Selfless, heroic police and public give hope in midst of despair

Heartfelt thanks to those officials, mall staff, and individuals, who confronted the attacker or helped or tended to his victims (“What we know so far about Saturday’s attack”, April 12). They showed courage and persistence in the face of huge challenges. And special thanks to NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott, a true hero, who ultimately had to do CPR on her attacker. It is hard to know who you can trust these days, but you give us hope that the community in all its diversity and trained first responders, when it counts, will be there for us. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon

Wreath laying at Bondi Junction

I cannot recall a more horrific, yet defining, moment in my 73 years living in Australia. In that moment, we surely became more like our benighted ally, the United States: with a heightened sense of anxiety; hypervigilance; more distrustful of those around us; and less confident we live in a country of peace and personal safety. Our hearts go out to victims and close ones; our admiration for first responders and the policewoman who shot the perpetrator is immeasurable; my own grief and the grieving and vicarious trauma suffered at the societal level through this loss of innocence is surely boundless. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

I saw on television, footage of a man on an escalator confronting the armed assassin. It was one of the bravest acts I have witnessed in my almost 83 years and if ever someone has earned the highest civilian award for bravery it is that man. Ian Sanderson, Normanhurst

Perhaps now the powers that be will think about reviewing the long-term policy of having mentally ill people in the community rather than in monitored facilities. Bondi will never be the same. From a broad community of live and let live to a traumatised, though very brave, village, the personal losses are incalculable, the losses to a free, confident society immeasurable. Governments and bureaucrats – stop saving money on a “leave them in place” policy with no support systems and build a viable residential infrastructure for the dangerously ill. The smallest medieval village had better plans! You leave it to religious groups to support the mentally ill or you throw them in jail. Public safety is your brief. Shirley Prescott, Forest Lodge

As a vascular surgeon, I have spent close to 40 years trying to save or prolong life in people with vascular disease and have been successful in some. However, that is all suddenly negated in a few minutes of insanity when young and healthy lives can be extinguished in a flash. Mental health must take precedence in our health system. Bernie Bourke, Ourimbah

The stabbings at Bondi Junction were horrific, but we should all be grateful that guns are not the fallback option for unhinged people in this country. Jeremy Light, Mosman

When things go wrong we look to the police. Let this be a lesson to those who would take every opportunity to denigrate them. Thanks to those who did not take a backward step, particularly the female inspector who stood steadfast in the ultimate test. D’Arcy Hardy, North Turramurra

Country folk do it tough enough without Nationals

That senior Nationals “believe voters will be worse off in the move away from fossil fuels” and that “regional communities will experience the greatest disruption in the economic transition to net zero” (“Nationals push Dutton with threat on net zero”, April 13) is yet further proof that the Nationals have long since given up on both science and representing traditional rural communities and are little more than the electoral arm of the fossil fuels industry. “Drought and flooding rains” may be part of Australia’s environment, but as they become a more regular and extreme presence, farming and grazing become increasingly difficult to our common detriment.

It’s already blindingly clear that rural and regional communities are disproportionately affected by our warming climate, and that further delays to address the problem are reckless. The Nationals’ (and Liberals’) advocacy for nuclear power when bodies like the CSIRO have pointed out the economic stupidity (my words) of such a program surely calls into question whether the Coalition is fit for office, whatever one thinks of the current Labor government. Colin Hesse, Marrickville

windfarms

The Coalition appears deeply enmeshed in its own climate war, still hanging on to coal but needing to appear in favour of their commitment to net zero by 2050. We cannot do both. At the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai last year, more than 130 governments, including the EU, agreed to work together to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030. The Coalition’s energy spokesman Ted O’Brien blithely ignores the fact that, with no nuclear industry established in Australia, a nuclear industry is irrelevant to the imperative to urgently reduce emissions. The Coalition’s weak 26 to 28 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target is indicative of a zero commitment to zero by 2050. Fiona Colin, Malvern East (Vic)

The Nationals’ attempts to renegotiate their support for the Liberal Party’s quest for net zero highlights the ongoing farce of Australian politics. Their supposed reason is that regional communities will disproportionately bear the cost of the transition. Partly correct: regional communities will disproportionately bear the cost of not transitioning. We are all the poorer for these political games. Brett Bujeya, Coffs Harbour

So David Littleproud is proud “to have secured nuclear as part of the Coalition’s energy policy platform.” Given this policy will drag down the Coalition at the next election, cost Australians billions of dollars for something that will not be achieved for 10 to 15 years, and will increase electricity prices when built, he truly has little to be proud of. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove

Littleproud is fiddling while the world is burning. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle

Justice Michael Lee a great role model

Jacqueline Maley wrote of the need for men to have role models and end up being decent and kind like the men many of us know. I would hold up Justice Michael Lee during the recent Bruce Lehrmann trial as showing himself to be such a role model (“‘Thesbian flair’: The unlikely video star at the heart of Lehrmann defamation case”, April 13). As Deborah Snow wrote, his love of his family was evident, he dealt with humour with testimony showing not the best behaviour of one witness but most of all showed great compassion when the distress of witnesses was evident or, as in the case with Brittany Higgins’ father, when they were totally overwhelmed by being in the witness box. To read that he had only missed working on the judgment for one day since the new year to attend a cricket match showed him as belonging to that group of men many of us know, hard-working and dedicated to their profession. Louise Dolan, Birchgrove

Justice Michael Lee (centre) with Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann.

