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Barnaby Joyce’s train wreck of an interview with Sarah Ferguson on Monday night’s 7.30 program (dog excluded) is symptomatic of the troubled nature of Australian politics at the moment (“‘Sit down!’ Barnaby Joyce went on ABC’s flagship current affairs show … and barked at a dog”, July 21). While many of the people who share Joyce’s and Pauline Hanson’s world view probably don’t watch the ABC, the interview revealed a worrying broader perspective. Protest parties and their adherents share the view that complex problems can be solved with simplistic, binary solutions … deport them, “re-white” Australia, take over the Reserve Bank, withdraw from international agencies, shut down SBS and make the ABC a subscription service, to name a few. Social, economic, environmental and political challenges all require hard work and rigorous policy development, something in which protest parties have not yet shown competence or commitment. Grahame Riethmuller, Redbank

Photo: Matt Golding

The ABC 7.30 interview with Barnaby Joyce showed a man under extreme pressure, evidenced by his shouting at his dog mid-interview. Such discussions will not do much for his physical and mental health. Joining One Nation showed a lack of personal judgment. Pauline Hanson has done her own thing for 30 years and is not going to change now. Does Barnaby really want to be caught up with someone who consorts with convicted criminals in England and the White House, and who envisages an Australian version of ICE, with all the issues that this would raise in multicultural Australia? Barnaby could do worse than resign and sit as an independent. John Jones, Armidale

If anyone deserves the title of ultimate pariah it has to be Barnaby Joyce. When he defected to One Nation and its festival of dangerous ideas he should have anticipated the consequences. Following his new bestie’s disastrous foray into conservative politics UK-style, he finds himself stuck in the headlights trying to explain away her outrageous commentary, with little success. Frankly, I preferred watching him legless on the streets of Canberra than pausing his 7.30 interview to shout at his hapless dog. Stress cracks are showing Barnaby. Maybe it’s time to do us all a favour and throw in the towel. Donna Wiemann, Balmain

If that’s how Barnaby Joyce treats his dog, and on national television too, I shudder to think how he behaves in private. While Barnaby may defend himself, insisting that his bark is worse than his bite and that politics is a dog-eat-dog pursuit, I am dog-tired of his uncouth antics. In hindsight, the murderous threat he made to Johnny Depp’s dogs Pistol and Boo was no laughing matter. Like every dog, Barnaby has had his day. It’s time to consign him to the dog house. Irene Buckler, Glenwood

The latest edition of 7.30 was the most deliciously funny thing I have seen on television for many years. Please, Sarah, have Barnaby on again. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell

Cringe nostalgia

Pauline Hanson’s denigration of her homeland is unsurprising (Letters, July 21) considering her and Tony Abbott’s preoccupation with return to the days of the cultural cringe, a return to Aussies being third-class Englishman and women. Immigrant Aussies do not conform to this spirit of obsequious cringe and are perceived as a threat to the old order. Ironically, Hanson’s visit to the UK coincides with the arrival of Andy Burnham as prime minister, who has a clear agenda for a more egalitarian England that strips itself of the class divisions that put Aussies at the bottom of the pile. Gordon Koch, Ashfield

Hanson speaks at CPAC GB in London, in a room with rows of empty seats.Luca Marino

I continue to be amazed at Pauline Hanson’s lack of accountability. She avoids scrutiny by reporters and fails completely to account for the consequences of her policies, such as the economic harm caused by cutting immigration to 130,000 a year (“Hanson sweating her five-star Euro summer more than she’s letting on”, July 20). Then there’s her refusal to condemn the ultra-right ravings of One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, who praises Vladimir Putin. I join George Brandis in looking forward to the day when the scales fall from the eyes of One Nation supporters and they will see Hanson as she really is – a divisive, dangerous politician who has no idea of what’s best for Australia (“When Hanson’s supporters examine all her policies, what they find could ‘horrify’ them”, July 20). Andrew Macintosh, Cromer

