Good and bad motives in the search for positive news

January 6, 2005

The nonsense that underpins the modern, almost universal, acceptance of the economists' "growth is good" mantra was graphically illustrated by Peter Martin when he referred to Fred Bergsten's pronouncement that the tsunami tragedy "might be a good thing for the economies concerned" ("Dismal failure to count the true cost", Herald, January 5).

The wellbeing of future generations of Australians, and people everywhere, is being seriously compromised by policies and programs designed to maintain economic growth rather than to serve humanity and its supporting ecosystems.

Imagine your disbelief if your child's school report read, "John had an outstanding performance this year, he grew five centimetres, outranking his classmates by a clear one centimetre".

The adoption of a measure of environmental and social wellbeing is urgently needed.

Gordon Hocking, Oyster Bay, January 5.

There is no greater cohesive factor than a common goal for uniting previously sensitive countries. This is evident as we witness the defence chiefs of Australia and Indonesia communicating by simply picking up the phone.

Those families who have lost members in the disaster will derive little comfort that their loss unwittingly may lead to an economic boom, including the construction of better hotels. But they may just find a glimmer of hope in the heroic efforts of humans as they strive to assist each other.

Elizabeth Maher, Bangor, January 5.

It's said that economists are wise after the event. Fred Bergsten of the Institute for International Economics in Washington and his ilk have put that piece of fiction to rest.

Col Shephard, Yamba, January 5.

Your editorial ("Seeing terror in a new light", Herald, January 5) and numerous correspondents (Letters, January 5) were critical of Colin Powell and the United States for commenting that relentless poverty can be a recruiting ground for terrorism, and that it is in America's interests to assist. Of course, if that hadn't been stated he would have been accused by the same writers of harbouring such thoughts without having the courage to voice them.

There's a certain group who will see malevolence in the way George Bush, John Howard or Colin Powell brush their teeth.

Richard Sicree, Armadale (Vic), January 5.

Colin Powell's comments on the US aid contribution to the tsunami victims infuriated me. Powell defined the aid as "an investment for our own security".

For God's sake, do these people have no sense of the humanitarian reasons? Can they give something away without wanting anything in return?

Aid is given to fellow humans because they are in need and need help, not because "it is an investment for our own security".

Alfredo Espejo, Balmain, January 5.

If I was lying in a makeshift hospital in Aceh, nothing left, children and mother dead, leg amputated, and somebody handed me the letters page saying, "Here mate, this is what they are saying in Australia", it would be beyond my understanding that anyone, at this time, would faff around with sneering accusations, scorn and sarcasm concerning the motives and adequacy of those responding to the crisis.

James McCrudden, Nowra, January 5.

I have been critical of US foreign policy since September 11, but over the past week I have been impressed by the US using all its fantastic hardware to help the victims of the tsunami. It also interesting to see the US has worked out that assisting people less fortunate than them may be a successful way of reducing the threat of global terrorism.

With many of the world's military helping out in Asia, let us not forget the many other regions of the world that are in desperate need of help because of war, drought or poverty. Could it be time to leave the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and instead use the US military in countries such as North Korea, Sudan, Congo and numerous others?

Out of a great tragedy has come some good - let's make 2005 a year to remember for all the right reasons.

Nick Winwood, Randwick, January 5.

The article "Deluged with money, charity says stop" (Herald, January 4) could be misinterpreted.

Medecins Sans Frontieres has 80 doctors, nurses and other international staff and hundreds of local personnel working in five different countries (Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Burma and Thailand) hit by the tsunami.

Our doctors and nurses are running field clinics, performing surgery, distributing clean drinking water, watching for disease outbreaks and providing psycho-social support to affected populations. More staff, medicines and equipment are arriving each day.

To carry out this emergency intervention, we assessed that we needed $US50 million ($65 million) internationally. This sum was raised in record time. In Australia, $1 million was raised in four days.

Our attention has now turned towards ensuring that the generous contributions of the public are spent most effectively saving lives. This is why we have suspended our call for more funds. We feel it would be unethical to continue raising funds for the tsunami victims if we could not be sure that funds could be used for that purpose.

