• AUGUST 4

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham says he wants "evidence-based" measures to drive improvements in NAPLAN results.

• AUGUST 3

if you actively talk to your child about religious beliefs then you will be creating a bias in favour of religion.

• AUGUST 2

Surely it is only common sense to have an Indigenous person as head of the Royal Commission into the NT Juvenile Detention Centre.

• LETTERS EXTRA

Some of the biggest names in Sydney's arts community have written to the Chancellor of Sydney University, Belinda Hutchinson, and Vice Chancellor Michael Spence in support of the Sydney College of the Arts.

• 1 August

In his article ('Malcolm Turnbull in fear of his party is a bad omen", July 30-31) Peter Hartcher says: "Australia should nominate an Australian for a global competition and wish him (sic) luck."

• COMMENT

Perhaps parents should consider installing an inwards facing Dash Cam in their teen's car as a condition of letting them drive so their every action - and that of their passengers - is recorded.

• JULY 30

While considering royal commissions into juvenile gaols in the NT, accountability established and recognition given that the "cures" have not been working, the following generations must also be considered.

• JULY 29

Without complaints by the alleged victims and witnesses, no story exists, yet Cardinal Pell refuses (at least publicly) to attack the credibility or veracity of those making sexual allegations against him. Am I missing something?

• JULY 28

No doubt, as with deaths in custody and other commission reports, recommendations will be made and the government will say it has already started to implement the recommendations.

• JULY 27

The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and the responsible minister must resign. They are ultimately responsible for each second of the footage that we watched. At the very least, they are responsible for having done nothing before being shamed by the media.

• LETTERS EXTRA

A royal commission is a good start but it's not enough. Tell those children they are loved and that the people of Australia will watch over them as best we can. Tell them today.

• JULY 26

The factions in both major parties will continue to have dominant roles in choosing ministry and shadow ministry posts, with Labor deals more open to public view.

• JULY 24

Mediscare's first cousin Pharmascare has arrived. Blood sugar test strips which are essential to diabetes management are set to rise in price from $1.20 to $60 per packet.

The editorial headline "Trump's extreme pitch aimed at scared, ignorant" (July 23-24) is misdirected: it's the political classes and their opinion minions that are ignorant of how to connect with a disenfranchised electorate and they're scared, really scared, because it would seem Donald Trump, Pauline Hanson and their ilk aren't. Peter Fyfe Erskineville

When TV personalities try politics, things can go awry. Just ask the Republican Party or, closer to home, Sonia Kruger.

• JULY 23

A "revolution in renters' rights" will not be achieved while addressing one major element that has created "a system that divides people into haves and have-nots by property ownership" is persistently omitted ("We need a revolution in renters' rights", July 22). It's not only "Australians" who "speculate on property like it's a casino", and landlords are not exclusvely "a cottage industry of mum and dad investors and amateur speculators". An increasing proportion are foreign investors.

• JULY 22

I applaud the NSW government's latest proposed overhaul of the HSC ("Major changes to HSC syllabus, July 21.)

• JULY 21

We are constantly seeing articles about the lack of affordable housing for young people and how the baby boomers own all the property. ("Home Ownership Collapses'", July 20.)

• JULY 20

It's never too soon for our mainstream politicians to stand up publicly and defend the right of all Australians to lead a life free of harassment and prejudice

• JULY 19

Has there ever been a more agile backflipper of a prime minister than Malcolm Turnbull?

• JULY 18

We all need a sense of belonging and cells or gangs are one way young men can experience brotherhood. Throw in a cause like religion and the wrongs done to its followers and you will have young men anxious to redeem themselves from murky pasts by giving their own lives and at the same time bumping off infidels.

• JULY 17

Malcolm Turnbull's concern about the use of taxpayers' money is ringing a bit hollow.

• JULY 16

In an alternate reality where Packer's gambling interests extended to greyhounds, the dogs would still be running.

• JULY 15

If, as many suspect, the Baird Coalition government is pushing for private delivery of vocational training, which is, in effect, a neo-liberal policy of user-pays, it and its federal counterpart should be consistent.

• JULY 14

China is engaging in imperialism, that is as crude as that of the British in China ("Flashpoint in the South China Sea", July 13).

• JULY 13

Why does it come as no surprise that some Coalition MPs are more concerned over a conscience vote on greyhound racing than gay marriage ("Coalition split on greyhound racing decision", July 12)?

• JULY 12

If that was a victory for Turnbull, he can't afford another one ("Now for the real test", July 11).

• JULY 11

If Malcolm Turnbull is "Australia's best shot" then we are indeed a nation in crisis.

• July 10

The research indicates that pushy parents do damage to their children by causing them to feel depressed and anxious.