Banning challenging books sends the wrong message

Some books can be challenging (“Christou: I’ve not read the book”, May 9). For instance, the polyamory implied in Snow White shacking up with seven dwarfs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, could well be about exploring self-identity, then there’s that cross-dressing wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. The point is, don’t take books out of the library that you are uncomfortable with or do not want your children to read. Just stop bullying the rest of us with different beliefs to yourselves by dictating what we can and cannot choose to do. Alicia Dawson, Balmain

I’m appalled by the decision by six members of Cumberland Council to ban a book from the local library which features families with same-sex parents. No child has a choice about the family they are born into, but they should have a right to read books about families like theirs. What message do these councillors think that they are sending to children with same-sex parents? How do they think the children will feel: Confused, hurt, anxious? We already have a mental health epidemic among our youth. The six Cumberland councillors can only exacerbate this problem by not affirming the value of all children, no matter what family they live in. Sandra Bassin, Coogee

Under what law can a council, indeed any level of government, ban “gay parenting books”? Or any parenting books? Or any “gay” books? Does the Anti-Discrimination Act (NSW) not apply to local councils? Deborah Corrigall, Cammeray

In the 1970s, a local councillor moved that the library manager (myself) remove from the library any copy of the Little Red Schoolbook, a controversial publication written by two Danish schoolteachers. When pressed by another councillor in the ensuing debate, his response was “I wouldn’t read the filthy thing, I heard about it in the Catholic Weekly”. Motion lost. History repeats in Cumberland.
Nora Hinchen, St Leonards

I suspect that there are many people in the Cumberland Council area that find the holy books in the council libraries offensive for their anti-science, illogical, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, and violent content. Is there any consideration to ban these tomes? I hope not. I enjoy historical fiction. Paul Doyle, Glenbrook

That a mere six people can “rid” a library of any book already on the shelves and used by library members is totally unacceptable. It is a self-righteous and discriminatory action to be deplored by the community at large. Councillors are not elected to be censors. Shame on those voters. Gabrielle Merten, Bondi Beach

Does Councillor Steve Christou not understand how libraries operate? That you, or the parent of a child, choose which books you do or do not borrow? That no one is being forced to read a particular book. Perhaps someone would be so kind as to explain this to him. Helen Robilliard, Rodd Point

It’s disturbing the councillors’ power and influence is accompanied by so little knowledge and understanding. Christou clearly hasn’t got a clue about what sexualisation is, which in this day and age in a person in public office is, quite frankly, frightening. And for them to believe that in a diverse and multicultural society, or any society for that matter, it’s possible to align a public library collection with one set of beliefs is, just as frankly, plain witless. Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point

In 2021, I began working in western Sydney, spending time in the various LGAs that make up this fantastic part of Sydney. The recent decisions by councillors at Cumberland Council don’t reflect my experience of the warm, kind and generous communities that I’ve encountered. I’ve met many wonderful people from a range of cultural and religious backgrounds who have been nothing but genuinely welcoming, inclusive and engaged with this resident of, dare I say it, Newtown. Michael Sharp, Newtown

Labor’s drinks the Kool-Aid on nation’s gas-led recovery

The Albanese government’s stubborn commitment to gas demonstrates a woeful lack of forward-thinking and planning for the future (“Labor’s promise: cheap gas for years”, May 9). Australia, along with every other country, should be in the process of phasing out fossil fuels, including gas, if we are to avoid the worst of global heating, climate change, more frequent extreme weather events, and huge financial costs. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)

Natural gas is a relatively clean fossil fuel, and while we are still developing renewable energy sources, it should be extracted and used. There’s no point leaving it in the ground if there is a genuine domestic need and demand for it. The only issue is the price we must pay for it. Gas extracted in Australian territory must first be offered to Australian households at a fair price, and the excess can then be flogged off to overseas purchasers for whatever they are willing to pay. Greg Cantori, Alfords Point

Some take the view that renewables on their own can’t provide the reliable energy supply that we need. And, unfortunately, it seems that Labor has drunk the Kool-Aid. Recently, Australian energy producers have been advocating that they are doing a good thing by producing gas, as the sun and wind can’t be relied on to produce energy all the time, whereas gas can be turned on and off when needed. Haven’t they heard of batteries which can store power for later use? Or a network (noting that in a country the size of Australia, there should be sunshine or wind somewhere)? Are they really concerned about doing the right thing by us or for themselves? David Rush, Lawson

We produce and export more gas than almost any country in the world. We are, therefore, one of the worst contributors to climate change. When will this government take the enormous threat of climate change seriously, and dispense with the lie of a “gas led recovery”. We need to be a good global citizen, follow the pleas and guidelines of the IPCC and keep fossil fuels in the ground; not act in the very selfish way we are. ​Peggy Fisher, Manly

What? Outrageous! An outbreak of sanity? From a Labor government? The Greens and Peter Dutton will go nuclear. I even forgot to put sugar in my coffee. Urk.

