Population growth is not a good thing, it’s a bad thing

After I learn that Dominic Perrottet made decisions at age 21 and is now blaming his naivety of youth for them, I’m reminded of the Redgum tune, I Was Solely 19. Governments of the identical Liberal ilk have been conscripting youths and sending them off to combat a warfare in Vietnam. Some are nonetheless struggling the implications. Perrottet is likely to be sorry now that it’s come to gentle, however maybe he ought to have proven contrition lengthy prior to now. Trevor Sheridan, Charmhaven

Let him, or I suppose nowadays, whoever is with out sin solid the primary stone. Can we now please get on with operating the state? Margaret Shanahan, Northbridge

Sorry to say that exposing the Premier sporting a Nazi uniform at his twenty first birthday, just isn’t a “beat up”. He was an grownup solely 19 years youthful than he’s now. One correspondent trivialises the Nazi uniform by evaluating sporting it to “dishonest at marbles” or “sporting a Superman outfit”. The primary argument must be that Perrottet knew what he had accomplished when he offered himself for premiership and didn’t disclose his twenty first antics till being caught out. Jane Silverton, Mosman

In December, clothier Vivienne Westwood died. Within the rush to bestow saint-like standing on her, it was conveniently ignored that considered one of her hottest creations, which she bought commercially, was the ‘Destroy T-shirt’ with the Nazi swastika distinguished. She was lauded as iconic by her supporters. The premier makes a silly mistake as a 21-year-old, apologises to these his actions harm, they settle for, but his detractors demand a public shaming. Mike Kenneally, Manly

Some don’t care about Perrottet’s costume drama. However icare. Andy Germolenko, Goulburn

Lifeline founder a saver of souls

I urge to vary with the assertion that Cardinal George “Pell is essentially the most influential clergyman Australia has produced” (“Shadow of an enormous”, January 14). That honour ought to go to Reverend Dr Sir Alan Walker, the Methodist and later Uniting Church minister who based Lifeline in Australia, thence internationally, saving numerous lives, rescuing folks from despair and offering thousands and thousands with non-judgmental understanding, care and connection in time of want. Meredith Williams, Northmead

Some writers and commentators say Pell was the one Australian to rise to excessive workplace within the Vatican. This isn’t so. Cardinal Edward Cassidy (1924-2021) was an Australian priest who grew up in Bankstown. He was ordained in Sydney in 1949. He held many excessive places of work within the Vatican together with president of the Pontifical Council for Selling Christian Unity. When he retired in 2001, he returned to Australia and lived in Newcastle, the place he was a substitute priest. He died in 2021 and is buried within the crypt at St Mary’s Cathedral. Leo McLeay, Sydney

What a aid to learn Paul Collins’ article (“Pell’s imaginative and prescient of a static, triumphant church is fading”, January 14). With attendance in so many church buildings dropping, Christians have to search for methods to have interaction with the secular world, to serve and save these struggling (through schooling, healthcare et cetera, as Collins reminds us) to not preach and push concepts like papal infallibility and the rhythm methodology of contraception. Megwenya Matthews, North Turramurra

Your correspondent (Letters, January 14) says we’ve got little information of the place Christ stood on monetary issues, however I appear to do not forget that he threw the cash males out of the temple. In all probability a touch upon their rates of interest. Gayle Davies, North Sydney

Catch the maglev specific

Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami promotes his nation’s high-quality rail know-how (“Excessive-speed rail transformative: envoy”, January 14). Excessive-speed rail has gone right into a public service black field with none neighborhood debate over essentially the most primary points. France units a greater instance. Its debate authority, the Fee Nationale du Debat Public, has a observe file of fast structured debate earlier than its authorities commits to tasks and companies. It’s a river of gold for media firms. The $100 billion-plus rail venture developed by Anthony Albanese a decade in the past provides little financial worth, merely changing low cost companies that exist already. Many nations now have a rail know-how far superior to traditional high-speed rail for Australian circumstances – maglev. Peter Egan, Mosman