We thank all those who have backed our work for their extraordinary support and assure them that 100 per cent of their funds will go to helping those affected by this disaster.

MSF teams are continually assessing medical needs in the affected regions. Depending on what the next days and weeks bring, we may well need to call on the public again for further financial support.

Philippe Couturier, Executive director, Medecins Sans Frontieres Australia, Broadway, January 4.

I don't know why the US is so against the United Nations. Most of those who seem to run the UN's agencies and operations sound like Yanks. Don't they trust their own people?

James Mahoney, McKellar (ACT), January 5.

Making sense of those school literacy tests

The report that many children with significant reading problems passed the Federal Government's national literacy benchmarks ("Barely able to read but able to pass literary benchmark", Herald, January 5) illustrates once again the uselessness of such testing. It may be easier to teach children the techniques of passing tests, but wouldn't the money be spent more effectively by helping children to learn to read?

Norm Neill, Leichhardt, January 5.

After reading that primary school-aged children in NSW who are barely able to read are passing Dr Nelson's national literacy benchmark with flying colours, I get the sense our caring Federal Government is only doing its best in order not to hand out the $700 tutorial vouchers to unscrupulous persons pretending to be needy.

This will save taxpayers millions that I'm sure will be destined for better use, such as the anti-terrorist wall being built around Parliament House to protect those who diligently serve us.

It's either that or we have some of the smartest kids ever right here in NSW. I truly would like to believe the latter, but ...

George Delaportas, Sefton, January 5.

If we want to have a productive debate about our children's literacy we should avoid emotive but meaningless terms like "barely literate".

Tony Moore, Caringbah, January 5.

Short-term thinking

Richard Stanford asks "why won't we recycle our water?" (Letters, January 4). Mr Stanford, the problem here is all governments, state and federal, are more concerned with how they can win their next election and care less about the big picture of our states and our country.

The government should put into action plans that make our resources sustainable regardless of whether such a step is popular or not. This includes recycled water and increasing water charges. In the long run the population would be more grateful for having water than going through a crisis of permanent drought. Until we have a government that does what it's supposed to do - that is, look after the interests of the people who elect it - we are doomed to suffer so a few can make quick, short-term profits from the growing population.

Neville Bereyne, Hazelbrook, January 5.

Keeping city trees clean

At horticulture school (Ryde TAFE) we were taught that London plane trees ("Plane dull: choice of tree draws criticism", Herald, January 5) are popular for inner-city plantings mainly because they are pollution resistant. Turns out they "resist" pollution because they are deciduous - they lose their dirty leaves every winter and get a fresh new set in spring.

Many other trees display this feature without the bonus of those allergy balls plane trees produce in abundance. Many Australian native plants are continuously self-cleaning, if leaf-drop is the gauge.

Could city planners please consider the health needs of city people and come up with other, more human-friendly trees for plantings which affect us all?

Susan Anthony, Waterloo, January 5.

Petrol price puzzle

Petrol prices are less than 90 cents a litre, as crude oil prices have dropped by 34 per cent since October ("Holidays bring cheap fuel for motorists", Herald, January 5). Could somebody please explain why the price of diesel, which I believe is cheaper to produce than petrol, is still more than $1 per litre?

Geoff Hearn, Naremburn, January 5.

A right royal dunny

The 18-year toilet paper campaign embarked upon by the British government brought back some fond memories ("Secret file gets to bottom of public servants' toilet paper quest", Herald, January 5). As a child of a Canadian diplomatic family posted to Moscow in the late 1960s I well remember the trip to the loo at the British Embassy. Although I was distinctly unimpressed by the hard, shiny paper, I found it absolutely hilarious that every single sheaf displayed a watermark stating "Property of the UK Government". I had to resist the urge to parcel up my ration and send it back to Her Majesty.

Jo Morgan, Newtown, January 5.

A hint for Hewitt

Lleyton Hewitt should stop blaming Rebound Ace for his poor results at the Australian Open ("Hewitt's Open umbrage resurfaces", Herald, January 4).

In 1988, Steffi Graf won the grand slam playing on Rebound Ace, clay, grass and the even more nefarious Decoturf. She did not need these surfaces adapted to her game; she adapted her game to the surface, as any top player should. Hewitt should try doing the same.

