Risky SCG decision puts health advice to the Test

We should extend Malcolm Knox’s “born allowed” to “born to rule” for the SCG Trust. It is obvious that the Trust has undue influence over the Premier and the NSW government. – Tony Simons, Balmain

Data and science contradicts some of the “born allowed” assertions by Malcolm Knox. It may be even safer to attend the SCG this week with half capacity and COVID safety measures in place than in future years when the ground will be full with no safety measures including unlimited shouting and other saliva-projecting activities. – Tony Nicod, Collaroy

Cricket Australia could have saved itself a lot of angst if it had simply changed the order of the Test venues and played the third Test in Brisbane. All associated with the game could have gone from Melbourne to Brisbane without quarantine, while Sydney would have had more time to get the current outbreak under control before the final Test. – Clive Williams, Lavender Bay

It seems incredible, given the other restrictions announced, that the Premier can allow crowds at the SCG for the Sydney Test. However as an immunosuppressed cricket tragic, here is my fevered pitch: make the match the “Pink Mask Test”. This ties into the McGrath Foundation’s support of current breast cancer patients who are immunosuppressed, and therefore at greater risk of catching COVID. Mandatory masks at this event may also protect the Premier, the SCG Trust Board, and Cricket Australia, for it would be devastating if COVID escalated in our community because of this event.- Jeannine Baird, Woronora

How’s this for reassuring where the NSW government’s public health messaging is concerned? Acting Premier John Barilaro’s media conference yesterday included this comment about people from Berala going to the SCG: “If you’re coming from that area or the broader Cumberland area in real terms, we’re almost encouraging to rethink about going to the Test.” Clear as mud. – Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown

Poor nations have more to gain from expedited jab

The debate on whether Australia should be accelerating the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine seems to be entirely focused on what is best for our population (“Vaccine can wait, says PM”, January 2-3). We should also take into account the limited supply of doses, worldwide, and the obvious fact that nearly every country has more to gain from early vaccination than we do. On humanitarian grounds alone, Australians should feel happy we can take advantage of our extremely low case numbers and wait a few months for a vaccine while the first millions of doses are used where the need is far, far greater. – Tim McCulloch, Hurlstone Park

I look forward to receiving the vaccine when my turn comes, but as I am living in a relatively safe country, my chances of contracting COVID are minimal. Therefore I would prefer to delay my vaccination and donate it to someone in a third world country where people are at far greater risk of contracting the virus and of dying from it. – Gareth Turner, Louth Park

The US and Britain are among several countries facing months of COVID-19 vaccine shortages. These countries had ordered them for December 2020 delivery. Manufacturers are rushing production to meet these shortfalls. Australia has ordered the vaccines for delivery in March 2021. My guess is that the vaccine suppliers would attempt to fulfill orders made last month which means that Australia is not likely to get any as scheduled. Perhaps that was the PM’s warning to prepare us for this. It’s a tragic case of outsmarting ourselves if this is the case. – Tony Moo, North Sydney

Perhaps it’s time to do a thorough risk-benefit analysis of COVID deaths versus the broader impact of restrictions on our lives, not just the economy. It appears NSW has had less than one death per month in the past 2-3 months, a figure much smaller than in a bad flu season. If we put all our resources into protecting the elderly and the most vulnerable, we could allow things to get back to normal a bit quicker. I’m totally with Gladys on her more balanced approach, and I am in the high-risk group. – Ashley Berry, Toolijooa

The sudden closure of borders causes motorists, caravaners and others to converge en masse on highways in a panic to get home. Many of the drivers are fatigued, travelling long distances, often with small children, and wearing the anxiety of not knowing what other border changes might occur while they’re on the road. There must be national guidelines for border closures. It’s a safety issue for more than COVID reasons. – Helen Atkins, Hamilton South

We were planning a get-together of ten in the private home of a friend who lives alone. New rules limit our numbers to five, but there is no such restriction in hospitality venues. How is it now safer for us to crowd around a table of ten, amid many other patrons at the local pub? – Diane Wilson, Elizabeth Bay

So, just let me get this straight: if I duck into Woolies for 5 minutes I need to wear a mask; but if I sit indoors at a restaurant for 3 hours, at a table with a dozen or more people from various parts of Sydney, I can ditch the mask, and breathe easily? – Ross Duncan, Potts Point

Neither one, nor free for now

An odd time to be proclaiming that we’re “one and free”, when border closures have separated us into eight groups (or nine if you add the area north of Narrabeen lake), and our movements are less free than they have been for 100 years (Letters, January 2-3). – Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills

Why do we need to get the Queen’s permission, via her representative, to change a wordin our national anthem?- Terry Tunkunas, Leura

The replacing of one word in our national anthem still has little effect. Also, that other word remains as is: fair. Fair what? Fair of face and skin? Fair in rights and equality for all? Fair to asylum seekers and refugees? Let’s remove ‘fair’ from the anthem too, as it means bugger all to many of us. – Llieda Wild, Eastwood

My childhood was before decimal currency came in, so I hear these new words, “one and free”, as mispronounced 1/3(d) – half of 2/6. And about as meaningful. – Fran Kirby, Castle Hill

One and free! Ah, takes me back. That’s how much it cost me to see a movie at the Padstow Star in 1960. – Stephen Fardouly, Asquith

We all look forward to the day the PM may change the words to our national anthem again. “Let us all rejoice for we are COVID-free.” – Peter Mortensen, Mortdale

