Delay of bill causes more pain and needless suffering

Cathy Wilcox

It is very disappointing to see that the assisted dying bill has been delayed (“Voluntary assisted dying vote delayed until 2022 by inquiry”,October 20). It means that suffering people at the end of life will have to suffer a bit longer. Let’s hope the vote to refer the bill to an inquiry is a genuine desire to have the best bill possible.Liz Jacka,Marrickville

It is saddening to think,as a result of the actions of some MPs delaying passage of NSW’s voluntary assisted dying legislation,people who might otherwise have chosen to take advantage of its provisions now face a distressing and painful death. Committed as they may be to teachings of their faith,it is monstrous these MPs choose to impose it against the wishes of the majority of people in NSW. Every family member forced to watch a loved one who they know wanted voluntary assisted dying die a painful and distressing death should take note of the names of the MPs that have caused this situation and vent their anger by working against the MPs’ re-election.Keith Favell,Mt Austin

The reluctance of the NSW government to pass the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill is a case of the failure to separate church and state. Learning that the leaders of both parties do not support it is enough for people to smell a rat now procedures have been introduced that delay any reform until 2022. It is a shame a bill of this importance is being allowed only a “conscience” vote when constituents favouring it will never know which way their elected MP voted.Lorna Denham,Cardiff Heights

This issue has already encountered countless strong debates and exhaustive inquiries. The community had this debate and polls showed the majority supports the reform. It is “an idea whose time has come”. With NSW the only state yet to pass voluntary assisted dying laws,our elected representatives should just get on with their votes.Steve Ngeow,Chatswood

By siding with the government and delaying the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill,the NSW Labor Party has lost me after I’ve spent 40 years of voting for them,being a member at one stage and being a union representative on numerous jobs.Peter Richardson,Coniston

What could possibly motivate Mark Banasiak to refer the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill to the Selection of Bills Committee – a committee that considers whether to refer a bill to another committee – and what could possibly motivate the government and Labor to agree to refer it to the Law and Justice Committee? It can’t be because they need more information. The other five state parliaments have all had comprehensive inquiries and lengthy debates before concluding that voluntary assisted dying is a compassionate and safe reform. Nothing will come of this delay other than that more terminally ill people in NSW will suffer unnecessarily.Richard Mills,Leura,former president,Dying with Dignity NSW

It seems that our procrastinating politicians are hoping that by continually delaying the voluntary assisted dying vote,affected people might lose the will to die.Col Burns,Lugarno

Taxpayer money not safe,even in the safest of seats

Surely the fact then-premier Mike Baird’s chief of strategy “queried why we are giving funding to a clay target association in a ... relatively safe seat” amplifies to all the abhorrent practice of pork barrelling is alive,well and,as Gladys Berejiklian recently noted,acceptable (“Berejiklian wanted grant hastened:ICAC”,October 20).Bill Young,Killcare Heights

Government grants awarded before applications close. Majority of high-value grants given through “closed,non-competitive processes”. Over half the grants for rural Australia go to cities (“55% of regional grants go to major cities”,October 20). Voters’ anger over the sports rorts and commuter car park electioneering has led to nothing and never will until a federal integrity agency is established. We deserve better.Lorraine Hickey,Green Point

Australia deserves,but does not receive,honesty and integrity from its politicians. More than half of federal grants for regional development went to major cities,most favoured Coalition seats,the largest proportion of money was given out just before an election and less than 8 per cent of funding went to remote regional areas. Similar problems occur in NSW,where improper grants were justified by the past premier as being OK because both parties do it. Government funding for political advantage is not OK,it is misuse of taxpayer funds that undermines our democratic process. We will not see honest and ethical behaviour by politicians and fair elections until the misuse of taxpayer funds becomes a criminal offence.Keith Woodward,Avalon Beach

In corporate contract law,we had a suite of standard inclusions in our contracts,including a claw back subject to arbitration,for any grant or such like we made if the facts on the ground subsequently changed. The government has left an estimated $27 billion of our money with firms who didn’t need it in JobKeeper,largely a cohort who are Coalition supporters. In contrast,they have claimed for years that transition to clean energy is a cost the economy can’t bear,all the while political donations remain opaque. We should worry about the passive nature of our democracy if these people win power again.Peter Spencer,Glebe

Today we read the Auditor-General’s findings that most of the money for regional development goes to capital cities. It would all make perfect sense if Coogee and Campbelltown were in the regions. Now this is something MPs from the regions could be active about once some of them have sorted out energy policy with their colleagues.Judy Sherrington,Kensington

Borrowing levels keep prices up

Peter Tulip’s response to housing affordability (“Want to improve housing affordability?” October 20) fails to recognise or quantify the number of empty apartments that already sit idle,or to discuss the slow drip-feed of new apartments into the market by developers to control prices. Nor does it discuss the biggest elephant in the room – capacity to borrow. When interest rates were higher and banks weren’t prepared to lend such enormous amounts of money,housing prices were much lower.Elizabeth Darton,Lane Cove West

An easy first step to improving housing affordability is to ban auctions. Make people put a price on a house and the first person to sign a contract gets it.
Mark Anderson,Coogee

