'Freedom' rallies show no concern for vulnerable communities.

A Resolve poll showed 80 per cent think NSW's COVID restrictions were too weak and too late and only 11 per cent thought NSW COVID restrictions were too harsh.

The organisers of the anti-lockdown public protests are a mix of the far right, anti-vaxers, conspiracy theorists, libertarians and fringe wellness types selling their miracle cures.

A Sydney organiser of an anti-lockdown rally in August had travelled from Queensland to Sydney with a suitcase of his website merchandise to sell at the rallies when he was arrested.

Some conservative politicians are using restrictions and lockdowns to sound egalitarian and build electoral support.

It's hardly democratic or egalitarian to ignore a pandemic.

Political rights such as the right to publicly protest is important, but 'freedom' is an empty slogan, it means nothing.

Democratic rights would be quick access to vaccines and health support. That's community solidarity.

THE Premier Gladys Berejiklian at her 11am press report stresses what a great job the nurses and ambos are doing, putting their lives and the lives of their families at risk.

Didn't the Premier block a pay rise for these people this year? Pats on the back never helped pay a bill or the rent.

I would tell my bosses if they praised me "don't pat me on the back it means nothing to my bank manager, put it in the pay packet mate that helps a lot more".

So Premier, it's time to reward them with a meaningful pay rise and perhaps a nice bonus like some some senior public servants get.

I CAN understand that due to COVID the mail may be delayed, however I find it incredible that a product I ordered according to Australia Post parcel info was picked up from Kotara and sent to Warabrook then for some unknown reason was sent to Sydney then redirected back to Warabrook for delivery to me in Whitebridge.

I was notified on Sunday that Australia Post had the pick-up request.

So here we are four days later and a parcel that had to travel 8 kilometres for delivery is still not delivered. Need I say more.

IN THE NEWS:

WHILE the current COVID-19 pandemic is very serious, the media hype surrounding it is somewhat out of control.

Various strains (Delta, South Africa) are reported as if they would not be expected.

A look at last year's normal flu vaccine shows A/Hawaii, A/Hong Kong, B/Washington, B/Victoria, B/Phuket are all strains in the flu vaccine.

Multiple vaccines are also available (Vaxigrip, Fluarix, Fluad, Influvac).

The COVID-19 variations are to be expected and just as the normal flu mutates, so will COVID-19, and new effective vaccines will be developed.

We will learn to live with COVID-19 just as we have with the yearly influenza.

SOME state premiers are launching into the stratosphere when it comes to excuses not to open up when vaccination rates hit 70 or 80 per cent, or in Western Australia 460,002,021 per cent of people vaccinated sounds pretty accurate considering Mr McGowan crows about the state economy being the best in the universe.

The GST theft from the east coast is the second highest income below iron ore.

Talk about bite the hand that feeds you, time to slash the GST revenue going to the hermit state of WA, that'll learn 'em.

As for Annastacia Fantasia, when every child, chook, kangaroo, crocodile and cane toad has been vaccinated she might let people from Broken Hill and Coober Pedy in only if they play footy or have contacts in Hollywood.

THE Pan Pacific Masters Games held on the Gold Coast have been cancelled once again.

These games attract around 11,000 participants every time, plus their support personnel, which is a huge boost to the economy for the Gold Coast and accommodation in the area.

I spent time on the phone this morning calling all the motels we had booked from Yamba to Burleigh Heads cancelling our accommodation once again; twice now.

Unless you play cricket or NRL you can't get access to Queensland. This is rubbish.

These games are one of the biggest masters' games in the world as far as the number of competitors, including the Olympics, so why are these premiers still sitting on the fence about border closures?

She doesn't care about the people of Queensland or in fact the people in Australia, only her political career.

It wouldn't matter if we had two jabs, which most of these participants have had, she still wouldn't allow her borders to open.

Have a heart Annastacia and open your pearly gates.

HOW can we expect to overcome the challenge of climate change when there is no mention of constraints being imposed on businesses that produce weapons used in war?

I have always maintained it is innocent human beings who believe "we are all in ... together", however we have little input regarding this topic which is inevitable and will always be so.

These businesses are not presented as certified, authorised, legitimate places of employment, therefore their product and its purpose, is not clearly understood.

My concern is what precautions have been factored into "the greatest challenge of our time" regarding this activity?

I WAS shocked by Ian Kirkwood's recent piece, in which he called our increasing concern over human-induced global warming "a religion", ("Warming outside and in climate chat rooms", Opinion, 28/8).

Just because CO2, temperature and sea levels may have been higher in past ages of the earth, that does not make such increases benign in our present situation.

To claim as Kirkwood does that it is merely humanity's "way of life" that is threatened, trivialises the catastrophic death and destruction that science predicts is on track to ensue unless we act promptly and effectively to stop causing this process.

THE recent coverage of the loss of sand along the Merewether to Bar Beach stretch due to wave action in recent times is interesting. I wonder what will happen if the sand doesn't come back similar to our poorer cousins in Stockton. Call me cynical, but it will be interesting what happens in Merewether in regard to regeneration as opposed to what has happened over a very long period in Stockton.

I ALSO agree with Robert Baxter and Louis Pirona, (Letters 21/8 and 27/8). The weed that is overtaking Edmunds Bay is absolutely disgusting. Today, 31/8, the stench that is coming off the bay is quite horrific. We fear in the warmer months ahead this will only worsen. A neighbour contacted the Department of Land & Environment back in February. A gentleman graciously came and took some photos but there has been no further response. Local MP, Greg Piper, has also been contacted but to no avail. As pointed out by Louis Pirona, some urgent remedial action needs to be taken by whomever is responsible for Edmunds Bay. It is already looking like a swamp.

POLITICIANS who make announcements on COVID each day must stop speaking of isolation as "furlough". It is an attempt to defuse the alarm around the fact that persons who catch COVID (such as health workers) by using a disarming word. They're not on a break or holiday. They're in isolation.

REGARDING Cian Hussey's opinion piece "Regions to feel brunt of feel good target", (Opinion, 2/9). Good on you for having a go, but writing in a regional newspaper and repeatedly using the phrase "inner city elites" doesn't paper over the fact the organisation you represent is one of Australia's most "inner city elite" think tanks headquartered in Collins Street, Melbourne.

I JUST saw on ABC Landline that in 2018 the federal government promised to plant one billion plantation trees in the next decade. So far 1 per cent of them have been planted. At this rate it will take 300 years to complete. If asked I guess Scott Morrison's answer will be "it's not a race".

TO slow transmissions, turn off the telly, turn down the radio and buy the paper on Saturday or Sunday only. Reducing emissions can be achieved by going 10km below the speed limit; of course, where it is safe to do so.

IT is not what your country can do for you, it is what you can do for your country. Please get vaccinated!