Care for the disabled will be Bill Shorten’s lasting legacy

Bill Shorten was a man of honesty and integrity, and I thank him for his vision and work for the Australian people, particularly those with disabilities (“Bill Shorten was among Labor’s best performers, yet rivals pushed him out”, September 6). His new role as vice chancellor of the University of Canberra is an excellent choice. The last thing our universities need are conservatives at the helm who seek to remain in the past and permit stagnation. They must have progressive leaders who have a vision for the future of our nation, our students, and to carry research and education into the 21st century. Thank you, Bill, and good luck for your future. Tony Heathwood, Kiama Downs

To many, Bill Shorten has been somewhat of an enigma. On the one hand, he was obviously a very influential powerbroker during the Rudd/Gillard years, yet his public persona has never been in the Whitlam/Hawke/Keating vein, and some would describe him as muted and uninspiring. Clearly, though, most recently, Shorten has dedicated himself diligently and has been fully committed to making the NDIS the best it can be, and he can look back on that achievement with a degree of satisfaction. It is a measure of the strength of the Albanese cabinet that Shorten is seen as one of the “best performers” and about the pettiness that exists in the Victorian ALP that the likes of the deputy PM had it in for him. Shorten’s departure is probably not a shock as his return to the leadership is very unlikely, and he may well believe he has completed his assignment on the NDIS. However, his parting words about Labor needing to know what it stands for and to fight for “things” perhaps indicate, along with ALP members and supporters, a certain frustration with the performance and progress of the current government. Ross Butler, Rodd Point

Thank you, Bill Shorten, for your understanding, wisdom and tireless work to establish the NDIS. These words are inadequate. You have improved the lives of numerous Australians. Each day, countless people with a disability approach life with more confidence and often a smile. Your work as a politician is admirable because you held strong beliefs to help our communities to be better for all. You have shown us all how to accept the highs and lows of life and just get on with it. You showed us “Never Give Up” on worthy causes. Your students will benefit from your strong ideals. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong

As Bill Shorten bows out of federal politics, I’m reminded that he was rejected as prime minister for floating a policy that may well have positively influenced the cost-of-living and housing crises while strengthening the capacity of the Reserve Bank to reduce inflation through interest rate rises – all key issues in today’s paper. Colin Stokes, Camperdown

I am very sorry that Bill Shorten is leaving politics. His wise housing policies were just what we needed, and in backing away from them, the present government has made a big mistake. I would have enjoyed having Shorten as prime minister. Jeannette Tsoulos, West Pymble

Decent. Honest. Hardworking for all workers and especially the disabled, even after personal disappointment in leadership. A great loss to our parliament. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer

It is disappointing to learn of Shorten’s exit from politics and, more so, his loss to the ALP. A fine mind and courage, along with Chris Bowen, to take such radical but fair policies on finance to an election. Good fortune, Bill, I liked you. Brian Shevlane, Cammeray

It is only the Labor Party which has introduced and embedded all the important, bold, compassionate and fair policy reforms in this country, the NDIS among them. Thank you, Julia Gillard and Bill Shorten, for that. It is extraordinary that, despite the short three-year terms governments get, the Labor Party, during its short stints in government, has conceived and realised such important social reforms for which we seem remarkably ungrateful. Still, yet again, amazingly, there is talk of a return of the Coalition, a party which seems ideologically incapable of originating such equitable reforms. Judy Hungerford, Kew (Vic)

“Labor is at its best when we know what we stand for - and will fight for things.” Well done, Bill. Geoff Nilon, Mascot

Rate squeeze is a busted flush

The assertion by the RBA governor Michele Bullock seems callous and fails to make economic sense (“Owners feel the squeeze: Bullock”, September 6). If families are forced to sell their homes due to high interest rates, they will still have to be housed, and governments will have to provide places to live or rent subsidies. In other words, money will still have to be spent, and the ongoing ramifications of impoverishment are further costs, economic and social. High interest rates have not, and do not seem likely, to reduce the cost of power, rents or insurance. Linda Page, Baulkham Hills

Surely the powers that be can do better to manage the economy than just keep interest rates high? What about raising GST on luxury goods? The wealthy should be pulling their weight rather than making people sell their homes. This is not a good recipe for a harmonious and inclusive society. Roz Townsend, Queanbeyan East

While it is sad to see people lose their homes, the ever-increasing prices for dwellings has made this tragedy inevitable. For years, governments have been either satisfied with the status quo where people like John Howard, who in 2022, did not believe there was a housing crisis or governments who made the crisis worse by giving cash to first home buyers. Most economists currently believe that the property market is unlikely to return to lower prices so we have now built in a permanent state of inequality in our society, and the lucky country is no more. Peter Nash, Fairlight

International students come at a cost

Nowhere does Waleed Aly consider the quality of the education provided to local students studying in a university hosting 50 per cent international students, many with poor English (“Uni gamble carries high degree of risk”, September 6). Nor does Aly consider that these students may have displaced hundreds or thousands of local students who may also prefer one of the elite universities to (his example) Wollongong. He seems not to understand that the pursuit of “export” revenue through education has already radically increased casualisation and the exploitation of local academics on uncertain contracts. Aly won’t say what proportion of Sydney University enrolments should be reserved for international visitors, but he implies that it should be more than half. Would 75 per cent satisfy him or the vice chancellor? Philip Bell, Bronte

