Australia’s up to speed but missing the point

Roads Minister John Graham compares Australian road statistics with those in other countries who use point-to-point speed cameras, and describes them as “impressive” (“Cameras to track driver speed”, September 9). Our roads are not like those in most other countries. We have a small population using a huge network, and road maintenance and conditions demonstrate this. Half of our road network of 800,000 kilometres is unsealed. To compare us with Norway is bizarre. Norway has a road network of 92,946 kilometres, and various speed limits. These stats alone must make it clear that other factors beside point-to-point speed cameras may influence their “impressive” road statistics. Victoria has point-to-point speed cameras and comparing their overall fatalities with NSW (2021 is the best comparable data I could find) it has a fatality rate of 0.0041 per cent per person, while NSW has 0.0033 per cent. Where is the evidence that point-to-point speed cameras make a difference? The 53 per cent reduction of heavy vehicle fatalities within the point-to-point is impressive, but how many fatalities have occurred in these zones that were caused by light vehicles? Diana Dixon, Blackheath

If point-to-point speed cameras save lives, bring them on. However, this decision won’t be popular with drivers, mostly because of our resistance to surveillance. Perhaps because of our convict ancestry, Aussies tend to be ambivalent about authority and knowing Big Brother is watching. In any case, the enjoyment has gone out of driving as a result of the increasing number of regulations and antisocial behaviour of some drivers. Graham Lum, North Rocks

The proposed trial of “average speed” cameras on the Pacific Motorway south of Port Macquarie seems, on the face of it, very reasonable. However, I question whether such a system is really intended to assess and allow “average” speeds over a given distance. I drive from Coffs Harbour to Sydney or the Newcastle area about once every two months and I can attest it is usual to encounter several sections of motorway with speed limits reduced to 60 km/h (or sometimes even 40 km/h). So, if a motorist travelling on the test section were obliged to reduce speed to 60 km/h for, say, five kilometres (five minutes elapsed time), would he or she be permitted to drive at 150 km/h for the next 10 km (about four minutes) such that their average speed was 110 km/h? I assume not. The government should be honest about this proposal and admit it is simply another way of deterring motorists from ever driving at a speed faster than the “posted limit”, regardless of whether such limits are appropriate for the safety features of modern vehicles or an individual’s driving ability, or are out of step with best practice in most other first-world countries. Martyn Yeomans, Sapphire Beach

I would hope that if speed cameras are used to track drivers’ speeds and issue fines and demerit points, we would not use average speed cameras but very good ones. Stephen Driscoll, Castle Hill

Your correspondent (Letters, September 9) is right: soon after passing a speed camera, many motorists speed up. It makes sense to put a second speed camera 500 metres or so beyond the first (which could be just a dummy) to help the speedsters learn not to speed. David Gordon, Cranebrook

Coalition costs us

The mind of the average voter is a mysterious thing (“Labor to blame on inflation: voters”, September 9). In the decade it was in power, the Coalition delivered nine consecutive budget deficits and a recession, 6 per cent inflation, produced nearly $1 trillion debt with nothing to show for it, paid $80 million for non-existent water, thought paying $30 million for land worth $3 million sounded OK, oversaw the destructive and expensive robo-debt, wasted millions on sports rorts and station car parks they couldn’t build, and has Angus Taylor as the alternative treasurer. Labor has overseen two consecutive budget surpluses, reduced inflation to 3 per cent and reduced the national debt. Yet in spite of all this, who do voters think are better economic managers? Baffling. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha (Vic)

Perhaps the voters who were surveyed on inflation can be asked to contribute to the Herald pages and explain how they would fix the economy. I’m hearing a lot of community talk centred on the theme of “What’s this government done for me?” International costs through major events, corporate profit greed and CEO salaries seem to be missing from the debate. I’ve always liked the fact that CEOs’ sky-high salaries are often paid following large-scale sacking of the lower level employees of that same company. If I remember correctly, it’s also a strategy the Liberals use when they come into power, by reducing the size of the public service. Voters have continuously stated they want a small government that doesn’t interfere with their aspirations, and lowers taxation, and they are prepared to have decreases in services provided by that government. If Australians wanted a sweeping change to our community way of life they should have voted for Bill Shorten with his huge agenda for change. Instead, we voted in the Coalition. I give Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor full marks for exploiting the current financial predicament most people find themselves in, but I seriously doubt the Coalition would be providing real cost-of-living relief, as I recall one of their mantras is that life wasn’t meant to be easy and if you want more money, get a better job. Robert Mulas, Corlette

Problem plastics

Is this diversionary tactics by the government to make it look like something is being done about plastic production (“The next takeaway on waste plastics”, September 9)? I haven’t had a lollipop for years and I can’t remember the last takeaway coffee I’ve had. But I can remember the many plastic packaged products I had to buy at the supermarket as there was no other unpackaged option at the same price. Benjamin Rushton, Birchgrove

It’s pleasing to see the NSW Labor government take action on plastic pollution. Our pro-business Liberal governments have largely done little to prevent plastics polluting our environment and our health. With council elections this weekend, voters should acknowledge that a key role of government is to curb harm caused by businesses, so it’s in everyone’s interests to vote for active government that protects the health and wellbeing of all. Anne Matheson, Gordon

While the state government is putting a list together of environmentally unfriendly plastics, can they also add those little plastic fish-shaped soy sauce bottles that come with takeaway sushi? These would have to be one of the most dangerous products that could be ingested by seabirds and marine life. John Swanton, Coogee

