Once again we have reports of dangerous and illegal activity performed purely for the purpose of posting a video on social media. This only encourages others to copy it.
Our TV and radio, telephone system and postal service are all highly regulated in regards to the content they provide, to the extent that they can be shut down if illegal content is not removed. No such laws govern social media. Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok are all foreign owned and their profits go overseas. They should be allowed to operate in Australia only if they conform to a clear set of laws regarding their public content.
It's not good enough to say they can't control their users. They can, and do to a small degree, filter out undesirable content, but they need to do much better. It will cost them a little bit of their profits, but big deal. How much is it costing our community to deal with behaviour that is supported, and even encouraged, by social media? Come on federal government, find the courage to control this monster.
Bruce Graham, Warners Bay
Reclassification needed
John Cooper ("Good look at bad governance", Letters, 1/4), since you asked, I'll tell you what you've written should be classed as: biased carping and a bad case of political amnesia.
You seem to have forgotten that over nine years, a useless, lazy Coalition government did pretty much nothing about virtually all the issues on which you now say Labor is failing because they haven't been completely fixed inside two.
When Labor was elected in May 2022, inflation had been rising since late 2020, was almost 6 per cent, and had enough momentum to hit a peak of 7.8 per cent only a few months later. It's now 4.1 per cent. Annual wage growth was weak at around 2 per cent. It's now just over 4.2 per cent.
Real wages had been falling for two years. They're now growing. Interest rates had begun their advance (up 0.25 per cent on May 4, and 0.5 per cent only two weeks after the election, on June 8). They're now stabilising.
Our relations with China, France and our Pacific neighbours were in tatters. They're now being restored. Climate change policy had been dismantled, scuttled and ignored in perhaps the worst public policy betrayal in the country's history. It's now been resurrected.
Energy policy was a shambles. A semblance of order has now been reestablished. The NDIS was heading for bankruptcy. Its future is now being addressed in negotiations with the states. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan was disappearing down irrigation channels. It's now being revived.
Rorts and scandals were rife. Now, the country finally has a national integrity body.
I'd class that as a vast improvement.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Life-saving attention
Thanks to Rudi Maxwell and the Newcastle Herald for bringing attention to a disease that is unfortunately rife within our Indigenous and Torres Strait communities - rheumatic heart disease ("Deadly trek on a lifesaving mission", Herald, 3/4).
Twelve months ago, while visiting to meet my second granddaughter, her father Angus, who is the Alice Springs cardiologist, invited me to the launch of the first Central Australia Deadly Heart Trek.
Diagnosed early, treatment involves antibiotics - undiagnosed, treatment usually involves heart valve replacement and a subsequent drop in length and quality of life, in early adulthood. Search "Deadly Heart trek" on Facebook or any search engine.
Cardiologists Bo Remenyi from Darwin and Gavin Wheaton from Adelaide, with financial support from the Canberra-based Snow Foundation, lead two teams of dedicated health professionals on this annual two-week trek.
Bo's call for the elimination of RHD could easily be achieved with modest full-time federal financial assistance to enable a "permanent" trek.
Thank you for bringing this life-saving program to the attention of your readers
Craig Baumann, Medowie
No solutions from Vanstone
Amanda Vanstone recognises that "Not all (Indigenous) disadvantage is equal" and asks, without offering any noble solution, " . . . how do we get the help where it's needed first?"
Well , perhaps, as you say, instead of ideologically bound government bureaucrats and politicians making decisions about who is needy and who is not in communities they've never been in, we could allow Indigenous people a say in where the most need is in their communities - since they are the ones experiencing disadvantage daily. We could call it "The Voice".
Vanstone uses her column to revive the odious, populist position that indigenous disadvantage exists because "the definition (needed to) claim indigeneity is fairly loose". She implies that those she decides aren't 'real' Aboriginal people are the problem, stealing funding from the needy.
No, Amanda, it's entitled white people in positions of leadership and power who continue to be the problem.
The Voice would have addressed the very problem you wring your hands over.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
SHORT TAKES
Firing up ideas for cottage
Here's an idea: allow the restored Shepherds Hill cottage to return to HQ for Marine Rescue, install a larger computer system, radar with wider coverage and digital radio that covers the coast from The Bay (Nelson) to Sydney. Have a barbeque and open days on weekends with sausage sandwiches, coleslaw and soft drinks at, say, $5 ($5.50 with onion). Boating is safe, people have an insight into boating safety and the council pays for the barbie. Hope Scott Neylon agrees.
Steven Wisnie, Dudley
Time for Australia to act
The murder of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom on top of the deaths of tens of thousands of other innocents, is another unforgivable act by the Israeli Defence Force. It is beyond time for countries such as Australia to cut off diplomatic, military and business ties with the Netanyahu government. We should not ignore the bombings and starvation of Gazans caught up in this hell.
Martin Frohlich, Adamstown Heights
Muted outrage over attacks
If Russia enacted terrorist attacks and bombings in and on hospitals in Ukraine, as Israel has done in Gaza, it would be the start of World War Three.
Steven Busch, Rathmines
World turning against Israel
Our PM must take direct action against Israel with the death of an Australian aid worker in Gaza by cutting off diplomatic ties with Israel, and expelling the Israeli ambassador to Australia. Israel has no right to defend itself on Palestinian land. Israel has form, with Israeli agents using forged Australian passports, and Australian citizens going over to Israel to fight against Palestinians. The world now has turned against Israel, a failed state.
Richard Ryan, Rathmines
Knights pathetic again
Sadly, we had to suffer another 80 minutes of mistake after mistake from the Knights. Note, I am not going to bag Ponga as, for once, he was the best of a bad lot. What surprises me is that bullet-proof O'Brien is still being listened to by the board. He has to go, or watch the Newcastle watchers (watchers; not fans), go elsewhere. It is sad, as this area is the birthplace of the game and is being spoiled by a useless coach and a lacklustre low-grade team.
