It is shocking, disappointing and frightening that 49 per cent of Australians would oppose immigration from any religious or ethnic group ("Research shows rise in anti-Muslim views", September 22.) It raises the question, how have we come to this? And, what can we do about it?
Fundamentalist Islamists are winning the publicity war and Australians are beginning to believe that Muslims' values and beliefs are the least likely of any immigrant group to be integrated into our society. Of course, there is plenty of evidence that this is not so but someone needs to run the counter campaign. This brings to mind an excellent letter published in The New York Times a few days ago. Written by two American Muslims, it argues strongly against the notion that Islam and terrorism are linked, but recognises that it is hard to make this argument "when we see young men murdering innocent people across the world in the name of their, and our, religion". They say they understand how people feel, but how can they convince others that Islam is a religion of peace? They plead on behalf of their fellow Muslims for understanding that they are not represented by violent people when the average Muslim is, like most of us, simply trying to do good in the world. Essential reading for all of us, and an important lead, one would have thought, for all Islamic leaders throughout Australia. After all, it takes two to tango.
Illustration: Alan Moir
David Catchlove Newport
Before we throw up our hands in horror about 49 per cent of the population wanting to stop Muslim Immigration, perhaps we should ask why this is so.
Illustration: Cathy Wilcox
Since 9/11 we have seen a ramping up of terrorism driven by Islamic ideology. We have seen the murder of Curtis Chang, we saw a demonstration in Lakemba calling for the establishment of a caliphate from "Gaza to Lakemba". We hear regularly from Muslim's calling for Sharia law, we saw a Muslim convert marrying his underage daughter off to a 26-year-old Iranian. We see nine-year-old girls sent off to the Middle East to be child brides. Is it any wonder that people are a bit anti?
I have a tip for Muslims who claim they want to be Australians, ditch the head scarfs, the beards and the Middle Eastern fancy dress. Do that and the feeling of not belonging or perception of hostility will drop away.
Nicholas Triggs Katoomba
Keysar Trad and others are quick to ascribe the rise in Islamophobia to politicians such as Pauline Hanson and Cory Bernardi. But how much weight should be given to factors such as, female genital mutilation, forced child brides, Middle Eastern organised crime gangs, terrorist attacks, the burqa and the horrors of Islamic State?
It is accepted that the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful good citizens but Mr Trad should be looking at the extreme practices in those who share his faith rather than blaming politicians who are, after all, only representing the views of their constituents.
Michael Robinson Cammeray
Gee Greg Partington (Letters, September 22), I'd like to see "the compassion card" played a bit more often. Instead I see the fear card, the fact-free card, or the really popular one you're playing right now, the empathy bypass card. What you call "the success" of the government's uncompromising stand, I call the premeditated human rights abuse of a small group of helpless men, women and CHILDREN for political gain. The possible prevention of a future death at sea is never compensation for actual abuse (and deaths) we are directly responsible for right now. Australia needs to stop hiding behind this nonsense right-wing rhetoric and start owning up to its actions.
Phil Bradshaw Naremburn
Greg Partington (Letters, September 22) refers to the "success" of the government in preventing refugee deaths at sea. But its only success here has been in moving these deaths out to sea, away from our shores, so that we don't have to see them. They still die. The government hasn't, however, "succeeded" in similarly hiding the many deaths occurring in our onshore and offshore immigration detention centres, which are listed in the Australian Border Deaths Database. Whether this system is a "success" seems to depend on which deaths you think are OK.
Suzie Ferrie Newtown
During the so-called golden era of mass immigration throughout the 1950s and 60s, poll after poll showed a majority of Australians were against the high number of immigrants being brought here. Yes they feared for their jobs and that these non-English-speaking people would not integrate and abide by Australia's customs. However our political leaders then ignored the polls and the public's concerns, unlike today's lot.
Con Vaitsas Ashbury
Gonski waters muddied
Federal Minister for Education, Simon Birmingham, is doing his bit to confuse the public and pave the way for further cuts to federal government education spending. How is he doing this? By muddying the waters regarding the efficacy of Gonski funding. ("Coalition vows to undo 'corrupted' Gonski deals," September 22.)
The major reason for any "corruption" of the Gonski vision, and any "piecemeal" implementation of the report's proposals is the Abbott-Turnbull government's failure to honour its original pledges to voters regarding implementation of Gonski. So the approach by Birmingham and the government is blatantly dishonest and hypocritical. To add insult to this approach, Birmingham even pretends to be an advocate of the Gonski report's ideal of "fairness".
In 2018, the Gonski Report calls for a major boost in federal funding, so the government is panicking. It is not walking away from its financial commitment, it is running.
Birmingham, Turnbull, et al, have got it all wrong with their approach to education spending. Do we really want a more prosperous and fairer Australia, in which real wages and living standards rise rather than stagnate or fall, as they have been doing over recent years? Then we need to increase and not cut our investment in Australia's greatest resource: our kids.
Geoff Black Caves Beach
Education Minister Simon Birmingham uses the word "corrupt" to describe the Gonski funding reforms; and to a certain extent he is right. Rather than cutting federal funding to wealthy private schools, with facilities that most school kids could only dream about, Gillard made the promise that no school will lose funding. This is the corruption in the system.
Bob Eggleton Neutral Bay
No longer the land of the middle-class
Labor's Chris Bowen deserves credit for arguing that Australia is a country that can no longer house its own children ("Housing crisis fuels division, says Labor", September 22).