Time for governments to do the right thing with gambling profits

Let’s face the facts now the Grattan Institute has released a detailed study of the gambling addiction Australia has (“Australia paying price as gambling ‘runs wild’” , September 6). Successive governments have been addicted to the taxes on gambling revenue as this only affects the poor and gambling addicts. They ignore the tax losses from the immense amount of money laundering that occurs both from high rollers and in the everyday pub and club where cash is supreme and cash is regularly handed back to customers as “winnings”. Not addressed in the report is where the profits go. It is said these profits go to benefit the sporting and other communities. How much better would it be to leave the money in the community, with people able to spend it on essentials and luxuries of their own choice? Governments must acknowledge their role in creating the social dysfunction and misery this gambling addiction has caused, and take concrete steps to end these policies. Pamela Wood, McMahons Point

The power of the gaming industry and its influence over Australian governments has rightly been likened to that of the gun lobby in the USA. More stealthy than guns and hardly less threatening, gambling destroys lives, and its range is extensive. It attacks the vulnerable, holds addicts hostage, shatters marriages, damages children, injures friendships and can be fatal for families. We all need to keep up the pressure to break the hold gambling has on our governments and society, including calling loud and long for a total advertising ban. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills

Here is a suggestion for the prime minister: instead of telling the state premiers to lift their game (“$702m plan to stop family violence”, September 6), he might like to look at the various causes of domestic violence. A little light may come on if he happens to link domestic violence to two of the most likely causes – that is, gambling and alcohol. Now, the prime minister could take a huge step by banning all advertising for these two insidious causes. But that would put a dent in both parties’ coffers when it comes to election donations. Let’s ban these donations also. Then we might be able to make some progress on domestic violence. Graham McWhirter, Shell Cove

Taking care

It was disturbing to read that a long-term relationship between a client and carer was terminated because AI said so (“My elderly dad cherished his carer, until AI took her away”, September 6). I do wonder if AI has been introduced to replace persons in an office who would have done the job of matching clients and carers together. With the increase in carer wages last year, cost-cutting is done in other ways. On the other hand, there is only going to be an increase in the numbers of aged people needing home care, and perhaps AI will be the most efficient way to manage the logistics of it. Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay

Apart from the uses it is put to, AI is becoming a great excuse for inappropriate practices and heartless results. AI works on the input that guides it and the uses it is put to. To use a program designed for moving goods and cargo for allocating carers to the elderly, speaks volumes about the organisation implementing it. AI is not to blame for the distress of those losing beloved carers, rather its organisation and their choice of management style. Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills

Policed celebrations

What a sorry state we are in when our police fine drivers $400 and the loss of three points following a win at a football match for sounding their horn (“Dogs fans are barking, but the police are fining them”, September 6). Gone are the days when police would have sorted it out with a friendly request. Indeed, I feel police management needs counselling on the damaging image to the police force of failing to recognise the harmless emotion that follows winning a high-profile match. D’Arcy Hardy, North Turramurra

Trouble at school

With all the negative publicity on public schooling lately, it’s no wonder some worried parents who support (in principle) a fair society are listing their child in private establishments. Good that many teachers in Herald letters support the public system. Wendy Crew, Lane Cove North

To Elle and back

Elle Macpherson has, of course, attracted much comment on her experience of breast cancer and her choice of an alternative pathway through it (Letters, September 6). She says her book is an overview of her experience and that she is not proselytising her choices, and as such she deserves to be able to express her point of view as much as anyone. By expanding our own research into exploration of other coexisting pathways, we may also find some increased enlightenment and true wellness ourselves, instead of exclusively treading the well-worn “time-tested and proven” medical path that, although good at healing the body, can often be lacking in awareness of the significance of our inner being to our overall health. Judy Finch, Taree

Keyboard worrier

Your correspondent (Letters, September 6) peppered his epistle with such positively perspicacious parenthetical punctuation (parentheses, square brackets, curly brackets) that it must have been only the limitations of his keyboard that prevented him from adding another interpolation in angle brackets. Let us hope this does not signal an outbreak of what economists call “bracket creep” on the Letters page.
Phil Rodwell, Redfern

Past perfect

To Ted Mack and John Hatton (Letters, September 6), could I add Peter Andren? An increasing list of decent, independent MPs. Rod Bartlett, Woonona

Postscript

Spring has arrived and the scent of jasmine is wafting through the streets. However, no matter what season, one subject continues to engage our readers: what’s happened to Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party?
There was a strong response to Ned Manning’s piece (″⁣My family’s always been Labor, but that’s come to an end″⁣, September 3). Glebe’s Howard Charles wrote: ″⁣My sons attended Leichhardt High with Anthony Albanese’s son and were taught by the same piano teacher as Tanya Plibersek’s child, who also taught Tony Burke. They have failed to seize their one chance to redress the inequity in the funding of public and private education.″⁣
As the seasons change, we have experienced a seismic shift here on letters – beloved editor Pat Stringa has taken redundancy, but not retirement. She has many projects in her future. These are very big shoes to fill and I’ll try my best to live up to Pat’s legacy. We will all miss her greatly.
But as I ease myself into the new role, ably assisted by Harriet Veitch, I’d like to hear from you all. What do you like and dislike about the Letters pages? What would you change, if anything? For reasons that are not entirely clear (to me, at least) we receive far fewer letters from women than men; I want to change that but I need your help. I’m on the social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram – my handle on both is @margotsaville; message me any time. If I hosted a live event on Instagram, would you come on and tell me what you think? We could start a dialogue.
In conclusion, I’d like to echo Pat’s words: our most important role is providing a space for people to have a voice. Every day I open the email and delight in your wise, succinct, funny words, often forwarding your epistles to other Herald journalists with a note, ″⁣check this out, really interesting″⁣. Please keep reading and writing and being engaged. I’m looking forward to going on this adventure together.

Margot Saville, Letters Editor

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