Tragedy puts systems, and values, to the test
I was shocked to read that some tourists were back sitting in deckchairs on the beach ("Tourists back on the sand as clean-up in Penang begins", Herald, December 28) only two days after the tsunami and presumably while the clean-up goes on around them.
Granted, these people are probably on a well-earned holiday, but I can't help thinking it seems somewhat disrespectful in the circumstances.
R. Hargreaves, Waitara, December 28.
Enough of the verbal jousting over values, Christian or otherwise. Right now, the bodies of about 20,000 drowned in the tsunami are being recovered; millions have no houses to live in, no clean clothes to wear, and no clean water or food. We who are Christians have to stop talking about our compassion and put everything into action to help those devastated by the weekend's earthquake and tsunami.
With our Government enjoying a big budget surplus but sending only $10 million in assistance, we, the citizens, have to show we care for our neighbours more than those governing in our names.
While we are at it, why not harness the geophysical and earth science expertise of Australia to help develop monitoring and warning systems for the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, as Japan and California have done? I will volunteer my time and technical knowledge to assist if an opportunity arises.
Fergus Hancock, Muswellbrook, December 28.
The Howard Government's initial response to the devastating tsunami is $10 million, two aircraft and a pledge of more. I'd like to think that a country that has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on its involvement in Iraq could do better.
Surely we learnt some lessons after Bali? Let's have our armed forces organised so that if disasters strike in our neighbourhood we can make a prompt and sizeable contribution.
Matthew Jeffery, Orange, December 28.
Almost 3000 people died as a results of events in the United States on September 11, 2001, and our Government was willing to spend billions to do something about it - even go to war, and not ask any embarrassing questions about the evidence for or legality of doing so.
Tens of thousands of Asians die and all our Government can spare to help them is $10 million.
I guess it makes sense. We all know an American's life is worth millions but Asians' lives are worth only a few hundred. I'm surprised there's even a body count. Dead Iraqis don't get counted.
Gordon Drennan, Burton (SA), December 28.
If we really want to show how much we care, why don't we spend the New Year's Eve fireworks dollars on helping the victims of the catastrophe?
Instead of celebrating, we can dedicate the silence to remembering those who have perished and those who are suffering as a result of this tragedy.
Mary Lee, Chippendale, December 27.
It would be a tangible mark of the true greatness of the man were the Prime Minister to devote as many resources to this overwhelming disaster as he has to the Iraqi disaster and its aftermath.
Severino Milazzo, Maroubra, December 28.
The Government has announced an "initial" contribution of $10 million to aid the victims of the Asian tsunami, a natural disaster on an almost unprecedented scale. Are we aiming to give some real money or to salve our consciences?
David Atkinson, Beecroft, December 28.
There is only one fortuitous aspect of the tsunami tragedy. It follows some incredibly bad forecasting by our federal Treasurer. Taxation revenue has exceeded budget by some hundreds of millions of dollars and this surplus sits unallocated in government coffers.
There is no need for charitable organisations to go, begging bowl in hand, to the public to finance assistance programs. The funds are there.
It requires only that our Government co-ordinate the charities' work and provide the funds, whether it be tens of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars.
John Sturzaker, Bayview, December 28.
There have been predictions that retail sales over the Christmas season will reach $12 billion in NSW alone. Come on, shoppers, do you really need that extra shirt or towel when you could give the money instead to those dislocated in this latest natural disaster? If shoppers in NSW gave up just 10 per cent of their Christmas spending, we could donate more than $1 billion.
The Government is pitching in a measly $10 million. Come on, shoppers, I dare you all.
Louise Lockley, Balmain, December 28.
Why can't early warning systems for tsunami be set up in all our oceans?
Carolyn Wills, Cremorne, December 27.
Perhaps we could cut through the overly academic discussion over the past few days about the existence of a God and people's apparently blind faith in the existence of such a benevolent entity. Let's look at the issue in the context of the natural disaster that has cost many thousands of lives.
In situations such as this the religious fraternity always seems to give thanks for those who have been spared, conveniently forgetting that if what they believe is true, it must have been their God that caused the disaster in the first place.
Let the Jensens and Pells explain what has happened without any of the stock answers they normally use.
