Clinton Cole’s restoration of the old Surry Hills newsagent is such a wonderful example of just what’s possible with “vision” (“Hidden treasure behind Surry Hills walls”,October 7). It’s no wonder he calls it a highlight in his career. Let’s hope that a similar visionary will one day resurrect and breathe life into the old Metro/Minerva and Plaza theatres in Sydney. So much of the fabric of Sydney’s history has been lost to the bulldozers. This old gem of a sensitively restored inner-city shopfront is a perfect example of recognising and celebrating what we have left.Greg Vale,Kiama

As I sit missing the light,green space and trees that are gone due to the huge new house built next door,Clinton Cole’s story makes me smile. All power to architects like Cole who find treasures,preserve and restore,rather than destroy.Lisa Williams,Dulwich Hill

Labor is failing on nature

Caitlin Fitzsimmon’s article should be brought to Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s attention (“Nature positive? First,let’s stop being negative”,October 7). It is a concise and informative article that would remind the minister all the words she glowingly speaks about the Global Nature Positive Summit and its outcomes will only make environmentally aware Australians roll their eyes in frustration,if Labor continues to negatively affect nature with its ineffective nature protection policies. For the sake of the health and the wellbeing of Australians,let alone the world population,Plibersek should get to work fixing the laws that are allowing nature to be destroyed.Margot Vaccari,Berowra

It’s a great shame that the nature positive movement is attempting to use “the language of economics and the structures of markets” to further its cause. Though this is often the language of politics,the moral case for action is a strong one and it is one which,with the right leadership,would enthuse Australians to get behind it.Greg Baker,Fitzroy Falls

A win for women

After winning a fierce legal battle in the Tasmania Supreme Court (where she was flanked by women in matching suits) to exclude men from the Ladies Lounge at MONA,artist Kirsha Kaechele announces a month-long victory party (“Ladies Lounge to travel,says artist”,October 7). There will also be “a few special opportunities for men as well[laundry folding lessons etc]“. Hehe. I like this wicked woman and her coven. I like them very much.Alicia Dawson,Balmain

Onslow ousting

This article highlighted the unseemly pursuit of profit by developers creating luxury homes for a minute proportion of this city’s most comfortably off (“‘Now selling’? Court fight over eastern suburbs development”,October 6). As a neighbour,during the past week I have witnessed the tenants of 10 Onslow Avenue drag their belongings out of their homes and into trucks,knowing they were unlikely to find an affordable new rental home anywhere in this or adjacent suburbs. Who are we as a society that we are content to sit by while our inner city suburbs are effectively socially cleansed? And why is it acceptable to pursue this outcome when a Land and Environment court decision on the development application is still pending?Maryanne Dever,Elizabeth Bay

An act of dog

Dog owners have more responsibility than just a lifelong commitment to the animal (“No bones about it:dogs outnumber kids citywide”,October 7). They also have to abide by the Companion Animal Act,of which many dog owners seem oblivious or deliberately ignorant. Simple things like dogs on leash in public areas (including beaches),not being fed from the table and being kept on the ground while in an outdoor dining area. And dog prohibited area means just that,no exemptions,no excuses. Too many dog owners seem to think they and their dogs are above the law designed for human and wildlife health and safety.Karen Joynes,Bermagui

Free speech failure

Sorry George,but the right to free speech has nothing to do with left v right ideology (“Protests create a Voltairean moment for our democracy”,October 7). It is a fundamental tenet of our democracy that our elected leaders are expected to uphold. On that score,the recent Liberal government failed miserably. The raids on the ABC,banning public servants talking about immigration detention centres and pressuring scientists not to disclose their research on climate change shows the opposite. Back to the writing desk for Brandis.
Michael Blissenden,Dural

George Brandis does it again. His blind loyalty to the Liberal Party claims that it “has won a hard-earned reputation as the champion of free speech”,conveniently overlooking the fact that Peter Dutton has demanded that the government prevent any pro-Palestinian protests from going ahead. Sounds like classic doublethink.Rob Phillips,North Epping

I assume George Brandis has his tongue firmly in his cheek when he says the Liberal Party is unique in its support of the rights of its enemies to free speech. Has he not been paying attention to the utterances of Peter Dutton imploring the Labor government to ban pro-Palestine demonstrations and cancel the visas of protesters? The indiscriminate labelling of people who are critical of Israel’s slaughter of citizens in Gaza as “antisemitic” is yet another example of this intolerance by the Liberal Party.Dennis Metcalf,Drummoyne

Fountain (pen) of youth

Our editor’s call for younger epistolers came just a few days prior to Ageism Awareness Day on October 9 (Letters,October 7).Allan Gibson,Cherrybrook

What are the telling signs that the contributor to Letters is not young? Is it the grammar,spelling,knowledge of world events,choice of subject or just good old forbearance?
Mary Julian,Glebe

Does the Letters team know my age or do I just sound old? Maybe I had better start throwing in a couple of LOLs,FOMOs and other Millennial and Gen Z speak. Cool beans.Mark Nugent,Lugarno

For today’s young readers,lots of cents for their eloquence would be more acceptable than pennies for their thoughts.Joy Cooksey,Harrington

Strike for peace

Perhaps it’s time the women of the world,following the example of Lysistrata,denied their husbands conjugal rights until peace is restored (Letters,October 7)?John Christie,Oatley

League’s grand finale

Well done to theHerald on the post-match reflections on the NRL grand final by all of its league writers. Malcolm Knox’s article,including references to Inspector Clouseau,is the pièce de résistance (“Panthership a fitting end,but never a sure thing”,October 7). He only needed a reference to it being “all part of life’s rich pageant”.Paul Casey,Callala Bay

The footy’s finished and now the tricky time with no sport to watch till the cricket starts. Might have to read a book or something.Michael Deeth,Como West

A cross word

While I accept that looming nuclear conflagration in the Middle East,catastrophic global heating and growing Chinese hegemony in the Pacific are all items of particular news interest and thus possibly distracting some from their necessary focus,can we please establish some priorities? Sunday’s cryptic crossword,(at 1a),was clearly intended to be an anagram of “Same birds”. Which does not equate with the only possible answer – “rabidness”. “Sane birds” would have been correct. Please,in a world unravelling before our eyes,can we at least get the crossword right?Gary Stowe,Springwood

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