Costly education creates a dumber Australia

It seems incredible, but according to the parliamentary budget office, a drastic reduction in migration would cost the budget almost $80 billion (“Budget loses billions, nation in deeper debt: The cost of cutting migration”, July 15). This is because high migration boosts federal coffers as migrants are generally younger and arrive in Australia at working age after most of their education costs have been covered. This theoretically saves the government the cost of training locals, although in reality the government only provides loans, minor subsidies and some social welfare payments to relieve the cost of tertiary education. Most of the financial burden is on the student. In fact, the government gets more from HECS student loan repayments, $5.1 billion, than from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax. We are thus dumbing down the local population because, unlike many nations, we no longer provide free higher education to our citizens as we did under the Whitlam government. Don Owers, Whitebridge

There have been so many times when I’ve been on the verge of writing a letter of disappointment about the Albanese government’s unfulfilled promise of reversing Scott Morrison’s appalling decision to jack up the fees for humanities degrees (“Students suffer amid fee hikes”, July 15). Of all the changes the Labor government had promised, one of the smaller items was undoing that decision. And yet here we are, more than four years later with no progress. It is a relatively small move and will hopefully boost the diminishing number of dedicated students who know the importance of the humanities to our society. It’s becoming clear that the government doesn’t understand that. Anne Ring, Coogee

It was Labor PM Gough Whitlam who introduced free university for my generation. For women, who couldn’t even get a bank loan in those days, and the less well off, it was a liberating decision. Suddenly, a tertiary education was no longer an option for only the more wealthy. Many of our politicians gained their education under this scheme, yet the current generation receives none of these benefits. It is grossly unfair. Australian society will ultimately suffer and become more stratified if only the wealthy can again afford tertiary studies. Katriona Herborn, Blackheath

GetUp got goats

I note one correspondent was so upset about what GetUp did at Pauline Hanson’s Press Club appearance that he felt obliged to give One Nation a donation (Letters, July 15). I haven’t always agreed with what GetUp has done and how it has done it, but I must confess on this occasion they clearly told the precise truth, and I might have to consider making a donation to them. Al Svirskis, Mount Druitt

I don’t have strong feelings either way about GetUp. I think they’re erratic, sometimes on the right path, at other times difficult to comprehend, but largely ineffective. However, I do appreciate creative, harmless pieces of mischief. And for the National Press Club to be affronted by a banner when it as an organisation presents itself as being at the vanguard of free speech seems a bit precious. Tony Doyle, Fairy Meadow

My sense of fairness was offended by the correspondent from Denistone, who was offended at GetUp’s banner highlighting the hypocrisy of Pauline Hanson. Perhaps he should redirect his donation to a worthier cause, as said female is already well supported by Ms Rinehart and others. Llieda Wild, Eastwood

The greatest threat to democracy are not billionaires such as Clive Palmer, who has had little effect on the electorate, but the inability to understand just why people like Donald Trump and Pauline Hanson resonate with so many people. A democracy needs robust discussions from the left and right of the spectrum, on all matters, otherwise we are just listening to our own voices. Roger Cedergreen, Kirrawee

Your correspondent Mr Lloyd is donating to One Nation because he is offended by GetUp’s actions. Perhaps he should also make a donation to the people that Pauline Hanson is quite happy to denigrate. Peter Vernon, Sawtell

Senator wayward

How can anyone take One Nation seriously when their Senator Malcolm Roberts continues to defend Vladimir Putin and cosy up with ultra-right commentators (“One Nation Qld senator praised Putin over Ukraine”, July 15)? Domestically, their policies, such as destroying the ABC and SBS, do nothing to address the problems of housing affordability and the cost of living. Meanwhile, Labor is getting on with the job. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

Fruit of the gloom

It’s hard to imagine a greater folly than the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s proposal on pesticide levels (“Plan to allow 500 times more ‘forever chemical’ residue on Australian berries”, July 15). They seem to be serious, yet “forever chemicals” have already been linked to testicle degeneration, lower sperm counts and liver damage in rats, according to studies carried out by manufacturer Syngenta, and dubious, deliberately narrowed definitions created in the US. Are they really suggesting we should risk poisoning our children on the say-so of an American company backed by an American regulator? Just gob-smacking. Gary Stowe, Springwood

Zero empathy

Given how often we hear about “net zero” (Letters, July 15) and understand it means no increase in our atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations after 2050, it might be time to remember where that goal came from. The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, aimed to keep the rise in global temperature to well below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Roadmaps based on that idea were drawn, including one in 2021 by the International Energy Agency. It specified that to achieve that goal exploitation and development of new oil and gas fields should stop that year. This didn’t happen. Today the warming level Paris was aiming to stay below is expected to happen by 2040 – and we are still looking for new gas fields. I’d say the net zero we need to worry about is in the hearts and minds of too many of powerful people. Lesley Walker, Northcote (Vic)

Murdoch mischief

Perhaps “being Murdoched” is not part of the vernacular and Sky After Dark doesn’t shine quite as brightly as it once did, but the Murdoch-inspired mischief-makers are still far from a balanced news reporting outfit (“Turnbull: Treat Sky like ‘drunk raging at the moon’”, July 15). Malcolm Turnbull was well and truly Murdoched when he was prime minister and understandably does not forgive or forget. A quick glance at the long line of people Murdoched in their prime suggests we should be backing Turnbull on this one. Geoff Nilon, Mascot