Stephen Jones, Bonython (ACT), January 5.

The iron law of kitchen utensil arrangement

Pat James (Heckler, January 5) can't have been speaking of her own mother when she reports that grandparents will find their kitchen utensils in odd places after the hordes have left. It is one of the immutable laws of nature that women arrange their kitchens exactly as their mothers do. I will find the mixing bowls and the grater in exactly the same place in my kitchen, my mother's kitchen and those of my three sisters.

Jennifer Saunders, Canberra (ACT), January 5.

Moderate middles

I don't know anything about what lefties or righties drink, Mr McLennan (Letters, January 4), but I can tell you about centries.

We centries are well-balanced, thoughtful people with our feet planted firmly on the ground. I drink tea at Muffin Break and flat white coffee at Michel's (I'm also a cheapie), and I hang out at home, where I have an occasional glass of shiraz, for medicinal reasons, of course.

M. Abdullah, Gladesville, January 5.

Landmark date

On January 4, Brian Sewell (Letters, January 4), Isaac Newton was born (1643), Elvis Presley made one of his first recordings (1954), the Beatles made their last recording (1970), Louis Braille (1809) and Michael Stipe from R.E.M. (1960) were born and T.S. Eliot died (1965). Not so dull, after all.

David Grant, Ballina, January 5.

Round 'em up

Calm down, Con Vaitsas (Letters, January 5). If you pay for goods by credit, then the exact amount is debited to your card. And goods for sale at, for example, $1.99, have the advantage of a volume discount. Buy 10 such items and you save 10 cents. If you round the prices up as you put the items in your trolley, you may get a pleasant surprise at the checkout.

Margaret Grove, Abbotsford, January 5.

Con, I sense that unscrupulous retailers will try to dupe us forever - it's in their business nature. Though, I suppose we could round these retailers up and put them in the $2 shop.

Seth Richardson, Surry Hills, January 5.

Delayed agreement

Your editorial "The shifting climate for change" (January 4) says that I envisage a new agreement on climate change "in the near future". I didn't say that. On the contrary, I don't believe there will be a new agreement for some years.

Any new agreement must be comprehensive, including all leading greenhouse gas emitters, must encourage - not tax - economic growth and investment and is unlikely to look much like the Kyoto protocol. This does not mean the next period cannot be dedicated to very effective construction of a "Beyond Kyoto" regime including practical measures to address climate change, built on the substantial achievements of the framework convention.

Australia will continue to play an active and positive role internationally and invest billions of dollars domestically on this vital issue. A new agreement, however, is not likely in the "near future".

Ian Campbell, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Canberra (ACT), January 4.

Rest day

I had always thought of an optimist as person who bought a sun hat for a visit to London.

I now realise a true optimist is a cricket fan who buys a ticket for the fifth day of the Test.

Bill Carpenter, Bowral, January 5.

Soccer's name change should be called offside

In the sport section today you have referred to Sydney FC ("Dutch master Haan in the frame at Sydney FC", Herald, January 5).

The Sydney Football Club plays only Australian football, not soccer, and is a member of the Australian Football League. This is its legal name although you generally refer to it as "the Swans".

As for your decision to follow the Australian soccer administrators' absurd idea of calling soccer "football", your cultural cringe is showing. "Soccer" is not an offensive name but is the name invented by English soccer fans themselves, an abbreviation of "association football". In every other English-speaking country, soccer is called soccer.

Australian football, not soccer, was the first adult football game to be codified. Your forelock-tugging behaviour will only confuse and misinform your readers. Call a spade a spade.

Peter Gilfedder, Hornsby, January 5.

Rick Samimi (Letters, January 5) is mistaken to think the national football team is called Australia. The last international football match I saw in Sydney took place between Paraguay and players referred to on the ticket and by the ground announcer as "the LG Socceroos".

I still haven't managed to find this LG on a map.

Perhaps the new governing body's next step should be to ensure the national team takes its name from the nation it represents, and not the highest bidder.

Jason Mountney, Erskineville, January 5.

How wonderful to see the round-ball game called football in the sports pages. Congratulations for making the change.

Ben Hawkins, Artarmon, January 5.