The Australian Defence Force fails to protect its women

It’s almost an Australian tradition that women who dare to make a career in the “blokey” professions should be subjected to sexual harassment and worse to keep them in their place (“ADF women launch class action over sex assaults”, October 25). The latest one to come to attention is the ADF, where this sort of harassment has been going on for years, often under the protection of senior officers. If our politicians want to do something useful, they should work together to create a root-and-branch clean-out of the ADF and then move on to the other professions and trades where this scourge occurs. We all know what they are. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill

The Australian Defence Force exists to keep Australia safe, yet it fails to save its women employees from abusers and harassers. The hundreds of participants who provided evidence in this landmark class action deserve our thanks, justice and a truly safe workplace. It is catastrophically overdue. Frederika Steen, Chapel Hill (Qld)

I am disappointed that the time frame for women to join the class action against the ADF is restricted to 23 years ago. The abuse they copped in the 1970s was outrageous. Name-calling and harassment were rife. What is worse, it was considered the norm. Many still carry the scars today. Until the mid-70s, WRANS (Women Royal Australian Naval Service) were discharged on marriage. Peter Haggarty, Cranebrook

The penis has long been a weapon of war, and I guess the training started somewhere. Perhaps it is time the long-overdue disarmament training was also introduced. Anna Searls, Randwick

Coalition inertia

By opting for disunity rather than bipartisanship, the Coalition has given Labor a free ride (“Coalition mutineers’ end game”, October 25). Peter Hartcher refers to “Labor’s policy lethargy” on a number of issues, but nowhere is this more glaringly obvious than climate. Without a net zero plan, the Coalition can’t even get to first base. The Labor government seems to think this gives it licence to approve new fossil fuel projects. Only recently, Environment Minister Murray Watt approved Woodside’s North West Shelf project in WA, set to create billions of tonnes of pollution over its lifetime. The best renewables program in the world won’t address the problem of climate change as long as coal and gas projects are still being approved. Labor came to government with a mandate to take strong action on climate. They are letting their constituents down. Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)

Perhaps the Liberal Party and the wider Coalition is more representative of our nation than we care to admit. A loose confederation of competing ideologies unable to agree on the things that unite us and which would serve the common good. More concerned with protecting narrow interests and populist opinions. On the other side, Labor is so focused on solidarity that it is afraid to use the power this has given it, lest it offend and reveal its own fault lines. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

Peter Hartcher says, “… Ley has performed well in difficult circumstances”. Sir, she has not. Her decision to put the boot into Kevin Rudd is a classic example of her generally poor judgment. As for the difficult circumstances, as they say: “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. Admittedly, it’s a mighty task to rebuild the Coalition into an effective opposition and viable alternative government, given all the challenges stated by Hartcher, and there may be few in the current party room that could achieve such a feat. I must also disagree with Hartcher’s assertion that it would be the worst possible outcome for the Liberals to dump Ley after just half a term: while it might well confirm the suspicion that the Coalition is an incorrigible bastion of antediluvian chauvinism, it’s best done sooner rather than closer to the next election. David Walker, Lindfield

It is unlikely the Coalition will be back in power before the 2030s. Until then, one of two outcomes can occur on legislation – for instance on revised environment laws. Legislation is passed that either pleases the Greens or it does not please the Greens because the Coalition has “reluctantly” voted in Labor’s proposal. If the Coalition does allow legislation, they can specify which sections of “substandard” legislation they will repeal and what they will be replacing it with when they are back in government. A readymade policy platform for subsequent elections. Meanwhile, Australia can plod along, until we “come to our senses” and sweep the Coalition back into power. Carlo Ursida, Kensington (Vic)

Food for the soul

Yes, the 2025 cohort of Advanced Maths students may be clever and leave some correspondents awestruck (Letters, October 25), but can I also give a shoutout to those clever students of the Humanities? During my career as a teacher and HSC marker, I have often been gobsmacked by the ability of countless students who have shown exemplary skills at interpreting history, literature, creating wonderful works of art and transporting an audience with sensitive music, drama and dance performances. The sophistication of ideas and the sensitivity of their work is inspiring and often belies their young age and life experiences. Our society needs our mathematicians and scientists, of course, but the students of the humanities and performing arts produce much-needed food for the soul. Robert Hickey, Green Point

Those of us who love the challenges and rewards of the marvellous profession of teaching can play an important role in finding a solution to the shortages widely discussed recently. We are perfectly positioned to identify and encourage students with the intellect, energy and emotional strength needed to join the ranks. Dapto High School provides a modest exemplar. Retired staff have lunch together twice a year, support and encourage each other, and tip in some cash. At Y12 graduation, any student with teacher training as their top priority receives recognition, praise and a useful cheque to help them on their way. Only three in 2025. Adopting this idea more widely just might boost the supply of the exceptional young men and women required. Andrew FitzSimons, Wattamolla

Royal lessons

We learnt as children that when Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife, the pope denied an annulment and the church was split. Even as late as the 1930s, Edward VIII wanted to marry an American divorcee and was forced to abdicate because of the scandal. How ironic that the closest ties between the Church of England and the Catholic Church should come about during the reign of a previously divorced King and Queen (“Charles shakes off 500 years of history with a simple act in Sistine Chapel”, October 25) Everyone is better off when past biases are put aside and is reconciliation reached, even without total agreement on all issues. Nations should take note. Bernard Moylan, Bronte

