Immigrants bring life-saving skills with them

I have recently had short stays at two different hospitals, one public, old and shabby, the other private, newish and sparkling. In both I received top-quality nursing and treatment. The striking feature of both was that they were largely staffed, from nurse to surgeon, by people who have come from other countries (“Immigration intake too high, voters say”, November 16). Your story begs the question: Are they “taking our jobs” or keeping us alive? I only know I am deeply grateful. Coral Button, North Epping

The high rate of migration is placing strain on Australia’s major cities, such as Sydney, in terms of housing supply, transport infrastructure and traffic congestion. Meanwhile, regional and rural Australia is suffering severe labour and skills shortages, particularly in health, social assistance and various trades. Instead of focusing solely on total migration numbers, policy should incentivise migrants to settle in our underpopulated regions. This strategic settlement would address critical regional workforce deficits, while the cost and complexity of building new homes is potentially less burdensome than in the crowded capital cities. John Kempler, Rose Bay

Many health workers in Australia, from nurses to specialists, are immigrants.Credit: Getty Images

Immigration has been a numbers game for too long. It is still too difficult for qualified and skilled workers to practise their professions in Australia. We are lucky to be a country where many would like to live, but we make it too hard for the workers we most need and the companies, particularly small and medium, who want to bring them in. These are also often the companies most prepared to invest in growing the skills of their workers. Little was done to follow up and build on Christine Nixon’s excellent review of the visa system in 2022, and the critical work of fixing the data and the IT systems. It’s impossible to produce a road map without stepping back and understanding where we need to go and what it will take. Margaret Wright, Millers Point

Chainsaw frenzy

Having walked the Bondi-Manly path only a couple of days ago, I was dismayed to read that Waverley Council is now proposing to cut down native canopy trees along the way (“Eastern suburbs council votes to trade native trees for ocean views”, November 16). The whole section of the walk between Bondi Beach and Watsons Bay already has a terrible dearth of shade, making it oppressively hot. The small grove of banksias in Weonga Reserve gave me welcome relief. To Liberal councillor Dov Frazer: there are already plenty of whale watching places, so please don’t mendaciously use whale watching as an excuse to cut down trees that people need. My highest priority on my walk in Waverley was surviving the experience without getting heatstroke. Peter Moore, Newport

With this barbaric act of destroying trees in open spaces, strollers there will now need to lug umbrellas with them to shade their bodies, although the trees currently do the job perfectly. And the birds and other critters that enjoy the trees and that we enjoy will have to flee, adding to Sydney’s homeless animals. Why don’t these view-obsessed philistines just pour concrete over the whole area so they can park their gas guzzlers on the space and stare as long as they like at the one bit of natural beauty they haven’t managed to destroy … yet. Susan Anthony, Cammeray

Who’s the bad guy?

I read Julia Baird’s column with confusion, bemusement and profound disappointment (“Just another lady, wrecking the joint”, November 15). Over the past decade, with relentless frequency, one male-dominated organisation after another has faced allegations of misogyny, bullying, even sexual harassment and assault. Here’s a far from comprehensive list: Christian churches, the police force, the defence force, NSW Ambulance, the Westpac Helicopter Rescue Service, correctional services, senior levels of the judiciary, federal parliament, the boy scouts, the Rural Fire Service and an array of senior surgeons, male coaches for various sports and male owners of cafes and restaurants. So far, there has been one Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse, which identified widespread failings and exacted some retribution. Apart from that, after the initial shock, horror, vehement denials and victim-blaming, normal transmission resumes and the toxic culture continues unabated. Yet, somehow, according to a recent podcast featuring feminist critics, it’s women who are the problem and it is feminism that is ruining the workplace. As Baird points out: “Somehow we go on, ruining the world with an insistence on respect, care and civility.” How dare we? Merona Martin, Meroo Meadow

I loved Julia Baird’s demolition of the New York Times article headlined “Did women ruin the workplace?” The fact is that in general, women are kinder, more considerate and more collegiate than men, and are therefore better managers. Go girls. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

Political extinction

The National Party really is the tail wagging the Liberal Party dog (“Nationals gloat over net zero win before meeting Liberals”, November 16). The Liberals have capitulated to a climate and energy “plan” that disregards both science and economics, locking Australia into higher pollution and rising energy costs. Instead of behaving responsibly, the Liberals and Nationals appear intent on competing at the far right fringe of politics. At least One Nation MPs openly admit they reject climate science. The Liberals, by contrast, try to disguise their denial with rhetoric while ordinary Australians pay the price through worsening fires, floods and heatwaves. This is not leadership: it is a betrayal. How bitterly disappointing. Karen Lamb, Geelong (Vic)

Climate change comes with the strong likelihood of more extinctions of species that are unable to adapt (“The message put to angry Liberal moderates on net zero”, November 15). So, goodbye Libs and Nats. There’s a glass cabinet waiting for you in the fossil aisle of a local museum, between the woolly mammoth and the Bramble Cay melomys. Patrick McGrath, Potts Point

Is the Coalition going the same way as the woolly mammoth?Credit: Reuters

Like Monty Python’s black knight, Sussan Ley’s leadership is being chopped from under her with cuts to everything including emissions targets, immigration intake – and her professional standing. Like the Black Knight, she is fighting on, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the struggle is futile and she will be replaced soon by a smiling colleague. Gordon Lambert, Kiama Downs

Coalition hypocrisy on show

Much as I believe too many litres of oxygen are given to the Coalition in the media, I must comment on its reaction to the removal of US tariffs on Australian beef (“US dropping tariffs a ‘direct result’ of Australian advocacy: Albanese”, November 16). Opposition home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam denied that Labor advocacy was responsible for the tariffs being dumped. Despite months spent trolling Anthony Albanese for not meeting with Donald Trump, when the PM does have (three) meetings, the Coalition cannot acknowledge any potential link between those meetings and the tariff removal mere weeks later. What a display of hypocrisy and a lack of grace. Chris Northam, Cronulla

