Putin’s plans for Ukraine are simply unknowable
Vladimir Putin’s “soft” invasion of his cousin country is not working out as planned, and he will have to employ stronger and more destructive tactics to make his point (“‘Incompetent’ Russians get a lesson in fierce resistance”, March 3). The last thing he will tolerate is another smack-down like Nikita Khrushchev endured over Cuba, or Boris Yeltsin over Chechnya. So, withdrawal is not an option. He has known all along that Ukrainians would not tolerate a Putin puppet state, so his provocation was deliberate, and even as we wring our hands, the end-game is known to him. Target? No one knows but Putin. Kristina Vingis, Church Point
Putin, an ageing relic of the former Communist Soviet Union, is an unrepentant ultra-nationalist who continues to live in his tawdry past. Determined to leave his mark on the world. At any cost.
The world has rarely been a more dangerous place with his invasion of Ukraine. Force rather than diplomacy is the former KGB operative’s preferred course of action. Understandable, given his background. Michael Gamble, Belmont (Vic)
I wonder if many of the young Russian soldiers are wondering, as they roll into Ukraine in their tanks, what the hell they are doing there fighting their brothers? Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown
Your correspondence suggests the world should “accelerate the effort to shame and isolate” Russia as a punishment for its invasion of Ukraine (Letters, March 3). We have learnt little from history. Post WWI the world humiliated and weakened an isolated Germany with vicious reparations. Hitler was the result, and millions of deaths across Europe. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Secretary of State James Baker assured Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not move “one inch eastwards”. What followed were attempts to keep a humiliated Russia weak and for NATO to encroach all the way to her borders, something that would have been totally unacceptable to any Russian tsar or dictator of the past. This war is despicable, yes, but shaming and isolating is not the answer. Hopefully, rather more diplomatic and geopolitically sensible means will prevail.
Jacky North, Narara
Ukraine has been promised $500 million by the EU and $70 million by Australia for the purchase of armaments. Unless NATO joins in an all-out war with Russia then all $570 million of arms will do is delay the inevitable, with more Ukrainian death and destruction. Sadly, these just look like political gestures. Bob Way, St Ives
If the West is serious about the situation in Ukraine, they should sign them up to NATO now.
Geoff Teys, Chippendale
Premier’s flood guess belies truth
Premier Dominic Perrottet has been declaring the flood events in Lismore and Ballina as one in a 1000-year events (“Floods – and other disasters – test Perrottet”, March 3). That is his guess — inaccurate at best, fake news at worst. There are no records for that long.
These floods are the result of a changing climate and should be described as such. We can’t do anything about events with the Premier’s stated odds. We can do much more to avert even worse outcomes for a planet that continues to heat up because of our human actions. Speak the truth, Premier, and act. Beth Hansen, Alstonville
I went outside today and saw that it wasn’t raining. I am wondering if this is a one in 100-day event. Judith Fleming, Sawtell
There is a joyous chorus of frogs in the garden. Their message is: limit land clearing and hasten the transition to renewable energy or nature and people will croak. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong
Museum flood lesson
One of the many tragedies of flooding in northern NSW has been the destruction of the Lismore Regional Gallery’s collection, which includes the extraordinary Hannah Cabinet and a touring exhibition of Afghan war rugs (“Lismore floodwaters swallow $1 million masterpiece”, March 3). Meanwhile, building of the new Powerhouse Museum continues on a floodplain in Parramatta presenting an existential threat to its collection as there is a high probability of it suffering a similar fate.
