The wildly dishonest comparison between human and animal euthanasia made by advocates alarms me (Letters, January 17). Humans routinely kill animals and pets for their convenience – the vet bill has become too high, moving house etc. Killing for convenience is part and parcel of animal euthanasia, which is routinely omitted by advocates.
We are not a civilised society and cannot afford the potential abuses that euthanasia carries. Australia couldn't even tolerate a female prime minister. There is no way I could countenance trusting my fellow citizens with the slippery slope of euthanasia laws.
Paul Davies Crows Nest
Dignity for the living? As an aged and disability carer I'm all for it. I wish we made it a higher priority. When you've all finished arguing about euthanasia, and regardless of whether or not we allow those who want to end their lives to do so legally, do you reckon you could all volunteer some time to help out those who, despite similarly "undignified" lives "not worth living", most certainly do not want to die
There's many more of them. And my request applies equally to everyone: pro and con, young and old, sick and well, rich and poor and TV celebrity, politician and priest alike. More caring hands on deck, please. More dollars would be nice, too.
Jack Robertson Birchgrove
What concerns me about assisted dying (Letters, January 16) is how easily we all succumb to the power of suggestion. Huge amounts are spent on advertising because it pays. What chance do very unwell people have when there are greedy friends and relatives, and unscrupulous members of the medical and nursing profession, wishing to exert power and control over lives.
On top of this you have the depressed, the aged and those with a disability who may think they are not worthy to live. Think very carefully, for we could be opening a can of worms.
Julie Robinson Cardiff
As someone in favour of euthanasia and over the pension age, I think one important aspect of the pro side is who will end the life. I was asked by one of my parents when seriously ill in their last year to put the pillow over them and end it then. Despite understanding the situation I couldn't do it and had to say so to them. Whatever new laws are passed to allow euthanasia, make sure the how and who does it are clearly spelt out.
Ken Hudson Wollongbar
The Herald argues that the euthanasia debate must respect all views, but then states that faith alone is not a good enough reason ("Euthanasia debate must respect all views", January 17). St Paul agreed and spoke of "faith, hope and love" when writing to the Corinthians. Maybe he would have attracted more followers had he preached "faith, evidence and reason" instead.
Graham Lum North Rocks
I can assure Phil Bradshaw (Letters, January 17) that my beliefs are neither confused nor medieval. His criticism of religion – which is apparently to blame for all thinking that is both backward and unfair – says more about himself than provides cogent argument. To suggest that people acting according to their religious beliefs is some sort of rule by the church is both silly and prejudiced.
You can't say let us welcome all religions and then claim that believers are not to express them. We all make decisions according to what we believe, and in a democracy all beliefs are equal. That is not, however, the tenor of commentary that assumes any religious belief is by definition defective and of lesser value than another. Disagree with us, certainly, if you do so, but don't tell us we have no right to express our beliefs in public just because they don't square with yours.
David Ashton Katoomba
Forget the word euthanasia – just consider if any person advocates forcing some people to have an agonising death, bereft of all dignity. Should that not be condemned as torture? In a democracy we should regard such a barbaric situation as illegal.
At 90 I have learnt that truth is many faceted – but on this issue too much unnecessary human pain is at stake to take a minority's right to prolong it.
Ed Raftery Davistown
Private-school spending ties to sense of entitlement
Once again we are treated to salacious details about private-school spending ("Top private school fees soar to $35,000 a year", January 17). Why Trinity Grammar needs an "Olympic pool with underwater camera and timers" or Waverley College "an auditorium complete with an orchestra pit, a water polo pool and equipment for state-of-the-art theatre productions" is beyond the comprehension of most people. Where is the moral justification of $63 million for this building when a hospital could be built for the same cost? Dr Geoff Newcombe's argument that "the comparatively low levels of funding for students in independent schools is a major saving to the taxpayer" is insulting and offensive and indicates an insensitivity to the ordinary taxpayer who cannot afford private-school fees. Every time a private-school bus passes me I must remind myself that this is saving me money by its passengers not having to use public transport.
The results of politicians' sense of entitlement to which we have been exposed in recent weeks has its roots in a system that endorses privilege and encourages social division. "Snouts in the trough" starts at school. The over-funding of two private schools by $10 million is, by itself, worthy of investigation. Malcolm Turnbull should repeat his recent advice to greedy members of parliament: "It's not your money." Neither is over-funding for wealthy private schools.
Patricia Farrar Concord
Their school dreams can be our nightmare
Just as there are infinite variations in children's abilities and their capacity to learn, there are equally immeasurable ways to achieve successful teaching and learning for all children (What Australia can learn from Finland's forested schools", January 17).
Finland's forested "dream school" can become a nightmare if led by a dispassionate and apathetic leader. America's "botched attempts" at education can become success stories with effective and enthusiastic leadership.
Children achieve best when their learning activities focus on satisfying, and adapting to their needs rather than blindly following an imposed, one-fits-all approach that disregards individual differences and underlying societal factors.
