John Shakespeare
I doubt that the headmaster of King’s will gain much sympathy in the general community with his speech mentioning victimhood culture and “wokeness”. Students,whose parents can afford to spend thousands per year to send their sons to this school,are not victims. Furthermore,the use of the term “wokeness” in relation to criticism of expensive private schools only aligns Tony George with right-wingers who rant against progressive thinking. I believe people are tired of seeing public money going to wealthy private schools with multiple swimming pools and playing fields while public schools battle on with portable classrooms and dreams of better basic facilities.Jan Boyd,Sylvania
Methinks the headmaster has got it the wrong way around. He says governments and the media don’t acknowledge and celebrate what he claims is “the significant contribution of independent schools to society”. Yet nowhere does he acknowledge the significant financial contribution that society – taxpayers – are all compelled to make to independent schools,including his. The principle of private education is only tenable if its users are prepared to pay all of its costs.David Salter,Hunters Hill
It is not the private system as an institution that should be put under the microscope but the accoutrements of elitism:the lap pools and business-class fares for principals,the baronial architecture and expansive land acquisition to build sports centres and recital halls,the old boys’ clubs that have a barnacle grip on retro-culture,the excessive funding that flows into already gorged coffers. He had a right old dig at the selective schools and league tables,but you can’t help wondering whether there was just a tinge of league envy in all of that flimflam.Brian Thornton,Stanmore
The real issue is that when children are educated in a single-sex environment they do not learn they must respect the abilities and rights of each other,no matter their gender or wealth. As long as we continue the gender divide in schools,it will continue elsewhere.Augusta Monro,Dural
The exquisite irony in George’s complaints about the “age of victimhood” is his claim that his students are victims.Richard White,Leura
If some private school students are suffering ridicule from public students,as suggested by the headmaster of The King’s School,then I suggest that the private school uniform may be the culprit. School uniforms that look like military uniforms from previous centuries may draw unwanted attention. They certainly don’t have a place in modern Australia. Maybe a glass cabinet in a museum would be more suited?Eric Sekula,Turramurra
Anyone who resorts to the culture wars nonsense term “wokeness” should not be in charge of anything,especially not an educational institution. They should communicate in English,not gibberish.Graeme Finn,Earlwood
Minns’ Goldilocks plan not too hot
The “Goldilocks solution to Sydney’s housing crisis” presents a fairytale version of the Minns housing plans (”,March 20). These plans are not about gentle,well-considered,lush infill of suburbs with small,well-designed,low-rise units. If Goldilocks walked through the Minns plans,she would cry “that’s too big!” Unit blocks up to 16 and 21 metres (five to eight storeys) will be allowed in many residential streets throughout the suburbs,which is not modest and just not right.Marie Healy,Hurlstone Park
The trouble with a “Goldilocks” solution to Sydney’s housing problems is that sooner or later the bears come home.Peter Miniutti,Ashbury
Illustration:John Shakespeare
Your writer says we should pull all available levers to fix the housing crisis (“”,March 20). But he focuses on stamp duty reforms,making no mention of immigration. Stamp duty reform will reduce house prices by up to 6 per cent (imagine the excitement). Most economists are proponents of population growth to grow the economy. This allows the older generation to live off the younger generations in their retirement. Pyramid schemes travel well for a while but climate change tells us they don’t work forever. Population growth as a solution benefits the old,not the young.Paul Davies,Crows Nest
Your writer is right that stamp duty is an inefficient and much loathed tax. However,there will never be easy answers or simple solutions to the housing crisis. To remove this tax would require a grandfathering of the scheme for current homeowners. San Francisco’s approach was to introduce land tax for current homeowners upon their next purchase. This had the unintended result of people staying where they were,having already paid stamp duty they saw land tax on a new property as an undesirable impost.John Mizon,Collaroy
I don’t think the economists have thought this through. Yes,I could downsize. Rather than pay upfront the many thousands of dollars stamp duty,I would be stuck with a forever land tax. What do I do when I’m retired? How would I be able to afford it,along with council rates,water rates and insurance? If everyone was paying land tax already,it might be different. If stamp duty was abolished and not replaced with land tax,it would also be different. And yes,if I don’t pay the land tax it comes off my home when I decide to sell. How can that encourage me to downsize again? Could I afford to downsize because of the land tax? Stamp duty,land tax – same same.Elaine Phillips,Bexley
I’m amazed by the number of excuses dreamed up to explain unaffordable housing. Stamp duty cost is a consequence of ridiculous house prices driven up by negatively geared investors. There are two ways to instantly increase housing supply and cost,without building a single house. Abolish Airbnb and negative gearing. Increasing supply is another no-brainer:reduce the size of the two-storey home and revive the 1970s single-storey home. Less time to build,less material,less cost.John Macintosh,Merewether
How ute drivers are giving us all the finger
The giant utes described by Vivienne Pearson must surely be the last straw in our treating Earth’s atmosphere like a tip (“”,March 20). Can unnecessary pollution get any worse? The only avenue left is to put a huge pollution tax on these vehicles each year at registration time. The whole idea these days is to reduce pollution where we can,not only for climate action but also so as we don’t have to breathe it. As Pearson says,the owners of these utes are certainly sticking their middle finger up to pollution reduction efforts.Dennis O’Hara,Wanniassa (ACT)
