Caught in a pork-barrel roll, politicians forget their role

Unexplained cash donations to the value of $50 million to political parties sounds like another easy way to launder money (“Secret party donations hit record high”, February 15). Perhaps Patricia Bergin should investigate, now she has finished with the casinos. – David Sharpe, Randwick

Whether it’s “unexplained cash”, or “secretive donations” or “hidden money” we need to move the focus to the cause of the problem. There is no end to the euphemisms we come up with to describe the ways the transparency we expect for a fundamental part of our electoral system can be obscured. Only capped public funding of election campaigns will remedy the ills of our current system. – Glenda Gartrell, Artarmon

We continue to see a steady stream of the use of ministerial discretion to manipulate awarding grants to organisations for party political advantage. We also see questionable donations to political parties by large organisations and wealthy individuals seeking personal advantage. Both practices provide unavoidable temptation for our politicians and corrupt our democracy. Parliament should legislate to remove ministerial discretion for awarding individual grants and permit annual political donations by individuals of up to $1,000 and zero political party donations from organisations. – David Hind, Neutral Bay

It’s no surprise that the NSW government spending on consultants has risen while public service numbers have remained steady (“Consultant job fees rise 10 per cent in year of recession”, February 15). There will always be a need to employ consultants for some specialised projects, but $90 million on outsourcing last year suggests that other factors are in play. Consultants were engaged for the reform of NSW taxes, which should be bread and butter work for the NSW Treasury. – James Moore, Kogarah

Chickens home to roost for tight-fisted business

Your correspondent (Letters, February 15) decries the inflexibility of unions in not accepting wage cuts during tough times. This would have some credibility if business showed a skerrick of generosity in the good times. I do not recall one time, through all the booms, in which business did not argue against any increase in the statutory wage decisions of the arbitration court. Not once. Wages have been stagnant over the past two decades, while company profits and dividends have soared. It seems you reap what you sow. – Stein Boddington, St Clair

Your correspondent perpetuates two very common economic misapprehensions. First, company profits are not falling, but booming: up 18.6 per cent for the 12 months to September 2020. Over the same period, wages rose just 0.4 per cent (Source: ABS). Secondly, labour costs are not just part of a simple supply/demand/price calculation, because as income for potential consumers, they also raise the demand for the goods and services sold by the businesses who pay wages. – Al Svirskis, Mount Druitt

When employers share those times of profit with their employees, or at least don’t always oppose even the most meagre rise in the basic wage, unions may take a more “balanced” view. Recently, many of those companies supporting “flexibility” of wages and conditions have paid not just high executive wages, but “bonuses” out of JobKeeper payments. If we are all in this together there is no reason why those who have suffered the most through COVID-19 – the lower paid and casual workers – should also have to bear the heavier cost of the recovery. – Brenton McGeachie, Queanbeyan West

Here we have somebody pushing the tired old Tory line that the sky will fall in if you give workers extra money or entitlements. In countries like Germany, the government, companies and unions work together to arrive at wages and entitlements and to encourage innovation. Germany is an industrial powerhouse and generally people are not laid off at the first sign of trouble. Companies value their workers. – David Warren, Goonengerry

Spending slowdown

The Reserve Bank has been criticised for not cutting interest rates earlier (“Flogging monetary policy horse won’t get us anywhere”, February 15), but this is surely not the only way to increase consumer spending and stimulate the economy. No doubt many workers are presently feeling some insecurity, and the best counter measure is to reduce spending and save a buffer to minimise financial problems consequent on loss or reduction of employment. Spending habits will not improve significantly until workers have more confidence in the future. – Geoff Harding, Chatswood

Time to smash Kyrgios’ racket

I agree wholeheartedly with Alan Attwood’s observations (“No respect: a night with the Nickheads”, February 15). After attending the Australian Open last Wednesday for Kyrgios’ match against Ugo Humbert, my wife and I couldn’t have been more disgusted and shocked by the alcohol-tanked, over- aggressive jingoistic and psychotic barracking by the mostly young male gang of Kyrgios supporters. We were so embarrassed by Kyrgios’ pathetic frequent arguments with the umpire and the vocal abuse by his manic supporters that we left after only three sets. Tennis Australia have a responsibility to the game and tennis fans to take control over Kyrgios’ appalling behaviour and that of his embarrassing followers. – Mark Berg, Caringbah South

I have always enjoyed watching tennis in the past but I refuse to watch when Kyrgios plays now. His behaviour and that of his supporters is deplorable. I can’t understand how Tennis Australia can allow this to continue. People watching from overseas must think that Australians are people with uncouth, undisciplined behaviour with no respect shown for the opposing player. – Pamela Baker, Chatswood

Couldn’t disagree with Alan Attwood more; Kyrgios has opened up tennis to a whole lot of people, all classes, ages and races. It’s no longer just for boring, white, polite society. That’s why the fans are flocking to him and to tennis in droves. – Alice Khatchigian, Ermington

