The eligibility criteria for the Australian of the Year Award allow for groups of people to be nominated in exceptional circumstances. The inspirational efforts of the Home to Bilo campaigners make them worthy recipients of the 2023 award. If need be,common sense should prevail and the midnight on July 31 deadline for nominations extended to enable their nomination. Hip hip hooray.
Col Shephard,Yamba
Finally,after years of unnecessary mental and physical anguish,not to mention the millions of taxpayers money wasted by ScoMo and his Coalition mates,justice prevailed,thanks to a lot of decent people who never gave up on them. Lovely to see their smiling faces when they arrived home,and those people who put them through that hell and call themselves Christians need to have a good look in a mirror (and you know who you are).Dermot Mcintosh,Bacchus Marsh
The Nadesalingam family to definitely stay. About bloody time. Now can we show compassion for all other refugees in their position who don’t attract the same high profile?Genevieve Milton,Newtown
Tharnicaa NadesalingamGetty Images
In less than two months,this government seems to have achieved more than the previous one did in 10 years. If nothing else,at least they are trying. The plaintive ifs and buts from Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor now come across like cries from the wilderness where the Liberals in fact find themselves. Let’s also not forget the previous lack of compassion – we now have the Biloela family finally unburdened from an uncertain future,something Dutton and his cohorts could never understand and perhaps could now learn from,although Dutton is still muttering something about boats.Peter Rose,Jamberoo
After such a long incubation,it was understandable that we would welcome the granting of visas to the Nadesalingam family. Unfortunately,our self-satisfaction is unwarranted,as it only one family rescued when according to the UN,there are 100 million people displaced either internally in their own country or externally in refugee camps. We rarely see the former,who are often the worst off because they cannot afford the cost of fleeing. This is a disaster that has to be addressed by tackling its causes,not by its symptoms,and while there are numerous causes,many of them can be traced to climate change,which created the food shortages and wars that followed.Don Owers,Dudley
The Herald letters page restores one’s faith in humanity. It is the first page I go to each day and basically the main reason I buy the paper. I like to think that my letters (and all the others) re the Nadesalingam family might have made a tiny contribution to the Biloela family being returned to their home.Margaret-Anne Hayes,Turramurra
Women curtailed on loans and property for decades
As a 90-year-old former city banker,I sympathise with single ladies whose loan applications were rejected ( August 6). In my bank,I had a large personal lending discretion and applied the same lending criteria to single women’s applications as I would to a single man’s. The bank auditor wished to discuss several single women’s loan files. I said if you just replaced each female’s name with a male name,do you agree you would not be raising the matter with me and he agreed. Also,as each loan qualified with the bank’s lending standards,the risk was the same. In the event of a death or default,irrespective of the borrower’s gender,the recovery action remained the same. Audit,and my lending to single women,approved and continued.Ian Auld,Castle Hill
Never mind the 1970s or even the 1980s,as a single white female with university qualifications and a solid work history I struggled to get a loan in 1993. I could only persuade one building society with a hefty 50 per cent cash deposit,carefully saved and documented,to get me over the line. How many women,now in later life,missed out on this opportunity to buy into the property market when it was affordable?Elizabeth Darton,Lave Cove West
It wasn’t only banks that discriminated against women in such matters. In 1968,my then girlfriend,who had a permanent high school teaching position and a bachelor of education from Sydney University,applied to lease a house to be closer to her work. She was told that,as a female,she could not sign a lease,as she was unmarried. However,if I were to state that I was her fiance,I could sign on her behalf and that would be perfectly acceptable. So,with considerably less job security,not to mention academic achievement,my authority was happily accepted. We sadly parted and I went on to a mid-level management career in engineering,while she rose to be a highly respected university professor.Ken Moore,Hinton
I didn’t want a loan. I wanted a suitcase to pack up my things and leave Wagga Wagga at the end of 1970. I visited the large department store and informed the male salesman that I would like to take the case now and pay for it when I commenced teaching in February. After consulting his male boss they handed it over with an invoice,which I duly paid. Some old ways weren’t too bad.Helen Tenisons,Brookvale
Coalition blind to dreadful legacy
The rabble that makes up much of the Opposition is still in denial of the mess it left the Albanese government (“”,August 6). Peter Dutton attacks,wanting the new government to curb the current high energy price,yet he is oblivious to it being a legacy of the former government. The dire situation in aged care is also a legacy of the previous government. With the influx of teals,it can only be hoped that the rabble fades into insignificance.John Cotterill,Kingsford
