If we’re searching for an elder statesman to signify Australia, we couldn’t go additional than Senator Patrick Dodson. A statesman for all of us. Pleasure Paterson, Mount Annan
Naval gazing
Your correspondent (Letters, September 23) appears to have missed the actual fact not all of the naval rankings hauling the gun carriage at her majesty’s funeral have been males; not that I dispute his maths. Girls additionally pull their weight within the providers. Jennifer Briggs, Kilaben Bay
If the British royal household actually wished to be recognized for his or her espousal of environmental causes, then a substitute for a 300kg coffin might have made an enormous state assertion. Cornelius van der Weyden, Balmain East
Royal Navy Sailors stroll forward and behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth IICredit score:Paul Ellis/AP
Has anybody checked what number of of those strategies on making a republic come from monarchists simply attempting to confuse republicans? Jock Brodie, Port Macquarie
The demise of a king or queen prompts one-off occasions comparable to Thursday’s public vacation. How about we commemorate the altering of the monarch by releasing all these in immigration detention and giving them work visas? Lesley McBurney, Wavell Heights (Qld)
What a disgrace the time, cash and preparation spent honouring the useless all happen after the occasion – unknown to these straight involved. Personally, I might far desire that any tributes be paid and displayed face-to-face – not with my face up when laying in a coffin, or buried. Edward Loong, Milsons Level
Ditch development taxes to make housing reasonably priced
Everyone seems to be appropriate in saying that reasonably priced housing is an issue (Letters, September 23) however nobody offers an answer. The issue just isn’t with builders who present the constructed product however with the provision chain and price of latest housing. It might take years to achieve approvals from native councils after which take years to assemble. The price of new homes is about 40 per cent tax after which you could have holding prices and growing rates of interest. Taking out incentives comparable to unfavourable gearing will solely cut back the provision by buyers and put extra stress on rents. Housing is the highest-taxed commodity, my suggestion is to take away all of the taxes on housing in order that it may be produced at value plus a margin. However I can’t see that occuring, and till it does, the issue will stay. Peter Icklow, Pymble
Since Labor tried and failed in 2019 to handle the issue of an unfair benefit for buyers, now we have had virtually insanely low rates of interest, which propelled property values to the stratosphere. Rents have additionally spiralled attributable to a scarcity of lodging, and monetary impacts on landlords attributable to growing bills comparable to insurance coverage and charges, growing mortgage funds and rapacious state authorities land tax. So as to add gas to the hearth, the federal government intends to draw a whole bunch of hundreds of momentary and everlasting migrants a yr, all of whom want housing. The one answer appears to be to considerably improve the provision of cheaper housing, however ideally near public transport and providers. State governments and councils ought to think about fastidiously any potential choice to rezone residential areas for higher-density housing. Geoff Harding, Chatswood
After the tip of WWII, rents have been excessive and constructing supplies couldn’t be had for love or cash, so my mom turned a part of her residence right into a small flat so my sister and her returned soldier fiance might get married. Mum and my sister have been each quarrelsome ladies, so there have been some issues, however a minimum of the younger couple might begin married life. Has it come to this once more? Will younger {couples} be compelled to dwell with mother and father with a view to save for a house? Have we gone again to the Forties? Coral Button, North Epping
Credit score:John Shakespeare
As somebody who at present has tenants within the residence by which I’ll dwell after I retire, could I supply one other perspective? Through the first COVID lockdown I diminished the hire and have left it there, resisting strategies from my agent to do in any other case. Some property homeowners are truthful and affordable. I prefer to suppose I’m a responsive and accountable “landlady”, offering safe, respectable, well-maintained housing for a household after they want it and whereas I’m in a position. Meredith Williams, Northmead
With the necessity for extreme budgetary constraints and a interval of rising rates of interest, might there be a greater time to remove new unfavourable gearing concessions? Trevor Taylor, Port Macquarie
Enterprise as ordinary
Your correspondent (Letters, September 23) thought of the “damaging financial impact of yesterday’s public vacation” to honour Queen Elizabeth II. I’m certain the retailers and cafe homeowners at my native massive procuring centre weren’t crying over their losses – the place was filled with households having fun with a day of retail remedy and meals. There was no recognition of the Queen’s 70 years of service with a silent pause at 11am. It handed with out discover by the crowds.Christine Tiley, Albany Creek (Qld)
