Sydney Writers’ Festival gave silenced writers a voice

Chris Minns’ criticism of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah appearing at the Sydney Writers’ Festival reminded me of when another Labor leader, Bob Carr, cast aspersions at young people wearing baseball hats back to front, implying they were hooligans (“Festival audiences turn out for Abdel-Fattah”, May 23). Both were out of touch. I went on Saturday and saw and heard not only Abdel-Fattah but Antoinette Lattouf, Michael Mohammed Ahmad and Jan Fran, all four of Middle Eastern origin, on the same stage discussing the issue of what words and sentences can be said publicly in conversation and on the page. They feel they are prohibited thanks to new laws stifling free speech from openly discussing and being critical of what is happening in Gaza. A thousand people attended this sold-out event and gave the speakers a well-deserved standing ovation to the tune of Sounds of Silence. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury

The turnout for Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah is about inclusivity. Our mature democracy’s “agree to disagree” idea says most reasonable-thinking folks are “able to entertain a thought without accepting it”(Aristotle). Steve Ngeow, Chatswood

I have just spent some days at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, and I am more convinced than ever that these face-to-face forums are really important. One is seeing real people saying their truths. There is no mediation. So much of our information today is modified by editors, media barons and the unseen hand of AI and its minions. Bring on the Town Hall meetings. Jan Aitkin, Rozelle

Sycophancy and copycat scripts

Jacqueline Maley (“Meet Albo the hi-vis, small-biz raider – and other deepfakes”, May 24) provides in-depth details of mis/disinformation that is not just limited to social media, but other media such as print, TV and radio. I wonder whether these people producing this stuff ever get bored with their predictable ways of doing the same blurb day in and day out throughout their careers? Their commentary is not intelligent or deep thinking, but serves the same rusted audience. It sounds like sycophancy and copycat scripts. I guess they are handsomely paid. Most voters will understand the budget benefits to ordinary people once the dust settles. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill

Like most people, I’ve had a good laugh at many of the memes that pop up on my social media. It is very obvious that most are fakes, especially ones involving Donald Trump. The ones that aren’t so obvious are easily checked with a quick online search. The problem is that there are a lot of, let’s be kind and call them gullible, people out there who believe that everything on social media is the gospel truth. This is where the problem lies. The adage “don’t believe everything you read” has never been more true. If you don’t know, then find out. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury

Changing the way we think about property

Alicia Hamidi (“Glebe auction reveals market shift”, May 24) said out loud all that has been wrong with Sydney’s property market for the last 30 years when she said: “It’s really hard – property is the only way to make money in Sydney at the moment.” That article should have a headline that celebrates Albanese’s success in changing that thinking to “Property is the best way to put a roof over my head.” Stein Boddington, St Clair

It’s time to say goodbye to the ‘housewife’ label

Does Bob Katter (“MP talks up options for women”, May 24) not realise that many women choose to work at least part-time for the mental stimulation and to remain up to date in their chosen profession, regardless of their need to contribute to the household budget? Many families choose to limit their children to two on conscience grounds – replace yourselves but do not add to the problem of a world overpopulated and threatened by climate change. I hope “housewife” or “home duties” will eventually become outdated roles. Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt

Victoria Devine clearly lists the reasons women work outside the home and the pressures on them when they do. To say, as Mr Katter seems to, that women have always stayed home and preferred to do that is not accurate. For a start, hundreds of women, like my late mother, were fully trained nurses and found deep satisfaction in their rewarding, but exhausting, occupation. If a “woman’s place is in the home”, will males step up and do the myriad jobs women do in the workplace that some men consider beneath them? Marjie Williamson, Blaxland

Another vote for line dancing

Our local Northern Illawarra U3A in Thirroul has embraced line dancing as a group (“Line dancing has a reprise, as remedial exercise in disguise”, May 24). Concentration, memory, movement and lots of laughing and camaraderie feature each week. Line dancing has many members out, up and moving, but, be absent a week or two, and hard work is needed to catch up. Even that commitment is valuable for older people. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer

Why we need to pay for parking at beaches

All beaches in Australia are, in fact, free (Letters, May 24). But the infrastructure above the beach needs to be paid for. If someone is insistent on a free beach, drive to one that has no public toilets or change rooms, no showers to wash the sand off, no picnic areas with tables and benches, no rubbish bins or rubbish collection, no ocean pool, a car park that is just a muddy field and no council lifeguards or surf club lifesavers – so no one to help when you get caught in a rip. Otherwise, pay for parking, and make a small contribution towards all the above-mentioned amenities. Helen Howes, Collaroy

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