On greyhound racing

President of Wildlife in Need of Care Lorraine Yudaeff writes: Re. “Baird’s backflip on greyhounds: well, they’re only dogs, right?” (yesterday). Why would anyone believe Baird’s “compassion” for greyhounds when he then declares open season on our wildlife? In the farcically titled Biodiversity Conservation Act, he wants to abolish the “red tape” of tightly controlled licences to kill wildlife (issued to kill 145,550 animals, 2015-6); thereby unleashing untold suffering on many more animals. Thousands of our native animals are killed on the road every year; many suffer horribly from illegal domestic and international trading, and as “sport” by hoons with bows and arrows or cars. By adding to this carnage with a wholesale “licence to kill”, he will drive to extinction those many animals who are already on the brink. But they’re only our unique native species, right?

John Richardson writes: Backing a dog called “Self-Interest”, or, in the words of Groucho Marx: “Those are my principles and if you don’t like them … well, I have others.”

On Blue Poles

Murray Scott writes: Re. “James Paterson’s sledge of Pollock painting is jingoistic dog-whistling — and it’s wrong” (Friday). I pretend no expertise or taste in art beyond a naive appreciation of representational accuracy or emotional impact. I am one of those philistines who”knows what he likes”.

The burgeoning price of the Blue Poles canvas does nothing to shake my first impression, that of a house-painter’s dropsheet. Very much a case of Gough’s New Suit, deferentially admired by sycophants. Its subsequent price rise exemplifies an asset bubble puffed up by cynically self-referential speculators. The back-story of Pollock being tired and emotional while making this mess do nothing to convince me of any greater value.  Bah, Humbug.

On Ross Cameron

Marcus L’Estrange writes: Re. “Ross Cameron says our fertility rate is falling because men can’t objectify women anymore” (yesterday). Ross missed a key point. It’s not just that our fertility rate is falling  because  men cannot objectify women but because the deadly effects of abortion on demand means 100,000 babies a year in Australia are killed off prior to birth and even partial birth. Secondly, Ross is right that men spend the first part of their life trying to get out but the rest of their life trying to get back in. Trump is a beastly man but the women he seduces are equally silly for falling to a vile mediocrity simply because he claims to be a star.