Perhaps the Greens will lose the battle to enforce no new gas and coal projects,but this heated debate as the IPCC releases its frightening report sadly illustrates Labor’s unwillingness to compromise (“Bowen stares down Greens on UN alarm”,March 22). New gas projects may be barely justifiable due to the label “transition fuel”,but the need for new coal projects has not been explained. This suggests that at the expense of significant emissions,the government is desperately chasing additional royalties and tax from increased export of fossil fuel. Labor should have the courage to initiate the debate – do Australians agree with the IPCC’s strong recommendations to wind back the use of fossil fuels,and if so,are they willing to pay more tax to cover the loss of revenue?Geoff Harding,Chatswood

I see the constant letters demanding the government stop coal and gas exploration,digging up and exporting. Australia is not a manufacturing economy,and we pay our way in this world only through mining exports. We have recently seen protests in The Netherlands,where the government tried to force stringent climate policies on farmers. Most people supported the farmers. When the true out-of-pocket costs are realised here in Australia and draconian rules are implemented,the people will vote out the government here. This is why the Labor government keeps approving more mining projects – for self survival and to pay for all those election promises.Robert Hawes,Glen Alpine

Illustration:Cathy Wilcox

Illustration:Cathy Wilcox

Governments are failing to respond to the looming climate catastrophe because they fear the scare-mongering of oppositions on the economy and living standards. None of today’s politicians will still be in office when their lack of action comes home to roost. So we get more incrementalism,too little,too late. Our current political system is not fit for purpose in the face of what is coming and the electorate is too fearful of change to demand a new approach.Tom McGinness,Randwick

Wrong message

Suggesting to sexual harassment complainants that they work from home as a form of protection is akin to asking sexual assault complainants that they not move about in public spaces (“Legacy officer denies allegations of groping”,March 22).Irene Nemes,Rose Bay

Eye of beholder

Fox is not the problem:it’s the viewer (Letters,March 22).Richard Lynch,Belbora

Change policy

In the debate about accessing superannuation for a housing deposit,comments seem to be “either/or” – either you can use your money for a housing deposit or for your retirement in the future. You can’t do both (“Health crisis,yes. Home deposit,not so much:What voters think super should be used for”,March 22). Why not?

If housing is such a good investment why not allow your superannuation fund to invest in your house? Self-managed super funds can invest in all manner of things. Why not other superannuation funds? Presumably,the main problem is that most housing investment comes with a mortgage and superannuation funds aren’t allowed to borrow. If that’s the problem,then come up with a policy to solve it. As we’ve seen,the alternative of just giving people more money to spend,whether from superannuation or the government,just jacks up house prices.David Rush,Lawson

There are already rules for the release of superannuation monies to those in dire straits. We have seen how detrimental in both the long and short term it can be if everyone is given open slather to this nest egg. Great care needs to be taken not to diminish the original purpose of superannuation schemes.Lyn Savage,Coogee

Future dilemma

We find ourselves in the disturbingly perverse situation where acting to ensure our survival is not considered to be paramount because it may have a negative impact on our prosperity (“We don’t really want to be rich”,March 22).Andrew Brown,Bowling Alley Point

Classic error

Further to your correspondent’s comment on ABC Radio presenters,ABC Classic now often has two announcers who chat to each other and then read text comments,often inane,from listeners (Letters,March 22). As a listener,I feel irrelevant and often switch off. In its recent great past,it presented music with information and was a continuous source of learning and pleasure.David Stewart,Newcastle East

Hats off to Satts

Growing up in Taree with a Rabbitohs-obsessed older brother,I often heard of the exploits of the great John Sattler (Letters,March 22). These days,the words of the wonderful Perry Keyes songThe Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw play over and over in my head. “If it’s high enough,if it’s long enough,if it’s straight between the posts”. RIP John Sattler.Amanda Brian,Bexley

Vain ‘pursoot’

May I con-trib-ute “advers-ary” (rather than ad-versary) to the pronunciation debate (Letters,March 22). The same goes for pursuit - not “pursoot”.Brett Jack,Bonnyrigg Heights

Australia pronounced correctly sounds almost musical,unlike “Australya” or worse “Austraya”.Rose Fox,Byron Bay

As Kath would say;“I have one word for you Kim - conshumers!” John Elder,Annerley (QLD)

You know our society has become more abusive when it is so common to hear that someone is waiting for the “nex jeer”.Sandra Pertot,Diamond Beach

And don’t even mention television rugby league commentators talking about dee-fence,off-fence,and the “loyne” for line.James Mahoney,McKellar (ACT)

Fair go,mate

I share concerns over the demise of Australian idiomatic phrases (Letters,March 20). My two favourites are:“Couldn’t train a choko vine to grow up a dunny wall” and “Couldn’t work in an iron lung”.Anne Elliott,Balmain

After waiting a considerable time at the checkout when the girl finally arrived I said,“You’re a sight for sore eyes”. She threatened to call the manager claiming that I had insulted her.Phil Anderson,Corrimal

The digital view

Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday onsmh.com.au
Labor’s old guard follow Keating into the trenches over $368b submarine deal
FromFishy:″⁣Bravo. At last wiser heads giving serious thought to our foreign policy. Diplomacy not offensive weapons,please. Building solid constructive relationships with all our neighbours.″⁣

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