We have an unbelievable PM, literally. Rob Mills, Riverview
Consultants in public service hard to justify
The article about the use of consultants for developing public policy (“Consultants can help deliver better policy”, April 4) read a bit like a commercial for the continued funnelling of public money to the writer’s sector. I have long criticised the loss of experience, historical knowledge and honed skills as the public service has been degraded by successive, mostly conservative, governments.
The claimed savings disappear into the coffers of consultants, or the work just doesn’t get done and the functionality of government shrinks yet again. But recent failures in government responses to natural disasters has demonstrated that we need that depth of knowledge, experience and continuity that a properly funded, professional, secure public service gives. The article cites the career prospects and pay levels attracting bright minds to the private sector, without considering that these things used to apply to the public service until conservative governments started their war on the providers of “frank and fearless advice” because they often dislike “frank and fearless”. Nor does it demonstrate that the advice coming from consultants is better than that from a mature public service. Consultants’ reports have underpinned a plethora of disputed and discredited government projects. Stein Boddington, St Clair
No doubt there are good consultants. Those with unique skills willing to jeopardise repeat work by telling you what you don’t want to hear. But government demonstrates time and again consultants are used to “validate” decisions already made and do work that should be core public service skills, all at higher cost. Michael Berg, Randwick
Far from delivering better policy, the use of consultants in many areas of government has proved highly expensive, with little or no “after-service” responsibility. The policy also continues to deny local and internal expert solutions and growth from within the institution. Along with the continuing practice of privatisation, it is the reneging of responsibility by governments which is of continuing shame.Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
Steven Hamilton makes some valid points, but the use of consultants is harder to justify when they are former staff members hired back at greater cost. That is precisely what happened when AusAID was merged into DFAT by the Coalition in 2013. In the following months, hundreds of experienced AusAID staff took the generous voluntary redundancy payments offered, and many then worked as consultants for DFAT on packages that cost taxpayers up to twice as much. Clay O’Brien, Mosman
Adventure and duty call to enlist
There may be specific motives for people being prepared to fight for their country (“Why fight for a country that ignores you?”, April 4) but, in the real world, I believe the incentive to take up arms is much simpler than that. My British-born brother and his friends enlisted in World War II not because they thought their government treated them as individuals or that they had family and property to protect, but from a sense of adventure and because they felt that it was their “duty”.
Many of them spent much of the war being starved, beaten and denied medical care as prisoners of the Japanese. My parents deeply mourned their eldest son but, despite their grief, they accepted that it had been his duty to fight for his adopted country. Although this modern world may have created a more selfish generation, there are still people who believe that citizenship of a country carries with it certain inalienable responsibilities. Derrick Mason, Boorowa
The article lays out a measured, reasoned argument for why younger Australians find it hard to justify risking their lives for their country. As a man of 57 who is lucky enough to own my home, I am also ready to admit that under the stewardship of my generation and the one preceding, the Australian values so often touted by the right, such as tolerance (a problematic word), equality of opportunity and access to justice, have been wilfully degraded, much like the environment that our youth will inherit. And as the authors rightly point out, if the facts of our history reflect badly on us, then it is our responsibility to address those facts and change for the better. Perhaps if we “elders” had managed the world with a bit more of the broader interest at heart and less of our own, this question would never have arisen. But it has, and it’s about time we stopped checking our super balances and grew up. Justin Lowe, Katoomba
Pay up or pay a price
