Propping up dying industry will leave miners in the cold

Farewell Facebook, it’s been fun. At first, you were a novel friend, eager and clever in making connections, but lately, I am besieged by unwanted ads and push marketing. It’s hard to even find my friends. You are perfectly within your rights to monetise your platform. Or to spitefully punish us. And I, like many Australians, am within my rights to say goodbye. I am switching you off. My friends are still here, in the real world. I might even ring them up. – Tristan Parry, Cremorne

As someone who has never used Facebook, what’s the big deal? I buy my daily Herald and browse the BBC and The New York Times websites. No news blackout for me. – John Amy, Carss Park

Scott Morrison has a hide. How can he ask Facebook to pay for our news, while devaluing it himself; cutting our ABC funds for political ends, and denigrating the objectivity of excellent journalists and neutral thinkers? Integrity begins at home. – Bev Atkinson, Scone

First they used Cambridge Analytica to influence elections, and I did not speak out – because I was not a voter. Then they broadcast footage of the Christchurch massacre, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Muslim. Then they allowed the dissemination of conspiracy theories, and I did not speak out because I knew better. Then they blocked my access to news sites, so I left Facebook and read the Herald and listened to the ABC. They usually speak for me. – Tom Meakin, Port Macquarie

It can take Facebook ages to remove bullying posts and the rantings of extremists, but less than a minute to take down Australian emergency services, health and welfare posts. Time for everyone to rethink how they get their news and vital information. – Peter Campbell, Potts Point

Surely consumers who regularly get news from Facebook are not digital simpletons who don’t know how to access news from radio, TV and other online resources. If Facebook is getting too powerful, we should be glad that this is the first step we can to extricate ourselves from our reliance on this media juggernaut. – Vincent Wong, Killara

I remember a university lecturer who said something that made me pay attention: “Power is invested in the follower.” If people stopped following Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg would be nothing. – Phyllis Codd, Bellingen

There’s a special connection between real live people no algorithm will ever control. – Valerie Little, Tathra

Face it: Facebook is dispensable. – Peter Baker, Blacktown

Facebook, by its action to selectively remove news content, has now demonstrated conclusively that it is a publisher. This should open the way for action to hold it responsible for publishing false and harmful information on its platform. – John Moyse, Dora Creek

Getting it right? No, Coalition gets it all wrong

Scott Morrison told Parliament this week: “Everyone here tried to do the right thing.” Really? Even though it’s now clear that a growing band of senior Liberal figures – staff and politicians – knew the seriousness of the allegation against one of their own – a man earlier described as a rising star in the party (“Rape bombshell puts focus on PM’s failures”, February 19). It beggars belief that none of these people considered an allegation of rape serious enough to bring it to the PM’s attention. – Nick Franklin, Katoomba

What exquisite irony. The only Coalition minister to be punished for the industrial-scale rorting of public funds by the Coalition government across numerous portfolios was minister Bridget McKenzie. The only minister likely to lose their position because of the toxic misogynistic culture at Parliament House is Linda Reynolds (“Minister under pressure to resign”, February 19). Am I the only one seeing a pattern? – Jennifer Raines, Newtown

Morrison should reconsider setting gender equality targets for his cabinet if he plans on sacrificing a female minister every time he wants to deflect attention from heinous misconduct in his government. – Colin Stokes, Camperdown

As a matter of national interest, what did the male staffer actually get the sack for? – Patrick Thompson, Randwick

A notice in the Herald (February 19) that a new political party The New Liberals is applying to the AEC comes as no surprise when judging the old Liberal Party’s ongoing difficult problems. – Zuzu Burford, Heathcote

Outlaw coercive control

The anniversary of the murder of Hannah Clarke and her children reminds us that coercive control is a strong indicative factor leading to domestic violence. If there had been a law that made coercive control a criminal offence, there might have been some hope for Hannah and her children. Scotland has enacted such a law. More than 400 crimes were recorded by Police Scotland in the first three months after a new domestic abuse law was introduced. Australia needs a similar law. – Kathy Chase, Newport

Shades of green

Energy Minister Angus Taylor clearly understands the importance of holding corporates to account for delivering on their net-zero emissions promises (“Climate register for corporate green goals”, February 19). So why won’t the government make the same public commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and put in place a process for transparent sharing of progress? – Suzy Bessell, Cremorne

Practise what you preach

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell expects schools and teachers to be accountable for student improvement but says it’s an impost on the government to demonstrate accountability for the allocation of the first round of funding from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (“Tracking down relief red tape ‘delays dollars’”‌‍, February 19)? Practise what you preach, Minister. Mitchell hints at it and John Barilaro clearly threatens it will delay the allocation of the second round of funding. It sounds like the Berejiklian government needs to be put on an improvement plan until it can demonstrate accountability and effective, non-partisan governing. – Laura Beaupeurt, Callala Bay

Injection of bias?

