Inaction on pokies harm is gambling with lives

The pokies article by Peter FitzSimons (“MPs servants to ‘predatory’ pokies”, July 27) emphasises the most important point of the pokies disaster. It can’t be fixed because both sides of politics are so dependent on pokies donations that once in power they realise the pokies lobby is in charge, not them. And fixing that by increasing campaign funding for political parties from the budget means increasing taxes. It’s easy for the pokies lobby and its media backers to stoke public outrage when increased taxes are suggested. There even is a term for it, “state capture”. Whoever wins the election, lobby groups are still in charge. It’s relevant more widely, such as the fossil fuel lobby slowing down climate action. It’s a pernicious problem and the Herald is to be commended for running an anti-gambling campaign. It’s hard to see a solution until someone is brave enough to have a policy calling for higher taxes to tackle some of the bigger problems we face. Maybe braver politicians? Gary Barnes, Mosman

Take my advice

Senator James Paterson says “Labor would be judged on the results of proposed consultant cuts” (“Labor’s splurge on advice revealed”, July 27). That’s rich coming from anyone in the Liberal party. It’s not the spending of money on consultants that I mind so much as the pretence practised by the Liberals that ditching public service jobs to do it, while ignoring the alternate costs, is somehow saving money. Equally objectionable is the sneakiness of hiring people – using eye-watering amounts of public funds – to tell you what you want to hear instead of what you should be told, while claiming it’s somehow a “partnership”. Driven by their own “ideological obsession” of antipathy towards the public service dating as far back as the Howard era, the Liberals were avid practitioners of an identical reverse bias. And while Labor’s pot so far seems decidedly tarnished at keeping its promise to negate it, they’ve got a long way to go to match the blackness of the Liberals’ kettle. Adrian Connelly, Springwood

The criticism of the Albanese government’s use of consultants is misplaced. They have pledged to rebuild the capacity of the public service, laid waste by the previous Coalition. Does anyone really believe this will happen overnight? While there are green shoots, it will take years to restore an objective, expert public service. The damage wrought to good government by the previous Coalition administration, venal in its attempts to politicise the public service, promote mates and create a supine culture (remember robo-debt?), nearly destroyed it. As Labor rebuilds, of course consultants will be needed, especially as this government wants to achieve something. Hopefully, the best can be encouraged into an invigorated public service for the national good. Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield

False piety

America likes to think of itself as a God-fearing nation of Christians, yet it puts up with Trump (“America’s shame: Despite all the evidence Trump remains shameless”, July 27). There seems to be no shame that their president breaks all those Christian ideals they hold so dear. Their sin is not their lack of shame. It is their hypocrisy. Neville Turbit, Russell Lea

Fertility lifeline

The importance of IVF to many families cannot be underestimated, but to those with life-threatening genetic conditions it is especially important (“There have been 17 million IVF babies. Rebecca was one of the first”, July 27). For these families IVF can allow the possibility of a mutant gene to be isolated and sidelined and ultimately dismissed from the family line, allowing hope for a more positive future. We can only be grateful for the process. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer

So fertility rates are “nosediving”? Perhaps a truer word has never been used. It’s well known that modern perfumes contain hormone disruptors such as phthalates, isn’t it? And to say that perfumes are pervasive is an understatement. We live and move in a sea of fake scent. You can’t even walk down a bush track without being nasally assaulted by the smell of the person (man or woman) 10 minutes ahead of you, whom you may not actually ever see. It must drive the wildlife, well, wild. Ironically, perfume formulas are designed to make the wearer more attractive, but may in fact result in lower fertility. Pass the nose peg, please. Carolyn Little, Mortdale