The NSW government has “capped”, more accurately suppressed, its employees’ wages since 2011 (‴Unleashed’: health staff cleared to walk off job”, April 4). This is unsustainable. The escalating cost of living has sent real wages backwards. Essential public sector workers can barely afford to live in Sydney or the regions. The state government has been stalling, trying to hold back the inevitable. It’s time for the Premier and his ministers to move forward and come to the bargaining table to engage in genuine negotiations for fair pay. To do anything else is a sign of bad faith, which will be met with continuing industrial unrest.T his issue won’t go away. Holding down wages is acting as a brake on the economy. Enforcing wage restraint on public sector workers can’t continue indefinitely. Eleven years is too long. Time’s up. Glenn Johnson, Leura
Clear-cut victory
In 2007, Michael Towke won a preselection ballot 82-8 (“How Towke’s brutal takedown came back to bite”, April 4). I feel sure Scott Morrison would like to see his government win the election with a majority in the same proportion as Towke beat him in the ballot. It is understandable that Towke is angry to this day. Many voters are, too. Robyn Lewis, Raglan
When the Prime Minister claimed victory after the 2019 election, his first words were, “I have always believed in miracles.” In the 2007 preselection, Morrison received eight votes against his opponent, Michael Towke, who won overwhelmingly with 82 votes. Morrison then won the subsequent preselection, which must have been the genesis for his belief in miracles. Paul Totman, Mittagong
Sand can’t stand
The main photograph accompanying the report “Beach repair to cost ’millions‴, (April 4) illustrates the folly of building on coastal sand. Beaches and the low-lying land adjacent to them are a geologically transient part of the land surface: they will inevitably be eroded and their sedimentary material will be deposited elsewhere. As the photograph shows, the beachfront building sits on a concrete slab, the front of which has sagged as the sand came away from beneath. Left unprotected, this part of the slab would soon disintegrate as sea levels rise and storms became more severe due to global heating. I recall TV imagery of a wooden building on a concrete slab floating down the Brisbane River during the recent record floods. I suspect it would be less expensive to pay owners of seafront buildings to relocate to higher, firmer ground than to rebuild with expensive protection measures. Douglas Mackenzie, geologist, Deakin (ACT)
Democracy is two-way
The role of government in a democracy is to absorb conflict (“The new law curbing our freedom”, April 4). It is a flaw in our democracy that leaders do not seek to identify the conflict expressed by protest. No effort to meet, talk or correspond to diagnose a response. Without thoughtful contemplation, Parliament extinguished the right of political protest against the dysfunctional indolence and deafness of leaders of government. This sort of legislation seeks to lock up the wrong people. Law and order does not mean justice. It takes two to communicate and the abject failure of 30 years of neglect of Indigenous incarceration rates and climate change verifies a failure of democratic duty. Unilateral communication is an oxymoron, not democracy. Anne Eagar, Epping
Who would’ve thought?
When I was in early high school in the early 1960s, we analysed an essay that predicted the urbanisation between Newcastle to Wollongong (“Sydney in 28 years: six cities with 9 million residents”, April 4). The author postulated that one day this entity would be known as Newsydgong. It was meant as a lamenting satire but it would seem it is to become a reality. Chris McKimm, Karangi
Centre of attention
I had a French teacher who could startle the class with the same writing trick (Letters, April 4) of standing in the middle of the blackboard, chalk in left hand and switch to her right hand in the centre of the board. She never had to move an inch from that spot. It was the most exciting thing that teacher ever did in the classroom. Marie Del Monte, Ashfield
At sixes and sevens
I wake at dawn, too (Letters, April 4). But dawn is far preferable at 7am, as it was last week, than at 6am, as it is this week. Roll on October 3. Judy Hungerford, North Curl Curl
Daily double
I’m called “Dilly-Dally” daily (Letters, April 4). Owen Dally, Orange
Spare a thought for the US Secretary of State. With the name A. Blinken, he has an awful lot to live up to. Meredith Williams, Northmead
Women rule
What a joy to watch the Australian women’s cricket team play with such great spirit, as did their opponents, and provide role models for aspiring sportswomen. Along with Ash Barty, they have demonstrated what sport really should be all about. Congratulations, ladies. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
How Michael Towke’s brutal political takedown came back to bite Scott Morrison
From Redda: ″When you are loose with the truth, when you will do anything to achieve an end, when you walk all over people to get what you want, eventually it will catch up with you. As they have said for a very long time, ‘What goes around comes around’.″
- To submit a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.
Nothing stopping PM from signing stat dec – go ahead
Source: Philippines Alive
