Don't you hate the little sticky labels that supermarkets put on fruit? They are hard to remove and often stick to your teeth or must be spat out. The labels are swallowed by the unwary. What is a convenience for the supermarket, since labelling helps with stocktake and ordering, and reduces theft, is an inconvenience for their customers and a temptation for them to steal.
Supermarkets cannot expect their self-serve supervising employees and their labelling to seriously reduce fruit theft. During hard times, many self-serve customers must collect a piece of cheap fruit to be scanned while loading up with a tastier and more expensive variety of the same fruit. Then they weigh the fruit, and pay the cheaper price. If they are caught, their response is "I didn't realise". The supermarket can do nothing.
To receive honesty from customers, supermarkets must display honesty. In 2023, Choice awarded a "Shonky Award" to Coles and Woolies for adding to their already record profit margins by ripping off customers and suppliers alike. This was a low blow, taking advantage of the years of steeper inflation and COVID. But the ripping off by Coles and Woolies was strictly legal, and based on their dominant market positions. But was it ethical? Or is this a case of once again, "let the buyer beware". It is past time that the ACCC took apart Australian grocery retailing.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Private school reality
There has been much discussion about the inequity of funding for public and private schools. What people forget, never knew, or prefer not to hear, is that the federal government is responsible for the majority of funding for private schools (the parents put in the rest - thousands of dollars a year) and the states contribute nothing.
The feds are responsible for a small portion of the funding for public schools and the states are responsible for the rest. If public schools are underfunded, then we must look to the states who are not pulling their weight. This has been the arrangement for many years but it is a popular narrative to distort reality and drum up resentment.
Not all parents of private school students are rich. Many of the boarders come from remote areas that are serviced by School of the Air until sixth grade, but have no access to secondary schools. They come from farming families who struggle to scrape together enough money to send their children (often two or three at a time) to the city for an education. Let's get this into perspective and stop the dishonest representation of the situation.
Ruth Burrell, Merewether
Shared path free-for-all
As a user and observer of the so-called shared pathway, Honeysuckle Foreshore Shared Path ("Pushed into parked cars: Cyclists identify Hunter danger spots", Herald, 13/12), I want to let the cyclists who use this path to know how unsafe I feel using it.
Apart from a small percentage of responsible cyclists who use it, this shared path has become a dangerous hazard for walkers, dog walkers, children, people with disabilities, the elderly and runners.
This path has become inundated with electric bikes, scooters and many other forms of electric wheels racing at excessive speeds weaving around people, with no warning or consideration to other uses of the path. This has become an emotional roller-coaster displaying lots of antisocial behaviour.
There is no safety management for this path. It is free-for-all. It's a disaster waiting to happen.
Wendy F. Smith, Newcastle
Words already there
Colin Fordham ("Don't put words in others' mouths", Letters, 2/1), who's putting words into other people's mouths?
I don't seek to justify attacks on innocents, just attacks on Hamas. I said ("Little choice in Middle East", Letters, 22/12), Israel has little choice but to prosecute its war effort, trying to minimise the loss of innocent lives as best it can, and Gaza's health ministry, unlike Israel, has previous form when it comes to exaggerating civilian casualty figures. When I say many pro-Palestinian supporters don't acknowledge Israel's right to exist, I'm not putting words into their mouths. They are already there. The Hamas Covenant (1988) says "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it". Mr Fordham is right to suggest that I deplore the recent spike in Jewish settler violence, but would it have happened without the events of October 7?
Peter Dolan, Lambton
Revisiting recycling
Geoff Black has pointed out the ideal solution to waste disposal ("Swedish method not for us", Letters, 4/1), one using high-tech recycling and, more importantly, minimising use of plastics.
But the reality is that our waste production has grown by 20 per cent in the past 15 years because of increased consumption and 25 per cent population growth. Unfortunately cash-strapped governments will always use the cheapest option, which is exporting or landfill. This latter option is welcomed by miners who want to fill the holes they made and by developers who see waste sites as potential housing estates. But, on the plus side, South Australia claims to have reached a recycling rate of 80 per cent well ahead of the next-best, ACT at 69 per cent.
Don Owers, Dudley
SHORT TAKES
Air of conspiracy over Joyce talks
The Liberals and Nationals are demanding to know what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese talked about in a meeting with ex-Qantas boss Alan Joyce. He told them, but they don't believe him. Why don't they then ask the other party, Alan Joyce? They were, after all, very good friends with him while they were in government, and also very generous with him using taxpayer money.
Fred McInerney, Karuah
Mary not first Aussie queen
It's odd how monarchists won't rush to correct mistaken beliefs about what they adore, starting with the citizenship of those who form monarchies, of course. So, on behalf of lazy monarchists everywhere, I have to point out to the gushers that Hobart's Crown Princess of Denmark will not be Australia's first queen. That "honour" belongs now and always to the Sydney woman who married the King of Albania, more than 40 years ago.
Grant Agnew, Coopers Plains
Time to move on
My goodness, some people just can't let it go. John Arnold ("ABC missed the vibe", Letters, 6/1), again shows us his sarcastic childish displeasure at the abject failure of the Voice referendum. As I've said before, it's the same attitude for which Donald Trump is criticised for not accepting his 2020 defeat. It's democracy John, get over it, stop the hypocrisy and enjoy a country where everyone has equal rights.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
Quiet acceptance suggested
Vociferous Voice supporter John Arnold, like another recent correspondent, shows his bitter disrespect for the majority of his fellow Aussies ("ABC missed the vibe", Letters, 6/1). I suggest they pull their heads in or move forward. Having already said "No we don't want a legislated voice" and "No we won't listen to the voice of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price'', they'll no doubt say "No" to my suggestion they organise a crowdfunding campaign to fund an Indigenous advocacy group. Weren't we told repeatedly that was all the Voice would be?