Like many others, I have been glued to the YouTube live-stream soap opera that is the Lehrmann defamation case. Silver-haired Justice Michael Lee has provided welcome relief from the often sordid accounts of debauchery and mayhem that were provided by some witnesses. I can’t wait for the next episode. Patricia Farrar, Concord

A great tradition

Roaming animals in Sydney have been a formative part of its history (“Lions, tiger, deer, pooch, baboons and buffalo join quest for freedom”, April 13). What about the two bulls and five cows brought out by the First Fleet that escaped to the Nepean River in 1788? The discovery of that growing mob of wild cattle in 1795 in the “cowpastures” area near Camden changed the history of the NSW colony, helping it survive and eventually prosper. Paul McShane, Burradoo

Cry me a river

Just what is going on (Letters, April 13)? Letters on Friday and Saturday telling us how tough things are for landlords. Really! Not a word, of course, about the overly generous capital gains tax exemption whose introduction by the Howard government triggered the rise in the number of people who entered the “negatively geared game”. Landlords can cry me a river. Maurice Critchley, Mangrove Mountain

How did we do?

Jo Stubbings has hit the nail on the head (“How did we do? I’ve had it with these needy companies”, April 13). I submitted an online request for a task to be done by a particular company. They sent an automatic reply, then a day later, they asked me to complete a survey about the service. No one had rung, let alone come to deal with my problem. I sent a sarcastic reply and will probably never hear from them again. Non-sensibleness is right. Anne Bowen, Canberra (ACT)

Out of curiosity, I searched for the number of emails I’ve received from Telstra inviting me to “share my feedback”. Turns out I’ve received 113 since 2013. That’s about one a month, none of which have garnered a reply. You’d think they’d get the message. Nick Andrews, Bellevue Hill

Yes, Jo Stubbings, I’ve had it with doing surveys and providing feedback for all these “needy companies”. The irony is that whenever I’ve contacted them unprompted with a complaint or a question, all I get in response is a link to their existing policy. Clearly, they are not about to make changes, so what on earth is the point of them asking, “How did we do”? Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown

I couldn’t agree more with Jo Stubbings about the endless emails from businesses seeking feedback on the most ordinary transactions. PS. Did my letter meet your expectations? Bruce Turner, Dapto

Creative discrimination

Men-only spaces can make a comeback by designating them as art installations, apparently (Letters, April 13). Glenn Holmes, Katoomba

Bricks and more, ta.

Tony Richards eloquently summarises the multitude of reasons people aren’t fond of many property developers, including greed, lack of provision of any component of affordable or social housing in projects, and shoddy construction (“Why it’s time to stop hating property developers”, April 13). And yet, he would have us believe the real problem lies with the rules and regulations. If that’s the case, all those caring developers out there could choose to just not participate in the system. And instead agitate for change so they can finally build all that high-quality, not-for profit accommodation they so long to contribute to Australian society. Ross Duncan, Potts Point

Tony Richards urges us to stop hating property developers because most of the issues are caused “by the planning system and policies we’ve developed and imposed”. I am sure that is a great comfort to the residents and owners of Mascot Towers and other fault-laden buildings throughout the state – that their woes are not the fault of cost-cutting but legislation and bureaucracy. Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba

Respectful renting

So sad and frustrating to read the daily horrors of renting in Sydney for Alysia Sheppard (“Relentless rise in weekly rents leads workers to hustle”, April 13). In Vienna, she could move into an apartment run by a limited profit co-operative with a lifelong lease at a rent that is not affected by wild market fluctuations. And she could have a real say in how her apartment complex is managed. Forty per cent of Viennese residents live in such homes where low and moderate-income households mix with ease. Donald Proctor, Cremorne

All sides

The Herald publishes a wide range of opinion, from mere actors and even from Rosemary O’Brien (Letters, April 13)! Whether to take these opinions on board, remains with the readers. John Christie, Oatley

Hugo Weaving has a firm opinion on the STC’s response to the protest of some of its cast members over the Israeli invasion of Gaza. As a board member of the STC, his opinion carries far more weight than Henry or Hetty. Matthew Flattery, Middle Cove

The forgotten

Heads must roll in the absolute scandal of the totally unnecessary upgrade of the Australian War Memorial; principal among them being that of Scott Morrison who put self-aggrandisement above all else (Letters, April 13). Many ex-servicemen and women, unsupported, even ignored on their return home, resorted to suicide. They had no need of a memorial to remind them of the mates they lost; they could not forget. Had that vast amount of money been directed to their care, many lives could have been saved. How many others are still living with the horror of their wartime experience? How many families are still badly affected? They need help before more lives are lost. Kathleen Hollins, Northmead

The auditor-general has delivered a scathing report into the $500 million Australian War Memorial upgrade.

Emotive eggcorns

David Astle: Tormentor, possibly dementor, bane of my Friday evenings (“Eggcorns: a whole new word”, April 13). Now column writer extraordinaire. Brought a tear to my eyes in a much different fashion than usual. Ron McQuarrie, Budgewoi

Drum’s role

Richard Glover mentioned using 44-gallon drums in the past (“What’s the use? No one will know”, April 13). In the 1970s the selling point for the Leyland P76 car was that a 44-gallon drum could fit in the boot! I was never really sure why one would want to do that. Robyn Lewis, Raglan

Meet future meat

It looks like a slab of Spam (“No heart, brain, feathers or bones – this lab-grown meat is just parfait”, April 13)! Allan Gibson Cherrybrook

No sign of change

The voters of Cook have had 12 years and counting to work out the consequences of voting for the same thing over and over again and getting the same dismal results (“Liberals hold Scott Morrison’s old seat of Cook”, smh.com.au, April 12). What on earth is wrong with them? Chris McGregor, Cabarita

Out of tune

He must be a lousy singer (“Lehrmann ‘evicted’ from Sydney house after karaoke time of his life”, April 13). Michael Deeth, Como West

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