At last an article that is not putting the boot into Meghan:thank you,Julia Baird (“”,December 22). I am no fan of the royal family;however,I have been amazed at the amount of hatred directed at this woman not only from the media but ordinary people who have never met her but only know about her from what they have read or heard. It does remind me of what happened to Adam Goodes,who had tens of thousands each week booing him relentlessly as he took to the field to play football,and many commentators and fans stating it had nothing to do with racism with numerous people believing it. Race with a sense of entitlement appears to be a feature of why there is so much loathing towards this woman.Con Vaitsas,Ashbury
Meghan has,of course,committed the ultimate sin - she is a woman. Compare her treatment with that of her alleged paedophile uncle-in-law Prince Andrew. And has any prime minister in Australia’s history ever attracted the opprobrium that our so far only female prime minister Julia Gillard did? Misogyny,that fear and loathing from inadequate males,is alive and well in our societies.Michael McMullan,Avoca Beach
Baird rightly points to the heightened level of abuse directed at women in the public eye. I am no fan of Meghan or her husband,but the venom directed particularly at her recently is as gratuitously misogynistic as it is foul. Like the biblical tale of the fall of Adam and Eve,it’s all the woman’s fault that things went sour. And here I was thinking that publicly advocating for a high-profile woman to be dumped in the sea in a chaff-bag or have a sock stuffed down her throat was as bad as it could get.Adrian Connelly,Springwood
Baird’s article about unqualified abuse particularly of Jeremy Clarkson is fresh and honest. Clarkson is a conceited hypocrite who stands for nothing of value and makes an art form out of abuse.Geoff Hermon,Maraylya
Bravo Julia Baird! Clarkson and Piers Morgan are just bullies and Meghan threatens their masculinity. It is all about race and we are all afraid to admit it.Regina Gilliland,Blacktown
Illustration:John Shakespeare
Meghan must be prepared to reap what she sows. She is without doubt a privileged,spoilt celebrity who has stupidly attacked the hand that once fed her misguided,disgruntled husband. She has brought this backlash on herself and her husband.Denis Suttling,Newport Beach
I must confess the deep down loathing I hold for Jeremy Clarkson and consider his opinions on anything and everything to be invalid. This,largely,stems from his inability as a broadcaster to make a show about motor cars without using the word “penis”.Peter Bourke,Rockdale
Jeremy Clarkson? Still got a job has he then? Oh,with a Murdoch paper? That explains it all.
Nick Pyner,Dee Why
Baird points out that to allow threats of violence to be aired unchecked regardless of the person to whom it is aimed should be condemned. This is the season of peace and good will to all. We must all try to stop this hatred towards others whenever we hear it expressed.Josephine Piper,Miranda
Time for Chris Minns to back cashless gaming cards
Past politicians lured by easy money venally set aside the interests of people and should be ashamed. They must have known that gambling impoverishes the most disadvantaged,enables money laundering and destroys families (“”,December 22). This craven neglect has empowered the gambling industry who say they will target politicians in favour of gambling reform. Arguments that gambling creates jobs and supports charities are disingenuous. Massive profits come from the pockets of the people and the “charities” supported frequently benefit clubs and their friends. Dominic Perrottet is right to begin the discussion,but the proof will come after the election. Chris Minns must move away from the misleading “trials” favoured by the clubs if he wants to be an ethical leader.Alison Stewart,Riverview
Charles Livingstone provides a significant distinction between two forms of cashless gambling. To combat money laundering,the pre-commitment model involving secure IDs and transfers from bank accounts needs to be implemented in order to trace funds.