Malcolm Turnbull’s scathing comments about Rupert Murdoch are well and truly warranted. The disastrous legacy of his support for Brexit, Trump and climate change denial is obvious. The lunacy of Sky News, the hatred of the ABC and continual bias of his print publications needs to be more fully exposed. It is indeed time for a royal commission into the selfish and reckless influence of this foreigner and his companies. Ted Hemmens, Cromer

Even raving, screaming and raging at the moon, I’d still back the Saturday late-night drunk to make more sense than the Sky After Dark mob. Mike Kenneally, Manly

AI: proceed with care

Data centres should be more closely scrutinised before further construction is permitted in Australia (“Albanese sets up AI office amid experts’ dire warning”, July 15). We already know they are huge consumers of energy. According to a report by the International Energy Agency “… data centre electricity consumption is set to more than double to about 945 [terawatt hours] by 2030″. This exceeds Japan’s total electricity consumption. And even if data centres pay for their own renewable energy, how much is AI of benefit to the public? It would be interesting to see a breakdown of what is used for necessities like essential services, and how much is used for other purposes like abusive material, spreading misinformation and surveillance. I hope the government will heed the warnings of the experts behind the National Defence Strategy. Do we need more of these energy-hungry giants built in Australia? We need to exercise caution. Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)

With AI upon us, we must not repeat the mistakes made with globalisation, when the relentless pursuit of efficiency undermined domestic manufacturing workers while exacerbating wealth inequality. Our government has the responsibility to make sure everyone is uplifted and shares the benefits being promised by AI. Ian Nicholls, Baulkham Hills

Until writers, musicians and artists are properly paid, let’s call so-called artificial intelligence, or AI, what it really is – SI, stolen intelligence. Victor Bivell, Abbotsford

Could someone explain why data centres need access to massive quantities of water for cooling? I can understand why cooling is necessary, but can’t the water be cycled through cooling towers and simply reused? Yes, you will need to manage the risks of Legionnaires’ disease, which is caused by a water-borne bacterium, but why waste large quantities of potable water on the job? Roger Hallett Toowoomba (Qld)

Trump stuck in a hole

Well, that idea didn’t last long (“Trump abandons plan to toll the Strait of Hormuz after ‘calls from emirs’”, July 15). Everyone (and I mean everyone) said that charging a toll of 20 per cent of the value of the cargo as the cost of providing a protection service was crazy, not to mention illegal. It was only when the leaders of the gulf states objected that Donald Trump backed down. You can see who he thinks is important. Now he wants billions in investments instead. All this for the right to use a waterway that is nowhere near the US. It sounds like a protection racket to me. But let’s look at Trump’s other action in the strait – the blockade. Everyone is focused on the harm this act of war will do to Iran. But the blockade is not just of Iran – it also hurts Iran’s customers, particularly if they are dependent on its oil. With the global rise in oil prices, it’s obvious this is not just a localised conflict. David Rush, Lawson

Trump continues to make stupid decisions and within 24 hours changes his mind and replaces them with yet more stupid decisions. He is so far down a rabbit hole of his own making that he has no way of getting out. He is the Mad Hatter of this whole sorry mess in the Middle East. Susan Haylock, Mosman

Medicating presence

Jenna Price is right – local pharmacies are valuable community services that we need to retain (“Local chemists? Don’t flip the script”, July 15). I faithfully use our local pharmacy for advice, scripts and even vaccinations. It’s not only the pharmacist but the great team of staff who over the years have built up knowledge of regular customers and a strong understanding of non-script pharmaceuticals. The local chemist is an invaluable medical community service we need to protect. Jill Napier, Phegans Bay

Teachers keep giving

When discussing teachers, correspondent Rosslyn Jeffery is right when she says “it seems the less you earn, the more altruistic you are supposed to be” (Letters, July 15). Poor pay rates for teachers is one thing, but the truth is that they have always given up evenings and weekends, all without remuneration – camps and concerts, which bring joy, parent meetings and interviews, which sometimes do not. These are just some of the many expected hours of unpaid work. After 38 years in public school classrooms, I’ve not met one teacher who hasn’t contributed willingly outside of paid hours. The argument that we get many holidays certainly doesn’t cut it either. With all the extras teachers do, the preparation required, including during holidays, again unpaid, and the increasing intensity of the job, regular downtime to rejuvenate is an absolute necessity. Clearly, remuneration for the profession needs some adjusting. Lisa Williams, Dulwich Hill

It is interesting to note that the Swedes, who were very early pioneers of technology in the classroom, have now recanted and are replacing digital devices with textbooks and making their students use pens and paper (“Schools were seduced by screens. Now laptops are being put on the floor”, July 13). As a teacher, my own experience has shown that digital devices in the classroom have done for children’s literacy, numeracy and general intellectual development what calculators have done for their mental arithmetic skills. Ryszard Linkiewicz, Woolooware

I agree with Ray Armstrong on the importance of traditional styles of learning and the judicious use of technology in the classroom (Letters, July 15). When interactive whiteboards were introduced, I used it sparingly to reinforce basic concepts in a fun way. A particular favourite activity of my kinder students was unscrambling the week’s sight words. One day, I was gobsmacked to see an expletive written in giant letters across the board. A selected student successfully unscrambled the word “this”. Cath Hunting, MacMasters Beach

Well-heeled crims

I also lived in Paddington in the late 1970s (Letters, July 15). What forced me to leave was it had gained the reputation of being the most burgled suburb in Sydney. That said, the thieves were more gentlemanly. One of my neighbours lost his new colour telly, but the thief left behind the $300 cash that had been on top of it. John Swanton, Coogee

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