How sadly unsurprising that Peter Dutton has been unable to change his spots (possibly for want of trying) and has not taken the opportunity to embrace a more collegial and civilised approach to being a parliamentarian. He has instead continued with his unappealing and hectoring adversity in the Abbott style of unthinking opposition to anything and everything that doesn’t come from his (very diminished) side of the House. He even opposes what his own Coalition put into place during their paltry attempts at governing.Anne Ring,Coogee
David Crowe bemoans the fact that all the promises about having a more respectful parliament have been forgotten now that the election is over. Albanese has already shown that he can be assertive without being aggressive. It’s time he showed us that he is an adult and can put forward his case without the hysteria,slurs and other intimidation the Opposition uses. As Michelle Obama advised,when they go low,we go high.Sue Jones,Windradyne
Prime Minister Anthony AlbaneseJames Brickwood
David Crowe writes of the continuation of crude and ugly behaviour in the Parliament,but also of the high-minded co-operation completed outside question time. A new dawn has not been witnessed,but maybe we are getting closer to the sunlight. The constructive nature of this diverse and bold collective could slowly clear the parliament of the shabby routine of hollowing out question time.David Gunter,Sydney
Self-serving Dutton
I hope Peter Hartcher is wrong (“”,August 6). Mr Dutton’s opposition to emission targets and support for nuclear energy may be aimed at keeping his job,but I trust the Australian electorate will see that personal ambition is his driving force and reject him and his like at every opportunity.Andrew Scott,Pymble
Green revolution
The “climate wars” mentioned by recent correspondents are a political construct (,August 6). The real climate war is being waged against our natural environment every day by the emission of fossil fuels. Those people calling for slow progress and demanding economic justice for incumbent polluting industries are self-interested and willfully ignore the costs of inaction that future generations will bear. We’ve been late to the game,except the blame game. Ten years of lost time demands catch-up. The longer we leave it,the greater the damage and the greater the mitigation and transition costs. Leaders will be winners. The green revolution is upon us. Embrace it.David Sargent,Seaton (SA)
Natural resources
Ross Gittins argues that innovation can grow the economy indefinitely (“”,August 6). The problem is that greater productivity always leads to greater use of natural resources,including in the services sector. For this reason,gross quantities of physical resources used globally have closely followed global GDP. The global economy is now way beyond sustainable levels. The Limits to Growth report was released 50 years ago. The State of the Environment report and climate-driven disasters demonstrate that we urgently need to heed its warning.Jonathan Miller,Curtin (ACT)
Unprecedented change
A once-in-a-lifetime pandemic (“”,August 6). Then why not consider once-in-a-lifetime solutions to the labor shortages it created? A one-off indemnity for asylum seekers who remain in limbo and can’t get a job so they can. A one-off intake of refugees who would gladly fill the jobs others can’t. And a one-off concession allowing pensioners to work for the next 10 years without losing their pension. Problem solved.Terry Vandyke,Dee Why
Self-defeating faith
Does the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney seriously believe that Christ endured an agonising death for the sake of confirming a definition of marriage (“”,August 6)? The crucifixion was an act of unlimited self-giving. By sharing in that self-giving,we are saved from ourselves and from each other.Mark Porter,New Lambton
Tied up in knots
My advice to the gentlemen complaining of neck strictures is to get a new tailor (,August 6). A properly cut shirt will always be comfortable. The necktie is,of course,adjustable to suit the wearer. Sartorial refinement restored.Barry Wooldridge,Harden
Many years ago theHerald had an editorial titled “Why knot”. The bit I remember most is that the origin of the neck tie was to wipe the sword or the dagger after use. Must be why many conservatives still want to have the tie retained.Ken Hoy,Raymond Terrace
Surely,it is time to ditch not only ties but wigs,if not gowns,still worn by some judges and barristers? After all,humble solicitors have always coped without any need for fancy dress.Edward Loong,Milsons Point
Voice of a generation
Vale,Judith Durham (“,smh.com.au,August 6). There will never be another you.Robert Ballinger,Pymble
Judith DurhamVictor Colin Sumner/Fairfax Media
Growing up in the US in the 1960s,one of my favourite musical groups was the Seekers. I loved the music and I particularly loved the beautiful voice of Judith Durham,one of the greatest female voices of her generation. I read with sorrow of her death and I know Australians are also grieving this lovely lady. Americans who loved the Seekers and Durham grieve with you.Dean Starr,Libertyville,Illinois
Not just her compatriots but music lovers all over the world will miss the dulcet tones of Judith Durham. My deepest condolences to Athol Guy,Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger,her fellow Seekers.Eric Palm,Gympie (Qld)
Vale,Judith Durham. She had the voice of an angel. There will never be another you.Peter Miniutti,Ashbury
The carnival is not over. Judith Durham’s voice lives on.Vicky Marquis,Glebe
Judith Durham was the ultimate “voice”.Janice Creenaune,Austinmer
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday onsmh.com.au
FromSaint Mike IV:This is one Australian who deserves a National Memorial Service. Her family will,I believe,want a private funeral but the rest of us also want a chance to farewell this beautiful woman who entertained us for so long! Yes,the Carnival Is Over but thank heaven for DVDs of The Seekers concerts.