Premier Berejiklian says she "listens to the people" but on Tuesday she showed how little she cares for them ("Berejiklian braces for byelection backlash", February 15). Her solution for the council merger issue was that she had "overwhelming feedback" to continue the process.
The "overwhelming feedback" from Strathfield residents is stop our merger. The Liberal Party lost the seat of Strathfield last time because of council mergers and they are not getting it back for a long time because they just do not care.
![Illustration: Alan Moir](/web/20170216112645im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/d/m/z/s/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gud9um.png/1487202108402.jpg)
Neither is there "overwhelming feedback" from amalgamated Pittwater, Holroyd, Leichhardt and country towns like Tumbarumba, Gundagai, Bombala, Dubbo, Gloucester Shire and Harden.
Their administrators brag about financial savings of millions of dollars to save their jobs. How many services have been slashed?
![Gladys Berejiklian's first question time as Premier.](/web/20170216112645im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/o/u/r/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gud9um.png/1487161925303.jpg)
Let's have independent or performance audits by the Auditor General of these administrators' claims.
The government has already spent $373 million on council reforms – how come they could afford that? They could have saved all that cost by leaving mergers well alone and abandoning council mergers and dedicated part of that money to disaster relief in the bush.
Nella Hall Strathfield
The NSW Premier is using completely flawed arguments to justify forcing council mergers in Sydney.
![Criris point for young doctors.](/web/20170216112645im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/c/n/p/3/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gud9um.png/1487161925303.jpg)
It is apparent that this is being done to facilitate the imposition of high-density policies unwanted by the broader community (but wanted by developers). Contrary to "addressing the city's housing affordability crisis" the imposition will exacerbate it.
As high-density policies were implemented over two decades so did previously stable house prices increase. This also happened in other parts of the world.
There is no credible evidence that financial benefits will result from merging the councils currently fighting the proposals in the courts. The KPMG report (partially withheld) advocating amalgamations did not reveal the full extent of assumptions and did not take into account the highly variable conditions applicable to individual councils.
The new Premier's announcement does not auger well for the post-Baird era.
Tony Recsei Warrawee
What have local government amalgamations got to do with addressing the "housing affordability" crisis in Sydney?
Seeking to blame local government for decades of failure by state and federal government to make sure there is enough public and private housing available to meet the needs of a growing population is simply dishonest.
While the decision to forcibly amalgamate local government in Sydney may not be about Premier Berejiklian "personally", it is most certainly about the property developers who still run government in NSW, and their desire to roll over the top of local residents who should have a big say in the suburbs in which they live, and certainly that their communities have the schools, parks, public transport, health facilities and jobs that ensure a decent quality of life.
Colin Hesse Marrickville
Gladys Berejiklian has proved that "democracy" is really just another form of corruption. Moreover, her claims that amalgamated councils have claimed to be happy is mischievous as they are all run by Liberal Party administrators.
The NSW Liberal Party has just shown how transparent their total disdain for honest public discussion is.
Gladys is in for a huge fight!
Suzie Gold Castlecrag
Before suggesting that council amalgamations are not going ahead in the bush whilst proceeding in the city, I suggest your correspondents (Letters, February 15) take a drive to Gundagai or Tumbarumba and have a quiet chat with the "country folk" there. Actually, it won't be quiet.
Bob Guy Cootamundra
What a delight to have a strong, intelligent woman as Premier who is prepared to risk her position by standing up for her council amalgamation plan to assist infrastructure and affordable housing for the future. Am I the only resident in Hunters Hill that is prepared to agree with amalgamation?
Christine Flannery Hunters Hill
Our Premier has said that council mergers in the Sydney area are necessary to address the city's housing affordability crisis and improve development approval times. This is nothing but political spin.
Approvals are running at close to double actual dwelling construction levels, so the merging of councils will have little or no effect on housing supply.
Housing demand, on the other hand, is being increased by national and international investors who, in many cases, deliberately leave their new apartments empty – the apartments are simply a place for investors to park their money and watch their investment appreciate.
If our Premier is serious about the housing affordability crisis she should support affordable housing.
Marie Clifton-Bassett Castlecrag
Stressed-out young doctors need help to keep them safe
The tragedy arising from the death of a young doctor to suicide cannot be overstated ("Medicine’s dark secret can’t go on", February 10). There is also no denying the work of a doctor in training occurs in a stressful, complex and ever-changing environment with long hours and understandably high expectations. Surveys of mental health and wellbeing in doctors show levels of psychological distress are nearly double those reported for the general population. How can we address these issues effectively?
While medical schools and health services are committed to improving the mental health of students and doctors, respectively, there is often a lack of dedicated, skilled staff to support young medicos. A collaborative and open approach, promoting the importance of physical and mental health in the medical workplace is needed. To succeed, such an approach needs to address not only the scale and nature of the workload but also to provide active support, especially during the challenging transition from medical school to the much higher expectations placed on working doctors. The systematic response we are proposing needs to be incorporated within a “whole of career approach” – starting in medical school and transferring seamlessly into workplace-based support.
Medical students and young doctors all need to feel safe when asking for help and to be confident that appropriate assistance will be provided. As professional leaders, we owe it to the current and future generations of doctors to do what is needed to prevent unnecessary psychological distress and premature deaths to suicide.
Professor Jane Bleasel and Professor Inam Haq (Co-Directors of the Sydney Medical Program, University of Sydney) Professor Ian Hickie (Professor of Psychiatry, University of Sydney)
Stop Carmichael – close Westpac accounts
Remember the Franklin Dam? Supported by quite a few locals because it would bring jobs, and Tasmania's government under the influence of its powerful Hydro Commission. But powerful protests by people all over Australia led the federal government to step in and the dam was stopped to preserve the wilderness.
