As a Chinese-Malaysian migrant who arrived in Australia as a child, I found Pauline Hanson’s calls at the National Press Club on Wednesday to limit immigration and her assertion that Australia cannot be a multicultural society deeply troubling (“‘We cannot be a multicultural society’, Hanson says”, June 17). They hark back to the divisive thinking of the White Australia era. Recently, I was called into hospital at 3am to care for a 97-year-old woman whose arm was badly broken, blue and swollen. After 35 years in emergency medicine, helping restore function and dignity to vulnerable patients remains one of the greatest privileges of my professional life. Yet, I increasingly wonder how people like me are viewed when migrants are portrayed as a burden on the country. Australia faces genuine challenges. Housing is strained, the cost of living is high and many people are anxious about the future. But blaming migrants offers neither solutions nor hope. New arrivals help staff our hospitals, build our economy and enrich our communities. Australia’s future will not be secured through fear of difference, but through the openness, tolerance and multicultural success that have served us so well. Joseph Ting, Brisbane (Qld) Photo: Cathy WilcoxAt my age, I believe I’ve seen or studied most governments of most kinds. I have to admit, Pauline Hanson spoke better than I had expected at the National Press Club on Wednesday. But then she blew it in the final minute with her announcement that she would (if elected) destroy the SBS and the ABC in all but rural areas, along with (for good measure) The Guardian. At that point, she lost me forever. Donald Matthews, Fennell BayWe all know Pauline Hanson wants to cut immigration numbers, however, Australia’s current birth rate of 1.48 children per woman is far short of the 2.1 needed to sustain our current population (“What having kids really costs”, June 14). Meanwhile, it’s projected by the ABS that older people in Australia will make up between 21 and 23 per cent of the total population by 2066. So, in view of our increasing need of construction workers pegged at 90,000 builders, carpenters, bricklayers and electricians (BuildSkills Australia estimate), where are they going to come from? The same question can be asked of the hospitality sector’s needs. Larry Woldenberg, Forest LodgeI am not one of those who are obsessed with the dangers of Pauline Hanson (Letters, June 17), nor do I like the budget presented to us recently. I’m just a voter looking for a candidate and party that is not extreme right or left, in line with most Australians I know. I am looking for a party that isn’t dependent on big unions, or billionaires. A party that is concerned about the needs of families and small businesses, about health and education. A party that accepts all faiths as well as the traditions of this country. Is this too much to ask? I just wish the politicians would concentrate on our needs, rather than their own agendas. Vivienne Parsons, ThornleighA little part of me used to die whenever I’d hear the news introduce “Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott”. If Pauline ever became PM, I think that would finish me off. Bernie Gleeson, NowraOne Nation leader Pauline Hanson makes her point at the National Press Club on Wednesday.GettyAustralians allThank you, Sarah Dale, for your excellent opinion piece on the Socceroos and the wonderful performance by Nestory Irankunda (“Under Hanson, Socceroo stars couldn’t call Australia home”, June 17). Where would Australia be without its immigrants? Not only the Socceroos, but all codes of football have talented players from other countries. And it does not end with sport. Migrants form the backbone of our medical and aged care centres and hospitals. It is time Pauline Hanson and all those who have joined her bandwagon to wake up to the fact that Australia needs migrants. Robyn Lewis, RaglanSarah Dale’s column is a powerful reminder that modern Australia is shaped and strengthened by people who arrived here from elsewhere, often under immense hardship. The achievements of Nestory Irankunda, Mohamed Touré, Awer Mabil and Milos Degenek reflect a broader truth: refugee and migrant families have enriched this nation for generations. We see this again in rising stars like Gout Gout and Olufemi “Femi” Komolafe, the medical student and sprinter who captured national attention by winning the Powercor Stawell Gift. Their success stories are Australian stories. Warren Bowden, FairlightSarah Dale points out the role migrants have played in Australia’s success in soccer. However, migrants have made a more general contribution to making this one of the best countries to live in. Focusing on the actions of a few bad apples is intellectually dishonest. As Elizabeth Elenius points out, we have “boundless plains to share” (Letters, June 17). Denying this to prospective migrants by using fig leaves such as housing shortages and infrastructure, which are solvable problems, reflects an underlying meanness. Real Aussies are bigger than that. Gordon Koch, AshfieldNestory Irankunda celebrates his World Cup goal in Vancouver.Getty ImagesOdour of MuskWe have surely witnessed no greater obscenity than Elon Musk waving a chainsaw on the victory stage with Donald Trump, then going on to oversee the most arbitrary, destructive, catastrophic and tragic cuts to the US budget, only to now become the richest man in history. Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” oversaw cutting of thousands of government jobs, loss of valuable scientific grants and the closures of departments and health services. Ending USAid in developing countries is resulting in deaths from avoidable causes. The savings, after all this highly publicised activity, came to less than 1 per cent of the budget. Yet this week the very same man who gleefully ordered those cuts was handed so much wealth by the nation he cruelly ripped into, that he could now personally fund the reinstatement of every job, every department, every grant and every dollar of aid, and still not lose his crown as the world’s only trillionaire. I do not care if Musk’s electric cars, AI companies and space ventures are attractive investments, I say a pox on all who have contributed to this odious and disgusting spectacle. Graeme Smith, DaceyvilleThank you, Dick Pollitt, for clarifying the worth of a trillionaire (Letters, June 17). On the other hand, morally and ethically the value is nil.Suzanne Saunders, WadevilleDick Pollit says it would take Elon Musk 19 years to count all his money. May I suggest that instead of $100 notes he uses Trump’s new $250 notes. It would take years off the job. Jeremy Brender, West Richmond (SA)Arch vulgarityWhat could be more repugnant than staging