Pearson is spot on with her assessment of the proliferation of oversized monster utes on our roads. I live in an area with a profusion of tradies and coal miners,and the number of these vehicles is fast becoming a menace to everyone else on the road. At a time when climate change should be paramount in everyone’s mind,it beggars belief that we have governments which are actively encouraging the growth of these inappropriate vehicles. They should be banned,if that can’t be done,than governments should look at taxing them off the road.Peter Jones,Rathmines
Illustration:John Shakespeare
As with all vehicle choices,there is a reflection on the self-image of the owner. Would it be a step too far to assume that those who own brute utes also often own a large dog of a vicious breed at home? Such trappings would be fitting for anyone with a sense of their own power within society. This does not hold true for those who follow the other American practice of eating lots of fast food,and need these capacious monsters to carry their bulk around.Donald Hawes,Peel
I wonder how many drivers of fuel-guzzling utes complain about the high cost of petrol.Martin Mansfield,Baulkham Hills
How about prohibiting oversized SUVs from stopping in “kiss and go” zones outside schools? That would really ease traffic congestion outside the public and private schools in my area.Riley Brown,Bondi Beach
Dim Donald
Like him or lump him,Kevin Rudd is no slouch in the intellect stakes (“”,smh.com.au,March 20). By suggesting that Rudd is not the brightest bulb,Trump simply illustrates the depth of his own arrant ignorance. There are few who could top Trump in that race to the bottom.Donna Wiemann,Balmain
While I found Rudd to be less than stellar as PM,it would seem his assessment of Donald Trump is exactly on the money.Wayne Duncombe,Lilyfield
Trump insults Rudd. Badge of honour for Rudd,or time’s up?John Elmgreen,Mosman
Kevin,don’t take the mickey out of poor old Donald. He’s going through a rough time.Rod Tuck,Katoomba
The more I read about Donald Trump the more I get the impression that he wants to become the president of the world.Graham Russell,Clovelly
One weapon
That the RBA has just one ugly blunt axe to hack its way into its one perceived enemy - inflation - is no way to run an economy or guide a country’s finances (,March 10).
The recent changes made to the way the RBA operates have done nothing to address the fundamental weakness of its one weapon,interest rates,to fight on all fronts when what is needed is a full complement of instruments. It needs to put away its blunt axe and choose a delicate scalpel and sutures to gently ease and tease the economy this way and that,without leaving a trail of bleeding casualties in its wake. Further reform is needed.Lance Dover,Pretty Beach
“Findings.”Cathy Wilcox
Bullying police
With Karen Webb under criticism in the media (“”,March 20),the disgusting revelations of children being strip-searched and the recent coroner’s case of an innocent young man being harassed,chased and eventually shot dead it seems everyone is fair game for the police (Letters,March 20). To be confronted by police in this state is very intimidating and produces defensive behaviour which emboldens the police to be aggressive in their pursuit of their duties.
These examples show that the police dehumanise those they are accosting and fail in their duty to serve the community. Strip-searching children is child sexual abuse and will lead to long-term mental health problems. Sniffer dogs have a high failure rate and any child arraigned by police should have an independent (not police) adult present for both interviews and search. Police must realise that their approach is intimidatory and reeks of bullying behaviour leading to bad outcomes.William Perry,Mount Keira
Highly unlikely
Like your correspondent,I queried the last invoice for our home contents insurance (,March 20). I was also told that it included flood damage. After explaining that our building is 10 metres above sea level,and we live on the fourth floor above the ground floor,they agreed that it was highly unlikely we would ever flood. Why apply a blanket increase to everyone without considering the facts?Mia David,Wollongong
A few years back,our house insurance quadrupled,ostensibly on the basis of increased flood risk. After inquiring whether the insurer had inspected our property and being told no,“it was just based on a council flood map”,I,as a civil engineer with some experience in such matters,pointed out that,not only was the house base located one metre above general ground level,but the habitable floor level was a further three metres above that. Sense prevailed and our premium was reduced to a reasonable level. But I wonder how many people who couldn’t or didn’t argue a case just stumped up that unfair premium.Peter Thornton,Killara
Art lesson
Perhaps the Mona could consider opening up the Ladies Lounge to men on the last day of the exhibition (“”,March 20)? After all,the women had to wait for ages,so why not the guys?Dave Horsfall,North Gosford
I am enjoying the concept that lies behind Kirsha Kaechele’s deliberately exclusionary Mona art installation,the Ladies Lounge. I can’t wait to visit,and be denied. Everything works with the idea,right down to the imposing cast of 20 blue-suited ladies. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the complainant in this case is also a member of Kaechele’s cast. If he isn’t,he should be.Bill Young,Killcare Heights
The Garbage Room Gallery is now open at our strata building at Carlingford for disaffected Mona visitors. On exhibition on the walls behind the garbage bins is an extensive range of paintings rescued from the garbage bins. Entry is free.David Johnston,Carlingford
Power out
Nuclear power? The answer is easy:If you don’t know,say no ( March 20)
Maureen Donlon,Wagga Wagga
Hard cash
Grudgingly (“”,March 20)!Mustafa Erem,Terrigal