Dear Prime Minister Albanese and Premier Minns, what a triumph. “Heal the wounds of Bondi” and “avoid discord in our society”, both achieved in one police riot, proudly broadcast around the world. Well done. I’ve got my popcorn awaiting Mr Hertzog’s appearances in Melbourne and Canberra. Les Schmalzbach, Potts Point

Barnaby’s sanctimony

Sorry, but regarding Grace Tame’s participation in the protests, One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce really isn’t someone who should be lecturing us about how public figures need to conduct themselves honourably. It’s a clear case of the pot and the kettle. Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown

Barnaby Joyce is right, Grace Tame should be stripped of her Australian of the Year award for chanting “globalise the intifada”. The current concept of intifada is to incite violence against Jewish people, even going as far as killing them and annihilating the Jewish race. It is also distressing to see Coalition members’ responses. They sit on the fence, neither supporting Joyce’s call nor rejecting it. No wonder their poll numbers are so dire. Ian Morison, Forrest (ACT)

How wonderful to read Scott Bolles’ article about the Sydney hotels getting rid of their poker machines (“New wave of Sydney pubs go pokie-free”, February 11). NSW has more than one poker machine for every 88 people in this state, more than 10 times the number in Western Australia. Poker machine addiction is rife in NSW, so I take my hat off to all the Sydney pubs listed and will make sure I visit at least some of these pubs who care about their patrons, for lunch or dinner. I encourage more Sydneysiders to do the same. Paul Reid, Campsie

Good care matters

I’m happy to see healthcare become more affordable through increased bulk-billing, especially if it’s reaching the disadvantaged. But putting the financial squeeze on GPs to achieve this is troubling. I’d prefer to see better-funded, targeted Medicare support for those in need. The serious erosion of public outpatient options and outrageous specialist fees are troubling factors that affect access to care. There is no longer a public orthopaedic clinic for people in the Sutherland Shire or St George area. We doctors have to ask “favours” of our specialist colleagues to bulk-bill those who can’t pay consultation gap fees of $200 or $300. This is usually on top of big gap fees for radiology such as CTs and MRIs. Another concerning element when solely focusing on GP universal bulk-billing is the complete lack of any measure or concern regarding quality of care. Making GPs rush and feel poorly paid would surely impact this. Governments love bulk-billing rates, but what about clinical outcomes? Dr Lucy France, Cronulla

Original source: au