



Rudd too smart to go after the poisoned chalice

<i>Illustration: John Shakespeare</i>

Illustration: John Shakespeare

I wish media commentators would realise that Kevin Rudd's best chance of becoming prime minister will be in three years' time after a period as opposition leader taking on Prime Minister Tony Abbott who will more than likely fail to ''stop the boats'' among other things (''Beware knives of March: PM put on notice'', February 19).

Nothing, it would seem, can save this Labor government at the next election and Mr Rudd knows that, too. It is likely that Ms Gillard will be voted out and will resign as leader, leaving it open for Mr Rudd.

So, stop menacing poor Kevin about a leadership challenge that will not happen.

Give the man credit for some intelligence.

Tony Cronin Port Macquarie

Forget Lazarus (''Rudd's just in storage waiting for sun to shine'', February 19).

If he is thinking of a comeback it will probably be on Easter Sunday.

Brian Collins Cronulla

Simon Crean has described recent poll results as a "wake-up call". Mr Crean, your party's alarm clock went off about two years ago. It's been clanging ever since and everyone's wide awake, all wondering when the sleepy heads will hear it. Anyway, just get up for now, have a shower and try to look sharp. It won't be long and you can go back to bed.

Graeme Smith Randwick

To all those prophets of doom predicting annihilation for Labor, let me remind them of Tampa, the Falklands War, John Hewson's GST. Unwinnable elections have been won before.

Jerry Stiel Lilyfield

It is very disheartening to hear how his Labor colleagues speak of their former leader Kevin Rudd. To quote Simon Crean: ''I don't think it's a question of telling him to shut up … ''

Yes, Kevin Rudd exists, he takes up human space, he walks, he talks, he even accepts invitations to promote the Labor Party message then cancels them in case they are in conflict with more prominent Labor ministers.

But even more disheartening is that those who have created their nemesis with their own misdeeds blame it all on the very person against whom these misdeeds were directed.

The reason the polls are so bad for Labor is not the fault of Kevin Rudd, but rather the continually inept and uninspiring leadership of the present Prime Minister as well as the inept and uninspiring efforts of her followers.

Rosalind Winterton Bondi

The thought of Tony Abbott as Prime Minister is unbearable. Desperate times require that Kevin Rudd is reinstated as Labor leader to win the election, then removed again in favour of Julia Gillard for the same good reasons as previously.

Dave Watts Clareville


Conservatism no excuse for inaction on crucial matters

Gerard Henderson condemns papal pundits for incorrigible ignorance but he argues the Catholic Church is entitled to maintain unreasonable attitudes to same-sex marriage and the ordination of women because it is a conservative institution which is based on voluntary membership (''Papal pundits should repent of unforgivable ignorance'', February 19).

This rather ignores the Catholic doctrine which accepts and encourages infant baptism. The baptised children who were subsequently exposed to the tender mercies of paedophile priests didn't volunteer for this particular experience, and while Cardinal Ratzinger's 2001 letter De delictis gravioribus clarified the confidentiality of internal church investigations into this sort of abuse (and other offences), in a way that kept the conservatives within the Catholic Church happy, objective observers have been more critical.

Conservative organisations do have a tendency to hang onto policies long after they've passed their sell-by dates. Pope Benedict XVI is to be congratulated for recognising that his own powers are failing but he has failed to perceive a comparable decline in the organisation that the Pope currently leads.

Bill Sloman Darlinghurst

For once, I agree with Gerard Henderson. Well, almost.

He is right to point out much of the criticism directed at the papacy is ill-informed. But his defence of the doctrine of papal infallibility from such criticism has an obvious flaw. It matters little that the Pope only rarely claims to be infallible, and only about certain things. The fact he can claim to be infallible at all, about anything, is the point.

A woman can't be half pregnant. A roughly similar analogy to the occasional infallibility of a man.

Michael Hinchey New Lambton

Gerard Henderson dismisses those that seek to liberalise the Catholic Church, claiming it is a conservative institution. I bet that's not what its founder - a Galilean preacher executed for his radical beliefs - had in mind.

Most would find the Catholic Church much broader than Henderson is prepared to admit.

