Russia launches major attack on Ukraine as the US considers its reaction
Russia launches a major attack on Ukraine as the US considers its reaction
Police charge seven people allegedly involved in the so-called blessings scam
Queensland clinches the state of origin series Ukrainian officials says Russia fired a record 728 drones and 13 missiles in the latest strikes on Ukraine, amid its mounting campaign of aerial and ground attacks. The city of Lutsk, which lies in Ukraine's northwest, was hit hardest overnight, though 10 other regions were also struck. There are no immediate reports of casualties. This is the latest in a series of escalating attacks on western Ukraine, which contains key supply corridors used to receive vital foreign military aid. It comes as US President Donald Trump rebukes Russian President Vladimir Putin and signals he may send weapons to Kyiv. Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, says Russia hopes the US will remain engaged in dialogue. "We also hope that despite all the decisions to resume weapons supplies, although in reality they have never been halted, Trump and his team will continue efforts to take the process of Ukrainian settlement to a political and diplomatic stage." Also on Wednesday, Europe's top human rights court delivered rulings against Russia, accusing it of violating international law. Four crew members are dead and 15 are missing, after Yemen's Houthi rebels sank a commercial ship in the Red Sea in their second attack this week. According to Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, the Eternity C vessel, which is operated by a Greek company and sails under a Liberian flag, was struck several times. "The naval forces of the Yemeni (Houthi) armed forces targeted the vessel Eternity C, which was heading to the port of Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat) in occupied Palestine. The operation was carried out using an unmanned boat and six cruise and ballistic missiles. The operation resulted in the complete sinking of the ship, and the event was documented with audio and video." Mr Sarea says the ship was targeted for violating a ban on trade with Israeli ports and ignored repeated warnings from Houthi forces. He says a special unit rescued several crew members, provided medical aid, and transferred them to a secure location. The Iran-aligned group has vowed to continue striking any vessels connected to Israel in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Police have issued warrants for seven people, as part of an investigation into spiritual blessings scams targeting Asian communities. They say the alleged offenders would typically target elderly Chinese women - promising to bless their wealth, after convincing them their families are at risk from spirits. Since 2023, New South Wales Police says it's received over 80 reports across Sydney, with more than $3 million in cash and valuables stolen. Assistant Police Commissioner Gavin Wood says the scam targetted vulnerable people. "They are what I would describe as very, very vulnerable people. Majority of them are female, they elderly, and they absolutely underpin the word vulnerability, and that's what makes this scam, this crime - let's not call it a scam, this crime - so serious. They (perpetrators) are like piranhas. They are circling around vulnerable people. And they are robbing them of, at times, huge amounts of money, and their jewellery." Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Australia will not compromise any element of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, as the United States threatens huge tariffs on all pharmaceutical products. It comes as US President Donald Trump announced a potential 200 per cent tariff on all pharmaceutical imports, threatening Australia's third-largest export to America after beef and gold. He says these tariffs are not likely to come into effect for at least a year. The US pharmaceutical industry has reportedly been lobbying President Trump to target Australia's PBS scheme, which offers heavily discounted medicines to Australians. Mr Chalmers says the scheme is not under threat but he believes the threat of more tariffs is creating widespread economic uncertainty. "We think that these tariffs inject an unnecessary element of uncertainty, unpredictability and volatility in the global economy. Whether it's the developments on copper and pharmaceuticals or the tariffs more broadly. We're not prepared to negotiate any element of the PBS in the engagement we have with the US." Tasmania's Aboriginal community is gathering at Wybalenna on Flinders Island to mark NAIDOC week with a time of healing and truth-telling. As many as 300 Palawa people were exiled to Wybalenna's internment camp after the arrival of Europeans. There are 107 confirmed burial sites in the cemetery at Wybalenna, and the locations of many more are not known. The Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania has managed the site since the late 1990s. Rebecca Digney was its manager when works began a few years ago, to make it easier for the community to spend time at Wybalenna. 'We're really trying to invite people back to this site so we can reconnect with the history here, and particularly reconnect with the Stories of our ancestors. Wybalenna is a really sacred place for the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. It was the place where our people were exiled to as a result of the Black War, and many of the people who were brought here died here.' In the NRL, Queensland has added another chapter to the Maroons' State of Origin folklore, shocking New South Wales with a 24-12 victory at Accor Stadium to win back the shield. In a state of chaos a month ago after losing game one, the Maroons were dominant on Wednesday night. The win follows a previous triumph over NSW in Perth last month, making last night's decider anyone's game.
