Letters and short takes September 8 2023

It wasn't the Albanese government that gave billions to Qantas during the COVID shutdown. At that time, the airline was shedding staff anyway. It wasn't the Albanese government who was applauding Joyce and Qantas when they were outsourcing jobs and shutting down the fleet to punish workers and pilots. To my knowledge, there was no criticism of any of the prime ministers during the current opposition's time in government. The opposition and the right-wing media certainly rely on the general public having a short memory.

I BELIEVE the Qantas customer has finally been heard after a period that has been very damaging to the Qantas brand.

The Transport Workers Union has identified the company's staff issues as significant in this decline, after the company allegedly moved from experienced staff to lower-cost replacements while benefiting from the JobKeeper scheme.

Governments should be warned about getting into bed with big business. There's little doubt Qantas's Voice involvement was a tipping point when issues with the ACCC, COVID payments, Qatar Airlines and staffing emerged. The only circuit-breaker in sight was Alan Joyce's resignation. Similarly, I expect the government, grappling already with the cost of living, will have a hard time ahead of them with power supply issues, the Brittany Higgins fiasco, immigration, and housing supply to be managed. An inexperienced government will need to grow fast.

The public are very hard markers.

IT is getting more expensive to live with rising energy, fuel and food costs.

The federal government says it's doing its best to reduce costs, but I don't believe it. Everyone has been told that the higher costs are partly because of the war in Ukraine, but the government earns an enormous amount of GST from us every day. The money is funding the war by supplying tanks and other support. While it looks good that we are "donating" these weapons, we are also suffering the cost of a war that has nothing to do with us. I just wish they would come clean and stop blaming the war. Tell us the truth.

THE editorial ("Banning books answers few questions", Opinion 28/8) appears reasonable until you look closer. The book, Welcome to Sex, was aimed at early teens, but would be available to any child who could pick it up. The book itself, a mix of cartoon characters and text, is not very educational. It contains very little factual information and no photographs. It is mostly value statements and virtue-signalling.

Banning it from libraries might seem over the top, and I would agree. But the left-wing who are furious over the situation are silent about all the books/videos that are banned from schools and libraries because they contradict their narrative.

People should be aware, having spent some time in Newcastle library myself recently, that public libraries now seemingly let teenagers hold group meetings to discuss very loudly every topic except what they are supposed to be studying there. I have observed (heard) small children running wild and loud around the library, without any intervention from parents or staff. I guess that's the library being inclusive? Those small children had access to books on shelves everywhere, so if Welcome to Sex was there, they would've found it.

IT seems the climate wars in Australia have been overtaken with the energy wars ("Power plant cost estimate in dispute", Herald 5/9). The NSW Labor government blames the previous Liberal government for selling off its coal-fired power stations and making inadequate progress on renewables. It's hardly surprising that young Australians have lost confidence in the major parties and are voting for the Greens and independents.

It seems that only the defeat of both parties at the ballot box will convince them that we have a climate crisis and that bipartisan teamwork is crucial if we are to make the rapid progress needed. I think extending the life of Eraring is a backwards step.

GARY Fagg ("Credit fees where they're due", Letters, 2/9), you speak of having to pay transaction charges for your goods at shops. It's simple: always pay cash. Then you know what you have spent.

MARK Gattenhoff ("Farnham's groove leaves me unmoved", Letters, 7/9), it's extremely important we all understand that John Farnham had not "aligned himself with Albanese" when he allowed his song to be used by the 'yes' campaign. He aligned himself with Indigenous Australians. If anyone intends to vote 'no' because they dislike Albanese and Labor, then they are voting that way for the wrong reason and at the expense of our most disadvantaged fellow Australians. Albanese will not be harmed by your 'no' vote, but fellow Aussies will.

Yet another great letter from John Ure ("No' campaign isn't convincing me", Letters, 6/9). Always clear and to the point, his summing up makes complete sense. So, on October 14, it's yes, yes, yes from me.

I had to read Jacqueline Maley's recent article in the Sun Herald twice because I couldn't believe it the first time. Noel Pearson; "the best political speaker in the country". Is she serious? In my opinion, Pearson is the nastiest of all the 'yes' campaigners. Didn't Maley hear his tirades about Jacinta Price and Warren Mundine? He certainly convinced me to vote 'no' in the coming referendum.

IF Alan Joyce is leaving Qantas two months early due to reputational issues ('Early departure for Qantas CEO', Newcastle Herald 6/9), wouldn't that mean a reduction in bonuses and "golden handshake" payout for him? If not, I have to wonder why not?