Look, face it – this is our only practical solution, just so long as fracking is banned. Don’t make a bad situation any worse. Now, one question for our PM: What will you do with Chris “Wind or Nothing” Bowen? Hogtied and gagged in some dingy Canberra basement, perhaps? Les Tomlinson, Berowra Heights

My promise: Labor, you’ve lost my vote. I will no longer vote for the lesser of two evils, we need meaningful action on climate change now. Peter Newberry, Kingsford

New airport needs reliable rail links, not buses stuck in traffic

Southwest Sydney is missing out on a fast rail to Western Sydney Airport (“It’ll be faster by train to old airport than by bus to new one”, May 9). The decision to run “rapid buses” that only come every half hour and take more than an hour from Campbelltown to Western Sydney Airport is a missed opportunity to enact a near shovel-ready project to extend the South West Rail Link from Leppington. Campbelltown to Western Sydney Airport via Glenfield interchange on Sydney Trains would be possible in about 50 minutes with trains running more often than every half hour. Roydon Ng, Berala

Transport for NSW is planning to run buses every 30 minutes to the new curfew-free airport from 5am to 10 pm. That’s a bus service over a span of 17 hours for a 24-hour airport. This must be the first international airport with no curfew for planes but a curfew for public transport to get there.
Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills

Didn’t we read just a few days ago how hard it is to find all the new bus drivers when the Sydenham to Bankstown rail line soon closes for a year, or (probably) more, during construction of a new metro line? Good luck, then, with finding drivers willing to compete with traffic snarls, and co-operate with shift and changeover requirements on the multiple routes to and from the new airport. Investment in more efficient and faster rail services is surely a better idea than adding more lumbering, prehistoric bus services. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

Teal appeal

Shaun Carney bemoans the state of Australian politics with the electorate deserting parties and foresees minority government with the messiness that involves (“Albanese’s is an ‘experimental’ government – and it looks like the experiment is failing”, May 9). But people have not deserted politics. The enthusiasm underlying the rise of the teals was remarkable. They embraced a way of getting rid of a terrible Coalition government which had deserted Menzies’ founding principles. The teals look set to contest the next election with even more candidates. It is not an accident that they are mostly women. I think the electorate has had enough of toxic masculinity. Having the teals with the balance of power doesn’t frighten many voters. Gary Barnes, Mosman

Choose your weapon

I would love to hear the argument for why primitive weapons such as axes, knives and swords need to be openly and legally sold in suburban shopping precincts (“Rambo-style knives for sale at Westfield”, May 9). Is it to protect oneself from the terrifying attack of a domestic moggy or those vicious flocks of squawking lorikeets? Maybe the occasional slathering beast-from-hell labradoodle needs dispatching? And why do these items only seem to be available from tobacco, vape or key cutting outlets? Bill Young, Killcare Heights

Growing pains

It is with some amusement and, sadly, a sigh, that I saw Chatswood High School is now the third-largest high school in the state (“Revealed: Sydney’s most overcrowded primary and high schools”, May 8). Many in the Chatswood community recall the protracted fight by teachers, parents and the community opposing Department of Education plans to close the school on its present site and replace it with a smaller one in a distant carpark within the University of Technology’s campus at Ku-ring-gai.

A community meeting was addressed by a department demographer, whose projected figures for the years ahead argued diminishing enrolments. One only had to step outside and witness the newly constructed high-rise apartments and the cranes looming over the Chatswood skyline to view this with considerable scepticism. The community won the battle and proud new buildings have recently been built. It is difficult to imagine the situation we would now be facing if the initial plans had proceeded. David Grover, Chatswood

Ref by numbers

One thing that might help in referees getting more respect from players is for the refs to stop calling players by their names and revert to using the players’ playing numbers (“Warning to players over ref dissent”, May 9). Put some distance between ref and player. Tony Everett, Wareemba

Back to school

In Frankfurt in 2001, I was mystified to observe in a department store window a dozen unhappy looking men sitting at children’s desks watching a teacher at a blackboard (Letters, May 9). My German friend explained that they had lost their driver’s licences and were undergoing public re-education. It was also pointed out that it was illegal for a learner driver to be taught by a friend or relative, and that learners had to complete a formidable period of training, including driving in snow and on the somewhat terrifying German autobahns. Peter Craig, Dulwich Hill

Capital letters

I can recall when the only way to get a letter published in the Herald was to send it by snail mail (Letters, May 9). If you were lucky enough to have your letter chosen, one of the letters editors rang you two to three days later to tell you and discuss any changes they thought appropriate. Sometimes your letter was held over for a few days and published with letters on the same topic. Occasionally, I was asked the meaning of a word (such as isocracy). Those were the days when the Saturday Herald weighed a kilo and a half. John Grinter, Katoomba

Whether by “snail mail”, email or fax, the object is to get your opinion published in the Herald and it matters not a jot how this is achieved. The advantage of email is that a correspondent can submit as many as they desire without incurring additional costs and inconvenience, and from my observation compared to previous decades the opinions are frequently pithy and humorous. Rodney Crute, Hunters Hill

Beautiful people

Such uplifting news and beautiful people (“Bondi Junction survivor meets her hero”, May 9). I, too, want to give survivor Liya Barko, her hero Wayne Tolver-Banks and his wife Michi lots of hugs. Susan Chan, St Ives

John our club

Three Kens is nothing. In our retirement village men’s group we have six Johns, so we call each person by their name and the first initial of their surname. We have John S; John P; John M etc. Works a treat and has room for expansion (Letters, May 9). Richard Kirby, Campbelltown

When I was in third class in Mount Isa in the mid-fifties, I was one of 13 boys given Peter as a first or middle name. Classes were bigger then. In my first year of school there were 96 in my class, conducted in the school hall and presided over by one very stern nun. Peter Craig, Dulwich Hill

My brother in Melbourne married a woman whose first name was the same as mine. She changed her surname after marriage and I decided to keep my maiden name. We are now known as Ruth Sydney and Ruth Melbourne. When my brother just calls Ruth, we both ignore him. Ruth Pojer, Double Bay

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