Will commonsense finally prevail in light of the calamity afflicting many of our riverside communities or, in the face of the blindingly obvious, will our government’s contemptuous arrogance prevail? Nicholas Harding, Newtown
Labor leader doubts
Niki Savva seemed to me to be effusive in her estimation of the abilities of Anthony Albanese’s leadership group (“There is power in a strong team”, March 3). Really? My estimation of their media performances so far is that, Penny Wong apart, if these are the best that Labor can put on show, Scott Morrison has nothing to fear. But who am I: merely a voter. Les Sisley, Bathurst
In her evaluations of various members of the conservative and Labor frontbenches, it is difficult not to be sympathetic towards Savva in her efforts to find something positive to say about those in government. She praises Josh Frydenberg and Peter Dutton, yet the Treasurer damaged his reputation with his $20 billion JobKeeper overpayments and Dutton should be condemned for his permanent incarceration of asylum seekers. Savva’s next statement (“after that it slides”) says it all — numerous examples of incompetence go all the way down to Stuart Robert’s robo-debt and Richard Colbeck’s aged care disasters. It is hardly surprising that many today are repeating the refrain “it’s time”. Peter Nash, Fairlight
De Belin tell-all trauma
I’m troubled by your article which demonstrates the uneven playing field for complainants in sexual assault cases (“I didn’t do anything wrong: De Belin ends his silence”, March 3). De Belin is able to publicly defend himself whereas the complainant is not afforded the same opportunity. Deciding to report a sexual assault to the police and go through the court process is a difficult decision and confronting task. Reports like this undermine and potentially retraumatise the complainant. It also complicates the public culture surrounding court processes. Sandy Killick, Glebe
Indoor drying solved
We live in an apartment and never use the dryer (Letters, March 3). A retractable clothesline was installed in a kitchen cupboard that unwinds to run down the hallway to a hook. It takes sheets, towels, shirts etc. Washing is hung overnight then taken down in the morning. Easy, convenient and friendly to the environment. Philip Smith, Waterloo
Forty-two years ago, my clever mother-in-law suggested I hang our first baby’s cloth nappies above the storage tank of the hot water system in the laundry. It worked so well we quickly enclosed the tank in a cupboard to increase drying efficiency. In the years since, we have dried mountains of washing, shoes towels and home-brew bottles, germinated seeds, grown mushrooms, ripened tomatoes and given life to yeast. The hot water has stayed hotter, electricity costs lower and the greenhouse gases been saved. Susan West, New Lambton
Songs of praise
The attack on Australia’s involvement in Eurovision demonstrates a lack of understanding (“Eurovision will be our musical Waterloo”, March 3).
Eurovision is an arts event that celebrates difference and tolerance. Born in the aftermath of WWII it aimed to bring nations together in a spirit of fun.
Australia’s inclusion is a very rare and high honour. It acknowledges many Australians are of European heritage, and occurred because of SBS and fan support. Winning is immaterial. We don’t expect to win – although nearly did in 2016. The objective is to entertain and have fun. It’s not everyone’s thing, but neither is footy. Anne Matheson, Gordon
Tested teachers best
While agreeing with much of your correspondent’s points about teacher salaries, and the need for private schools to pay for their own, he appears to make a false assumption that the best teachers are found in private schools (Letters, March 3). Teaching is far easier in independent schools — that is why many graduates prefer it and public school teachers end up there. There are quiet classrooms where students work autonomously with no pesky interrupters who cannot be expelled.
The best teachers are found in those schools where they have to be on their toes and deliver stimulating and exciting lessons day in and day out. Not so in the likes of those rarefied grounds and buildings of the wealthy, publicly funded grand institutions. Jenny Baker, North Bondi
Culture club
After learning about alternative cultural venues to the opera, my bloke, whom I occasionally drag along there, wants to join the club (Letters, March 3). Mary Billing, Allambie Heights
Correspondent Tony Sullivan already has a group – The Philistines! John Christie, Oatley
Nun the wiser
At my grandmother’s house we were entertaining a couple of nuns who at one point seemed to disappear (Letters, March 3). I later found out that my mother served them with sherry in tea cups behind the kitchen door. Anne McAlister, Goulburn
In the 1970s when pubs shut at 10 pm, there was a well-known service station on Anzac Parade, Kingsford where beer and spirits were available at reasonable prices through the night. I always wondered how the police did not know about it, but 18-year-olds did. Michael McFadyen, Kareela
Wait your turn
The Northern Beaches railway was first mooted in 1920, 102 years on, we’re still waiting (Letters, March 3). All those Chatswood-Parramatta Carlingford-Epping queue-jumpers, who have only waited 20 years, please do try to be more patient. We were here first. Steve Cornelius, Brookvale
Perhaps a funicular railway up Mobbs Hill would be the solution for the Metro between Carlingford and Epping. The Swiss are experts at this technology. Josephine Piper, Miranda
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
Campaign disruption is certain as COVID strikes political leaders
From Spike: “Morrison had very obvious symptoms. He should not have been around anyone – negative test or not. We all know that and frankly, he should too. It’s the fact that he was ignoring public health advice that people are criticising him for.”
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Politicians use floods to push pointless dam project
Source: Philippines Alive
