You only have to see some internet sites where pets are given away or sold because the pet doesn't fit the family's lifestyle or they don't have time for it. A pet is for life and people should consider all aspects of pet ownership before receiving or buying a pet, but I suppose it's easy to discard a pet if it doesn't suit you. So if you must have a pet this Christmas, please consider one of the many hard working outstanding animal rescue organisations and give a dog or cat a chance of a second life as they deserve it for what some of them go through.

By getting a rescue friend not only will it save a pet's life and help the rescue people, you won't be lining the pockets of puppy farmers or some people who just breed animals for profit.

NSW trackers and tracers haven't found case zero yet. NSW's much-vaunted system, designed to quickly isolate and deal with infectious people, has failed. Instead, Kerry Chant is appealing to people who visited venues of known transmission to be tested whilst Brad Hazzard is raging against Donald Ducks and Mickey Mouses registered through QR codes.

As I recall, in the case of the Ruby Princess quarantine debacle, a government-run official enquiry did not ascribe personal blame to anyone. The same applies to the Victorian quarantine enquiry. These second wave outbreaks occurred because of systemic failures. Convenient for some.

If the quarantine system isn't working, it is time to change the system.

The electric vehicle revolution requires government support. Australia currently has a golden opportunity to support the move to electric vehicles by building suitable infrastructure.

This combines the installation of chargers with appropriate grid modifications.

In my opinion, a worldwide electric vehicle revolution is now inevitable, given the urgent need to reduce emissions and pollution in the transport sector, as we move toward net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The UK has recently announced it will ban fossil fuel vehicles from 2030.

To encourage electric vehicle uptake, the UK have already installed more than 30,000 charging points, at over 11,000 locations across the country. This compares with less than 2000 charging points in Australia.

Infrastructure Australia recommended in 2019 that we invest in a national public charging network as a high priority.

Once the infrastructure is in place, electric vehicle manufacturers will see our market as fully viable and begin importing many more models at reduced prices due to economies of scale. This would be a win, win for both manufacturers and consumers.

In my opinion the federal government needs to provide leadership and vision to make the most of this unique opportunity.

The experts have spoken clearly and unequivocally, but is the government listening?

AFTER the Prime Minister refused to act on the Interim Reports from the Royal Commission on aged care on the basis that he would need to get the final report at the end of February, Mr Morrison has advised that he is making another billion dollars of funds available to address some of the problem revealed by the RC, even though on analysis it appears that most of these funds had been promised at the height of the pandemic.

As the Royal Commission has indicated that the Aged Care Act required a complete root and branch reform before further funds are given to providers this uncaring government is passing over billions of taxpayer dollars without any requirement to guarantee any reduction in the rate of abuse and neglect as horrifically revealed in the royal commission.

The Royal Commission is proposing that an independent body be created to regulate the providers and ensure that funds allocated are in fact being used for patients care not fast cars and bonuses for directors as has happened under Morrison's watch for years.

In regard to the home care packages the RC has proposed that an independent body regulate the fees and charges being charged by providers that now allows most for profit providers taking a fee of some 40 per cent just to manage the funds then charging $60 an hour for cleaning when the worker is paid $25 for the work.

It appears to me that the PM is hoping that with the arrival of the vaccine the public will believe the crisis in aged care is over and the public will forget that his failure to plan for the pandemic, as revealed in the Royal Commission, resulted in the unnecessary and lonely deaths of near 700 aged family members. The announcement of these gifts to providers that have no requirement for transparency will be followed at the end of February by another declaration of intent only to be followed up with the same lack of completion as applied to all the other reports that now gather dust in some department drawer.

The only way to get real action is for us seniors to get to Canberra before the budget and occupy the foyers and refuse to leave until we have written commitment the Royal Commission report will be implemented and if we don't get it then Dutton will have to set his stormtroopers on us but tell him to get ambulances as our health problem would cause deaths if manhandled like they do on young protesters.

IAN King (Short Takes, 17/12) I of course can't speak for John Lawton, but personally, when I think back to the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd "circus", I tend to remember the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, apologies to the stolen generation, China taken to task over human rights abuses, Australia saved from recession with stimulus packages during the global financial crisis, a price put on carbon, introduction of paid parental leave, education reform, children's dental care, the national disability insurance scheme, and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

However, when it comes to Morrison's government, I doubt Australia will look back on it for much more than his Hawaiian holiday in the middle of a national emergency (after budget cuts of 75.2% to the NSW Rural Fire Service), late action on the bushfire crisis, late action on covid-19, inaction on climate change, the aged care crisis, mishandling of drought relief, "sports rorts", "robodebt" as well as various other broken promises and corruption scandals.

Morrison's recent unnecessary professional photo shoots at the taxpayers' expense aren't doing his legacy any favours.

HATS off to the wonderful carers (and vets) of the Stockton stray cats ('Authorities must step in', Newcastle Herald 21/12). Animal lovers in Newcastle will share their anguish at the brutal treatment of these poor defenceless creatures. Certainly they were not harming anyone and certainly they deserved a safe place in this world. I truly hope the ones who were injured may be saved and find safe homes with people who care. Shame on those who dreamed this up.

I THINK it should be against the law to feed feral animals who threaten our wildlife. People could use their time and money better by helping to save the threatened species of the world. ("Authorities must step in", Herald, 21/12)

WHY haven't the presumably rich, white people from upmarket Avalon suffered being named and shamed for flouting COVID rules as the two dark skinned girls from Brisbane were earlier this year? I believe it's probably for the same reason Gladys Berejiklian hasn't suffered the same scrutiny and criticism as poor old Daniel Andrews. White, rich and conservative are the NLP and Murdoch press preferred people. Merry Christmas everyone.

I AGREE with John Ure (Letters, 19/12) it was pleasing that there were a lot of letters in support for the national anthem being sung in Eora language, but that doesn't alter the fact that it's a lousy anthem in any language. As has been pointed out, we are not young or free when you look at the incarceration rates of Indigenous people. Our golden soil has gone and now graces the glaciers in New Zealand and yes, there are boundless plains to share because governments can always extinguish native title.

KARLY Warner (Letters, 22/12), I totally agree that black lives do matter. I also believe you do the crime, you do the time.

IT'S really reassuring to learn that now (just like during the fires) at the outbreak of the Avalon cluster, our esteemed PM is about to go on leave. As one wag asked, what's the difference between Harold Holt and Scott Morrison? Harold Holt only went missing once.

IF Gladys lets Sydney people travel here under the current epidemic, I believe she will have blood on her hands if the virus spreads through our community. It's our home; it's not open to scientific experiments. Tourists will get a very cold reception going by the conversations around town. The next decision could cost her re-election.

QUITE right, Dr Brian Roach (Short Takes 22/12). The HSC results only point to tertiary education places. Since the 1960s each level of education has been obsessed with the next level of education, not preparing students for the workforce. I believe that even the tertiary institutions leave it to employers to teach the graduates what they really need to know.