There is no single perfect way to teach literacy to children

Having spent over 50 years at the "chalkface" of primary education, I am justly able to evaluate the endless parade of "new" ways to teach reading. Some worked well and some not so well.

There were always children, of all abilities, for whom the "new" approach did not work. However, despite the shortcomings of some of these approaches, they have all contributed to our current knowledge of "best practice" in which teachers successfully tailor their programs to the different needs of their students.

In times past, reading was regarded as a relatively simple process and those who could "sound out" were successful, and those who couldn't were not.

Fortunately, we have learned that reading is not a simple process, especially in a world increasingly saturated with written material apart from books, and that children can have a range of complex reasons for finding reading hard.

It is beholden on schools to take an eclectic approach to teaching reading that draws on the "good" bits of what has gone before.

Using "explicit teaching" is just one of the "good bits" among other valuable strategies developed through the mistakes and successes of the past. Thus, the simplistic sentiment about the need to "return" to explicit teaching, is misleading as, in most instances, far from being abandoned, it is enjoying its rightful place within a range of other "good bits".

It is a mystery that with recent boat arrivals near Broome there has been no mention by the press that our coastline surveillance has been contracted out for years.

One would logically assume the privatisation of this function should cop the blame, not the current government? The Guardian reported a few years ago that Home Affairs was paying for flights that were never conducted.? Last year The Canberra Times reported some difficulties in renewing the contract?

The paragraphs below is from the government website.

"Airborne surveillance: Leidos Australia provides fixed wing border surveillance services under contract with the Australian Border Force. We patrol Australia's 8.2 million square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone, which is the world's largest outsourced civil maritime surveillance operation."

It's hard to believe we're back to inflammatory rhetoric from Peter Dutton about the Albanese government losing control of our borders because of the apparent arrival of a few small boats in remote north western Australia.

While the LNP was in power no mention was ever made of boat arrivals because they were an "on water matter".

Now Mr Dutton wants to shout their arrival from the rooftops.

Operation Sovereign Borders commander Rear Admiral Brett Sonter issued a statement on Friday evening warning that negative public discussion about Australia's border security could encourage people smugglers.

In other words Dutton's constant references to the Albanese government being weak on border control can encourage people smugglers. Is this what he wants?

Mokhles Sidden asks how the disparity between the Palestinian and Israeli casualty rates in Gaza is fair or just (Letters, January 30). Apart from the fact he ignores the nearly 1200 Israelis murdered on October 7 in the attack that started this war, since when has comparing casualty rates been how we determine the justice of war?

It also begs the question of how many Israeli soldiers Mokhles would like to see killed fighting the Hamas terrorists.

What is relevant is whether Israel has a just cause in fighting the war, which it does, to defend itself against Hamas, and whether it is complying with the laws of war, which it is, by only attacking Hamas, and evacuating civilians. Of course it is neither fair nor just that Hamas launched the war with its October 7 massacres or that it is getting Gazans killed by using them as human shields.

Israel is continuing until Hamas has been eliminated.

Why aren't the Gazans turning on Hamas? Are they still hiding them? Protecting them? Helping them fight?

So many letters about Barnaby's drinking and fall, and the time it took to get him some help. I remember going to the movies in Port Moresby once, and a friend calling out from the toilets "get help". Apparently one of the locals was struggling big time.

I brought my car right up to the front entrance and carried the man to the car and took him to hospital.

I later discovered he was PNG (my sort of upper echelon's boss) defence minister. To me he was just a man who needed medical assistance, which he duly got.

Be careful folks, it might be you next time. What would you want done for you? What goes around comes around.

I've recently noticed that one of the two large pelicans roosting on driftwood at Yerrabi Pond has taken flight.

I wasn't aware that it was pelican migration season.

This pelican landed earlier last year having been hatched and reared by skilful artist Neil Dickinson.

I suspect said pelican has flown off and is now roosting in someone's garden. If anyone has seen this pelican perhaps they should notify the "wildlife patrol" as it may be in need of some "veterinary" assistance before being relocated back to its mate on Yerrabi pond.

The opposition is criticising the Albanese government for the arrival of asylum seekers. It is also criticising the release of asylum seekers from the detention centres under the order of the High Court. I would like to remind the Opposition Leader that the Albanese government has inherited this problem from his handling as home affairs minister. He left a cake half-baked.

