Amend the structure to make PM our head of state
Geoffrey Robertson’s rivalry that Australia doesn’t want a separate head of state on condition that we have now an elected PM is such widespread sense (“Can we do with out a head of state?”, September 14). The republican debate in Australia has been hamstrung for years by the who and the how of a presidential functionary. By deleting that function, and the monetary impost related to it, we have now a transparent highway to our republican future. It is going to require constitutional amendments, however that provides our constitutional gurus the chance to replace and improve a structure that might lastly legally recognise the function of prime minister. Barry Ffrench, Cronulla
What higher time than now to critically rethink our want for the $25 million anachronism of a governor-general. And whereas we’re at it, ask ourselves what we are going to need a president to do after we turn out to be a republic. If nothing greater than our current GG, we may do with out and save ourselves any argument about how a president needs to be elected. Col Nicholson, Hawks Nest
I’m not a monarchist, however I imagine the late Queen gave stability throughout her lengthy reign. I believe we should always mirror lengthy and laborious on what that change to our head of state may yield. Names similar to Trump, Bolsonaro, Putin and Lukashenko usually are not these of kings. Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield
I believed I may need been a kind of calling for a republic. However Charles exhibits each signal of being a superb king. Wouldn’t or not it’s higher to embrace somebody who helps good causes, loves Australia, has an ideal information and has a way of historical past than have the instability and uncertainty of untested leaders? Christine Stewart, Glebe
Even a secure nation wants a titular head of state empowered to dismiss a authorities behaving badly and power an election. Though we don’t anticipate such a state of affairs proper now, excessive examples is perhaps giving a overseas energy command over our armed forces or incarcerating political opponents. Andrew Cohen, Glebe
Robertson’s answer is admirable however too radical to search out acceptance. Why not give the duty to state governors on rotation on condition that their sinecures are in the intervening time unchallenged? Peter Wilson, Murrays Seashore
Every year we elect a bunch of Australians as Australians of the 12 months. May these folks not perform official duties the place they’re purely representatives, relatively than authority figures? Neville Turbit, Russell Lea
Maybe we will additionally use this chance to take away any reference to “royal” in our establishments as step one to shifting to independence from the British royal household. No extra “Royal Prince Alfred” or “Royal North Shore” hospitals, no Royal Life Saving Society, neglect the RSPCA, the Royal Flying Physician Service or Royal Randwick.
Dale Bailey, 5 Dock
With the continual protection of the Queen’s dying, the abandonment of parliament, proclamation of a day of mourning, it exhibits that Australia continues to be a British colony. Paul Keys, Clouds Creek
Day of mourning
I work in a most cancers care clinic and the very first thing I considered once I heard concerning the public vacation was what was going to occur to sufferers who’ve long-standing chemotherapy remedies and consultations (“I mourn the Queen, however my most cancers doesn’t observe holidays”, September 14). Once I took quite a lot of cellphone calls from sufferers anxiously asking the identical query, the reduction and appreciation was palpable once I stated the clinic would stay open. Angela Miller, Bondi Junction
The importance of the Queen’s dying will probably be recorded in historical past whether or not we have now a public vacation or not. Fallacious name, prime minister. John Nelson, Mudgee
Mourning? I do know people who find themselves now additionally taking Friday off to create a pleasurable lengthy weekend. I heard of individuals whose long-awaited surgical procedure is delayed indefinitely. Whose bizarre thought was it to declare a day of mourning for the Queen? I doubt she would have authorized. Naomi Roseth, Mosman
Let’s get one factor straight. The general public vacation is just not some populist thought dreamed up by the PM on a whim. It’s one thing that was at all times going to occur on the dying of the Queen, no matter who was in energy in Canberra. Whether or not we prefer it or not (and, as an ardent republican, I don’t) she was our head of state and served faithfully for an unbelievable 70 years. Absolutely, the least we will do in return is to take someday in her honour. Gerald Smith, Adelaide (SA)
Mere wrist slap a protected wager for star
Since when have playing and making huge earnings from casinos concerned morality (“Star threw out ethical compass, says on line casino watchdog”, September 14)? And persons are astonished on the evident lack of integrity and accountability of those locations, the involvement of organised crime and widespread neighborhood hurt and distress. Give us a break. Everyone knows little or no duty will probably be accepted by those that declare oversight, and punishment will probably be negligible. Jennifer Katauskas, Wahroonga
Can ethical compass and on line casino ever be uttered or written in the identical sentence? Cora Moore, Strathfield
Irrespective of how insidious, immoral, corrupt or unlawful their conduct, casinos escape severe penalties. There’s loads of outraged condemnation from regulators and governments, however by no means any important punishment or, heaven forbid, precise lack of licence. Guarantees of reform are adequate. Any expectation that the “rebuke” of Star will deliver a special result’s fanciful. Gary Stowe, Springwood
Fleeting enjoyment
In its dispute with the federal government over the introduction of the brand new intercity fleet of trains, the rail union says it “desires to place stress on senior bureaucrats, not the travelling public” (“Rail union to change off all Opal card readers”, September 14).