Every party courts the swinging votes of the middle class, but it is safer to ignore the rhetoric and examine what they do in government. With overall home ownership in Australia at a 60-year low, it was reasonable to expect the Coalition to consider adjustments to negative gearing and capital gains tax proposed by Labor in the lead-up to the last election, but all we got from Malcolm Turnbull were warnings about the wrecking ball which would smash house prices across the country. There was expert advice both ways, which varied with the assumptions made in their computer modelling.
There is a widening gap between rich and poor in Australia, with the top 20 per cent of households receiving half the income, while the bottom 20 per cent receive 4 per cent. Inequality means that we're no longer the land of the middle class, and as Bowen says, it's not good enough for governments to shrug their shoulders and let the markets rip.
James Moore Kingsgrove
I wonder how long it will take our tsars of politics, industry and commerce to see, as history has so often shown, that when the poor realise their poverty is being caused by the rich – they will react, and sometimes violently.
Poor people are not necessarily less happy than the rich. They can even live alongside them without envy or hatred, but once they develop the perception (or realisation) that they are being purposefully oppressed – things change. The tsars of Australia should be particularly worried because equity and a "fair go" are perhaps even more deeply ingrained here than among the Russian peasants of 1914. Chris Bowen's speech is as much about oppression as it is about economics and it contains a timely warning.
Peter Russell Coogee
Sensible helmet law
Dr Olivier's research on bicycle helmets suggests they may help reduce head injury in some crashes ("Global review rejects belief helmets cause injury for riders," September 22). However, it doesn't take into account rider speed. Other research has shown speed is a bigger factor in crash and injury risk than helmet use. You are more likely to suffer a head injury riding fast with a helmet, than riding slowly without one.
The same is true of driving. This is why only racing drivers use helmets. Despite this, thousands of ordinary drivers still suffer brain injury every year. Should they be forced to use helmets? In Australia, mandating helmet use for both high-risk sport cycling and low-risk transport cycling has significantly reduced participation in the latter. Given the rising incidence and cost of diabetes and other lifestyle diseases, we should not be discouraging physical activity with indiscriminate bicycle helmet laws. In countries without such laws, the high-risk racers still use them.
Chris Standen Forest Lodge
"Bike helmet review throws cold water on sceptics: they'll likely save your life" . However, sun cream at the beach and fire-retardant clothing in the kitchen could likely save your life, too. The question is, do we want laws about all these things?
The study fails to consider the fact that mandatory helmet laws deter cycling. The more cyclists, the safer it is for cyclists.
Plenty of other studies show that the less government interference in people's lives, the happier they are. Would we prefer a happy society or a nanny state?
Larry Tofler Lindfield
Street toll logical
Carsten Burmeister comments that "a straight logic would be to charge a toll for using local streets and thus funnel traffic to the freeways" (Letters, September 22).
This clear logic has been repeatedly put forward in the case of the Cross City Tunnel; make it free, and apply a London-style congestion fee to enter the CBD, thus unclogging its streets. This logical solution has been repeatedly knocked back by the NSW government. Why?
Bruce Stafford Tascott
Ready, set ... test
So, kindy students are to have an additional testing regime as well as the Best Start Assessment that is already carried out on school entry ("Kindergarten test to replace $55m reading program", September 22.). Welcome to school, kids: 13 years of assessments to go.
Clare Moore Blacktown
How can the government get it so wrong? Children do not need to read in kindergarten; they need to PLAY.
The neural pathways needed to learn to read at a suitable age are developed through MOVEMENT! This is common knowledge. Get children moving and exploring their environment and they will achieve better in school.
Haven't they read the the statistics from Finland?
Wake up and do the right thing for our children.
Lalage Craig Normanhurst
Ethics review delay
On the recommendation of an Upper House inquiry in 2012, the Baird Government spent $295,988 of public money on a review of ethics classes in schools. ("$300k ethics and scripture classes review under wraps", September 22). Its findings were expected to be released before the end of 2015. Why does Premier Baird continue to withhold this important report from the public?
Judy Finlason Undercliffe
Marriage equality the right plebiscite?
As this seems to be a question that is genuinely dividing the country, why not have a plebiscite on Muslim immigration, rather than marriage equality ("Immigration debate: tear down the walls, says Obama", September 22.) After all, it would seem far more likely that Muslim immigration rather than gay marriage will destroy the fabric of society as we know it!
Nazife Bashar Marrickville
Where to get off?
Sally Kay, who lives at Orange, understandably favours the phrase, "getting off at Redfern". (Letters, September 22.) Those of us who live in The Shire, naturally favour the phrase, "getting off at Woolooware". Having said that, I would expect most people favour completing the journey to Central and Cronulla, respectively.
James Prior Sylvania Waters
Actually, Sally Kay, it's "More front than Anthony Horderns". This was an old historic department store, which like everything else old and historic in Sydney, was knocked down years ago.
Brian Johnstone Leura
All pure coincidence
My wife assures me it's purely coincidence that she has contacted a lawyer, had her hair and makeup done and bought a one way ticket to America and that it has nothing to do with Brad Pitt being single again (Mr and Mrs Split: Jolie and Pitt set to divorce", September 22).
Michael Deeth Como West
Divorce involving six kids … it's the pits.
Jim Dewar North Gosford