Given the recent unashamed admissions of pork-barrelling at the highest levels in the federal and state governments, I would like to know the rationale for deciding which geographical areas are to receive the vaccine first, and who is making those decisions (“First jab off the rank? It’s Woy Woy”, February 19). – Matthew Boylan, Leichhardt

I know Woy Woy (part of the Robertson electorate) is known as God’s waiting room and maybe that is why it is ‘first jab off the rank’. But it could also be because the seat of Robertson is a swing seat and was picked up by the Liberal Party at the 2013 federal election. Let’s hope that there is no pork-barrelling on this occasion with targeted seats getting preference for the first vaccines. – Helen Simpson, Curl Curl

Spike Milligan would have had a jab at this one (“First jab off the rank? It’s Woy Woy”, February 19). – Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook

The pandemic revealed we had shortages of ventilators, PPE for health workers and quarantine facilities. Now we learn there are not enough appropriate needles for the vaccination campaign (“Syringe shortage to waste 7000 doses”, February 19). Is there anything the federal government can do properly, except sit on the fence and criticise the states that had to fill in the vacuum left by federal inaction and ineptitude? – Alberto Bizcarra, Rozelle

By what medical or other criteria does Scott Morrison go to the head of the queue for the COVID-19 inoculation (“PM to get vaccine in first phase, Berejiklian to wait her turn”, smh.com.au, February 19)? – Michael Chapman, East Albury

Choice: life or death

There is only one salient point that those who are against, or who are even in two minds about vaccination need consider. Pick a town. Any town. Find the cemetery and wander the rows. Imagine if you can, particularly if you are a parent, how it must have felt to lose those two or three or maybe even four children to diseases that medical schools hardly bother to teach about now. Hygiene and vaccination. It’s not rocket science. – Dr Bill Burke, Yarralumla (ACT)

A fail in history

The Catholic Church is busy promoting the supposed 200th anniversary of Catholic education. Pity the bishops and bureaucrats have the wrong date, school and location. Prior to the arrival of Fr John Therry (1820), trained Irish teachers ran schools in the colony. James and John Kenny operated an official “Roman Catholic School” in Sydney’s Rocks district from 1805, which later transferred to Wilberforce. Fr James Harold established a school on Norfolk Island in 1802. Farrell Cuffe’s eclectic school in Pitt’s Row (Street) had been operating for 13 years when Therry arrived. So, too, the accomplished Catherine Milling, who provided valued education to Irish Catholic children. The bishops do these teachers and Australian history a disservice by denying primary evidence and scholarship. – Damian Gleeson, Crookwell

All icare, no responsibility

If ever there was a misnomer for an insurer, icare is it. Surely, ‘c-if-icare’ would be more appropriate (“‘Golden parachute’ for icare executives”, February 19). While failure is so rewarding, where is the incentive to do a good job? Or did I read that article incorrectly? Ah, perhaps those failed employees repaid those large amounts. That would make sense. – Kathleen Hollins, Northmead

Lifeline for fishing fans

The lure of rock fishing makes it hard to give up (“Another close call highlights safety laws failure: experts”, February 18). As a rock fisher for many years and having experienced those rogue waves, I can’t see why stainless steel poles can’t be embedded in rocks so that fishers can clip themselves on with a long safety cord. Obviously long enough not to interfere with movement. Could be funded by licence fees. At least give it a try. – Paul Gallagher, Summer Hill

Tatt’s all folks

I’m not going to suggest that everyone who isn’t “inked” is dull and going to age poorly, but a lack of dermal artwork on a person does cause me to raise an eyebrow (“‘Like telling the same joke day after day’: Why tattoos are a bad idea”, smh.com.au, February 18). Live a little. You might enjoy it. – Earl White, Oyster Bay

Futile search

Ian Macdonald (Letters, February 19), I’ve looked all over my local nursery for a Clitoria ternatea, but I just can’t find one. – Paul Sztelma, Concord

There has been some interest in the botanical Latin name “pinus” and its pronunciation. Although it might look it, this word – like other trees in Latin – is not actually masculine but feminine. – Alison Waters, Leura

A bridge too far

Many correspondents talk of poor promotions (Letters, February 19). Is everyone aware of the “Peter Principle”? Employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs, until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent. – Chris Sinclair, West Pennant Hills

RSL special

Thank you Beverly Izzard (Letters, February 19). The Ballad of Rooty Hill by the Rocky Thomas Band remains a great but forgotten Australian classic. Brightens my day whenever I hear it. – Joy Heads, Wollstonecraft

Pillow talk

If I had been mad enough to spend up to $100 on a single pillow case (“Silk pillowcases claim to improve sleep, skin, hair. But do they work?”, February 18). I most certainly would not be snipping off a small section and putting it in bleach – “If it dissolves, it’s silk” – as suggested in the article. – Helen Smith, Culburra Beach