Progress in the church as elsewhere is inevitable, despite conservatives' efforts to block it.

Christopher Smith Edinburgh, Britain


Answer is clean energy, not tinkering at edges

Barry O'Farrell's so-called protection for residential areas from coal seam gas exploration is a typical side-step of the real issue, which is that CSG, and coal, should be left in the ground, period ("Dead in the water: O'Farrell buries coal seam gas plans'', February 19).

A two-kilometre exclusion zone may seem plenty, but the long-term polluting aspect is again being ignored. The big question is why governments are allowing companies to callously destroy the environment in order to get every last drop of fuel instead of developing a clean energy policy that will avoid catastrophic climate change.

Let's face it: Barry O'Farrell's environmental record is already woeful. Now he is just tinkering around the edges to try to pacify the increasingly aware electorate, and so maintain business as usual.

Julius Timmerman Lawson

Was the back-down by Barry O'Farrell on CSG a victory for the people or a cynical ploy to help Tony Abbott win seats at the election? What we need to do now is petition the federal Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke, to stop the mining and CSG exploration in the Gloucester area. If pressure can be brought to change the government here in NSW then pressure needs to be brought on the federal government.

Robert Pallister Punchbowl

The NSW government finally recognises CSG is toxic to where you live but allows it to continue where your food comes from. Good luck with that.

Peter Lewis Kyogle


Stiff cheddar

It is not clear just what is behind Michael McNamara's concern about the success of Aldi's products at the Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Show (''Aldi's show win has artisans cheesed off'', February 19).

I assume the judges from this ''old, respected and vital institution'' are competent to assess the merits of dairy products, based on taste and other important criteria which do not include who made it, where it was made and how it was made.

I hate to disappoint Mr McNamara, but as a cheese lover I have to say that if Aldi's suppliers can come up with a product that tastes as good or better than a more expensive one from an artisan cheesemaker, then I'll stick with Aldi.

Col Nicholson Hawks Nest


Teachers who can't

Professor Rob Tierney, the dean of education and social work at the University of Sydney, says ''poor performing students'' do not graduate from teaching courses (''Strict uni cut-offs a mistake, says teaching expert'', February 19). If only this were true. In the recent past at our school, we have seen student teachers of English who have managed to reach their final year of university with little mastery of spelling or grammar. Many are unable to write cogent essays.

One said she had never studied Shakespeare at school or tertiary level. Amazingly, another was unable to read a simple passage out to a class, openly stating that he was ''no good at reading''. When the university was contacted regarding this rather huge impediment to English teaching, the student was moved to another school to complete his practicum on the grounds that there was a ''personality clash'' with the supervising teacher.

One wonders exactly what the definition of poor performance is these days.

Paul Koff Glenhaven


Each to his own

I know Philip Cox to be a praiseworthy architect and he and his staff have carried out some commendable projects (''New contender joins the battle for the hotels'', February 19).

I even agree with his assessment of the apparent absence of merit in the Western Darling Harbour redevelopment, but, as the project architect for the Nikko Hotel 1987-1991 (now the Four Points at Sheraton), I find his proposed expansion to be at least as ''appalling''.

The original hotel has a sinewy form and incorporated maritime elements with a connection to waterfront sandstone buildings which still exist in Sussex Street. Its curved forms reflect the curves of the freeway over which it was built. It was an engineering triumph.

Mr Cox now plans to place an exhibition building in front of the hotel and mount an office building at the end. As portrayed on the Herald's front page, these two elements do not respect each other; how they do not diminish the value of the hotel is beyond me.

Warren Dixon Abbotsford


Testing boundaries

Why don't we have mixed cricket (''Cricket world left seeing Stars after women's team extends boundaries'', February 19)? Now that would be interesting.

Gillian Webster Greystanes


The price is right

Indeed, if a government were determined to botch an east coast high-speed train as badly as the airport rail link, a ticket between Sydney and Canberra would cost about $500 (Letters, February 19).

A more useful comparison might be made with the many places where high-speed trains are an affordable, pleasant and quick way to travel. A ticket between Paris and Marseille (750 kilometres) costs €40 ($52) booked in advance, which would work out to under $20 for the 250-kilometre trip between Sydney and Canberra. It would take about the same time as going from Hornsby to the city.