Parramatta’s pool ache

It’s certainly unhappy to see the demise of the native pool (“Bathers mourn the lack of ‘blue rectangle’” , January 14). The theft of the much-loved Parramatta Struggle Memorial Pool have to be famous. Lengthy and loud neighborhood protest was brushed apart in order that the federal government might ship Parramatta’s “world-class” stadium. The constructing of a brand new pool was by no means on the federal government’s agenda. It was solely via agitation from the neighborhood and the brand new council that an settlement to construct a brand new pool was reached. The disgraceful compromise is that Parramatta ratepayers must stump up half the price of an unsightly mega aquatic centre, and we’re dropping one more giant chunk of Parramatta Park. Bob Edgar, Westmead

Minimalist masterpieces

Jean Flynn (“With all my artwork: My cluttered, inspiring, completely satisfied place”, January 14) struck a chord with me along with her “minimalism aside from artwork” perspective. Hedy Lamarr, generally known as essentially the most stunning girl in Hollywood and fewer effectively generally known as an engineer who developed frequency hopping know-how, which is utilized in WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth, stated of artwork: “ portray to me has all the time been like a good friend. It retains me firm, comforts and conjures up.” Jenny Forster, Manly

Eat to your mind’s sake

Sarah Berry (″⁣If you happen to change something about your food regimen this 12 months, change this″⁣, smh.com.au, January 14) recommends we scale back our consumption of ultra-processed meals. For a number of years, we at Flinders College have been researching the event of urge for food self-regulation in childhood.
We’ve got learnt of analysis on mind improvement in childhood arising from the consumption of ultra-processed meals. This contains disruption of the event of mind connections between areas related to cognitive management and elements of the mind linked to the reward worth of meals. Berry referred to analysis about cognitive decline in adults arising from ultra-processed meals. Sadly, a number of the harm from this meals can have been accomplished throughout early childhood. Alan Russell, Netherby (SA)

I consider the most effective apply in the case of meals labels is to not learn them. That’s, if a meals has a label, then don’t purchase it. (Sadly although, I usually fail to comply with this apply.) Matthew Boylan, Leichhardt

Risks of permanency

When social media was solely newspapers, magazines, letters and the phone, we have been nonetheless utilizing flash bulbs, field cameras and movie requiring processing. It took severe effort to search out and kind via photos scattered amongst households, associates, information retailers et cetera. No extra. The good thing about instantaneous entry has a darkish aspect of permanency. Dominic Perrottet’s twenty first must be a heads-up for individuals who aspire to progress their fortunes in significant or influential pursuits. Robert Caraian, Crows Nest

The present of books

Malcolm Knox (“Harry’s memoir may shut e-book on literacy”, January 14) is unfortunately proper. As a lifelong and voracious reader, I despair. My life has been enriched and expanded by my years of studying, however I’m usually upset by reactions to presents of books I’ve cherished as a result of, “I don’t learn a lot”. A few years in the past, I gave my ex-husband a e-book for Christmas. When, a number of years later, I gave him one other, his response, “I’ve bought a e-book” floored me. At 83, I concern I can’t have the time to learn all of the books I’d prefer to.
Margarett McPherson, The Hole (Qld)

There’s solely a lot of household issues that Prince Harry can disclose (“Harry and Meghan right here, there and all over the place”, January 14). When there may be nothing extra to bitch about, media curiosity will wane. Nevertheless, the royal couple’s entire persona revolves round being within the highlight. So, they’ll proceed to contrive methods to maintain their names in lights as a result of nothing is scarier than being ignored. Riley Brown, Bondi Seaside

Why does everybody want to jot down a memoir and inform all about their household? Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill

The digital view
On-line remark from one of many tales that attracted essentially the most reader suggestions yesterday on smh.com.au
‘Important’ to launch draft invoice on Voice earlier than referendum: Dutton
From Barbara Cronin: Dutton simply can not resist taking part in politics by this name for a draft invoice. The query is, do we would like a voice for Aboriginal folks, in parliament, or not, the precise kind it should take might be as much as later selections, undertaken, by different questions. These opposing are cynical and disingenuous.

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