The Maroons were so dominant, they completed their first 30 sets and took a 20-0 lead against the Blues by half time.
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The Advertiser
19 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Rubio affirms US focus on Asia as Trump tariffs loom
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting counterparts in Southeast Asia during his first visit to the region since taking office, reassuring them it is a priority for Washington, despite President Donald Trump's tariffs. Washington's top diplomat joined foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur at a meeting on Thursday that includes Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Russia, and others. The visit is part of an effort to renew US focus on the Indo-Pacific and look beyond conflicts in the Middle East and Europe that have consumed much of the Trump administration's attention. "It is our view, our strong view, and the reality that this century and the next, the story of the next 50 years, will largely be written here in this region, in this part of the world," Rubio told the gathering of ASEAN ministers. "When I hear ... that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible," said Rubio, who doubles as national security adviser. However, Trump's global tariff strategy is likely to cast a shadow over the trip after he unveiled steep tariffs from August 1 on seven ASEAN members, including Malaysia, as well as on close allies Japan and South Korea. Rubio would nevertheless seek to firm US ties with partners and allies unnerved by the tariffs, and was likely to press the case that the United States remained a better partner than China, Washington's main strategic rival, experts said. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are also attending the event. Rubio was set for talks with Lavrov later on Thursday that will be their second in-person meeting, at a time when Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine drags on. On Monday, a senior State Department official said Rubio's priorities for the trip included reaffirming Washington's commitment to the region, not just for its sake but because it promoted American prosperity and security. Security co-operation was a top priority in areas such as the strategic South China Sea and combating transnational crime, narcotics, scam centres, and people-trafficking, the official said. As well as their tariff unease, many have doubts about the willingness of Trump's "America First" administration to fully engage diplomatically and economically with the region. Trump will impose a tariff of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea and has taken aim at ASEAN nations, with a levy of 25 per cent on Malaysia, 32 per cent on Indonesia, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand, as well as 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. He has also stepped up to 20 per cent from 17 per cent the tariff on US defence treaty ally the Philippines. Only Vietnam has secured a deal with Trump to lower its levy to 20 per cent from an initial 46 per cent. Trump has also upset another key Indo-Pacific ally, Australia, which said on Wednesday it was "urgently seeking more detail" on his threat of 200 per cent tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. A draft joint communique seen by Reuters shows that ASEAN foreign ministers will express "concern over rising global trade tensions and growing uncertainties ... particularly the unilateral actions relating to tariffs". Monday's draft uses language similar to an ASEAN leaders' statement in May, saying tariffs are "counterproductive and risk exacerbating global economic fragmentation". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting counterparts in Southeast Asia during his first visit to the region since taking office, reassuring them it is a priority for Washington, despite President Donald Trump's tariffs. Washington's top diplomat joined foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur at a meeting on Thursday that includes Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Russia, and others. The visit is part of an effort to renew US focus on the Indo-Pacific and look beyond conflicts in the Middle East and Europe that have consumed much of the Trump administration's attention. "It is our view, our strong view, and the reality that this century and the next, the story of the next 50 years, will largely be written here in this region, in this part of the world," Rubio told the gathering of ASEAN ministers. "When I hear ... that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible," said Rubio, who doubles as national security adviser. However, Trump's global tariff strategy is likely to cast a shadow over the trip after he unveiled steep tariffs from August 1 on seven ASEAN members, including Malaysia, as well as on close allies Japan and South Korea. Rubio would nevertheless seek to firm US ties with partners and allies unnerved by the tariffs, and was likely to press the case that the United States remained a better partner than China, Washington's main strategic rival, experts said. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are also attending the event. Rubio was set for talks with Lavrov later on Thursday that will be their second in-person meeting, at a time when Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine drags on. On Monday, a senior State Department official said Rubio's priorities for the trip included reaffirming Washington's commitment to the region, not just for its sake but because it promoted American prosperity and security. Security co-operation was a top priority in areas such as the strategic South China Sea and combating transnational crime, narcotics, scam centres, and people-trafficking, the official said. As well as their tariff unease, many have doubts about the willingness of Trump's "America First" administration to fully engage diplomatically and economically with the region. Trump will impose a tariff of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea and has taken aim at ASEAN nations, with a levy of 25 per cent on Malaysia, 32 per cent on Indonesia, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand, as well as 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. He has also stepped up to 20 per cent from 17 per cent the tariff on US defence treaty ally the Philippines. Only Vietnam has secured a deal with Trump to lower its levy to 20 per cent from an initial 46 per cent. Trump has also upset another key Indo-Pacific ally, Australia, which said on Wednesday it was "urgently seeking more detail" on his threat of 200 per cent tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. A draft joint communique seen by Reuters shows that ASEAN foreign ministers will express "concern over rising global trade tensions and growing uncertainties ... particularly the unilateral actions relating to tariffs". Monday's draft uses language similar to an ASEAN leaders' statement in May, saying tariffs are "counterproductive and risk exacerbating global economic fragmentation". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting counterparts in Southeast Asia during his first visit to the region since taking office, reassuring them it is a priority for Washington, despite President Donald Trump's tariffs. Washington's top diplomat joined foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur at a meeting on Thursday that includes Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Russia, and others. The visit is part of an effort to renew US focus on the Indo-Pacific and look beyond conflicts in the Middle East and Europe that have consumed much of the Trump administration's attention. "It is our view, our strong view, and the reality that this century and the next, the story of the next 50 years, will largely be written here in this region, in this part of the world," Rubio told the gathering of ASEAN ministers. "When I hear ... that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible," said Rubio, who doubles as national security adviser. However, Trump's global tariff strategy is likely to cast a shadow over the trip after he unveiled steep tariffs from August 1 on seven ASEAN members, including Malaysia, as well as on close allies Japan and South Korea. Rubio would nevertheless seek to firm US ties with partners and allies unnerved by the tariffs, and was likely to press the case that the United States remained a better partner than China, Washington's main strategic rival, experts said. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are also attending the event. Rubio was set for talks with Lavrov later on Thursday that will be their second in-person meeting, at a time when Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine drags on. On Monday, a senior State Department official said Rubio's priorities for the trip included reaffirming Washington's commitment to the region, not just for its sake but because it promoted American prosperity and security. Security co-operation was a top priority in areas such as the strategic South China Sea and combating transnational crime, narcotics, scam centres, and people-trafficking, the official said. As well as their tariff unease, many have doubts about the willingness of Trump's "America First" administration to fully engage diplomatically and economically with the region. Trump will impose a tariff of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea and has taken aim at ASEAN nations, with a levy of 25 per cent on Malaysia, 32 per cent on Indonesia, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand, as well as 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. He has also stepped up to 20 per cent from 17 per cent the tariff on US defence treaty ally the Philippines. Only Vietnam has secured a deal with Trump to lower its levy to 20 per cent from an initial 46 per cent. Trump has also upset another key Indo-Pacific ally, Australia, which said on Wednesday it was "urgently seeking more detail" on his threat of 200 per cent tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. A draft joint communique seen by Reuters shows that ASEAN foreign ministers will express "concern over rising global trade tensions and growing uncertainties ... particularly the unilateral actions relating to tariffs". Monday's draft uses language similar to an ASEAN leaders' statement in May, saying tariffs are "counterproductive and risk exacerbating global economic fragmentation". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting counterparts in Southeast Asia during his first visit to the region since taking office, reassuring them it is a priority for Washington, despite President Donald Trump's tariffs. Washington's top diplomat joined foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur at a meeting on Thursday that includes Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Russia, and others. The visit is part of an effort to renew US focus on the Indo-Pacific and look beyond conflicts in the Middle East and Europe that have consumed much of the Trump administration's attention. "It is our view, our strong view, and the reality that this century and the next, the story of the next 50 years, will largely be written here in this region, in this part of the world," Rubio told the gathering of ASEAN ministers. "When I hear ... that perhaps the United States or the world might be distracted by events in other parts of the planet, I would say distraction is impossible," said Rubio, who doubles as national security adviser. However, Trump's global tariff strategy is likely to cast a shadow over the trip after he unveiled steep tariffs from August 1 on seven ASEAN members, including Malaysia, as well as on close allies Japan and South Korea. Rubio would nevertheless seek to firm US ties with partners and allies unnerved by the tariffs, and was likely to press the case that the United States remained a better partner than China, Washington's main strategic rival, experts said. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are also attending the event. Rubio was set for talks with Lavrov later on Thursday that will be their second in-person meeting, at a time when Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine drags on. On Monday, a senior State Department official said Rubio's priorities for the trip included reaffirming Washington's commitment to the region, not just for its sake but because it promoted American prosperity and security. Security co-operation was a top priority in areas such as the strategic South China Sea and combating transnational crime, narcotics, scam centres, and people-trafficking, the official said. As well as their tariff unease, many have doubts about the willingness of Trump's "America First" administration to fully engage diplomatically and economically with the region. Trump will impose a tariff of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea and has taken aim at ASEAN nations, with a levy of 25 per cent on Malaysia, 32 per cent on Indonesia, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand, as well as 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. He has also stepped up to 20 per cent from 17 per cent the tariff on US defence treaty ally the Philippines. Only Vietnam has secured a deal with Trump to lower its levy to 20 per cent from an initial 46 per cent. Trump has also upset another key Indo-Pacific ally, Australia, which said on Wednesday it was "urgently seeking more detail" on his threat of 200 per cent tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. A draft joint communique seen by Reuters shows that ASEAN foreign ministers will express "concern over rising global trade tensions and growing uncertainties ... particularly the unilateral actions relating to tariffs". Monday's draft uses language similar to an ASEAN leaders' statement in May, saying tariffs are "counterproductive and risk exacerbating global economic fragmentation".
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Rudd's golf club meeting with Trump revealed
The Coalition is demanding more details after it was revealed Australia's ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd and Donald Trump had a brief meeting at the US President's Florida golf club. The informal 'pull aside' meeting occurred in the dining room of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on January 11 this year. Answers released on notice from senate estimates on Wednesday also said a diplomatic cable was produced and sent back to Canberra, which would most likely detailed the meeting. 'Ambassador Rudd has professional relationships with and has met with a range of senior Administration officials,' the document read. The questions were taken on notice after Liberal senator James Paterson repeatedly quizzed Foreign Minister Penny Wong and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trading during senate estimates in February. Kevin Rudd and Donald Trump had a meeting at the US President's Florida golf course, questions on notice have revealed. Credit: Supplied Senator Paterson, who is the Coalition's finance spokesman, said the answer 'barely scratches the surface of what was originally asked in Senate estimates where they engaged in excruciating obfuscation'. 