The dream for Australian education is for it to be led by an alert, mindful and enthusiastic Australian educator, not someone trying to be part of the distant dreams and nightmares of others.
Joy Cooksey Harrington
As Gonski said, fund students on need
Simon Birmingham, the Federal Education Minister, states all students deserve funding ("Top private school fees soar to $35,000 a year", January 17). The reality, minister, is that the majority of students deserve far more than others.
A properly funded response to the Gonski report is based on genuine need. A student sweltering in a non-airconditioned demountable is far more deserving of government funding than a student who has a heated indoor swimming pool and gymnasium as part of their school.
John Cotterill Kingsford
I have no problems private schools charging such high enrolment fees, it's just the amount of funding they receive that irks me. Many of the private schools listed in the article do not rate highly on HSC league tables so one can only assume that parents of these students send their children to these institutions so they can mix with other socioeconomic blessed children rather than the public school riff raff.
Peter Miniutti Ashbury
Do Cranbrook parents realise that if they sent four of their children to Sydney to live, they could jointly rent a house for $68,000 per annum, hire tutors for 30 hours of highly personalised lessons for 40 weeks at a cost of $96,000 and still have more than $100,000 for living expenses? All the kids would have to do is share the same subjects. My guvment education maths tells me this is so.
Peter Cooper-Southam Frenchs Forest
Back of the class
Backbencher Andrew Laming is obviously where he belongs: at the back of the Liberal class ("Malcolm Turnbull slaps down Liberal MP Andrew Laming over lazy teachers jibe", smh.com.au, January 17).
Ross Pulbrook Wyong
Long-term investment
Westpac has launched a "Hello Bump" campaign in which babies born in 2017 will get a $200 bank account. We may assume the bank hopes this will be the beginning of a nest egg that will lead to a mortgage with the bank in two or three decades.
I object to this flagrant exercise in boosting the population growth rate. We already have a natural increase of 155,700 (year ending June 30, 2016) that contributes nearly half (46 per cent) of our population growth rate of 1.4 per cent, more than twice the OECD average.
We are not living sustainably with the population we have. We need to stabilise our numbers, not increase them.
Jenny Goldie Michelago
Wealth gap is perverse and obscene
Having just eight men owning the same amount of wealth as the poorest half of the world is perverse, obscene and not something we should not envy ("Eight men have same wealth as world's poorest half: Oxfam", smh.com.au, January 17).
Con Vaitsas Ashbury
The eight rich men featured as being as rich as half of the world are all self-made and employ millions of people. I can't see the problem as long as their companies pay their taxes. We should be celebrating them and their successes.
Stephen Bowhill Manly
Bank squeeze on savers
If banks are proposing to put the squeeze on home mortgage borrowers by raising interest rates it will only match the squeeze on saving accounts ("Skinny bank profits put heat on mortgages", January 17). One is lucky to get 2 per cent on a savings account.
Paul Duncan Leura
Metro rail monstrosity
Your report "Safety fears over $20b Metro rail project" makes alarming reading for those of us who travel along Windsor Road in north-west Sydney (January 16). Of particular concern has to be the traffic light stop required beneath the overhead construction site of the 270-metre cable-stayed bridge at Rouse Hill.
Questions must also be asked about the aesthetics and environmental impacts of this project. The four-kilometre viaduct that will carry the Skytrain, and the cable-stayed bridge, are the ugliest pieces of transport infrastructure ever to be imposed on north-western Sydney. Vistas from Windsor Road have been completely obliterated by its enormous solid concrete supports and spans. Regional facilities like the Rouse Hill Town Centre are despoiled by its presence. Imagine the graffiti adding to the blight wrought by this monstrosity. It must have required the removal of an entire mountain range of limestone to construct.
Margaret Baker Winmalee
The fallout at Woollahra
The Woollahra mayor won't resign if the council court case fails, Dennis Halloran (Letters, January 17). Your council will be run by unelected administrators until at least 2020.
Todd Hillsley Homebush
First we give away the showgrounds...
Some years ago the state government practically "gave" Murdoch the old showground site for use as a film studio that was to make Sydney the new Hollywood.
Fast forward to 2017 and the site is a struggling "entertainment (sic) quarter" while next door a large tract of land in our beautiful Centennial Park has been fenced off and dug up for the construction of a movie set, complete with faux houses and several associated buildings to house the crews etc.
I don't wish to rabbit on about this, but where is Mr McGregor when you need him?
Eric Scott Bondi Junction
Screen addiction
Matt Holden's experience of people huddling around the only place in the camp ground that had a 3G signal reminded me of camping in Grand Teton National Park in the US way back in 1967 ("Camping sure ain't what it used to be", January 17). Some enterprising soul ran a long extension lead from the amenities block to the main campsite, where a small portable TV was set up so we could all watch the final episode of The Fugitive!
Bill Tango Manly
Iron age is over
Genevieve Milton (Letters, January 17) proposes crushed as the new look. What's new? I have been wearing it all my adult life.
Judith Campbell Drummoyne