Grants-for-votes is not 'our system' Premier, it's a rort

What a pity that all those who made detailed submissions for grants were not advised that they were wasting their time if not in a favoured electorate. Judith Bennett, Umina

Is it OK to give money to a council that did not even put in a submission for a grant, or to dismiss a submission from a council because the electorate didn’t vote for the Coalition? The Premier admits most of the controversial $250 million council grants were used to shore up Coalition votes and pork barrelling is "not illegal". Standards are definitely slipping, Premier. Helen Simpson, Curl Curl

I read this article thinking how can one defend the indefensible? Having finished the article I concluded one can’t. Graham Bird, St Ives

Christmas, an island of cruelty for our nation

How ironic is the name for Christmas Island, a place of isolation and despair for the Sri Lankan family heartlessly detained and forgotten there for nearly three years (Editorial cartoon, December 9). The best Christmas present the Australian government could give many thousands of caring, sympathetic people who want justice for this family, would be to let them go home to Biloela, giving the nation a much-needed return of Christmas spirit and let Christmas Island live up to its name. Joy Paterson, Mount Annan

Thank you, Cathy Wilcox, for reminding just how cruel and lacking in compassion this government is by allowing the Sri Lankan family to languish in despair on Christmas Island. The town of Biloela has been intensely lobbying the government for their return to their town but the government has ignored these pleas. Leo Sorbello, West Ryde

Wilcox's poignant cartoon of the young family is a timely reminder for us to be on the lookout for the usual end of year glad-handing and hypocritical, pious Christian messaging from our politicians. Rod Hughes, Epping

The family taken from the community in Biloela is awaiting its third Christmas in detention. It is estimated to cost $20,000 a day to keep them there, plus legal costs incurred by a government fighting to have them deported and determined to use them as an example to the rest of the world. Shame on them. Vicki Marquis, Glebe

There are times when I am absolutely ashamed to be an Australian and Wilcox’s brilliant cartoon amplifies one such occasion. The heartlessness of the government is a blight on our national character. What possible end is to be achieved by incarcerating this family in wretched isolation on this far flung outpost of our country? What possible crime has this family committed to receive such barbaric treatment? Bring them back to Biloela where they are loved, respected, productive and valued. Bill Young, Killcare Heights

Wilcox's timely cartoon brought a tear to my old eyes. She is, as usual, right on the money but many of us have forgotten them, too busy complaining. The appalling treatment of the Biloela family thanks to the inhuman approach to asylum seekers taken by this and past federal governments, should elicit shame and horror from real Australians. Unfortunately, we seem to be too busy complaining about our own isolation, owing to COVID-19, which has lasted for much shorter periods. The land of the fair go? Ian Usman Lewis, Kentucky

IR laws are still lipstick on a pig

Here we go again: WorkChoices 2, where so-called "pay deals" to "get enterprise bargaining back on track" will see individual employees in heavily one-sided bargaining positions while employers just thumb their nose at any notion of equity and fair play so long as their wage costs are minimised ("New laws threaten workers' income", December 9). And the transparently convenient rationale is that it will help business recover from the pandemic. Same pig, different shade of lipstick. Adrian Connelly, Springwood

Was there ever any doubt that a Coalition government would use the pretext of “extraordinary times” to roll out WorkChoices 2? Tony Judge, Woolgoolga

Remember when they looked you in the eye, hand on heart and told you “WorkChoices is dead, buried and cremated”. You weren’t silly enough to believe them, were you? Bob Macfarlane, Mirrabooka

Delicate balance

The effectiveness of the national cabinet has contributed to Australia controlling the pandemic but even more remarkable has been its ability to survive the inevitable partisan sniping (''Forged in crisis, the national cabinet is set to endure'', December 9). The delicate balancing act that is Federation has been exposed and, despite the fluster and failures of various federal and state politicians, has fulfilled its role of protecting citizens and residents. The question is, how long can governments maintain their focus on the welfare of the nation and not on their own self-interest? Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

Spend wisely

I hope that the so-called “self-funded retirees” who, without any sense of irony, so often complain about the lack of government support read Ross Gittins’ article through to the end, where he gives two sage pieces of advice. First, your superannuation balance is for your retirement and not intended to be a way of providing an inheritance for the children – so spend the capital - and, second, much of that balance is the result of the extremely generous tax concessions afforded to the superannuation system (“Learning to live without inflation”, December 9). Maurice Critchley, Kenthurst

With friends like these

Given that the Northern Beaches are seen as a safe “blue-ribbon” area and the western suburbs are seen as marginal seats, is it a coincidence that any state or federal infrastructure will be prioritised to those marginal seat areas , especially now that we are told by the Premier that pork-barrelling to “shore up votes” is just fine (“Northern beaches tunnel delayed”, December 9)?