Unders and overs

Real estate agents don’t only underquote in the hope of attracting more bidders to an auction. They also overquote in the hope of fetching a higher sale price (Letters, November 15). A few years ago, while shopping for my first home, I was particularly interested in one neat two-bedroom unit for sale. During two Saturday morning visits, coffee in hand and calculator in mind, the selling agent stated a price guide above my budget. On the basis of this (false) advice, I decided not to pursue it any further and to avoid spending money on a building inspection and other reports. A few weeks later, I was astonished to see the unit had sold for much less than the price guide. I could have afforded that price, and I would have been prepared to pay even more. Both parties could have reached a mutually beneficial deal if the agent had not provided misleading information from the start. Matthieu Van den Brande, Alexandria

Graham Short of Cremorne offers the simplest and most effective way to reduce inflation, improve intergenerational equity and improve national efficiency (Letters, November 15). He suggests the banning of house auctions and for sales to be made (like everything else) by advertised price. A first house purchase is the most important decision that any young, inexperienced couple will make. The whole ridiculous practice of auctions is contrived to create the most easily manipulated, difficult to negotiate and potentially disastrous 10 minutes of a young couple’s life. Houses should be advertised with a price by the seller (based on previous nearby sales), then sold to the first buyer willing to pay a substantial deposit at that price. Stewart Fist, Lindfield

The solution to real estate underquoting is simple. Make all sellers list their reserve price. Everyone understands that auctions are held to elicit a price beyond the current market value, and this may often be achieved in a rising market. But at least nobody is wasting time and money on unrealistic, low-ball agent estimates. Stephen Woods, Artarmon

During the past 50 years, we have bought and sold real estate in the ACT and in NSW. We have been fortunate in making private sales, without the need for a real estate agent. I can highly recommend private sales to avoid all the drama about underquoting we’re hearing about in the news at the moment. As long as both parties have a competent solicitor, private sales go smoothly without any hidden costs or problems. Robyn Lewis, Raglan

Oil spoils

For this country to import oil via India that is tainted by its Russian origins is much like Australia’s government shipping pig iron to Japan in 1938, despite its brutal invasion of China (“The ships bringing ‘blood oil’ that funds Russia’s Ukraine war”, November 15). In that instance, the unions stoically intervened, but Bob Menzies won the day and exports continued almost up until the imperialist war came to our shores. Today, no PM would want the epithet “blood oil” associated with their good name. The government is morally and ethically obliged to intercede to stop this not-so-subtle funding of Vladimir Putin’s military megalomania. Starving his war machine will remind everyone watching on that nothing is gained from aggression. Steve Dillon, Thirroul

Wear and wear again

The solution to the enormous waste created by “fast fashion”, is, of course, to wear clothes numerous times before discarding them (Letters, November 15). But, horreur, to be seen in something you’ve appeared in before. The shame. The solution to this problem lies in the clothing equivalent of the community library, where you can leave a book and take a different book. But rather than being on a fence in the street, it could be in a fashionable boutique in the mall. Bring in something you’ve worn once and take something in exchange from the extensive range of once-worn items. A modest fee could be charged. It would be a win-win situation. That way, the items are, indeed, worn many times before being thrown away – but by many different people. Barry Lamb, Eastwood

Bad neighbour

The Chinese Consul-General in Osaka went too far in his condemnation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Taichi (“‘Cut off that dirty neck’: Furore in Japan over Chinese diplomat’s social media post”, November 12). In diplomacy, it’s not what you say but how you say it. A wise Chinese saying expresses the fate that befalls those who castigate leaders: “Man who throws mud soon loses ground.” Mike Fogarty, Weston (ACT)

Credit: Badiucao

Sinking feeling

At least you can’t say the City of Parramatta Council isn’t consistent (“Riverside redevelopment cost doubles”, November 15). In June 2023, the council announced plans to upgrade the ageing Epping Aquatic Centre to bring it into the 21st century. The centre was closed, then left abandoned while tenders were called. Guess what? The tenders came in more than double the budgeted amount. So Epping Aquatic Centre sits rotting and abandoned while Parramatta council scratches its head. Today, we read the same thing has happened with the Parramatta Riverside Theatres project. Plans were announced in 2024 with much fanfare and a budget of $188 million. Tenders were called and, unsurprisingly, they’re double the budgeted price. Let’s hope they don’t close the existing Riverside Theatres while they work out what to do. Imagine the kerfuffle. James Waldron, Carlingford

Money well spent

Perhaps the correspondent who objected to paying $140 to learn his PSA test results should focus not on the cost but on the value (Letters, November 15). The brevity of the consultation indicates that the test results did not give the urologist concern about potential problems such as prostate cancer that the patient might face. Surely that’s worth something? Chris Edye, Pymble

Ripples of tragedy

My emotions ran deep when I read about the tragic accident in Hornsby on Friday night (“P-plate driver charged after pregnant woman killed in Sydney’s north”, November 15). My first thoughts were with the deceased mother and unborn child. Then for the father who would never see his child. For any siblings, parents, grandparents. For the driver who stopped to let the lady cross the road. For the passers-by who would be left traumatised, and the first attenders, the police and the ambos. How can anyone get over this? I have no such thoughts for the P-plater driving the BMW. How fast must he have been going to cause this tragedy? There will be investigations, charges laid, coronial inquiries held. Will any of this stop young, inexperienced drivers in powerful cars doing what you see every day on our roads – driving foolishly and mostly getting away with it. Rest in peace young mother and unborn child, my heart aches for you. Karl Proft, Wahroonga

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