Imbalance of justice

The cases involving high-profile footballers (“Hayne, de Belin trials could deter sexual assault victims“, 2-3 January) are different from usual rape trials. Juries are made up of people who may be sports lovers, people who feel they know the high-profile player and find it difficult to distinguish between footy hero and the person charged with a serious crime. The power imbalance is enormous and the little someone who happens to be the alleged victim is often of little consequence in this setting. – Julie Robinson, Cardiff

Who would want to go through the ordeal of being harangued by a defence attorney and called a liar day after day in addition to being made to re-live a traumatic event? It only needs one person on a jury to have the attitude “she was asking for it” or “boys will be boys” and no unanimous guilty verdict will be possible. The definition of consent needs to be redefined and what defence attorneys are allowed to infer about an alleged victim’s behaviour prior to the alleged assault needs to be restricted. – Bob Vinnicombe, Sefton

Packer’s Crown jewels

Blind Freddie can see that Crown Casino should lose its licence (“The tower teeters,” January 2-3). What is more shadowy is how James Packer was gifted our land for his high-roller, members-only glass and steel tribute to himself. Will we ever know who dealt those cards? Mark Paskal, Clovelly

Home truths

More than 100,000 people are homeless, many low-income earners are in housing stress which means that 30 per cent or more of their income is needed to put a roof over their head, yet residential towers keep going up (“Towers built for investors cost those living inside“, January 2-3). The main reason for this building boom is preferential tax treatment for investors in property – especially negative gearing and capital gains concessions. Renters and first home buyers are priced out of the market and wind up in insecure housing or no housing at all. It is a national disgrace that is ignored by federal and state governments. – Chris Moe, Bensville

Special delivery

Great idea to use drones for urgent medical deliveries and other socially useful purposes. But when our sky is filled with takeaway food and Amazon deliveries, perhaps it’s time to get a shotgun licence (“Pandemic pain adds fuel to the demand for drones“, January 2-3). – Paul Doyle, Glenbrook

Golden gooses

Hopefully, those retirees feeling pleased that they will continue to receive franking credits from their share portfolio and not pay income tax on their superannuation withdrawals will give a thought to just who pays for the government services that this, by definition, wealthier cohort utilise in their ‘golden years’ (“Albanese dumps ‘retiree tax’ from Labor’s platform“, January 2). Answer: it is the working generation. We are toldthat any increase in the superannuation levy comes at the expense of wage increases, so whyaren’t super withdrawals taxed as wages (at various marginal rates) with an offset for the 15 per cent tax paid on contributions and fund earnings? – Maurice Critchley, Kenthurst

It’s a shame that Labor is dropping its policy of removing franking credits because – no matter how the government tries to spin it – getting a refund for tax that has not been paid is unfair and, in the current pandemic, unaffordable. – Leo Sorbello, West Ryde

No better for aged

Seeing Cabinet papers from 2000 on the aged care outcry over treatment of the elderly in one nursing home (“Public outrage over the treatment of aged care residents“, January 2-3) and the subsequent anger over problems within the broader industry, could have been from 2020. Nothing has changed. We still have poor staffing, a lack of registered nurses and failings in oversight. – Eira Battaglia, Seaforth

Throw the books at them

A bar on the roof of the Mitchell building at the State Library? Oh dear (“Rooftop small bar part of library’s next chapter“, January 2-3). I never imagined feeling so thankful that my dear grandfather, W.H. Ifould (the former principal librarian of NSW), is dead. – Susan Newman, Mona Vale

Chip off the gold block

“I am my mother’s son,” writes Prince Harry (“Duke and Duchess welcome 2021 with new website“, January 2-3). Damn right: inherited wealth and addicted to publicity. Angus McLeod, Cremorne

Swimming in data

I read with interest Richard Glover’s article regarding the regional semantics of what to call your beach attire (“By jingo, border closures keep out the icy pole set“, January 2-3). I conducted a survey to see what the Medical Mums of Australia prefer (mums who are doctors). There were 1022 responses and the winner is: bathers (312), followed by swimmers (299), togs (263), swimsuit (58), cossie or cozzie (49) and swimming costume (41). This set of data is surely of national significance. – Celia Bradford, Warrawee

Boring books a plus

I have been interested to read your correspondents’ choices of boring novels, particularly since three of the most-mentioned novels – Silas Marner, Wuthering Heights and Vance Palmer’s The Passage were chosen by our English teacher for our Leaving Certificate year. The novels played a significant part in my choosing to be a teacher … of mathematics. Tony Everett, Wareemba

Robert Hosking (Letters, January 1), I absolutely loved Vance Palmer’s The Passage and still have my well-thumbed copy from high school (1963). I spotted a man reading it at the Wisemans Ferry Hotel recently and regret not approaching him for his opinion. Might have been you. Helen Kershaw, Killara

When I left home, my mother kept up my education by sending a selection of classics. The first was Madame Bovary, which was the most depressing novel I had ever read. No. 2, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, was even more so. The third was Crime and Punishment. I can just imagine Dostoevsky saying: “Hold my beer.” – Colin Campbell, Coogee

The digital view

Online comment from the story that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
“‘Better to hand out a mask than a fine’: Calls for free masks”
From Concerned: ‘‘Giving out masks would help ensure compliance and will save a fortune if it saves even one hospitalisation. Money well spent. We have the PPE in storage, now is the time to wheel it out and distribute it at least until the vaccination program rolls out.’’