'How long was this meeting? What was discussed? Was it prearranged? Have Ambassador Rudd and President Trump spoken since?' he said. 'The Prime Minister himself publicly disclosed this meeting occurred in a radio interview and this is a critical moment in our most important international relationship. 'Australians are entitled to know what on earth happened at this meeting the government seems so sensitive about.' Senator Michaelia Cash, the opposition's foreign affairs spokeswoman, shared Mr Paterson's view. 'The Albanese Government is being so secretive about this meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Rudd because it has now become obvious that the Ambassador achieved nothing to the benefit of Australia,' she told NewsWire. 'Mr Albanese should come clean about the meeting and its outcomes.' Previously, Anthony Albanese had mentioned the meeting on January 17, confirming there had been 'direct contact' between the US President and Australia's top representative in Washington. Details of the meeting between Mr Rudd and Mr Trump comes as Australia faces the potential threat of being hit with 200 per cent tariffs on lucrative US pharmaceutical exports, which totalled $2bn in 2024. While Labor has said it aims to negotiate a complete tariff exemption, Australia currently faces levies of 50 per cent on steel, 25 per cent on aluminium, and 10 per cent on other goods, with Mr Trump also threatening 50 per cent tariffs on copper imports. Senator James Paterson demanded more answers on the meeting. NewsWire/ David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia On Wednesday, Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie accused Mr Rudd of not 'successfully' doing his job, and described Australia's relationship with the US as 'clunky'. 'Is he successfully doing his job would be my question, because if he was, the Prime Minister would be able to pick up the phone and we wouldn't be having to be worried about reviews in AUKUS, a $2bn export industry potentially (being) at risk but we don't really know the details because we can't just pick up the phone or get the meeting,' she told the ABC. 'We've got … issues with copper, we've got issues with steel and aluminium, and we've got calls from the US to increase defence spending that we're continually ignoring.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
US review makes the AUKUS deal look more like a lemon than a bargain
I still fail to understand why the Australian government remains committed to spending billions of our tax dollars on the American-made AUKUS submarines (' Fears US review will raise AUKUS price ', July 10). America could again increase the price or force an agreement to support the US in a dispute over Taiwan. My new car has a tracking device fitted by the manufacturer. It enabled me to locate my vehicle for police retrieval when it was stolen. It enables me to start or stop the car remotely, open and close doors or windows, control the temperature and many other features. I'm sure any new, overseas-manufactured submarine will have a much more sophisticated version of a similar remotely controlled tracking device that will enable total control of Australian-bought submarines if that suits America's purpose. Katriona Herborn, Blackheath Trump's under-secretary of defence, Elbridge Colby, wants more money for Australia's AUKUS subs and more control of how and when they are used. That will be some decades away. Meanwhile, we pay billions up front for what? What a great deal for Trump and not for us. Maybe AUKUS should be USUKA to reflect who is in control and how Australia is being treated. Mark Olesen, Ryde To think that Australia could have bought French submarines and remained capably independent while it waited for the new AUKUS submarine to be built. By putting so many eggs in the Virginia-class basket, Australia has left itself vulnerable to US interference in our defence and foreign policies. The test for the Albanese government is how to walk the tightrope between Washington and Beijing with such increasing crosswinds. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls I find it hard to shake the feeling that, on taking office in 2022, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rummaged through Scott Morrison's leftovers and pondered what to do with this lemon of an agreement called AUKUS. Setting the timid tone of his administration, he endorsed the pact and has since tipped a breathtaking amount of money into the questionable prospect of Australia eventually acquiring a weapons platform over which we may not even have operational control. It would seem that the US is softening up Australia for a reworking of the AUKUS 'deal' – if one must use that vulgar Trumpism – and may well leverage a perceived weakness in our position to further shake the money tree. It is a crude ploy very much out of the playbook that passes for foreign relations under this US administration. The assumption is that we would bend to turbulent Trump's demands and open up the coffers. Albanese should consider using any such move to pull the plug, and quickly. Cut our losses if we