When one is disputing what someone else has said it is important to refute the ideas and not attack the person (“Illegals could be challenged when visiting the doctor: Joyce”, July 21). But every time I read something Ms Hanson (or her daughter Lee) has said, I weep at their mangling of the English language. Perhaps they need to take classes at one of the schools offering instruction to those for whom English is a second language. Not only might they learn proper English, they may also find that many migrants actually share their “Australian values”. Gerianne Rudd, Toowong (Qld)

Monday night’s Australian Story about a Muslim Somalian mother and son coming to live in Australia, to be helped by a Jewish community organisation, should be compulsory viewing for Pauline Hanson. Valerie Bray, East Killara

Out of line

Excuse me, but does the Australian ambassador publicly comment on preliminary policy discussions at Likud conferences (“Israel blasts Labor’s ‘one-sided’ policy platform”, July 21)? No. Does the Indonesian ambassador publicly comment on preliminary policy discussions at Australian Labor or Liberal Party conferences? No. If I were Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong I would give the Israeli ambassador a polite 14 days to leave and invite Israel to send a replacement who knows what the function of an ambassador to a foreign country is. Israel might not be “almost entirely isolated”, as US vice president JD Vance recently claimed, but with representatives like this current ambassador it’s well on the way. Jim Pearce, Oak Flats

The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, captured by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six Day War, are illegal according to the Fourth Geneva Convention and rulings from the International Court of Justice. A 700-kilometre barrier much like that which separated East and West Berlin, constructed by Israel and fortified by military posts, separates and fragments what were Palestinian communities. The consequent hardship, suffering and continued program of often violent and deadly expansion into, and displacement of Palestinians from these areas is untenable, condemnable and must stop. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is right to support the ICJ rulings and Palestinian statehood. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

Sick as a DOGE

The closure of USAID by the Department of Government Efficiency has had a catastrophic impact on the world’s poor and disadvantaged, including children (“Musk’s DOGE was supposed to be dead”, July 21). The article noted Elon Musk’s response: “There is not a single dead child. If there were, it would be worldwide headline news.” In fact, by the end of 2025 the cancellation of US health programs had caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children, according to the Harvard school of public health. The reason why such figures do not make the headlines may be that it’s not what people want to read. The same can be said of the scant attention paid to the fact that Australia’s foreign aid, as a percentage of our gross national income, is now half of what it was 30 years ago. Clay O’Brien, Mosman

Elon Musk was appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency in 2024. AP

It astonishes me that Michael Koziol could state that the Trump presidency “is often marked by good intentions” and then list the war on fentanyl, deportations and “cleaning up Washington” as examples (“The reflecting pool saga is a metaphor for the Trump presidency itself”, July 21). Clearly Mr Koziol has a different view from many of us, who would strongly suggest that Trump and his cronies have done nothing since the election that was in anyone’s best interests other than their own. Tony Heathwood, Kiama Downs

Peter Hartcher describes the tip of Trump’s corruption (“Trump’s three-pronged threat to American democracy”, July 21). His subversion of democracy, self-enrichment, self-aggrandisement and other flagrant abuses of domestic and international law know no bounds. For me, the single constantly appalling spectacle is that of the “spineless Republicans” who, year after year, fail to uphold their oath of office. They give ground, inch by cowering inch, as their previously much-vaunted democracy is stolen in plain sight. We see similar autocratic, populist and nationalistic movements on the rise across the world. My question is, are Australia’s government, business and judicial systems immune from giving ground inch by inch so that we, too, can’t stand up against the Trumps of the world? Marie Del Monte, Ashfield

Tech transforming lives

After reading the Herald‘s article on insulin pumps for type 1 diabetes, I feel I must take your writers to task about their implied criticism of these devices (“It’s changed millions of lives, but this tech ‘nearly killed’ Tye”, July 21). For people like me who have lived with type 1 for most of their lives, these devices are transformative. I have had type 1 for almost 60 years and, as stated in the article, this technology has been “life-changing” for me. I would suggest that people who complain about them go back to the time when no finger-prick blood testing was even available, when managing blood sugar levels was total guesswork. Hypos, frequently severe hypos, were regular events, sometimes with very distressing outcomes. Be thankful for the technology we have. John Buttenshaw, Roseville Chase

