The character of our city, built on an Anglo working-class culture welcomed migrants from all lands.  

It created an ethos of a diverse and unified city, now enriched by many mixed histories. The University has had an important role in developing our ethos.

It recorded our history. It had a foreign language faculty that recognised a migrant community. And it had a philosophy faculty that was second to none.

Then there were the mature students that enrolled when Whitlam introduced free education. An important innovation that bonded the university with the community that played a part in fashioning the University.

Unfortunately universities have had to adopt a different ethos. The free education model has been replaced by the business model. A model that is producing the new exciting technologies that are changing our world.

But the goal of the model is not to enrich the common good and the values it expresses. Building a wall around the University endorses the flawed goal of the model.  Together, university and community, we should challenge it.

Reg Wilding, Wollongong

Scott Morrison is totally correct when he says “there is a divide between the taxed and the taxed-nots”

His first priority should be the  54 Australian millionaires and the 675 corporations who do business in Australia but who pay no tax at all. They are the “taxed-nots” who are causing the problems and rorting the system.

The problem is not Australia’s poorest people, the problem are so many of Australia’s richest simply choose not to pay tax.

Doug Steley, Heyfield

Whenever I turn on the radio or TV to catch up with the news I become more and more disillusioned about where this nation is headed. We have trade unions who not only want to run business, they also want to run the country.

The Federal Labor Party in opposition, and in spite of just receiving its lowest primary vote in living memory, believe it is they who should be calling the shots in Canberra.

The latest is the gay community and their politician supporters demanding that the Australian public be left out of the decision-making process about the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

Remember – this is the same group who for years has claimed that “most Australians” want same-sex marriage to be made legal. It is now clear, however, that they are not confident enough to put this claim to the test.

In some sort of defence they cry that any plebiscite campaigning would bring about vilification, discrimination, and the like for members of their community. Well how hypocritical is that?

It seems, before any campaigning has even begun, these people are already pointing the finger and casting aspersions on anyone who is not likely to be in agreement with their demands.

Richard Burnett, Wollongong

I am writing in response to DJ Preece's letter “What is the concern on plebiscite?” (Illawarra Mercury, August 23, 2016).

Mr Shorten is concerned the same-sex marriage plebiscite will allow LGBTI Australians to be attacked by hate groups who have already called for anti-discrimination laws to be suspended during the campaign.

Mitchell Gordon, Wollongong