must, but acknowledge, finally, that AUKUS, despite many benefits, offers a bad outcome for the country. If it looks like a lemon and tastes like a lemon, then please, call it what it is and address that part of our defence needs elsewhere. Bradley Wynne, Croydon The latest whispers on the Trump strategy to raise the price of the 'might-be-delivered-one-day' submarines open the door for proper public debate and a possible referendum before any further commitments. AUKUS was thrust upon us by the Morrison government in a burst of self-congratulatory hubris, and the Labor Party was cleverly wedged into supporting the deal. Now is the time for democracy to show its face. What a useful tool for delaying, deferring or cancelling this white elephant. John Richards, Turramurra Surely, this would be the final straw and time to renegotiate our whole defence agreement with the US? If our value to them is to be determined by a fickle deal-loving buffoon then we could be easily dumped at any time convenient to him or when it doesn't match the America First philosophy. Get on with building our own defence that isn't reliant on Trump and his erratic decisions, and do it now before we flush any more money down the Trump drain. Ian Ferrier, Long Jetty Let us increase our defence spending to defend our pharmaceutical benefits scheme against Donald Trump and American big pharma. Our PBS gives so many of us the power to live in dignity. Mark Porter, New Lambton No alliance mandate Connor O'Brien (' Guns or dental care? The real cost of a splurge on defenc e', July 10) calls for respectful debate around defence spending in light of the mandate recently provided to the government. A mandate is the authority to carry out a policy granted by an electorate. The government has no mandate for AUKUS. With the two major parties in our two-party system in lockstep, voters have had no choice in the matter. It is a case of 'your money or your life'! According to reports, the US is now going to ask for more money for the submarines and a guarantee that we war against China, if it comes to that. Considering Labor and Liberal's sycophantic support for the US, whose president has raised annexing Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada, and armed Israel's annexation of Gaza, who are we to complain about China annexing Taiwan anyway? Albanese needs to grow a spine and dump AUKUS. This isn't about a trip to the dentist or the NDIS; we are being signed up to commit suicide without the permission of the Australian people. Paul Davies, Crows Nest The trade-offs required by any increase in defence expenditure highlight some existing examples, such as universal child care and dental coverage by Medicare. The costs are estimated to be about $20 billion a year. This is the annual amount that negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions cost and highlights the public policy conflict entailed. Abolishing these two tax concessions would fund childcare and permit dental coverage under Medicare. Both would contribute to productivity and perhaps take some of the hot air out of house price inflation. Victor Boase, Narraweena About those elephants I agree with your correspondent's assessment (Letters, July 10) of the current effect of interest rates on home owners being a product of negative gearing and capital gains discount. I would go further and say it is the root cause of so many of the problems of our present-day society – homelessness, the generational wealth disparity, stress and its associated health and mental health issues, obesity, and a lack of family time. So many commentators and economists are calling for the government to do something about these 'two big elephants in the room'. It is time for the government to take action. Fay Semple, Bateau Bay It's not rocket science. For generations, home owners have paid down their mortgage, no matter their financial circumstances. They look at their monthly statement and see their actual interest paid declining at a compound rate. It is very therapeutic and makes you feel good knowing that the sacrifices you make today are benefiting you every future day. Riley Brown, Bondi Beach Electric vehicles not to blame Why are there so many pot-shots being taken at EVs lately (' EV tyres add to plastic pollution problem ', July 10)? This makes it seem that the increase in pollution from tyres is something new and that EVs are to blame. This is just grist for the mill for those who harbour conspiracy theories against anything which might alleviate climate change. In this case, the real culprit is the trend towards bigger and heavier cars, whether EVs or conventional. We should ask ourselves whether the benefits of bigger cars outweigh the costs, whether in terms of fuel consumption, tyre wear and space on the road. Similarly, in the case of EVs, there might be an increase in the volume of microplastics because batteries are heavier. But how much of an increase? There might also be pollutants involved in the manufacture and disposal of batteries, or anxiety about the ability to recharge or service the cars, or the source of the