It’s a government’s job to ensure, by regulation and certification, that buildings are completed to an acceptable standard, whereby they are fit for purpose: human habitation (“Apartment fears follow legal action”, July 12).
If the NSW government can’t achieve that, then we need a building insurance scheme that’s fit for purpose. Telling people who’ve invested their life savings, and committed them well into the future, to contact the developers and Fair Trading to “seek advice or make a complaint” is offensive buck-passing. It’s what you should be advised to do if the jug you bought doesn’t work, not if your building is crumbling. Surely, we can do better than that. Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point
Illustration: John Shakespeare
The owners of defective apartments all seem unable to get redress from the builders. What we also need to know is who certified these buildings as properly built. Surely certifiers are there to protect the building’s final owners from defective building. Why are they not named and held to account? Jane Fowler, Marrickville
Our major building defects diminished substantially with the introduction of licensing of tradespersons and builders, following the collapse of a floor slab on a multi-storey residential building in the early 1970s. Major building defects returned with the privatisation of building surveyors, paid for by the developers of the project being inspected, now with limitations as to when and what is inspected with reliance on developer’s satisfaction of the building surveyor’s for their future work. What were they thinking? What could go wrong? Brian McDonald, Willoughby
There is a very simple step government can take on building defects. Legislate to allow people who have bought off the plan to be allowed to have their own building inspector to have access to the site during construction to see how work is being carried out. At present, the owner has no right of access until after purchase is completed. Robert Smith, Cremorne
When something is not working after more than a decade, it is time to think again (“A Sydney council ‘delivered’ 23 affordable homes in 14 years but none are occupied”, July 12). Even if other parts of Sydney did perform better than this, we must have doubts about the recent 30 per cent rules implemented by the NSW government. Can we at least consider returning to the days when the government built and managed social housing? Not everything is improved by outsourcing. Neville Turbit, Russell Lea
Using immigration as a lever to stimulate economic growth is fuelling the housing crisis while throwing money at developers without strong parameters will make matters worse. The high percentage of building defects, especially in apartments, is a warning that the industry needs greater training and regulation with criminal consequences. Government needs to prioritise affordable housing, rather than facilitating profiteering and shonky practices. A good start would be to assist the owners of crumbling apartment blocks as they experience financial stress, paying mortgages and high repair costs while unable to sell, refinance and in some cases live in their home. Anne Matheson, Gordon
It’s a chicken and egg argument. Was the former state government following scripts from Utopia for its housing policies or, was Utopia writing scripts using state government policy catastrophes? Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield
Lifters turn grifters, leaners get meaner
Ross Gittins points to the declining standards of political behaviour as justification for backward-looking accountability on previous governments (“Politics of others’ dirty laundry”, July 12). This poor behaviour continues unabated, particularly from some in the opposition who have forgotten their roles in previous iterations of Coalition government. Gittins’ depiction of categorisations of people as lifters or leaners has some credibility, but we all get upset when a self-proclaimed lifter is found to be a grifter, especially one who claimed to be a welfare cop. Geoff Nilon, Mascot
Gittins’ claim that governments holding their predecessors to account has not improved political behaviour is surely predicated on there being no real consequences for their actions. Bad publicity, that is all too soon forgotten, and a slap on the wrist with a feather won’t bother career politicians with hide as thick as former PM Scott Morrison, who has shown no contrition and disputes the commissioner’s findings. However, holding them legally accountable for their actions and personally liable just might do the trick. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
Robo-rejection.Credit: Matt Golding
Do journalists ever ponder what part their own tawdry business plays in bringing out the “worse side of Australian character” – including that of our MPs? Given that the political press’s main function now is to relentlessly remind us just how awful our democratically elected representatives are, we can hardly complain that they’ve become so defensive, reactionary and cynically populist.
If I woke up to a daily barrage of public bullying, moralising, character assassination and “gotcha” trap-setting, from an unelected, mostly mediocre but disproportionately over-amplified army of newspaper, radio, TV and social media wannabe influencers, I imagine I’d eventually develop a “dirty” attitude towards democratic representation, too. Jack Robertson, Birchgrove
It may be conventional for newly elected governments to inquire into the mistakes or misdeeds of the previous one but how else are we going to learn from our mistakes? As happens in many organisations, democracies should be subject to an organised process of continuous improvement and robo-debt is an obvious case where such egregious practices should never be allowed to occur again. Peter Nash, Fairlight
The demonisation of welfare recipients is part of a strategy that seeks to divide us for political gain. Some conservatives would have us believe that asylum seekers, refugees, transgender people and even those who support the Voice to parliament are people for whom we are to be distrustful and suspicious. Scare campaigns are a poor substitute for debate but are regrettably very effective. The only real thing we have to fear seems to be fearmongering itself. John Bailey, Canterbury
What “traditional and Christian values” does your correspondent think the present-day Liberal party embodies (Letters, July 12)? Empathy for the poor and disadvantaged? No. Turning the other cheek? No. A fair go? No. Unselfishness? No. Do inform us. Andrew Taubman, Queens Park
Lowe blows don’t add up
Changing the Reserve Bank governor at this time would achieve little and therefore is unlikely (“Fancy the RBA’s top job? Think again”, July 12). Critics of Philip Lowe seem to forget the RBA board consists of nine members who sit around a table to make interest rate decisions, good or not so good. They might have slightly different opinions but there must surely be some consensus regarding a decision that Lowe announces yet, unfortunately for him, he is subject to all the consequential criticism. There has obviously been considerable disapproval of past decisions, but it is unlikely that any of the proposed candidates for the top job, with no clear crystal ball, could have done much better. A reasonable compromise will be to extend Lowe’s term a year at a time. Geoff Harding, Chatswood
Trial and tribulations
Expecting young people to work for nothing “on trial” should be banned if it’s not already illegal (“If you’re employing young staff, don’t be a bad boss”, July 12). Apart from the fact that it’s wide open to abuse, it demeans the prospective employee. An employer who needs staff should pay them at the appropriate award rate with the appropriate conditions, no matter their age. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill
Popular pups
If you are keen on the weather, monitor the Southern Oscillation Index. For health of the economy, check out the All Ordinaries Index. But for wealth distribution, consult the Dog Index (“Oodles of cavoodles: Inner city’s top dog reveal a new latte line”, July 12). Mustafa Erem, Terrigal
Move over cavoodles! The real hipsters of the eastern suburbs and elsewhere are getting rescued greyhounds. Smart, affectionate, non-shedding and calm, greyhounds make excellent pets and adapt well to apartment living. The greyhound racing industry breeds and discards dogs at an unsustainable rate and the rescues are overflowing with unwanted racers. Most of the tens of thousands of greyhounds in the racing industry will only ever be a cheap bet, not a loved pet. Greyhounds deserve better. Michele Nicholas, St Ives
The cavoodle clusters are so pandemic. This year the Havanese is the favoured dog on our side of the latte line. Robin Love, Rozelle
What do we need to do to alert people to the mostly horrific lives, predominately female dogs, live to produce a specific breed of dog? Shelters are inundated with animals looking for homes yet we see people wanting a breed, not a companion, without thinking of the cost to the mother who often ends up dumped or dead when their profit-driven lives are no longer viable? Clare Raffan, Campsie
Tech warning
It is welcome news the government is considering legislation to request that the social media giants take down misinformation and disinformation and, if they persist, to hit them with fines that would actually hurt (“Tech giants warn new ‘fake news’ rules could limit free speech”, July 12). It’s predictable the tech giants would claim this might limit free speech; they fight hard on any limits to their freedom. But the free world outside the US has seen the damage that the social media does and is fighting back. They would much prefer the free for all that is the US where misinformation and disinformation is rife, resulting in the horror of the Trump years and an attack on democracy that almost succeeded. Let’s hope Australia can do things differently. Gary Barnes, Mosman
Voice of reason
Many years ago I heard a story about a trainee journalist hearing a strange sound in one of Murdoch’s London newsrooms. “What’s that noise?” she asked. “Oh that,” said a seasoned and cynical hack, “It’s just we’ve found a new bottom of the barrel to scrape”. Probably apocryphal – unlike the hacking scandal that closed England’s biggest circulation paper Murdoch’s News of the World or the new low in American journalism that saw Fox operatives reporting Trump losses as wins.
So the news of Murdoch’s very latest venture fills me with dread (“Sky News to launch Voice channel”, July 12). Sky News boss Paul Whittaker promises coverage that shares every perspective of the debate. That would be an amazing journalistic triumph given that most of Sky After Dark’s star presenters are committed anti-Voicers. Good night and good luck. Nick Franklin, Katoomba
Equal fights
I respectfully disagree with your correspondent’s statement that “progressive support for the rights of particular minority groups is identity politics designed to divide society,” (Letters, July 12). To me, such support is an important part of a fair and inclusive democracy, where the rights of all minorities should be protected even if you disagree with their opinions and beliefs. There’s nothing shallow about that. And by the way, I’m not bonkers. Peter Campbell, Potts Point
Words of wisdom
Sport is a prime viewing window to the world and the nature of our combined human character (“New York Times to disband sports department”, July 12). The sad news that the Times has closed its sports department reflects a business model that has failed to understand how sports journalists often help shape our understanding of our character and values. Rod Leonarder, Roseville
Crown jewels
How illuminating that the monarchy manages state visits from international dignitaries by unlocking the vaults to place millions of dollars of jewels upon the heads of their women (“Why Princess Kate won’t be wearing a tiara for Joe Biden”, July 11). The practice reveals yet again that the royals are a curious anachronism with little substantial to offer except the flaunting of wealth and women as pretty objects. Lorraine Hickey, Green Point
Sign of the times
Stop/go sign jobs requiring very little responsibility (Letters, July 12)? Far from it. In 1970s country Victoria, I found it was a bleak and lonely job. Pointedly, I couldn’t goof off; I needed to look into the face of each and every driver. Some could lock the brakes at the mere tweak of my red paddle. Others, I needed to thrash their bonnets to elicit compliance. Roger Harvey, Balgowlah
Stomach’s turning, brain’s learning
What other function does the back of the toilet door serve if not for a chart of maths tables (Letters, July 12)? Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights
Is pinning items to be learnt on the inside of the toilet door the reason girls are learning faster than boys? Ruth Ratner, Northbridge
When I lived in a house with three other student nurses in the ’80s, we had a series of anatomical posters on the back of the dunny door, beginning with one of a skeleton with all the bones named.
No visitors complained, and it was a topic of conversation. Once we had learned them all, it was replaced with one that labelled all muscles, tendons and ligaments – and the head was a particularly ghoulish sight. No bones about it, this was not appreciated by many people besides other nurses. Andrew Brown, Bowling Alley Point
I’m with Kate Fraser when it comes to the value of the old back-of-the-toilet-door learning system. When my children were young, I used to pin my National Geographic maps and charts on the back of the toilet door for my own perusal. My daughter, then aged 15, scored a distinction in the national geography competition and attributed her success totally to the back of the toilet door teaching strategy. Kevin Farrell, Beelbangera
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au.
‘Message to Macron’: Australia ready to walk after EU trade deal deadlock
From Steve: ″It’s about time we badged our wines with Aussie names rather than chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and prosecco. The customer will work out pretty fast what is worth drinking.”
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