So King Charles III, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church, have prayed together. I wonder if either of them thinks prayers make any difference whatsoever? Ian Aldridge, Goulburn

You can’t blame Boomers for it all

I’m desperately sorry for the dilemma Siena Fagan finds herself in (“At 20, I study, work, flat-hunt … and you ask why I’m unhappy”, October 25). But please: Baby Boomers did not promise you anything. It is not us who are to blame, it is a consistent failure of government policies on both sides to provide the things you say are either lacking, or the things that have been done wrong, or that were not done at all.
University was not free throughout the entire era regarded as that of the Baby Boomers. It was free from 1974 (Gough Whitlam’s government) to 1989, when Bob Hawke got rid of it. A fair chunk, I know, but not the blanket era of Baby Boomer life. When you want to start a family you will get a good chunk of paid maternity leave, paid domestic violence leave and cash to keep you going should you ever need it, superannuation, newborn upfront payment, a first home buyer’s grant and the opportunity to put down a 5 per cent deposit on a home loan. You will get subsidised childcare, even if you are at home. If needed you will get supporting parent benefit, and with the advantage of an income-earning partner you will still be eligible for Family Tax Benefit. Baby Boomers like myself had none of these. I can see how difficult and heartbreaking your situation is and I take it seriously. I, too, am watching my grown children experiencing something similar. Jennifer Nichols, Casino

At Siena Fagan’s age I was probably just as opinionated, and given to sweeping generalisations. Baby Boomers are such an easy target, aren’t they? My generation of Boomers generally left school aged 15, after completing the old NSW Intermediate Certificate. There was no such thing as free university education back then. Gough Whitlam changed that in 1974, to a degree. However, there was a cap on university placements and most of us did not qualify without further study. We had not stayed at school for long enough to matriculate. As for takeaway coffee – it is something I rarely do. I much prefer a china cup. Suzanne Fuller, Thornleigh

Siena Fagan, please don’t try to compare your life with that of us Baby Boomers, whom you blame for everything wrong with your life. At 20, I can assure you I was not looking at the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index of 1980, I was working a full-time job and four nights a week part-time. We just got on with life as it was handed to us. To answer your last question, “When did I grow up?” – you haven’t. You are only 20 years old, and life is tough for all 20-year-olds. Be patient, keep doing what you are doing. You appear hard-working and deserve to prosper, which I am sure you will, but please try to be a little more positive. Mark Nugent, Lugarno

For an economics student, Siena Fagan seems to show little understanding of how our society works. It is the government that determines so many of the things for which she blames Baby Boomers, including the 50 per cent increase in our population this century – since she was born – which has put pressure on housing and infrastructure. As for climate change and plastic pollution, many of the environment groups fighting to right the environmental wrongs were set up, and many are still managed, by the much-maligned Baby Boomers. The volunteers who keep these groups operational are also, by and large, Baby Boomers. Another misconception is free university. Those born before about 1956 had to pay for tertiary training, or were bonded to their employer through a scholarship. Karen Joynes, Bermagui

Princely problems

My compliments to your correspondent (Letters, October 25) for making the point. Prince Andrew has not been charged with, let alone found guilty of, a crime. Sadly, too many Australians, Britons and others, are willing to engage in the detestable and prejudiced Kangaroo Court system. Nine out of 10 for the writer, to my mind. For a perfect mark she needed to write not of the mere “assumption” but of the stronger “presumption” of innocence. Ross Drynan, Lindfield

Your correspondent misses the point. Prince Andrew is not being pilloried by the public and his own family for breaking the law. He is on the outer because of his appalling behaviour, including the highly insensitive and callous TV interview and his longtime support of a convicted paedophile and sex trafficker. John Berry, Cammeray

There can be no “proper” judicial process when most of the main protagonists have been paid off, committed suicide, or both. Viv Munter, Tumbi Umbi

Bat signals misread

As Halloween approaches, spooky bat images are everywhere. Spooky? The mosquito determined to infect you with Ross River fever, Murray Valley encephalitis or Barmah Forest virus may just have been intercepted by micro-bats that eat several hundred an hour each. Sydney has 19 species. These mouse-sized, super-efficient hunter-killers patrol Australian towns and cities every night. The other family are mega-bats. Australia’s four principal species of flying fox create about a billion carbon-sequestering, fresh-air producing trees a year by pollination and seed dispersal. Who could have better friends? Maybe Halloween’s spooks need a rethink? How about the Indigenous Yara-ma-yha-who, a small, bad-tempered red creature that lives in waterholes? Or the Bunyip, a real frightener who lurks in swamps? Or the evil, baby-snatching Moogai? There are loads. Australian bats belong with the good guys. Lawrence Pope, Carlton North (Vic)

Patient reminder

Women should be aware (Letters, October 25) that while they may no longer get a reminder letter, they can still access free breast-screening mammography through BreastScreen NSW at age 75 and above. They can self-refer, i.e. no doctor’s referral required. Dr Jill McDowell, Tumbi Umbi

To the list of patient supporters, may I add professional patient advocates? We are qualified, very successful and well accepted and utilised by medical teams. Dorothy Kamaker, Whale Beach

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