electricity being used to power them. But is that sufficient to outweigh the benefits from reduced emissions, or savings from reduced fuelling and maintenance costs? We need to consider the whole picture, not just each individual issue. And on that score, EVs come out streets ahead. David Rush, Lawson Another subtle bias against electric cars? This pollution has been happening for well over a hundred years. How long have EVs been on our roads? How long have internal combustion engines ruled the roads? Even now, they still do. Supporters of ICE vehicles will use any spurious argument to discredit EVs. The truth is that each EV makes a large net gain over the massive air and noise pollution caused by ICE vehicles. Paul Gannon, Coopers Shoot My wife and I are proud EV owners. While EVs are not for everyone and probably will not be the whole answer to our emerging transport solutions, they are viable for many people. An EV allows one to stop supporting the US and Middle Eastern oil cartels. But mention an EV and some people become extremely negative, even though often they have neither researched nor driven one. Robert Antill, Lake Conjola The reality is that any vehicle with tyres, including bicycles, are contributing to plastic pollution, and have done so for the previous 120 years. While important, tyre recycling schemes do not reduce the pollution caused by tyre wear. Perhaps we could appeal to those people going out into rural areas to perform burnouts to cease their pernicious activity to help reduce plastic pollution. Neil Reckord, Gordon (ACT) Bridge safety solution As someone who has crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge since collectors were manning the toll booths, I don't believe lowering the speed limit is the sole answer to improving safety on the bridge (Letters, July 10). The primary concern is that one can switch lanes into oncoming traffic, either inadvertently or, as we recently saw, in a stolen vehicle being driven dangerously. In many countries around the world, movable traffic barriers are used that can be installed and moved as daily traffic demands change. Nick Andrews, Bellevue Hill Hit the snags Your correspondent's suggestion (Letters, July 10) that we have a Democracy Day in July is a good one. That would mean that we can enjoy an annual democracy sausage instead of only once every three years. Ted Richards, Batemans Bay Your correspondent astutely proposes July 31 as a new Australia Day because that is the date Western Australia had its Federation Referendum in 1900 – the concluding one. The series of Federation referendums occurred from 1898 onwards. It is not widely known that the government of Western Australia had plans not to take part, largely because Perth did not want to share the wealth from the Kalgoorlie goldfields. In response, there was a proposal in Britain to form a new state by excising that part of WA lying west of the SA border to a new boundary running south from Kalgoorlie to Esperance – this new state would be named Auralia, and it would take part in the national referendum process. The WA government realised that it was outmanoeuvred, and thus accepted having the federation referendum on July 31, 1900. David Rose, Nollamara (WA) Thank you to your correspondent who suggested March 3 as the date to celebrate Australia Day. Nothing would give me more pleasure than telling my great-grandchildren they can have a day off school as it is my birthday. David Pigott, North Parramatta Hands off heritage At 89, using a walker, I have long been concerned with access to heritage buildings (Letters, July 10) but, as one also long concerned with architecture and a member of trust bodies here and in the UK, also with their preservation. That is threatened in the case of the historic St Paul's Parish Church, Bankstown, one of the few important heritage buildings in central Bankstown. A worship space within a gigantic skyscraper would be no substitute. St Paul's is an attractive simplified neo-gothic church and a 'house of God'. It has valued associations for many, another sacred space that deserves preservation. I knew it in the time of Father Tony Wood, a rector, whose earthly remains and those of Father Tom Lawrence lie beneath the sanctuary. John Bunyan, Campbelltown As a long-serving parish councillor I echo the frustrations regarding heritage listing. Repairs take triple the time that they otherwise would thanks to NSW Heritage's red tape. Moreover, the heritage community tends to believe (a) they're always right, and (b) the home owner/congregation has no right to have a say in what happens to/in their heritage property; they're really just the cash cow to pay for its upkeep. Roger Gallagher, Merrylands Grafton has a good story about the preservation of an important building. The Saraton theatre is 99 years old. Early this century the Notaras family renovated the building with dedicated attention to its original form. The theatre was originally built by two brothers who had arrived from Kythera to establish the best cafe in town. Reversing their surname provided the building's name. Don Firth, Wooli
