• JULY 16

As Imre Salusinszky notes ("The friends the Coalition could do without", July 9) "the tabloid radio voices" Alan Jones and Ray Hadley, have demonstrated that they can force elected governments to bend to their will. For this reason, Malcolm Turnbull cannot afford to ignore the relentless hectoring of these "friends". In contrast I recall that during my time as a Meals on Wheels volunteer I was alerted to the more positive aspects of their broadcasting. A solitary lady, whose failing eyesight prevented her from reading or watching TV, described Alan Jones as "the most stimulating company". Her life, she said, would be "so dull without him". In some circles, at least, Jones and Hadley are more popular and influential than any politician.

• July 15

It says something about the entrenched ideology of some groups that funding an $18 billion motorway, with its attendant problems, such as finding parking and wider feeder roads for those polluting cars being channelled into Sydney, is preferable to spending a lesser amount on straightening the railway and speeding up trains (Cabinet documents reveal "exceptional" benefit to rail upgrade, July 14).

• July 14

Michael Pascoe is quite right: Sydney's rezoning game is little more than a frenzy for developers.

• JULY 13

What happened to the idea of decentralising arts and culture facilities that was the erstwhile justification of the fire sale of the Powerhouse site to developers?

• July 12

​The facts don't support Paul Keating's account, writes Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

• July 11

Former deputy lord mayor John McInerney must think the rest of us suffer from amnesia.

• July 10

There is little comfort in Peter Hartcher's analysis of a possible Australian defence against North Korean missiles.

• JULY 9

Being a crusty old curmudgeon, one tries to avoid laughing out loud in private, lest one forgets oneself and does so in public one day. However, Annabel Crabb's column on Christopher Pyne's apology ("An event of breathtaking enormity", July 2) had one guffawing on a number of occasions, not least at the suggestion that "it's probably time to start looting".

• July 8

This denial demeans us all. We must acknowledge the truth in an act of sorrow and regret.

• July 7

The war of words over North Korean missile tests has all the potential of a frightening miscalculation.

• July 6

We need to "Stand up for Royal" and ask that allocated funds to investigate this flawed expressway option are put into better integrated transport planning.

• July 5

The responsibility for, and control of, education is gradually being handed to statisticians and private companies.

• July 4

Letters: I was hoping Turnbull's ascent might usher in a new era of stability and achievement after years of chaos.

• July 03

Our outdated adversarial political system really is putting the accelerator on its demise with the news that our Tony is having another crack at it.

• July 2

I can't believe the City of Sydney has shut down the homeless people's makeshift shelter in Martin Place, on the grounds that it was a "public nuisance" and "causing inconvenience" ("Martin Place homeless community unseated", June 25). I work alongside the building every day and haven't been inconvenienced at all. I've stopped for a chat and been inspired by the care and support the people provide each other, whether it be washing-up duties, cooking, or having a yarn. Why can't we have a similar, permanent, dedicated shelter for homeless people in the city?

• July 1

The church, contrary to the belief of some in the media, is much bigger than Cardinal George Pell.

• LETTERS

The sooner the hard-liners stop the petulance, the better for all of us.

• June 29

Religious persons are still citizens with as equal a right to be heard on matters as anyone else.

• June 28

How disappointing, though not surprising to see Malcolm Turnbull once again display his lack of leadership.

• June 27

Sydney is well provided with restaurants but there is a severe shortage of social housing.

• June 26

Quality teaching is important but it is only part of the answer to falling standards.

• JUNE 25

Your columnist Imre Salusinszky's challenging essay attempting a deconstruction of the US President's "construction" prompted this disturbing image: "Trump must sleep with a hairnet" ("Fascinated by Trump's style over substance", June 18). Heaven forfend us if he should have to act in our defence without sufficient time to arrange his strands. Does he have a team of hairdressers at the ready?

• June 24

Decreasing the rigour behind exams cannot help develop our literacy skills.

• June 23

Pauline Hanson's suggestion of separating autistic kids in the classroom is wide of the mark.

• June 22

The headline of a $4.5 billion surplus sounds good but in reality it does not demonstrate NSW is being well run.

• Letters

NSW coffers are overflowing, but the way funding is raised is cannibalistic. Nothing to be proud of.

• June 20

Adrian Piccoli's record qualifies him as a non-partisan expert on the Gonski funding dispute.

• JUN19

Further to your spot-on editorial, the famous quote from investment guru Warren Buffet can now be amended to "if you are tied to coal, you are the problem" ("A compromise can still break through climate change policy fog", June 17-18). Translated into plain English, the federal government is the problem we have with any resolution beneficial to the country, exemplified by stupidity within the ranks and an intractable, regressive attitude to any opportunity to deliver progress. Is this really what we voted for?

• JUNE 18

Labor would be misguided in believing there were lessons to be learnt from the successful performance of its British counterpart ("Corbyn's success leaves ALP reflecting on way forward", June 11).