Letters to the editor July 5 2017

When the desalination was built it was the largest desalination plant in Australia and the second largest in world.

The plant, capable of delivering 250 megalitres a day, was the perfect solution to providing a dependable water supply for the people of Sydney during times of drought.

What we had: A desalination plant that won an award at Berlin as the best and most efficient in the world; a government asset that guaranteed residents a continuous supply of fresh drinking water.

What we got: A non-asset.

A desalination plant that for 50 years will be owned by the Westpac bank.

A bank asset that over 50 years will receive in excess $10 billion dollars from the NSW taxpayer.

And what will the Westpac bank do with this money? I’ll tell you.

The bank is reinvesting the income into two investment funds.

Yes, Westpac is using taxpayer’s money to set up two investment products that are on sold to superannuation funds and investors (including governments and Future Funds).

The interest paid on these bank products has been as high as 13 per cent.

Welcome to the era of privatisation.

John Macleod, Berry

In reply to the letter by John Pronk, "Fair crack of the whip" (Illawarra Mercury, Friday, June 23, 2017).

It is wonderful that Mr Pronk has learnt other languages, but I appeal to him to look at the subject/issue to be addressed and not oppose something because it comes from the conservative side of politics.

With respect, Mr Pronk just doesn't get it.

Some of the strongest arguments in support of new migrants learning English come from former migrants themselves.

Expecting the people who want to be citizens to sign up to our values in Australia is not racist, it is common sense. Indeed it is one of the reasons people want to migrate here.

We should not be afraid to demand an inclusive society.

This has been one of the cornerstones in the past that has made us the best country in the world and it need to be protected, not dismantled.

You may be controlled by "political correctness" with the manipulation of words like acceptance, tolerance and racism Mr Pronk, but I am not.

I refuse to play these destructive and divisive political games to suit the social engineers.

Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow

The information from last year’s census has been made available with some quite interesting results.

It reveals that in the years since the census before was taken, in 2011-2016, Australia had 1.3 million migrants come to our country and that is obvious when one goes shopping.

We are no longer a country of white Europeans with a small indigenous population we truly are a multicultural nation.

I took particular note that Muslim immigration had increased since 1991 by 160 per cent which is also reflected in the community.

We have become more Asian and are enjoying the most successful multicultural society on Earth.

Some commentators say that the country has retained our ‘fair go’ and egalitarian way of life.

However, with in excess of three million Australians currently living below the poverty line I question that opinion.

Shaun Newman, Deeragun