Clint Oliver, Penshurst, December 27.
If the tsunami disaster had befallen Australia instead of Indonesia, Malaysia and others, the response from the majority of Indonesians and Malaysians would no doubt have been that Australia had been cleansed for its support of US efforts to counter Islamic terrorism.
Australia's response will no doubt be: "How can we help?" Why is it Australia always has to play the white man when these chaps get into trouble? I think I have answered my own question.
Mark K. Tomkinson, Bridgetown (WA), December 27.
For the next cataclysm, could the writers of news bulletins stop including a line about how "No Australians are reported to be killed/injured/affected at this stage"?
Inevitably, this first appears at a time when the local authorities are scarcely sure if they have survived, never mind anyone else. It offers no comfort to family and friends of people possibly in the area and may even give them false hope. Worse still, it gives the impression that we are not really bothered if 5000 Indians get washed out to sea, as long as no Australians are involved.
If you writers are desperate to fill in air time, you could urge family and friends of anyone in the disaster area (Australians or not) to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs, so at least the authorities have some idea of who they are looking for.
Claire Bruce, Blacktown, December 28.
The admission of Charles McCreery, the director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii, that "we really did not know who we should be contacting" ("Warning system could have saved lives", Herald, December 28) highlights the low value placed on life in the Asian region. A warning system with no one and nowhere to send the warning to is a disgrace, and certainly should not be the situation in a Western democracy.
It could be something out of a Douglas Adams novel if it wasn't so serious.
Janice Creenaune, Austinmer, December 28.
What the proponents of early warning systems fail to explain is just where would these people go if an alarm went off?
These nations' road systems are not capable of transporting a million people to higher ground in the (maximum) of two hours' warning they would have received.
Tsunamis travel at or just below the speed of sound. Have you ever tried to wake a million people at 2am, let alone persuade them they need to move out of their hotel and get on a bus to some place they can't spell, just because some dishevelled person is yelling at them in a foreign language?
Let's get back to loading bottles of water on the planes.
John McGhie, Bondi Junction, December 28.
The tragic loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami are a timely reminder of the forces unleashed in such natural events. The greenhouse fanatics are always quick to sheet home blame for natural disasters to man-made "global warming". One can only wait in awe to see what these modern-day Mother Shiptons have to say about this one.
S.B. Reynolds, Coolah, December 27.
Abortion advice that runs to an agenda
What sort of organisation develops a counselling program that intends to deliver a pre-determined message to its clients ("New church push to lower abortions", Herald, December 28)? Seemingly the Catholic Church. So while the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Pell, asserts it will be "a professional counselling and support service to women", the article also outlines his plans to develop a program that will "attempt to persuade them to carry to full term".
Women contemplating abortion need access to unbiased counselling services; the last thing they need is a dose of Catholic guilt masquerading as professional advice.
Nick Caraturo, Potts Point, December 28.
Wouldn't it be more honest if Archbishop Pell reworded his claim that his new counselling service will offer alternatives to women considering terminating pregnancies to acknowledge that it's part of a continuing campaign to eliminate choice by banning abortion?
Norm Neill, Leichhardt, December 28.
Back in struggle street ...
It is interesting that in all of Sydney's wealth, glitz and glamour Paul Sheehan ("We're all kings in Howard's court", Herald, December 27) should find that two struggling performing arts companies were his Christmas gems.
The recent and conspicuous wealth of King Howard's court has not made its way to many of those working in the creative and performing arts. Many members of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the wonderful Pinchgut Opera do not earn a regular income from these ventures, despite their artistic excellence.
So while we may have more material wealth than ever, we are also in danger of losing creative people to countries which offer a much more decent level of financial support than we do.
Despite being rich, we will be much poorer for it.
Paul Stanhope, Croydon, December 27.
Paul Sheehan contributes to the mythology that under the Coalition Government poverty has disappeared. Of course 13 years of continuous economic growth has given this Government every opportunity to eliminate poverty, but the shameful reality is that hundreds of thousands of Australian households continue to struggle to buy everyday necessities. The 2001 census found that almost one child in five lived in a household where neither parent was employed. This is one figure among plenty that indicate that poverty is still a major issue.