The lead up to the Spit Bridge in both directions is one of the worst traffic routes for congestion in the state, yet we are rarely acknowledged in state funding. This latest delay and the fact there was no mention of the Beaches Link in the budget says it all really. Judy Hungerford, North Curl Curl

High price of mining

The independent planning commission yesterday approved the extension of the Russel Vale mine (''Australian mines the last to close'', December 9). This mine is in Sydney's water catchment and not only does it pollute our water, it drains massive amounts of water from our catchment. This loss of water is due to cracking in creek beds that will never repair.

The coal will last a few years, the loss of water for ever. The reason given was economic benefit to NSW of $174 million. This is less than one-eighth the price of a new stadium, a new tunnel, even less than having to turn on the desalination plant, let alone needing a new one. Sydneysiders should be enraged. ​Peggy Fisher, Killara

STEM the tide

Correspondents point to the speed with which COVID is being addressed and suggest various cancers should be next (Letters, December 9). Unfortunately, thousands of research scientists have just lost their jobs due to lack of government funding and the resulting over-reliance upon overseas students’ fees. As a result, many projects underway for years have just come to an abrupt halt, including into cancers. As soon as borders open, we will lose yet more scientists to countries like Germany which value and fund research.

As for encouraging students to study STEM subjects, why on earth would you? Even if you can find a job after years obtaining a PhD, you will be on a series of short-term contracts with long hours, average pay and zero job security. Instead, flip houses, or become a footballer or a politician, at least they have job prospects. Eva Elbourne, Pennant Hills

Singing from the same song sheet

Jennifer Carter dismisses We are Australian as a pop song but what’s wrong with a pop song for a national anthem if all Australians enjoy belting it out (Letters, December 9)?

The first verse has a fitting acknowledgment of the first Australians which could be translated into First Nations languages. Bring it on. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

It was heartening to see a number of letters in support of learning Aboriginal languages in song and speech. Not one of them signed off using the local country name. We should all at least know in what ancestral country we each live. I’m proud to live in Kabi Kabi Country. Pam Linnett, Twin Waters, Kabi Kabi Country (Qld)

Art attack over misinformation

I value collegiality in our brave resilient sector and I have written in support of National Art School Director Steven Alderton’s efforts to secure NSW government funding (''Another blow for arts students and teachers is also a loss for Australia'', December 8). However, his reliance on incorrect, though published, information perpetrates harmful misinformation.

The glass discipline at our school is not being disestablished, neither are ceramics and glass being merged. We continue to teach across our three degrees and disciplines in innovative ways. We remain committed to studio practice and will continue to deliver a high-quality studio-based teaching and learning experience and “make things”. Sadly, maintaining the broadest range of disciplines nationally is now being challenged. While the prospect of losing disciplines is truly confronting, redeployment is proposed for staff in jewellery, object, and furniture.

It is true that economically it is very difficult to keep nine disciplines fully funded in the utopian way suggested. Our vice-chancellor has invested in doing so; he will not relinquish that high ground too readily. Today we are faced with difficult choices – and not ones that we wish to be making. But my brilliant colleagues at the School of Art and Design are committed to our practice disciplines, which continue to flourish despite the ravages of COVID-19. It is Australian society that needs to consider the undeniable high value of art, design and culture to our nation. Professor Denise Ferris, head of School of Art and Design, ANU

Torrid Henry

Your correspondent fails to mention that the marriage between Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon was in fact validated by the Roman Catholic Church (Letters, December 9). The Pope provided a dispensation to ensure that the alliance between England and Spain, arising from Catherine's marriage to Arthur, was maintained. The problem for Henry was that having fallen for Anne Boleyn he could not persuade the Pope to annul his marriage to Catherine. He had already had one favour from Rome. We can only speculate as what would have happened had the Pope granted that request. Maybe we would never have had an Anglican church – and no problems for Father Dave. John Lees, Castlecrag

Henry VIII was a nasty piece of work. As Oscar Wilde might have put it ''to behead one wife seems careless, two is perverse''. Ivan Head, Burradoo

The ten commandment

Tough new guidelines for alcohol consumption (“Ten drinks a week the new maximum”, December 9)? No worries. Aussies being an inventive mob, the hard-core drinkers will just apply the erstwhile Coalition carry-over credits principle, and factor in all the drinks they could have had in the weeks between birth and 15. Joan Brown, Orange

Mmmm ... I'll have another drink and think about that. Michael Deeth, Como West

The digital view

Online comment from the story that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
''‘Worst attack since WorkChoices’: Key element of pay deals to be relaxed under IR reform''
From Samson: ‘‘Decent pay and money in the hands of hard working Australians is the way out of the recession not increasing the profits of large corporations.’’

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