John Pinniger, Fairfield

It's not only parents who are paying the fees

The federal government says it is going to income-test parents of private school students to determine the level of funding these schools will get.

It is my experience that not all private school students are funded by the parents of the student(s), but that fees can come from a variety of sources including grandparents and trusts, for example. How would factors like that be taken into consideration?

Alan Inchley, Frankston

How much money does a primary school need?

How much money does a primary school actually need ("Non-government schools set for funding boost", The Age, 2/3). StJohn's Catholic Primary School in Clifton Hill, which you featured in your article, according to MySchool spends $15,675 per student, of which $12,500 comes from public funding and only $2044 from parents.

The National Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) for primary schools is $11,747, so it seems that this school is very well funded indeed compared with the other four government schools in the area, which received less than the SRS amount. Moreover, funding for Catholic parish schools is controlled and distributed by the Catholic Education Office, which is responsible for the exact amount received. If St John's needs more money to survive, perhaps it should be asking the Catholic Education Office for it instead of the general public.

David Zyngier, school of education, Southern Cross University

It's bound to get noisy

A new funding model for private schools is proposed and already the cries of outrage have started from schools that have done well under the old model. Under the proposed model, it is estimated 810 schools will get more funding and 59 will get less.

Just watch how much noise those 59 can make.

Tony Haydon, Springvale

More precise, but not necessarily better

The Morrison government's implementation of recommendation 20 of the Gonski report ("Non-government schools set for funding boost", 2/3) does provide a more precise measure of each school community's socioeconomic status and thus its capacity to contribute. But, as the Australian Education Union belatedly points out, this measure ignores the schools' actual fees and other income – not that the union even put an actual funding model to the Gonski review in the first place.

Any model that is based on the capacity to contribute will punish the most inclusive non-government schools because the presence of well-off families in the school will cut its public support and thus force itsfees up, driving any poorer families out of it into the local government school.

Chris Curtis, Hurstbridge

Let's change how we describe them

We should stop using the term "private school". This type of school, as they receive government funds, should be rebranded as "subsidised school" or "publicly subsided school " – a more accurate but less socially attractive term.

Graeme Lindsay, Deloraine, Tas.

THE FORUM

A beacon of hope

Jane Cadzow's article ("The Bold and the Beautiful", Good Weekend, 29/2) really brought home both the tremendous, roaring power of the Currowan fire and the heroic actions of the staff of Mogo Wildlife Park to save their beloved animals on that fateful New Year's Eve.

The zookeepers' deep bond with the creatures in their charge is more than a job, as the article says, it is a calling and prevented them from turning their backs and walking away. There was no choice in the matter. The pull of the bond, borne by years of gentle reassuring togetherness, coaxing, caring and wordless understanding kept the staff at their posts during those terrible hours.

I know this not just because I read the excellent article but because my daughter was one of the zookeepers there that day. Mogo Wildlife Park is now a shining beacon of hope and renewal for all Australians, particularly those directly affected by the fires.

Meredith Miller, Paradise, SA

You can't force change

Many men understand the implications of equality and respect and are questioning the prevailing patriarchy, which has worked so well for men down the ages. Others are hanging on grimly, refusing to negotiate power and control in intimate relationships, often resulting in domestic violence.

Intervention orders and men's behaviour change programs have minimal impact on those obsessed with their "right" to control family members. Attempts to educate are construed as punishment, for which the partner is blamed and separation from "his" children increases his anger at the cruelty of "the system".

Working with men who have such rigid mindsets is hard and compounded by the fact that any signs of curiosity need strong support throughout the process of change. Greater success could be enjoyed through voluntary education programs with participants in schools, workplaces and sports clubs.

Robert Semmens, Brunswick East

These issues matter

It seems like federal minister Angus Taylor and Prime Minister Scott Morrison are very anxious to move on from the issues that have beset them, saying that there are more important matters to discuss.

Yes, there are important issues facing the country, however, the issues that they are unwilling to discuss and resolve go to the real core of the government's integrity and trust. If these are not issues at the forefront, then trust and integrity are the casualties.

Bruce MacKenzie, South Kingsville

Take a bow?

The NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, has advised against shaking hands, as a precaution against spreading coronavirus.

He suggests instead a matey pat on the back. Such a greeting may be too informal for some persons and contexts, however, and so we might consider the respectful Japanese bow from the waist, arms held closely to the sides.

Additional respect could be indicated by a Prussian heel click.

Mike Puleston, Brunswick

It's happened before

Jessica Irvine ("Economy hangs on China", Comment, 27/2) asked "who can blame" the Reserve Bank for not modelling the outbreak of a rapidly spreading disease.

There have been more than enough warnings from medical doctors and scientists about this risk, we have had SARS and MERS, not to mention enough books and films over the past 20 years to warn of this risk.

The Reserve Bank of Australia needs to get out a bit more and consider the external world, not just the risk inside the economic system.

Michael Gould, Glen Iris

Set the surplus aside

Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan showed great fiscal courage and imagination to shield Australia from most of the ravages of the global financial crisis. This has been largely written out of history by conservative forces.

Now is the time for the Prime Minister and Treasurer to put their precious surplus to one side and act in the interests of the whole country and not outsource the expected coronavirus economic contagion to the Reserve Bank ("Dire outlook sparks call to pump up the economy", The Age, 3/3).

Rudd and Swan can hold their heads high. History will determine whether or not Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg will be able to do the same in dealing with this crisis.

Tony Devereux, Nunawading

We need this bill

I'd thought we didn't need a religious freedom bill until I read your correspondent's letter (2/3), advocating banning all doctors and pharmacists from practice if they might refuse certain procedures for religious reasons.