Half-time humanity

Subtle as the messaging was, it’s a shame that Robert Moran (and millions of other viewers) did not know the backstory to the World Cup final show at half-time (“Half-time show chews up extra time”, July 21). While the players were catching their breaths, that 10-minute show helped raise US$60 million ($86 million) for children’s literacy and education programs around the world. All the performers, including the gorgeous Uganda Ghetto Kids choir, did it for free. The whole event was created by Global Citizen, a US-based but Australian-founded charity dedicated to empower everyday people to advocate for the end of extreme poverty. Closer to home, the AFL’s Big Freeze event for motor neurone disease, the NRL’s Beanie for Brain Cancer Round and the Pink Day Cricket Test for cancer have done great work raising awareness and funds. Maybe the half-time show at the AFL and NRL grand finals could spare 10 minutes for the greater good? Maree Nutt, Newport

Shakira performs during the half-time show.AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Funding failure

Your article failed to stress that in all states apart from the ACT all public schools are failing to reach the Schooling Resource Standard, a minimum funding level for each student (“Taxpayers supply less for elite schools”, July 21). Even in the ACT teachers are involved in industrial action over pay – so perhaps the SRS isn’t even adequate. Many elite private schools are charging in fees twice to three times the SRS, so inequality between public and private schools is growing to an appalling extent. In the 1960s the argument for government support for elite schools was based on keeping the fee differential close, but this argument is no longer relevant. The SRS must be achieved and routinely reviewed for adequacy. Until then the federal government should urgently review the Morrison government’s Choice and Affordability Fund, which goes to independent and Catholic schools. Susan Tregeagle, Yarralumla

If “elite” schools have chosen to opt out of the public school system then they should not receive a cent of public money. After all, isn’t “user pays” the capitalist creed? Dave Horsfall, North Gosford

Ill-fitting scheme

You are right, Melissa Hoyer, the Seamless scheme is completely unfit for purpose (“Australia’s hooked on fast cheap gear”, July 21.) According to the Productivity Commissions’ inquiry into the circular economy, only 58 of 14,000 potential participants were signed up in 2025. The 4¢ per garment levy puts them at a competitive disadvantage with those who have refused to participate and, were this to increase to 50¢, they would be even more disadvantaged. In 2024, then minister Tanya Plibersek said she would formally regulate if the scheme didn’t work. Minister Murray Watt, it’s time! Ellen McEwen, Croydon

Holiday block

The current NSW strata framework gives short-term rental accommodation investors an unfair shield against the very people who actually live in the building. Under Section 137A of the Strata Schemes Management Act, an owners’ corporation requires a 75 per cent special resolution majority to ban non-hosted holiday letting. This threshold is impossibly high. In many blocks, a handful of off-site investors can easily block a vote, forcing owner-occupiers to absorb the physical wear and tear, heightened security risks and constant disruption of transient holidaymakers. Why should a super-majority be required to protect our own homes? The threshold must be lowered to a simple 51 per cent majority. If a clear democracy of resident owners votes to protect their building’s community, safety and amenities, their voices should carry the day. Pamela Bennett, Ettalong Beach

Potts pointer

It’s not entirely surprising that the Potts Point area has a small population of people aged 0 to 19. It has ever been thus (“These affluent suburbs now have more seniors than under-20s”, July 20). While there has been an increasing number of seniors moving into the area in the past 20 years or so, it has never had many children and teenagers, largely because of the predominance of smaller apartments rather than family homes. For the same reason, however, the area has always been popular with young adults, and those aged 20 to 39 have, according to census data, consistently accounted for about half of the population in the past few decades. Unfortunately, the development epidemic (under the guise of addressing the housing crisis) which is now seeing the demolition of those smaller apartments to make way for luxury three and four-bedroom pads, is simply making the neighbourhood unaffordable for anyone other than those who’ve been alive long enough to become mega-rich. Ross Duncan, Potts Point

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