Still time for Australia to ditch free trade agreement with China Echoes from The Bridge on the River Kwai in trade negotiations.
The more I hear Andrew Robb and Tony Abbott say we must sign the Australia-China free trade agreement (not), the more I am reminded of Colonel Nicholson in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai. They have worked hard to get where they are but that effort in itself does not mean it is in the best interests of Australia. Given Chinese business acumen, it is almost certainly going to favour China.
Just because our officials have invested so much time in the negotiations does not mean we have to sign it. There is no shame in recognising a sunk cost. 
David Groube, Guerilla Bay, NSW Amid all the political claims and counter-claims about the Australia-China free trade agreement, one thing stands out: legal, economic and population experts alike express concerns about its negative impact on Australian jobs, its lopsided market access and its unequal treatment of Australia in terms of its restrictions on employment of Australians in China and its asymmetrical investor-state dispute settlement clauses. The academic analyses lead unerringly to the conclusion that such unequal terms should not be accepted by Australia, whatever country happens to be our trading partner.
These concerns have nothing to do with racism, and everything to do with Australia's national interest.
Many African states have had to accept unequal terms in exchange for Chinese investment in development and infrastructure in their countries.
Chinese labour has been imported, causing severe social disturbances among local workers.
Local environmental conditions and human rights have also been trampled on. Chinese interests, combined with the elite corruption and poverty in some African countries, have proved a potent and destructive mix.
Ann Kent, Forrest Every life counts Now that there is a Christian minority being targeted in the Middle East by Islamic State, Mr Abbott has become very concerned about the welfare of "minorities in the Middle East" and is preparing to rescue large numbers of them.
The Hazara minority within the Islamic religion in Afghanistan has been targeted by many groups over the years, the most recent being the Taliban and al-Qaeda, but when they fled to Australia seeking asylum, this government has had no difficulty deciding to send many of them back to the killing fields. Just a pity they couldn't have been Christians.
Margaret Lee, Hawker Surely every life counts, or no one does. The idea that a persecuted Christian has more value than a non-Christian is frankly abhorrent. Surely the Abbott cabal realises that IS doesn't discriminate - they will kill and persecute anyone who opposes them. Amazing that such a vile group can be less discriminatory than Coalition government members.
Annette Gilmour, Melba Time to grow up Last week was certainly a good one for childish euphemisms.
First we had RSPCA chief executive Tammy Ven Dange telling us ("The olden fleece ...
mammoth woolly desperately seeking shearer",   September 3, p1) that Chris the sheep might not be able to go to the bathroom. This embarrassing statement was flashed around the world. Then we had Ian De Landelles mourning the "passing" of Bart Cummings (Letters,   September 4). Ian, there is no evidence that Cummings passed anywhere. We just know that he died.
Alan Robertson, Civic Bart Cummings Yes, Richard Manderson (Letters,   September 8), "old and grumpy" is exactly how you sound with your churlish comments on Bart Cummings. And a purveyor of false dichotomies too. We do not have to choose between honouring great popular heroes and addressing what you allow as "difficult and important issues". We can, and should, do both. For more than 150 years, the Melbourne Cup has been a core element of Australia's story and its social fabric.
What else "stops the nation" annually? Nobody looms larger in that story than J.B. Cummings.
Of course he deserved a state funeral. We have had them before for footballers, boxers, motor racing drivers and cricketers, including of course, the fabled Don Bradman, perhaps the only one on the same rung of the sporting ladder as Bart. One of Australia's longest-serving Prime Ministers [Bob Hawke] has led the tributes for Cummings just as another [John Howard] did for Bradman. Does anyone think they did not also deal with "difficult and important issues"?
Phil Teece, Sunshine Bay, NSW Human Services N. Hardy (Letters,   September 5, ) misrepresents the draft Enterprise Agreement which Department of Human Services staff are now voting on.
We have listened to staff feedback and worked hard to develop a new agreement that offers staff a pay rise without changing many of their entitlements.The pay rise on offer includes an average general pay increase of 4.5per cent over three years. No other APS agency has offered more. This is a strong proposal, with no changes to work hours, annual leave accrual, bandwidth or personal/carers leave accrual, or the number of days of personal/carer's leave staff can take without evidence.
We encourage staff to read the information we have made available to them so they can make an informed decision when they vote. This information clearly shows staff entitlements have not been moved into policy - they are in the agreement and in the legislation where they belong.
Hank Jongen, general manager, Department of Human Services Airport advertising No matter what one thinks of the impression visitors get from defence equipment advertisements at Canberra airport, surely of most concern is that the purveyors of this equipment apparently have an expectation that those responsible for such purchases would be influenced - much like a five-year-old is drawn to the toy that comes with a junior burger. Just as well they all have wise heads and we have had no disastrous purchases in the past!
Peter Edsor, Bungendore, NSW