If King Charles visits, can now we have a nationwide public vacation? Or maybe we might have one each time a member of the the Aristocracy, main or minor, dies? Say, earls and up? Yesterday’s vacation was actually good. It was marred solely by a garbled request in my native grocery store at 10.58 for a minute’s silence. Nobody close to me stopped procuring. We have been having fun with ourselves an excessive amount of. David Neilson, Finke (NT)
Tremendous floodwater fools
With one other La Nina summer season looming, the inevitable warnings about not driving by floodwaters are simply as definitely going to be ignored. For a very long time now we’ve had Whole Fireplace Bans to scale back bushfire threat. Absolutely it’s time to introduce fines for many who endanger their lives and the lives of the SES and police by persevering with to disregard the warnings about driving by floodwater? We’ve heard these warnings numerous instances and people who proceed to do it are both egocentric or silly. Fines of $5000 plus, or paying for the price of their rescue, will hopefully change behaviour. I’m certain our rescue providers have higher issues to do. Matt Horne, Forster
Pomp it up
Years in the past, the Herald hosted a operate on the Opera Home in a pastoral attain to its correspondents (Letters, September 23). These attending included Con Vaitsas, Edward Loong and Vicky Marquis. King Charles III has the nice style to share my daughter’s birthday, on November 14. Each ceremonies will likely be duly honoured with equal pomp and pageantry. Mike Fogarty, Weston (ACT)
Select humanity
Mark Dreyfus has the chance to differentiate the Albanese authorities as a considerate, caring and thoughtful authorities, in stark distinction to its predecessor, by offering a quintessential final result for Darko Desic and his supporters (“Free Dougie: pals rally to save lots of jailed fugitive”, September 23). Divorce your determination from politics and determine primarily based on info, compassion and the need of the folks. Bob Cameron, Coffs Harbour
Title deed
There was a lot dialogue (Letters, September 23) concerning the potential for slicing the apron strings with (not so Nice any extra) Britain after the demise of the Queen and strategies of what title the nominated particular person will likely be. One identify that’s ignored is Head of Nation. It offers honours and recognition to our Indigenous sisters and brothers, in addition to righting the wrongs of historical past. My nomination can be Adam Goodes, a person of dignity and a very good function mannequin for all. Llieda Wild, Eastwood
Let’s go along with The Wizard of Oz or possibly The Large Banksia Man (I’ll exclude the “unhealthy”). Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills
High Bloke. Or if the opposite aspect will get in, High Sheila. Brian Everingham, Engadine
It’s apparent: the pinnacle of state needs to be Previous Mate. Philip Jirman, Wallabi Level
Absolutely it’s BOSS (Bloody Excellent Supervisor Kind). George Zivkovic, Northmead
I’m certain our wealthy and mellifluous Indigenous languages can present an appropriate time period. Andrew Taubman, Queens Park
Boss Cocky. Michael Pursche, Gordon
Postscript
The Queen figured strongly on the Letters pages once more this week, as we labored our means by the funeral and the discussions afterwards. The funeral was both a high quality and great factor, or a dreadful waste of money and time, though usually the opinion was beneficial. The ″professional″ letter writers have been impressed by the outfits, the jewels, the horses, the general pomp and the stamina of the royal marchers. They anxious concerning the well being and welfare of the younger sailors pulling the gun carriage and the pallbearers. The ″con″ writers have been disapproving of the entire field and cube, from the start to the countless postmortems, preferring to change off the TV and do one thing helpful as a substitute.
Speak of the Queen segued properly into additional consideration of a potential Australian republic. Opinion right here was for a republic, regardless of the survey this week that confirmed decreasing assist for a republic, with just a few folks grimly hanging on to the monarchy. Writers then turned to a spirited dialogue about what a brand new head of state might be referred to as. Opinions vary from ″president″ (actually not widespread, because it turned out) to purely Australian titles comparable to ″the ringer″ or ″the Boss Cocky″. Is there actually any level in having a referendum about this? The Herald letters writers appear to have it sorted, together with so many different issues in life.
Away from this, topics ranged over the persevering with housing issues for would-be homeowners and renters, the privatisation of Sydney buses, taxation (up or down?), whether or not any extra locations needs to be named for a royal personage and, again once more, who or what to placed on new banknotes with the change of monarch.
Harriet Veitch, appearing letters editor
- To submit a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald, e-mail letters@smh.com.au. Click on right here for recommendations on tips on how to submit letters.
- The Opinion e-newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that can problem, champion and inform your personal. Enroll right here.