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Baird's legacy nothing to shout about

It's a shame Premier Mike Baird won't be around for an election to find out what the people of his electorate, Manly, and throughout NSW think of his achievements (''Mike Baird quits as NSW Premier", smh.com.au, January 19). Where he sees budget repair, boosted frontline services and an infrastructure boom as his legacy, many of us see privatisation of essential services (from electricity to the National Disability Insurance Scheme), council amalgamations, weakened land-clearing laws and rampant development.

Miranda Korzy Clareville

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Berejiklian likely to be next NSW Premier

Following the shock resignation of Mike Baird on Thursday, speculation surrounds NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian to succeed him.

I am not surprised that Mike Baird expresses his greatest regret being about the "lack of progress made on tax reform". Like many citizens I have a long list of regrets about Mike Baird's premiership; including the closing down and outsourcing of women's refuges, the disgraceful "sacking" of female ICAC commissioner Megan Latham and unnecessary "restructuring" of ICAC, the demolition of our local democracy via the forced amalgamation of councils; the appalling possession/resumption of people's homes without adequate compensation, the continuation of a harsh "law and order" agenda resulting in more inmates and ever higher costs for our "justice" system, and last but by no means least the wanton destruction of hundreds of trees and the overall lack of support for our environment.

Thanks to The Sydney Morning Herald, we also now know that there are serious structural and budgetary issues with Premier Mike's pet infrastructure projects which his successors will now have to deal with. What a legacy indeed, there is much for all of us to regret.

Pauline Croxon Undercliffe

Mike Baird should lose any benefits he is entitled to because he hasn't fulfilled his obligation to the people of NSW. He was elected for a four-year term. I was employed in different industries, but once I left, or resigned, I lost those benefits.It should be the same for the politicians.

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Ron Field Bermagui

Luke Foley must be the saddest person in Australia today. Labor's only chance of winning the next election depended upon Mike Baird remaining leader of the Coalition.

Tony Lyons Lithgow

Our male politicians have a habit of messing up big time, losing public favour, then voting a woman in to either fix things up, or take the blame – without much support, of course. Watch out, Gladys (Berejiklian confirms she will contest the leadership," smh.com.au, January 19).

Carolyn Richard Enmore

It is a sad result of the destruction of people's faith in our leaders by so many Australian politicians that, when one resigns unexpectedly as Mr Baird has done, as blameless as he may be, one finds oneself immediately wondering whether there is a scandal in the offing, or else a particularly choice directorship.

Jennifer Briggs Kilaben Bay

Another day, another Premier and another leadership spill. When will this revolving door of state and federal leadership stop? Other countries have 30-year plans for government, yet we struggle for continuity for one electoral cycle.

John Townsend Croydon Park

Perhaps now that Baird has gone this backward suggestion, this privatise everything in sight program, will go too. Perhaps we, Sydney may get to keep our Powerhouse Museum. Maybe ... and hopefully.

Gloria Healey Condell Park

If nothing else, Mike Baird is correct to say that he has acted when previous Labor premiers merely produced plan after plan. He was a conviction politician, who stood up for what he believed in and, despite some decision reversals, appeared determined to act, rather than spend his time focusing on party support and opinion polls. He has gathered critics at every turn but it will be history that will judge the true effectiveness of his premiership.

Philip Cooney Wentworth Falls

I hope that the health problems in Mike Baird's family are happily resolved and that he will soon be able to continue his service to our community.

I believe that he would make an excellent first Australian head of state.

Mark Smith Merriwa

Liberal Party to wear fallout of policies of the hard hat

A rat deserting a sinking ship, Baird has presided over forced council amalgamations that were "never" going to happen, and has allowed the Packers, Triguboffs and other developers free rein to trash Greater Sydney without giving voters any real opportunity to debate whether we have any desire to add millions of extra population to our suburbs, roads and other infrastructure.

In doing so he has ensured that the Liberal brand is hugely damaged, along with our quality of life, and has gutted the ICAC, the director of Public Prosecutions and the Environmental Defenders Office, who, together, were the only means by which his government's scant regard for evidence-based decision-making, consultation and due process had any chance.

The state Liberal caucus, and the federal party, by allowing Baird to pursue such policies and indulge his passion for big announcements in hard hat and hi-vis vest, must share the blame and wear the inevitable fallout.

Graham Lewis Lindfield,

Whatever critics have to say about Mike Baird; no one can take away his decency, integrity, commitment and service to NSW. He will be remembered as one of the top premiers in NSW in history. Although he tried to implement a greyhound ban, he probably had no idea of shock jocks' power and ended up giving in. He was the first premier to ask the federal government to increase the quota for Syrian refugees. Baird certainly puts lots of career politicians to shame with his resignation. He could have continued for a long time, but decided to go when he was on top.

There's a message for Tony Abbott and some others in his resignation and it's a sad day for NSW politics.

Mukul Desai Hunters Hill

A mess for the new broom

Mike Baird has done a Bob Carr, leaving when he chooses to go. But who will clean up the mess left behind? Deja vu ?