Peter Tulip’s solution to the housing affordability crisis is to turn Sydney into Hong Kong. No thanks.Pierre Mars,Vaucluse

Broaden scope of DV help

Your correspondent (Letters,October 20) rightly congratulates the NSW government on providing money to build refuges and safe homes for women suffering domestic violence. She also says that “repetitive breaches of AVOs,stalking,coercive and controlling behaviour,lack of effective legal procedures and support seem to be precursors to murder. Handwringing,sympathy and promised action after the fact of the many,many,many murdered women will not fix the problem.“
What is needed are much stronger laws,making it possible for the presiding magistrate/judge,where appropriate,to confiscate the domestic home and any possessions of the perpetrator and award it to the victim,then jail the offender (keeping the offender under lock and key and preventing reprisals). The victim could then,if so desiring,sell the home and change addresses.Ian Usman Lewis,Kentucky

Extra funding to build new refuges for domestic violence is commendable and,by all means,congratulate the Premier. But it would do a great disservice to all those women imperilled because refuges had closed and dedicated domestic violence workers sacked if we didn’t recognise that it was the NSW government that had exacerbated the crisis in the first place. Its radical 2014 Going Home,Staying Home program,according to advocacy group SOS Women’s Services,caused chaos.
Perhaps Dominic Perrottet recognises his government’s error and is trying to make amends,but how impressive would it be if a politician were to break the mould with an acknowledgment of mistakes made? Unless responsibility is taken,policy errors will continue to happen.Alison Stewart,Riverview

Forrest shows growth

What a pity Andrew Forrest is probably too smart to think about entering politics (“Mining magnate urges Xi to go to Glasgow”,October 20). He sure is saying all the right things about a green future and the outright “grandstanding” by the Nationals. If Forrest did set up his own political party,what could the outcome be? A future PM? One thing is for sure – the electorate is fed up with the incumbents and not impressed with the opposition. We are all looking for a viable alternative,with Australia’s betterment at their core. Forrest could be the answer.Stewart Copper,Maroubra

Andrew Forrest is a clever man who can see the future is renewable energy and will certainly capitalise on it. Why our leaders can’t see the same and are so reluctant to commit to a strong climate policy is baffling. The government’s push for coal-fired power is archaic and holding the nation back when we could be at the forefront with green power and capitalising on a green economy.Daniela Catalano,Haberfield

Political ads pointless

Could I suggest no political donations (Letters, October 20)? The large sums of money donated to political parties are the reasons we are bombarded from all directions with political advertising before an election. Just let us vote on the past performance of the present government and decide if we need an alternative administration. We learn enough about policies and personalities from the media,so why fill our letterboxes and screens with advertising we do not need?Robyn Lewis,Raglan

Hard shoes to fill

Lisa Davies will be sorely missed by avid Herald readers (“Herald editor Lisa Davies resigns”,October 20). Farewell and the best of luck.Graham Lum,North Rocks

Plan migration properly

So the government wants to investigate increasing migration by hundreds of thousands a year (“Treasurer flags new migrant program”,October 20). Let’s hope housing and water availability are part of this consideration. It seems that we can’t even provide housing for those already here,and water pressures are an increasing problem in Sydney and rural areas.Susan Tregeagle,Yarralumla (ACT)

It was a great disappointment to read that federal and state governments are endorsing a significant increase in migrant numbers. One of the only benefits of the COVID-19 pandemic is it slowed down the increase in Australia’s population. Australia is an environmental catastrophe due to its ever-increasing population. Before making short-term commitments,the government needs to adopt a population policy and stick to it. Sydney is already full:ask our commuters. The government says it is most concerned at house prices. It would have been a much greater increase with,say,another 200,000 people seeking housing.David Griffiths,Manly

Heavenly creatures

Let’s face it,death by any other name spells the same (Letters,20 October). BTW,for those who may miss out on heaven,I understand the alternative offers plenty of company.Edward Loong,Milsons Point

I couldn’t agree more about “passed away”,not to mention “passed”. I hope there is an afterlife,if only so I can come back to haunt anyone who uses those terms about me.Rebecca Hingerty,Chatswood

But how will you be “finally disappointed” if you are dead and there’s no heaven or anything?John Flint,St Leonards

Cheer up,heaven exists. The good book’s condition of entry is repent;believe;obey.Nan Howard,Camden

Evolution of the species

If humans hadn’t spent so much time standing upright (Letters, October 20),we wouldn’t have been putting so much stress on our pelvic floor muscles. Clearly,they weren’t designed to last into our old age. I blame Adam and Eve.Penelope Layton-Caisley,Marrickville

I am in total support of Mustafa Erem. My feeling is that exercise should be banned – you can hurt yourself.Vivienne Potter,Gowrie (ACT)

The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
Migration rethink:Hike on the cards for post-pandemic recovery
From Redfox:″⁣Large-scale immigration creating economic growth is right up there with trickle-down economics. Economists talk about them a lot but they can’t prove either work. I’m just wondering where Josh is going to house all these immigrants because,right now,we have a housing crisis which he has a total inability to fix.″⁣

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