Maybe restaurants could follow suit in cutting plastics? My mum and her family used to pile into the local Chinese takeaway armed with their saucepans. The kitchen would load up their order, then the family would balance them on their laps all the way home, ready for dinnertime. Kate van de Wall, Collaroy Plateau

Make them pay

The article “Up to $50m fine for banks, social media in scam warning” (September 9) channels Ronald Reagan’s “when you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat” strategy. Given their enormous revenue earnings, the maximum fine should be higher to be an effective deterrent. Steve Ngeow, Chatswood

Common sense

Affirmative action recognises that women make up half of the population and should therefore be represented in parliament (“Vote that reshaped our politics”, September 9). Besides, they add a different perspective and counterpoise to the “blokey” culture hereto in governance. Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga

Maths team cuts harms students

It is really disappointing to read that yet another good initiative by the NSW Education Department will be rearranged, realigned and reduced (“Restructure cuts expert maths team”, September 9). Most students reach the end of their primary education with a reasonable grasp of mathematics, and a liking for it. The primary teachers, basically, do a great job, for which they are trained. Then, in high school, especially in the formative junior years, students are often allocated a non- maths-trained teacher. “There’s the textbook, the answers are in the back” is the usual sweetener for any teacher given such a job. It is in the junior years that students need the expertise that comes with being trained in the subject. A spokesman for the department has said “HSC students will get more support, not less”, but by the time some of our students have been confused by non-specialist teachers, they have lost interest, and choose not to study maths for the HSC. For students to thrive in maths the Maths Growth Team program needs to continue. Mia David, Wollongong

The Minns government is paying for the justified teacher salary increases by removing the staff who support the intellectual power of the teaching profession, the non-school-based training experts. Labelling it a realignment is the same old, same old, when governments tell departments to cut costs. It’s a slow destruction of public schooling. Money spent on skilled teachers, not boring tunnels, is what we need. The students of this state deserve politicians who believe in their future, not ones who have no vision. Barry Laing, Castle Cove

Build the bush

With the NSW government intending to spend, spend, spend on the metro, how about a similar amount being spent on rural and regional infrastructure (“Huge costs of metro projects revealed”, September 9)? Any major update to the more than 200 years old route west, referred to as the “Great” Western Highway, has been cancelled, obviously in preference for the metro system. We west of the mountains apparently don’t count, but Sydney still expects the delivery of essentials for its people from the west of the state by road on a rotten piece of infrastructure which increasingly gets closed due to weather conditions. A tunnel begs, but there is no understanding of the situation from Macquarie Street. Cost of living? Do you understand that freight companies charge extra to travel on this route? Bruce Clydsdale, Bathurst

Metromania is only about keeping tunnel-boring machines going. Matt Mushalik, Epping

20-20 hindsight

Sean Kelly (“The perspective time can offer”, September 9) reminds us of the need for due process and caution in making decisions to change course. Only in those ways can we minimise the risk from changing context and perspective controlling our perceptions. If Peter Dutton had understood these principles, he would not have been so rash in proposing the building of nuclear reactors in our earthquake-prone Hunter Valley. Mark Porter, New Lambton

I agree with Sean Kelly that in politics, and life in general, we judge leaders more wisely and kindly in hindsight. Powerful leaders whom the populace so admire are sometimes derided when their past mistakes become known. Conversely, we miss those leaders we once considered meek, recognising their courageous actions because at the time we are swayed by the short term or by dubious messaging by their opponents. This reminds us that leaders need not only take decisive action but to also communicate effectively to explain the difficult path they’ve chosen for the long-term benefit of citizens. Effective communication is truly Leadership 101 and can help alleviate fears and inspire hope among the population. Manbir Singh Kohli, Pemulwuy

Yes, Sean Kelly, the perspective time can offer can change how we view things. The lens we use, though, is often not the clearest thing we could use to seek the truth. Many people I speak to will admit that their sole lens for deciding who to vote for is their own self-interest. That’s how the light-on-truth marketing creation called ScoMo managed to become prime minister. Bill Shorten’s perception was he could convince people to do what was right. The challenge for our current leadership is to show they are doing what is best for the country as well as for individuals. Geoff Nilon, Mascot

The Lee way

Justice Michael Lee, in seeking to change the current laws relating to suppression and non-publication orders (“Judge’s six steps to remedy opaque court secrecy orders”, September 9), reveals once again his logical and commonsense approach and his awareness of the importance of open justice and serving the public interest, which was on show in the Brittany Higgins trial. The revelation in his talk that only Victoria and South Australia disclose the numbers of such orders was highly disturbing. His highlighting the number of occasions when only the intervention of a media organisation challenging suppression and non-publication orders had allowed justice to be served was a reminder of the importance of ensuring their ongoing viability and independence. Hopefully, his suggestion to “Marie Kondo-fy” the large number of piecemeal laws allowing better protection of victims of domestic violence and sexual offences does not fall on deaf ears. It must be acknowledged that the lacklustre reputation of the legal profession has attained some polish due to the actions of this judge. Louise Dolan, Birchgrove

Moore or less

Clover Moore has been chained to the trappings of the Town Hall for too long (Letters, September 9), and often it is best to break incumbency on your own terms rather than suffer defeat at the hands of the constituency. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook

We were delighted, Clover, when Martin Place, then Pitt Street Mall were declared smoke-free and now vape-free, but it’s time to declare the entire city centre totally free from smoking and vaping emissions. Everybody has the right to breathe clean air. Please, Clover, go the whole hog. Margaret Hogge, North Curl Curl

It’s only for Clover only if the electors say so. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach

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