John Lo Bexley North

One banker gone. One to go.

Tony Re Georges Hall

So now do we get to keep the Land and Property Information Service ("Resistance grows to land-title changes", January 19)?

Duncan Ball Glebe

So Mike Baird is flying the coop just as the Year of the Rooster gets under way. Could he be expecting that a few chickens will come home to roost over the next 12 months?

Doug Walker Baulkham Hills

Let's hope Baird doesn't change his mind about resigning, like he did with the greyhounds!

Trish Anderson Ashfield

Baird: he came, he saw, he demolished.

Don Smith Ashfield

Mike Baird: he came, he made a mess, he ran away.

John Kingsmill Fairlight

He came, he sawed, he connexted.

Dave Watts Clareville

Clearly, being in political office concurrently with a Donald Trump presidency can be viewed as challenging.

Shane Joseph West Ryde

US offers no solutions for health system

It is with alarm, but not surprise, that the new Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, wants to adopt in Australia more of a US-style healthcare system in which government takes less responsibility for healthcare and more is given to private health coverage ("Family battle shaped new health minister", January 19). The Coalition also claims it wants to maintain Medicare. It does not make sense.

The US has one of the most expensive and least effective health systems in the world and Australia has one of the most efficient and cost-effective systems. The Coalition's policy approach seems to be driven more by ideology than fairness and good management.

Even President-elect Donald Trump says he wants a healthcare system for all Americans. Maybe he should look to Australia as to how a universal health system can work, albeit one that has been undermined by every Australian government since John Howard.

Rosemary Arias Double Bay

One day after our PM and his new minister proclaim support for Medicare, we get what seems to be a contradictory message from Greg Hunt. Would he care to explain how this would work for those not in paid work, how this fits in with the election promises and how any move to a US system would help Australians?

Looks like we have another Mediscare campaign on our hands and that this time it is based on solid ground and is in line with the traditional Liberal right-wing desire to get rid of "socialised" medicine. Nice one,Greg; you just made it easier for Shorten.

Tony Sullivan Adamstown Heights

Ease up on Kyrgios

We have a collective appetite for moral leadership, for someone to look up to and inspire us ("Kyrgios at his erratic best as he crumbles then tumbles at Open", January 19). This is laudable but needs to be tempered by common sense and fairness. After all, sporting fame not only affords our champions great privileges and opportunities, it also imposes upon them a significant burden because, along with highlighting their abilities and successes, fame spotlights their frailties and failures as well – and very publicly.

I found it sad watching yet another Nick Kyrgios "office" meltdown because he is an inherently decent and intelligent young man; though a bit of an anti-hero in this era of "Saints" Roger and Rafa.

But, amid the on-court turmoil, I noticed something that explains why so many of his playing peers, unlike the hyper-critical commentariat and twitter ghouls, speak so well of him.

Not only after match point was he gracious to his victor, Andreas Seppi, but as he walked off the arena he warmly tapped him on the shoulder in further acknowledgment of a match well played.

Sure, Kyrgios needs a good kick up the backside every now and then from those who care, but the lynch mob mentality that prevails also needs to be put in its place. Give him time.

Peter Day Queanbeyan

Australian tennis players have got a monster on their backs every time they compete and this monster is us: the insecure Australian public. If we could try cutting this craving-for-fame umbilical cord attached to anyone with public talent then they in turn might be able to relax and breath freely again.

Mary Julian Glebe

Now that Mike Baird is out of a job, he could take up the role of coach to Nick Kyrgios. They have much in common: lots of potential but ultimately failure, disappointment and despair for their supporters.

John Byrne Randwick

Top-notch corruption

Is this the Rolls Royce of corruption scandals ("Rolls-Royce forced to pay $1.1b to settle case", January 19)?

Nick Franklin Katoomba

Predictions useless

It's a hoot to get the opinion of Nobel pundits about the state of the US and world economy under a Trump presidency, for they are no better at predicting the future than your average chimpanzee.

As Nobel laureate Nils Bohr once famously said: "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future."

George Fishman Vaucluse

Distress key concern

As a doctor who worked in the care of dying people in the field of palliative care for about 20 years, I am convinced that the primary decision to be made must always be to relieve distressing symptoms (Letters, January 19). If the relief of symptoms happens to hasten death in an already dying person, then this is still an acceptable outcome for both patient and doctor. No one else should be involved in the decision making, including lawyers, bishops and politicians, unless at the invitation of the patient.

Max Clayton Glenhaven

The government and Centrelink would do to remember that the "First Law of Robotics" from science fiction writer Isaac Asimov is that "a robot must not harm a human" (Letters, January 19).

It appears that the Centrelink robot has gone rogue.

Mark Rea Hardys Bay

Creased clothes seem to get a bad press (Letters, January 19) and that gives me the shirts. In fact, I feel crushed. Is there an ironing board I can complain to?

Jim Dewar North Gosford