Clubs flexing muscle

We try to teach moral values to our children and do everything we can to discourage them from breaking the law, no matter how good the enticement of easy money (“Clubs sue regulator for leaked evidence”, February 15). So how do we explain the behaviour of our own leaders, enjoying the easy tax and political donations revenue that comes from the gambling industry? Powerful lobby groups aside, it would be nice to see leaders show moral backbone and look at the example they set for the next generation. – Elizabeth Darton, Lane Cove West

Whistleblowers deserve protection and medals, not persecution and prosecution. Here’s another example of a big political party donor flexing muscle with impunity when it should be hiding its face in shame and cleaning up its act. – Rod Cunich, Vaucluse

Racism blocks healing

Thirteen years ago, our whole primary school watched Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations. We teachers stood proudly and teary as we saw what we thought was a new era starting. As Sean Kelly writes, the number of Indigenous children taken from their families has doubled since then. That is a disgrace (“When success stories fall short”, February 15). Eddie McGuire’s tearful exit too long after he should have been shown the door points to a failure of this country to take its human rights obligations seriously. We can’t heal as a nation until racism is well and truly given the boot. – Beverley Fine, Pagewood

What I find intriguing and can’t get my head around is that Eddie McGuire, with a large PR team at his disposal, stuffed up the press conference after the Collingwood racism report was released while Heritier Lumumba, I presume without any PR support, came across in all his interviews as articulate, calm, likeable and an honest broker. The question is: if Lumumba didn’t complain, would we have seen any inquiry? – Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill

It is difficult to read Pat Turner’s impressive article on the many ways First Nations are making a difference despite their plea to enshrine a Voice to Parliament falling on deaf ears (“First Nations make difference at decision table”, February 15). Surely they should no longer have to plead to have a place at the decision-making table. – Vicky Marquis, Glebe

Medics are experts

Whether quarantining of returning travellers continues in city hotels or a change is made to establish dedicated centres outside cities is not the argument we should be having. In hospitals, stringent measures are in place and are followed by trained health professionals to ensure there is no spread of a contagious virus. Those in charge of the security in quarantine hotels cannot be expected to know the extent of the measures needed, much less how to implement them properly. Unless medical professionals are used to supervise returning travellers in quarantine, there will continue to be unforeseen events such as the nebuliser case in Melbourne. – Tony Everett, Wareemba

Star should step up

Whilst I support your correspondents’ call for the demolition of Packer’s phallic monstrosity at Barangaroo (Letters, February 15), I accept that this isn’t going to happen. Crown has been found to be an unacceptable casino operator, so why don’t they cut their losses and sell to Star Entertainment? It would be a win-win. The Star is proposing to build not one, but two towers – including another 6-star hotel – on and adjacent to its existing sites in Pyrmont. If it bought the Crown building, Star would get a bargain, and not have to go through all the bother of preparing expensive documentation associated with a new development. Pyrmont would be spared the foreshadowed grossly inappropriate high-rise development to the north of the Peninsula. Do we really need two casino operators in Sydney? – Elizabeth Elenius, Pyrmont

Answers in the past

There was a time when promotion within organisations was from within, people were trained on the job or funded to increase their skills in a highly effective TAFE system (“School segregation ‘harms career chances’“, February 13-14). Only a minority of young people attended university, and few executives in business, for example, had degrees because most of them climbed from the bottom. Furthermore, selective schools were few, and because of this, many very bright students attended their local school and lifted the achievement level of their cohort. Private schools were only for the very wealthy and along with church schools were funded from the public purse in a modest way. Did this make this country more equitable? Was there more opportunity for social mobility? According to Anna Patty’s article, maybe we need to wind the clock back and find out. – Lyndall Nelson, South Turramurra

Karen, the Opera

What a bizarre episode at the Opera House on Saturday. Two women had to be escorted from the opera theatre by the police for refusing to wear masks. They resisted the efforts of staff and security people and were very aggressive with them and the police. Their departure was applauded by those surrounding them. What a waste of their money and time for no good reason. By the way, the opera was wonderful. – Pauline Paton, Centennial Park

Fire away, Donald

Donald Trump once said: “I could shoot someone and not lose votes.” The Republican Party may have just proven him right (Letters, February 15). – Paul Doyle, Glenbrook

Mammary loss

Talk about a very modest man at KFC (Letters, February 15) asking for “front pieces”. A man in my family – who’ll remain unnamed – will not pronounce Mamre Road (far too embarrassing). He will insist on calling it Mar-mar Road. – Helen Kershaw, Killara

Follicle follies

It just occurred to me, has that tennis player’s girlfriend been able to get her hair washed yet? – Phil Armour, Yass

Nonagenarian Ron

I hope my genes come from Ron Elphick’s side of the family (Letters, February 15): 96 years old and still boxing on tenaciously. – Arnold Elphick, Dalmeny

The digital view

Online comment from the story that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
“Experts put poor virus controls in spotlight”

From Mike: I am still waiting to hear from the state and federal pollies why they do not want to move quarantine to more remote areas. We are one year on now from the start of this and, despite the dreams of the politicians, this virus will not be going away and they will have to do something.