The general public ought to sympathise and benefit from the present nice climate to make intercity journeys on the prevailing trains, which have reversible seating. As soon as the brand new trains are launched, their fastened seats will power half the passengers to journey backwards. This design trait, too, was compelled on the general public by unwavering senior bureaucrats. Kevin Eadie, Drummoyne
What the union doesn’t perceive is that I’m not silly. Turning off the Opal Card readers does damage commuters; it hurts all of us in NSW. Particularly, it hurts our means to pay the very individuals who we do need to pay extra – academics and nurses – and spend money on bettering the infrastructure they want. The truth that 90 per cent of commuters faucet on and off regardless of the union leaving the gates open exhibits that the choice to now change the machines off altogether is extra aligned to ethical chapter, not public management. Transfer on. Tom Key, West Pymble
Imaginative and prescient of high-rise hell
It’s good of the deputy mayor of the Internal West Council to say that the council has to abide by the Liberal state authorities’s calls for to crowd 1000’s extra folks into housing in our space and to take action in a method that’s “delicate to the native character of our neighborhood” (“A high-rise nightmare: internal west up in arms”, September 14). However there was nothing “delicate” concerning the three-page leaflet I acquired underneath the door of my federation 1912 dwelling on Friday, August 26.
“The preliminary proposal is to demolish 258 current properties within the following [seven] streets which … council believes is the best choice for progress across the [Dulwich Hill] prepare line … the entire space is proposed for the demolition of all homes to get replaced with roughly 600 models,” it acknowledged on web page 3.
I rang my native councillors and was advised no choices about such issues had been made but, however rezoning and “progress” calls for by the Liberals needed to be accommodated. It was hardly comforting, therefore the anger and worry.
Dulwich Hill is of course a federation-era previous neighborhood with most properties from that period, much like Glebe, Paddington and Hunters Hill. It’s a heritage space, typically flooded by the native Cooks River. It’s actually not high-rise nation. Peter Manning, Dulwich Hill
Assist, don’t punish, jobseekers
As a social employee in acute psychiatric care within the Nineteen Eighties, I can attest to the accuracy of Ross Gittins’ article (“Jobless ‘companies’ set as much as fail”, September 14). I labored in an atmosphere which supported the existence and validity of the Commonwealth Employment Service. It had skilled and devoted employees to take care of the necessities of purchasers with particular wants and enabled their applicable placements. The callous dismantling of this precious useful resource by the Howard authorities within the late Nineteen Nineties then enabled personal untrained businesses to flourish – making huge sums of cash for his or her opportunistic homeowners whereas the wants of their purchasers went largely ignored. For many people who voted within the final election, there’s hope {that a} change of presidency may herald a extra compassionate provision of companies to those that most want it. The Anglicare report provides a much-needed highway map. Joanna Barnes, Mosman
Gittins highlights the function of the Commonwealth Employment Service till it was abolished. I arrived in Melbourne in 1965 as an assisted migrant and was housed within the Broadmeadows immigration reception facility. The subsequent day an officer of the CES interviewed all of the newly arrived migrants. My interviewer requested me about my needs, earlier work expertise after which made an appointment with one of many main Australian banks for the next day. Ready for approval, I labored on the close by Ford manufacturing unit as a picker of spare components. How simple it was then underneath Sir Robert Menzies. Dierk Mohr, Turramurra
AI artwork OK
There has at all times been resistance to artwork that departs from the comfy and acquainted (“As instrument of the artist, AI helps people produce legitimate artwork”, September 14). However artwork is an thought. It doesn’t matter how that concept is realised or whether or not it’s manufactured from plywood or pixels. The intent of the maker is what issues – how the thought began, developed and reached its conclusion. Permitting errors to occur can create different concepts and a change of path. And figuring out the place to cease is as necessary as figuring out the place to start out. Machines may be simply one other art-making instrument. It’s the mind behind the instrument that counts. Judy Hungerford, North Curl Curl
The digital view
On-line remark from one of many tales that attracted probably the most reader suggestions yesterday on smh.com.au
One in 10 stroll out of emergency earlier than ending remedy
From Blue bagel: ″As a paramedic, we reply to loads of non-emergency jobs as a result of sufferers imagine in the event that they go by way of ambulance, they get seen faster. Information flash: you don’t. An individual having a coronary heart assault who presents to ED will trump the affected person who got here by way of ambulance with a sore again. It’s known as a triage system.″
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