We are likely to have asylum seekers as they are hungry. They are also being persecuted for their religious and political ideology.

Until we develop a worldwide plan of economic development under the aegis of the United Nations for these underdeveloped countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, we should be prepared to handle asylum seekers from time to time.

The article by Adam Triggs ("Calculating the actual cost of war", February 8) that questioned the cost of war with China was insightful and cautionary. But It barely touches upon the catastrophic consequences that would likely follow.

A government chock-full of former trade union officials should be familiar with the basics of health and safety regulation designed to preserve life and limb - the process of risk assessment followed by hazard removal or minimisation. It involves all those who are likely to be impacted.

If something can't be done safely it's banned and new processes or materials substituted. Isn't it time we banned war in a phased approach starting with nuclear weapons? Isn't it time we substituted talk for war? When did diplomacy become redundant?

We need a comprehensive public inquiry and report into the risks of war and alternatives in all scenarios - the probable impact on our economy, our health system, our environment, our lives, our kids lives and our future.

Perfect timing by the PM on the announcement of his engagement to Jodie, his long-time partner. Or was it just coincidence that the Dunkley byelection is just over two weeks from now?

Will there be another "coincidence" on the wedding date by making it a few weeks prior to the half-Senate election - due on or prior to May 24, 2025 - or will they drag it out until the House of Reps election due on or prior to September 27, 2025?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Ian A MacKenzie is right about taxing carbon being the most efficient and cost-effective means of reducing emissions in Australia ("Bring on a new carbon tax debate", February 19). Professor MacKenzie is not alone: economists have been saying this since 2012, if not earlier. Ross Garnaut's book Superpower - Australia's low-carbon opportunity (2019) spelled out the advantages to this country of leading the way in emissions reduction via taxation incentives aimed at the fossil fuel industry.

Extreme weather events in Australia and around the world show it is time to resume the carbon tax debate with urgency.

Many farmers would probably say the only thing worse than not having a contract with Coles or Woolies is having one.

Harking to the saying, "liar liar pants on fire", one would have to wonder if politicians are issued with asbestos lined underwear because some of them would certainly need them.

The perfect soundtrack for that famous Barnaby video has got to be How The Mighty Fall by The Counterfeit Junkies.

Ron Jellef (Letters, February 19) says we poor sinners ought not cast stones at Barnaby Joyce. The part about the stones is fair enough, but Barnaby is one of our most enthusiastic stone throwers despite his lengthy record of hypocrisy, lies and bad behaviour. I can't think of a more deserving target than Barnaby, and I'm sure he will be the first to cast stones at the very next opportunity.

May Scott Morrison spare us five extra soliloquies when he has the parliamentary stage for the last time next week. Any lengthy sermonising would better suit the land that will soon be welcoming his advisory abilities and his upcoming political-religious tome.

Ian Morison can try and make an argument for nuclear if he wishes (Letters, February 19) , but half the people who are pushing for it can't even pronounce it correctly, e.g. "nuc-u-lar".

I couldn't agree more with the letter (February 18) stating Canberra's annual kangaroo cull is indeed cruel and unnecessary. Thankfully, some independent candidates, Animal Justice Party, Belco party and the Canberra Liberals will all go to this year's October election with the annual kangaroo massacre as an election issue.

I thought Mark Kenny's "The West's flimsy values showing" (February 18) was balanced - and spot on with regards to American (and Australian) hypocrisy when it comes to Israel - and particularly for not calling out Israel for war crimes in Gaza. No doubt the usual band of Canberra propagandists for Israel will get stuck into Kenny in the next few days.

Re: "School staff still waiting for nine months of unpaid super" (February 17). I suppose they missed 1 Timothy 5:18, "The labourer is worthy of his hire", a verse my late Nan used to quote in Scout bob-a-job week.

Being in the dark is not a new phenomenon for Mr Dutton judging by the Richardson report on border security. On his watch Operation Sovereign Borders commodified detainees, rendering them sources of profit for commercial interests.

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Responsibility for election comment is taken by John-Paul Moloney of 121 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra. Published by Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd.