How to engage enough casual teachers

However, what is not being reported is that there are casual teachers available, like myself, not being engaged.

Teachers in rural communities are provided incentives to work in remote schools, in most cases $20,000 to $30,000.

I am not being engaged because I too want above award rates for working in remote schools. I matched my wage to my colleagues with incentives factored in. I charge about 30 per cent above the award.

It is worth noting that I hold the same training, often more experience and meet the same mandatory requirements. I also switch into small school principal roles, or any teaching position.

However, because I have varied my rate to above award levels, nearby schools have not contacted me. For more than 12 months I have not heard from any schools.

I will also not work for a rate lower than my peers.

I'm writing this as I believe it is important that parents are aware that qualified teachers are available throughout regional Australia. However, what is preventing their children from learning when their regular teacher is away is an educational staff management system that doesn't factor in issues of teacher supply and demand. Nor a system focused on equitable pay rates for the same role.

Until our schools reform their approach to fair rates of pay for casual and temporary teachers, it is ultimately children who will suffer.

Daryll Hadfield asks why the urgency to upgrade Williamtown RAAF base, and who is the enemy ("What's driving base upgrade urgency?", Letters, 28/12) Darryll, I understand that the Solomon Islands military is now running classes in Mandarin.

I would suggest that most Australians have a good idea about who is likely to emerge as a future enemy.

Regardless, it is generally beneficial to complete your defence work "before" you are attacked. Just ask the British, French, Poles, the Dutch, and several other countries, circa 1939.

The increasingly aggressive stance of China in the Pacific is being condemned not only by countries in the so-called Western sphere, but by countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Still Daryll, there appears to be plenty of time for you to enrol in those Mandarin classes.

Who is fooling who, Peter Dolan ("Little choice in Middle East", Letters, 22/12)? Even if all the hostages were released today, Israel will never stop its deadly attacks on Gaza.

Its aim is to totally destroy the area by making it uninhabitable so its rightful owners can never live there again.

So there you have it, it is a land grab by an arrogant, powerful, selfish bully who is being delivered white phosphorus bombs among other weapons by the United States to achieve its ends.

You talk about genocide maybe happening to Israel by Hamas some time in the future. Well it is happening right now to Palestinians and the figure is around 20,000 lives lost so far, including women and children.

I am totally disgusted by the support of many world leaders for what I consider a brutal regime. It seems some lives are more valuable than others. Again I say shame, shame, shame.

It surprises me how almost 10 years since the MH370 disappearance there are basic facts that haven't yet been explored by the media.

After speaking with friends who are pilots operating the same model aircraft, they expressed to me how turning off the transponder, as what was reported to happen in MH370, is no easy task. I was told to switch off the transponder the pilot must climb into a separate compartment under the cockpit to access the avionics switch board.

The pilots also question how a rogue pilot could overpowered his colleague, proceed to turn off the transponder, return to his seat, and fly to a higher altitude within the reported time.

The fact pilots seemed to believe the events were quite unreasonable seems suspicious. And I, like my pilot friends, are not people who like or wish to seek out conspiracy theories. The information available simply doesn't stack up.

It seems much more likely to me (and easier to accept as a flying member of the public), given that the flight went missing directly above an active military war game in the South China Sea, that the plane was accidentally downed by friendly fire in a geopolitical hotspot.

Until more information emerges, or the plane is found, the fate of MH370 remains one of aviation's greatest mysteries. The passage of time doesn't diminish the importance of finding answers for the families and the aviation community.

Moving Kotara railway station closer to Westfield Kotara shopping centre is not a new idea ("From dud to hub: relocate station", Herald, 22/12). As a Newcastle city councillor during the 1995-99 term, I recall this was proposed during a planning seminar. Nothing happened of course (surprise!). Some other former councillors and staff may recall this?

$110 million-plus for the RAAF base (Herald, 26/12) and not a whisper for the PFAS sufferers of Williamtown and surrounds. And another thing, this new jet washing area to be built, where is the chemical runoff from this procedure going to go?

It seems the ladies of Sydney are finding it hard to bag themselves a bloke. No surprise as 99 per cent of Sydney men are either in love with themselves or other men, unlike the men north of the Hawkesbury who know how to charm a lady or 10 (especially the butchers).

We keep hearing "democracy". All I see now is "political dictatorship" run by corruption.

Although I crossed swords with regular letters to the editor contributor Don Fraser on numerous occasions, I too was saddened to hear of his passing. I offer my sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.

I get the distinct impression that John Ure is not a fan of Peter Dutton . . . (SMRs can't beat renewables for true value, Letters 28/12)