The Carmichael mine may be this decade's Franklin moment ("Inside the fight to build our biggest coal mine", February 15). This time the stakes – the greenhouse gas emissions that coal from Australia's biggest mine could produce – are life-threatening to all humanity.
This time, both federal and Queensland governments are on the same side, backing the corrupt and fraudulent company Adani. But the money is not – 12 international banks have refused to fund this project.
Currently, of Australia's Big 4, Westpac, a previous lender to Adani, is the weak link.
As in the Franklin campaign, people can be powerful, but those who care must be determined, clever and resilient. "Futile grandstanding," says the Minerals Council. "We will win," says the Australian Conservation Foundation. If you are a Westpac customer, your account could tip the balance.
Angela Michaelis Balmain
No weather worries
In the context of action to mitigate climate change, it is global temperatures and global CO₂ that matter ("What a relief: climate change is just a hoax", February 15).
Sydney had a heatwave in January; in other parts of the world it was colder than normal. Average global temperature was 0.2 degrees lower than in January 2016.
CO₂ concentrations are virtually the same around the world; CO₂ driven warming averages the same around the world.
Australia produces 1.5 per cent of global CO₂ emissions; we have actions to reduce them. But any action we take to reduce them has negligible effect on global concentrations.
Occasionally we have heatwaves and bushfires. The answers never change: adapt and be alert, and improve fire alleviation and fire-fighting capabilities.
Waving the "global warming worry" flag doesn't help.
Businesses are not going to stop their activities, and new ones not come here, because of our weather. But some will, Ross, if corporate tax is too high.
Geoff Dunsford Lindfield
Dementia challenge
I cared for my mother in my home in her final years as she suffered from dementia ("Diagnosis shattered a perfect retirement", February 15). To prepare for the future, much better training will need to be put in place starting with nursing staff in hospitals. Whenever mum was admitted to hospital, many staff were clearly not equipped to deal with a dementia sufferer nor did they have the time to care for them.
I am sure other carers out there would have had similar experiences.
The training of healthcare workers to deal with dementia needs to be given a priority so sufferers are treated respectfully. Perhaps the best people to train them needs to be people who have had experience caring for them, of which there are many in our community doing just that now.
The sufferers certainly need someone to advocate for them, as do most elderly patients.
Jennifer Creighton Modanville East
Closing the gap
Malcolm Turnbull is not very good at gaps ("Report finds little progress on closing the gap", February 15). There is that gap between blacks and whites and between rich and poor but I cannot see much light between big business/banks and the LNP. That is one gap he's got covered.
The Indigenous gap is all about education and alcohol. Noel Pearson has the right idea linking welfare to school attendance and Chris Sarra certainly has the right idea once they get to school. Andrea Mason (and Dr Sarra) are excellent appointments to the Indigenous Advisory Council. Those communities that are alcohol free or alcohol restricted are in a vastly healthier state than those that are not, and, naturally, their family life and education improves tremendously.
All power to Noel Pearson, Andrea Mason and Dr Sarra.
Steve Johnson Elizabeth Beach
Bespoke Herald defeats the purpose
I am no purist for newspaper delivery having long ago decided the printed version was environmentally unsound (and despite having letterpress as a hobby) ("Play an active part in the future of your newspaper", February 15).
I read by subscription on tablet. I want my news with immediacy, but more importantly I want it accurate, well-researched with comments and opinions from trusted writers. I can search the net for other sources, and articles and blogs which interest me, but "trust" is the operative word and in sources, such as Facebook, news is counter intelligence on many levels.
A bespoke paper may hold some allure to validate opinions for some, but I expect more from a valued news source. It is why I continue to turn to the SMH each morning.
Janice Creenaune Austinmer
What joy to read Stokes' column and see we would have the printed version of the Herald for "some years yet", hopefully our lifespan.
The rest of the column I found completely incomprehensible.
Custom-built Herald. Give us break.
At our age it's often hard to choose food for breakfast – how on earth could we choose the content of our newspaper. I can't be running to my five-year-old grandson for every bit of technology advice – it's already humiliating!
Elizabeth Kroon Randwick
Hate mail just keeps stacking up
Postal stories seem to go on and on, as per Vivienne Pearson's cri de coeur in today's paper ("I no longer rely on Australia Post and I'm not alone," February 15). Here's one to make you weep.
Some years ago we were in Germany, north of Hamburg, when, pre-email, I sent an aerogram to Tumbi Umbi on the Central Coast on a Monday. I received a reply on Thursday.
Last time I inquired at my local PO about an expected delivery I was told six to nine days were acceptable. Given his immense salary, our Mr Fahour could have delivered it personally ... by bike.
Nola Tucker Kiama
End of a brief Flynn
The resignation of Michael Flynn as President Trump's national security adviser ("Trump adviser quits over Russia talks," February 15) after only a few days in the job creates a companion to the well known phrase "in like Flynn": Out like Flynn.
Alan Slade Dover Heights
A swarm of Bs
With Merona Martin of Meroo Meadow and Peter Pitt of Potts Point lighting the way, I'm hopeful that my son Ben, who nearly qualifies for the full alliterative authorship, will one day grace this page.
So if I can get him out of the Manning bar some time this year, he might delight us with his erudition. How 'bout it Benny, "post a status"?
David Brooker Bomaderry
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