Watching the Sydney Anzac Day march highlighted for my family the truly beautiful way people from such diverse ethnic backgrounds have so fully integrated into our society (“Anzac Day, when we show our true colours”, April 26). Their presence clearly demonstrated they share our “values”. The crowds lining Elizabeth Street, the band participants, especially the school bands, and the incredible number of military groups and their descendants who have served with our forces were a testament to their embrace of all that Australia offers. Surely, this event is but a microcosm of our country. So, just what are the “values” that Angus Taylor, the Coalition and Pauline Hanson refer to whenever immigration is mentioned? Rhonda Seymour, Castle Hill
Productive ex-prisoners
This Take2 program (“Program giving prisoners a second chance on the outside”, April 26) is a real winner, as proved by the recidivism rates of successful participants. It saves huge taxpayer money and gets prisoners back into a productive life. So why the lack of action to seriously implement it in our prisons? And the supporting proof in the pudding is the positive results also achieved in Nordic countries. We need to get smart, get out of the revolving door punishment process we have now, which just puts 40 per cent plus prisoners back in jail again and again. Time to be bold and implement it, seriously, now. Our economy desperately needs savings and productivity improvements so here is a proven solution to achieve both. Ian Ferrier, Long Jetty
We all benefit from programs which educate prisoners and reduce the chance of reoffending as Emily Kaine points out. It is shortsighted and mean spirited to reduce or not increase funding to such programs that lead to a new lease on life for some who have had it tough and then responded poorly to their own detriment and that of the community. Without such programs, the community misses out on the positive contribution that can be made by those now receiving an education and turning their lives around. Less would be spent on policing to keep the community safe and on costs of incarcerating. The benefits far outweigh the outlay for these programs. Think again state government, for the common good. Gordana Martinovich, Dulwich Hill
Lack of vision
In a very short-sighted move, the NSW government took the opportunity to raise cash by selling off 48 separate real estate holdings to private developers resulting in only five development applications to date (“Sale of 48 state-owned sites leads to just five DAs”, April 26). With our younger generations currently being priced out of the real estate market, wouldn’t it be wiser to follow Austria’s lead and directly build rent-to-buy apartments for those priced out of the market? The current plan of saving a measly percentage of new apartments for affordable housing will never catch up to the needs of those economically kept out of the market. This way 100 per cent of the new apartments are made available. Let’s stop wasting time and get on with real housing solutions for the less well-off and our younger generations by having our state government directly invest in building apartments. Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge
Salty smile
Bianca Hall (“Tooth powder and blocked drains: My week without plastic”, April 26) is right that going without plastic in our daily lives is, at present, impossible, but she could use plain old salt instead of toothpaste or the clay powder stuff she tried. It would also be cheaper. And, interestingly, I can buy fresh fruit and vegetable in Woolworths and Coles without using plastic, but maybe that’s a Sydney thing. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill
It was interesting to read about Bianca Hall’s attempt to lead a de-plasticised life, if only for a week. To all the gardeners out there I highly recommend growing loofahs (aka luffas) to replace the green plastic scourers in your kitchen. They are easy to grow, though you need a fence or similar to trail the vine on. They last a long time, can be washed in the dishwasher and at end of life can be returned to the soil via the compost bin. Jill Robinson, Randwick
My road doesn’t have a bin collection and the tip charges me … by the bin load. So I burn my plastic and paper in an old beer barrel and take the hard stuff to the “recycling centre” where I volunteer – dismantling your old appliances, in the sun. I light my rubbish when the wind is blowing away from my neighbours and the dog kennel. But, I admit, in the inner city this may not be easy. The plastic fruit stickers annoy me. I don’t use bamboo toothbrushes due to fungus worries. The odd mixed thread shirt or sock goes in the fire. Good luck with going plastic free as the stuff is everywhere. Even in “no single use bags” NSW I still get things in plastic bags that are too small to reuse as bin liners. And the local baker now wraps his bread in cellophane bags which break when I open them, rather than heavier bags that I can use to keep the buns fresh then repurpose for the freezer. David Neilson, Uralla
A brief geographical history of the world over the past fifty million years to the present day: Eocene; Oligocene; Miocene; Pliocene; Pleistocene; Holocene; Plasticine. Alicia Dawson, Balmain
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