A. Morris, Eastlakes, December 27.
Phew. For a minute there I thought Paul Sheehan was going to measure John Howard's moral wealth.
Denis Mamo, Mosman, December 27.
Don't spend it all at once
I am so pleased that the State Government privatised green slips for vehicle registrations. The competition is going to be so good for consumers. Now that I have to add my daughter's name to my green slip, I did a little shopping around and, by gosh, I can save $2.60.
Thanks, Bob, now I can go on that holiday I've always wanted.
Douglas Cliff, North Narrabeen, December 28.
Now for the minnows
Now that the two favourite maxis are out of what is meant to be a handicap race, can we hear how the rest of the Sydney-Hobart fleet is faring? It is not many years back that the newspapers used to produce a diagram showing the position of most of the boats. Now all we get is the glorifying of the highly sponsored maxis.
David Brawn, Turramurra, December 28.
Try a stopping spree
Things to consider while shopping. It's not a bargain if you don't need it. Where will you keep it when you get it home? What will you do with the thing it is replacing? Can you mend or modify what you already have? Is the new CD better than ones in your collection you don't listen to? Is the new book better than ones on your shelf you haven't read? Can you borrow it instead? Can you buy it second hand? Does the item justify the space it takes in your home? Does it justify the waste of its packaging? Is it really going to improve your quality of life? Few things are worth getting into debt.
Better still, save time, money and energy. Don't go shopping. You won't want things you don't see.
Catherine Walsh, Ashfield, December 28.
Anthem of a generation loses its identity
How could you possibly tackle the subject of "our distinctive musical identity" ("Oz rock's hard place", Herald, December 27) without mentioning Don Walker and the songs he wrote for Cold Chisel. Despite being originally banned from commercial radio Khe Sahn went on to become something close to an unofficial anthem with its pub rock chant "The last plane out of Sydney's almost gone". In one song, a parochial string of references to Australia and a song that epitomised the thoughts of an Australian Vietnam vet.
Philip Mortlock, Artarmon, December 27.
Mum's bed and board
The true reason young employed men do not want to move out of home ("Why Mum and Dad's became Peter Pan's never-ever land", Herald, December 27) is they are too lazy to look after themselves. They know their mothers are providing the most convenient, excellent, free (or at least very cheap) housekeeping service there is.
Cecilia Temperli, Dolans Bay, December 27.
Season of ill will
Well, that's Christmas over. Being nothing if not progressive, I've cruelled Santa with all the kids I could find - sure, they cried, but, hey, what's absolute truth without pain? I can't wait for Easter, and as for those tooth fairies and garden elves - oblivion.
So far this crusade is so cathartic I'm thinking of giving the rellies some home truths, providing, of course, our local hospital is no longer on code red.
Rosemary O'Brien, Georges Hall, December 27.
If the shoe fits ...
While we all feel sorry for Craig Moore who had his shoes stolen while on surf patrol (Letters, December 28), the only crooks who read the Herald are corporate ones.
Alastair Browne, Cromer Heights, December 28.
Break the news
James Mahoney (Letters, December 28), I suggest "breaking news" several hours old should be called "broken news" or perhaps "clapped-out news".
B.J. Ruddell, O'Connor (WA), December 28.
A tale of two cities
To Don Matthews (Letters, December 28): claiming Lake Macquarie is not part of Newcastle is like saying Parramatta is not part of Sydney. Lake Macquarie is just a council administrative area. A real city can have scores of city councils administering the large urban area which constitutes the "city".
Mary Boddy, Adamstown Heights, December 28.
Cross the bridge
Bruce Elder ("Crossings", Herald, December 27), you can't walk either side of the Harbour Bridge - it is illegal to walk on the western cycle path, as many signs attest. As a cyclist I don't use the pedestrian path, so perhaps considerate walkers should keep off one of the very, very few dedicated bike paths in Sydney.
Norman Monshall, Seaforth, December 27.
Just imagine the carnage if the Pakistanis had not been left psychologically damaged after the first Test.
Bill Carpenter, Bowral, December 28.
Anybody noticed the uncanny resemblance between Shoaib Akhtar and Clark Gable? Or don't you give a damn?
Stuart Roberts, Boambee, December 27.