Fortunately, the AMA already provides for doctors to refuse procedures for reasons of conscience – not necessarily religious – and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia's code of ethics allows for conscientious objection as well. And freedom of religion is enshrined in a number of UN covenants Australia has signed.

But the existence of such draconian views suggests we do indeed need protection of both conscience and religion.

Dr Caroline Miley, Heidelberg

That was our money, too

Saw a flash on The Drum last night with David Littleproud saying the government had to be careful about giving money to bushfire victims because it is taxpayers' money.

What was sports funding, media funding, infrastructure funding and the others that haven't been mentioned yet?

Whose money was that, Mr Littleproud?

Christopher Monie, Wendouree

Numbers matter

I agree with Cayt Mirra (Education, The Age, 2/3) that well-taught VCE English is sufficient literacy but what about numeracy?

Singapore, South Korea, Finland and Japan all require mathematics to year 12 for nearly all students. Currently less than 20 per cent of Australian students take the equivalent of year 12 maths methods and less than 10 per cent take higher maths.

It is high time Australia paid attention to successful education systems and took action to catch up. Basic numeracy should require an understanding of essential functions, basic calculus and proficiency with simple probability and statistics. This is year 12 VCE maths methods.

It is time to mandate mathematics at senior high school.

Neil Lennie, Box Hill North

A step too far

Supporters of Margaret Court believe she should have the right to express her views such as same-sex marriage, but surely not to "set up a consulate for an African regime known for persecuting gays, torture, sexual violence and summary executions" (The Age, 3/3).

Pacifique Ndayisaba, who was arrested and tortured by Burundi authorities and now lives in Australia, says that he was concerned that such a famous Australian would support and host such a regime.

Freedom of speech does not involve such alarming actions, and Pacifique Ndayisaba is not alone to feel such concern.

Rosemary Taylor, Castlemaine

Not a good look

Can we have the federal election again? I feel cheated by a combination of deliberately deceptive campaign posters, ads from Clive Palmer, self-interested ministers, and the rorting of government grants programs.

The so-called miracle is looking more like simple theft.

Michael Henry, Melbourne

A familiar rant

So the Prime Minister rails at questions over the "sports rorts" affair in Parliament, protesting that the government needs to address the very serious issues confronting Australia rather than deal with that saga again. Is this not a familiar rant by governments caught out doing wrong?

Doesn't the Australian public deserve a government they can trust, especially now?

Thus far the Morrison government has consistently shown an inability to deal with causes of issues and be honest with the Australian public, especially when it comes to our dangerously changing climate.

Laurelle Atkinson, St Helens, Tas.

Some soap, please

My local train station's toilets supply cold water, no soap. Saving money, no doubt. Some government spending in this direction would be a public health investment, not just now, with coronavirus, but with flu and any other transmittable bug.

Gilly McInnes, Monbulk

What's your thinking?

I thought Amanda Vanstone's contribution this week (Comment, The Age, 3/3) may have been about the "sports rorts" affair rather than China and the coronavirus.

It would have been an interesting read to get her thoughts on this epidemic rather than the medical one. Is it a case of lying low on such a sensitive issue?

John Tingiri, Mornington

An abuse of office

The abuse of taxpayer funds is not confined to partisan distribution of government grants. It also applies to massive advertising before elections, when the government of the day develops a sudden interest in informing the public of the wonderful benefits they are getting from initiatives of the party in power.

This is a disingenuous swizz and an abuse of office.

Perhaps a bipartisan or independent committee should vet this wasteful apple polishing.

The money saved could be put to good use informing the public of essential measures at times of genuine emergency such as the recent bushfires and the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Peter Barry, Melbourne

The government has form

The Julian Assange saga has the familiar stench of David Hicks about it. The Coalition has poor form in supporting Australian citizens in trouble. Think Mamdouh Habib, the Bali Nine, Vivian Alvarez Solon and, of course, Hicks.

Many of these investigations have cost taxpayers millions in compensation for bungled raids and false accusations.

It is time for the Morrison government to act on behalf of Assange, who has exposed shocking war crimes that are indeed in the public interest and are in no way a threat to America's "national security".

Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW

AND ANOTHER THING

Coronavirus

If the coronavirus threat means the end of the odious high-five greeting then I'm pleased ("Shake a leg to put 'Hi' in hygiene", 3/3)

Helen Scheller, Benalla

If you greet as Sri Lankans and some other nationals do by bringing both of your hands together in front of your face, you can keep a safe distance and yet not offend people.

Swarna Pinto, Lalor

Can somebody please explain how the grand prix is still happening?

Malcolm Fraser, Oakleigh South

England and Sri Lanka cricketers might as well shake hands. They will be handling the same cricket ball.

John Rawson, Mernda

Politics

If our politicians would answer questions directly using fewer words we could cut greenhouse gasses by 50 per cent.

Bruce Dudon, Woodend

I wonder if we would see a more relevant Parliament if people voted on the basis of what their member says and does instead of blindly voting election after election for the same party no matter who their candidate is.

Phil Mackenzie, Eaglemont

A great way to get back in the black, Josh Frydenberg. Introduce a carbon tax.

John Mosig, Kew

Furthermore

Just a question on Jaivet Ealom, Rohingyan escapee from Manus Island detention centre. When Canada granted him asylum, was it from the Myanmar regime, or Australian Border Force?

Tony Dewberry, Coburg

Why would an energy company need Medicare and passport numbers or health information?

Rod Matthews, Fairfield

Finally

So, $84 million will be shaved from the ABC budget (The Age, 3/3) while 221 companies with revenue of $850billion have paid no tax in five years (The Age, 3/3). Apart from Senator Rex Patrick, who is representing ordinary folk?

Kevan Porter, Alphington

*Sign up to editor Alex Lavelle's exclusive newsletter at: www.theage.com.au\editornote.