bloody cage fights on the lawns of the People’s House in Washington? What does organising such a crass event at a place, long associated with dignity and decorum, say about the state of the US today (“Trump works to project strength with UFC bout”, June 15)? Apparently the spectacle was staged for the financial gain and amusement of Trump and his cronies. It seems there is no limit to the vulgar whims of the US president. What will come next – gladiator-style contests involving immigrants, with green cards awarded to the survivors? Bob Konig, Shell CoveHas FBI director Kash Patel been at the cooking sherry? The cry of “wolf” rings out again, this time over alleged conspirators intent on ruining Trump’s birthday bash (“Explosive drone attack thwarted”, June 17). Are we seriously expected to believe such a plan existed anywhere but in the third-rate minds of the Trump administration, who struggle to hide the increasingly deranged domestic behaviour? Not content with turning the once-dignified Oval Office into a tacky gallery full of gold baubles, Donald Trump wants to build a publicly resented ballroom, has plans to erect a massive “Arc de Trump” and wants his face on everything from US passports to banknotes. The Trump minions know they face investigation and possible prosecution for their actions should the mid-term elections produce the projected voter backlash. Patel’s fatuous attempts at diversion are trying to minimise the train wreck. George Williams, North BalgowlahHigher stakesWith so many World Cup matches ending in a draw, perhaps a rethink of the points system would make things more interesting. When a match is drawn there could be a countback on goal kicks, corner kicks and shots on goal. The countback winner would receive an extra point for the draw and the other side the usual one point. This would reward more attacking play. It would result in a system that awards three points for a win, two points for the more attacking team in a draw, one point for the other team in a draw, and zero for a loss. If the countback were equal then both teams would get one point each, as it is now. It’s not rocket science. Dale Bailey, St LeonardsStart with equalityI am a 13-year-old girl who loves sport. With all the headlines about the BBL privatisation recently (“BBL sale greenlit after crunch meeting”, June 16), I am wondering if anyone else out there apart from me is annoyed about how sexist the language is in naming sport competitions. The men’s Big Bash League, for example, is called the BBL. Just BBL. The women’s competition, on the other hand, is called the W-BBL. This suggests that the men’s game is the default. The standard. The real one. And the women’s game gets a little letter tacked on the front, like a footnote. The simple solution I have proposed to Cricket Australia is to put an M in front of BBL, so we would have the MBBL and the WBBL. Both labelled. Both equal. Both clear to anyone booking tickets. And most importantly, it is fair. It could be a real leader in this. Other sports like the AFL and NRL might follow suit. Names matter. Language matters. Until we label women’s sport equally, we can forget about real equity for women in sport. Grace Thornton, WollongoHouse of cardsWhile there is sense in building up rather than out in Sydney, it needs to be sustainable (“High density home boom fast tracked”, June 17). I support responsible development; however, there should be commensurate investment in supporting infrastructure and transport. As a resident in Drummoyne, I note many large development proposals but nothing to deal with the misery of the traffic conga line along Victoria Rd. Even the peak-hour buses are often at standstill. The boost in height proposed for these developments is also a joke, relying on affordable housing that no police officer, teacher or nurse could afford. It’s not sustainable, but the NSW government pushes on regardless. Brian Hastings, DrummoyneMercury risingThe Bureau of Meteorology has officially declared a strong El Niño, bringing hotter, drier weather (“‘Very strong’ El Nino global event in full swing, says BoM”, June 17). Combined with a 1.5‑degree warmer baseline, this is troubling news for much of Australia. Pollution from coal, oil and gas supercharges the impacts of natural weather cycles like El Niño. According to the Climate Council, we should brace for a longer fire season, reduced water availability, soils and vegetation drying out, more extreme heat and marine heatwaves that harm fish stocks and bleach coral reefs. Individually, we can prepare bushfire plans, manage our water use and ensure we have cooling options in place. But what is the Albanese government, which continues to support coal and gas expansion, doing to protect Australians from the next round of climate‑fuelled disasters? Karen Lamb, Geelong (Vic)We’re almost out of time.Michelle MossipAlternating currentIt was reported recently that homes in New South Wales and elsewhere would “start feeling immediate relief from rising electricity bills after regulators locked in price cuts for consumers across the eastern seaboard” (“Power bills set to fall despite Iran uncertainty”, May 26). So I was surprised this week when I received an email from my energy retailer informing me that my electricity rates would increase by about 13 per cent from July 1. I understand that the reported decrease applies only to the so-called default market rate, but given that about 93 per cent of Australian households (including me) are not on the default market rate, what exactly is the great cause for celebration when this rate falls? Especially when many of us are now being told we’ll actually have to start paying more than we were under existing plans. Ross Duncan, Potts PointHaving finally bitten the bullet and researched alternative electricity suppliers, I chose one based on its pricing structure and how it suited my lifestyle. I was welcomed with open arms. All set, I thought, especially as the media has reported that the wholesale price of electricity (and, therefore, presumably the retail price) was expected to drop in the new financial year. I was therefore stunned to receive notice this week that my new provider, far from not reducing my rate, will be increasing it from July 1. Sure, I could start the process all over again, but that’s unlikely. Which is exactly what my electricity provider is banking on. Randi Svensen, WyongEton stiflesSo much for modernising the monarchy. Prince George is to attend Eton, the poshest of posh English boys’ schools (“Prince George to go to prestigious Eton College”, June 17). Nothing says “man of the people” like wearing tails in your teens. Eva Elbourne, Pennant HillsTo submit a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.