While the premier has community support and,importantly,justification based on the NSW Crime Commission report to stop proceeds of crime being laundered,a separate review was conducted by Justice Robert Gotterson on Queensland casinos. One recommendation was that cashless gambling be introduced. This might rely on a similar system to that advocated by Livingstone. The premier needs to establish the same for Star’s Sydney casino which,as implied by the Crime Commission report,is a major cleaning venue for dirty money.John Kempler,Rose Bay
Not knowing that poker machine-owning registered clubs can donate to political parties from their winnings’ tray is a very powerful lever against real gambling reform (“”,December 22). Not surprisingly our political elite,on all sides,have kept this very quiet while loudly condemning the defenceless poker machines,and we fell for it.Chris Hornsby,Bayview Beach
Illustration:John Shakespeare
TheHerald reports that Clubs NSW has contributed about $400,000 to the Labor Party and $200,000 to the Coalition over the years. It highlights the financial influence on our politicians and why this needs serious reform.Gary Barnes,Mosman
Minns has finally taken a positive stance with his recent commitment to keeping a proper proportion of NSW resources in gas and coal power reserved for the use of Australians. Hopefully,now he has taken this sensible stance he will revisit his decision on the cashless gaming card and start looking at positive actions for his party instead of standing back or being anti-everything.Joy Paterson,Mount Annan
Tolls to keep coming
One can only admire the business model devised by Transurban (“”,December 22). Widen M7,generate additional revenue from increased traffic and three years tolling extension. Propose building a new interchange and connect arterial route near to new airport. Government accepts proposal. Discover increased traffic is generated by new freeways and propose widening of toll-road. Repeat. Repeat.Catherine Turner,Cremorne
The only way travellers will be able to access the proposed toll-free M12 to the new Sydney Airport,is via the M7 tollway,now to be granted a three-year toll extension. What use is it promoting a road as toll-free,when you can’t get to it,except by several overpriced Transurban tollways? This,combined with the 65 B-doubles clogging the roads every day delivering jet fuel to the airport,as it has no fuel pipeline infrastructure constructed on site,will be a nightmare for travellers.Mark Berg,Caringbah South
Neighbour also a hero
This week’s farewell to the two police officers tragically killed in last week’s shocking incident in Queensland was a fitting tribute with the prime minister and premier in attendance and posthumous medals awarded (“”,December 22). We will remember their names long into the future. But let’s not forget that there was a third victim in this terrible crime. Neighbour,Alan Dare,who selflessly and unwittingly rushed to assist his neighbours when he heard shots and realised a bushfire had started,was heartlessly killed for his trouble. He,too,deserves credit for his bravery and sacrifice.Donna Wiemann,Balmain
ATAR smoke and mirrors
The smoke and mirrors of releasing an ATAR minimum cut off only hides the fact that the majority of students who end up studying that course have a much lower ATAR (“”,December 22). Not only do universities throw bonus points at students,but the reality is that only one student actually needs to reach the cut-off mark to justify the (usually high) published score. Universities then market themselves based on that score and perpetuate the process. It is time to force universities to use other selection criteria,tailored to the skill set of the course that they are offering.Michael Blissenden,Dural
Baird’s power blunder
According to your editorial “premier Mike Baird sold off the electricity grid in NSW and put the money into rail lines,toll roads and schools” (“”,December 22). Without this “investment” we may have had a functioning power system,a transport system that worked and a school system that was not failing our children.Keith Platt,North Narrabeen
Insurance omission
The ABS review of spending seems to have omitted insurance as a category that should be included in its CPI calculations (“”,December 22). I have just received my home insurance and it has shot up by 32.6 per cent. It is,unfortunately,a discretionary spend,but this may be an indication of why fewer of us are insuring our homes.Tom Meakin,Port Macquarie
Rudd repulsed by Rupert
Despite your correspondents’ misgivings (,December 22),we’ll be far better served by an ambassador to the USA who’s uncompromised by his party’s fervid embrace of the world’s most malignly reactionary media magnate,as were Kevin Rudd’s two predecessors.Jeffrey Mellefont,Coogee
Flares on the banned list
Your correspondent asks why flares are even allowed into soccer matches (,December 22). They’re not. As one official pointed out in the days following last week’s events,spectators go to great lengths to conceal these items when they enter the ground. He went on to say that the only sure method to abolish them would be a full-body pat down of everyone entering a match. I can hear the civil libertarians from here.Ross MacPherson,Seaforth
Nimble legs Lionel
I disagree with the opinion that Messi wouldn’t last five minutes in a footy game (,December 22). He’s that quick and nimble he’d run rings around them and they’d be left standing gobsmacked and dizzy.Dave Cliff Coopers Gully
Brethren must leave
I don’t care if the Brethren move out of Windsor (“”,December 21). What I care about is why is a supposed church that disenfranchises its members by telling them not to vote in elections,against the laws of the land,still receiving tax-free status? The church needs excommunicating from the Commonwealth purse.Denis Sullivan,Greystanes
Stop covering Trump
This sad old narcissist suffering from relevance deprivation has nothing satisfying in his life so he keeps fuelling the fire to keep himself germane. We should stop writing about him (“”,December 22).Lyn Savage,Coogee
Indigenous centre a missed opportunity
For visitors to Sydney,it’s mostly about the waterfront (,December 22). Most days there are streams of visitors walking through the Botanical Gardens,past the Opera House,around Circular Quay to The Rocks,through to Barangaroo. There are many places of interest to explore along the way depending on how much time you have. How wonderful to be able to finish up at an Indigenous Cultural Centre in Barangaroo. Your correspondent is right to say museums don’t need a view. I recently noticed an advertisement for The Cutaway being promoted as a function centre. Museums may not need a view but a view certainly gives a function an edge. However,The Cutaway with its high ceiling could create a unique atmosphere for Indigenous performances and exhibitions.
Judith Rostron,Killarney Heights
Silence is golden
Our beautiful big Himalayan ash tree is covered in its annual froth of filigree blossoms. Next it usually hums loudly. But it is silent. No bees.Lorna MacKellar,Bensville
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on
Fromjonsuffolk:″We can only hope there may be progress on the Australia-China relationship after years of clumsy diplomacy from the previous government.″