We certainly need to question why the cost estimate for high-speed rail is so high compared with similar lines overseas, but more crippling is the negativity and self-interest which pours cold water on what would be a transformative national project.

Alan Miller Hornsby


Reap what we sow

I hope those complaining about the cost of green slips and other insurance policies are not numbered among the people who voted ''yes'' for the de-mutualisation of our big insurers (Letters, February 19).

David Morrison Springwood


Mental health system, heal thyself

The Waterlow family tragedy, while dreadful, is not unique (''Man who killed father, sister 'never deemed ill enough to be detained''', February 19). The scenario is experienced by people living with and caring for people with mental illness every day.

A family member with paranoid schizophrenia is exhibiting behaviours chillingly similar to those reported to have been exhibited by Antony Waterlow: threats, delusions and other signs of being unwell, and the person is non-compliant with medication. You do not have to be a ''mental health professional'' to know that their condition is deteriorating and dangerous.

So what is the response of the the so called ''professionals''? They conclude the person is unwell, they acknowledge the delusions, the threats of physical harm, the non-compliance with medication. But they will not initiate an involuntary admission.

When asked, in view of all the evidence, why, they respond: ''Well, you know the system.'' The implication is there needs to be a serious physical incident before action will be taken.

The mental health system is one of exclusion not inclusion. As a result of cutbacks by governments of all persuasions, there are simply not enough inpatient resources. People who desperately need inpatient treatment are refused care because there are no beds.

Couple this with a culture that is too heavily weighted towards the rights of individuals, rather than the need to ensure individual and community safety, and the outcome experienced by the Waterlows will be repeated time and time again. Why does it take tragedy before anything meaningful is done?

Name withheld

Bus can stop here

What a bonanza! Thirty-six buses with enough bus drivers to drive them (''Saving on bus cuts won't help the public'', February 19). This is an unprecedented opportunity to tackle Sydney's ever-worsening traffic congestion.

Thirty-six extra buses could take, roughly, up to 2000 cars off our roads at peak hour. With a few extra bus lanes to accommodate them, we could transform Sydney into a city for people instead of miles and miles of expensive parking lots.

Stephen Broderick Avalon


Science is onto it

Joan Croll (Letters, February 19) writes: "Perhaps there is some safe liquid which may float on the surface of [irrigation] channels and prevent evaporation, and be infinitely cheaper than replacing channels with pipes. Come on, clever scientists … think about that."

We are! It is a tricky problem, but scientists at the University of Melbourne, University of Southern Queensland, and the University of New England (and doubtless others) are all working on it.

Dr Chris Fellows senior lecturer in chemistry, school of science and technology, The University of New England, Armidale


Time to saddle up

I'll bet $5 each way that Dave Horsfall (Letters, February 19) will remain stable regardless of whether the meat he consumes is horse meat or beef.

If he disagrees, he can say ''neigh''! Or, as a friend remarked: ''To beef or not to beef, that is equestrian.'' Dave's surname has not gone unnoticed, either.

Tony Moo North Sydney

If you happened to be dining in a restaurant serving horse meat (''And now for the mane course …'', February 19) - then you could safely use the old Groucho Marx line: ''Waiter, this steak still has the marks where the jockey was whipping it!''

Kieran Crumlin Bundeena

Mmm … Black Caviar.

Alicia Dawson Balmain


Why the damsel's still in distress

I don't know about phone box pissoirs, but I do know that Clark Kent has been having increasing change-room problems over the past few years (Letters, February 19).

Phil Stanton Nha Trang, Vietnam

I agree with Murray Howlett's smartphone solution to being caught short - perhaps it could have an ''I Pee'' address?

Richard Hale Paddington


Joke's on Obeid

Michael Engelbretsen (Letters, February 19), if Eddie is awarded the Ordure of Australia, would that make him officially an enema of the people?

Al Svirskis Mount Druitt


Youth gone wild

Where can I get one of these hunting licences for children (''Increase in hunting licences for children'', February 19)?

I can think of one or two of the little darlings that I would like to get in my sights.

Terry Jessop Gordon

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