Are you reading this, prime minister?

Thank you for your accurate, strong and forceful editorial comments regarding the Minister for Immigration, Peter Dutton (“National disgrace”, September 2-8). It would be excellent if the prime minister read and then acted on your words, but sadly I doubt if this government cares a jot about the welfare of the people seeking asylum for whom it is responsible, but whom it cynically uses to retain power. Like many in our community, I am saddened and very ashamed of our current policies regarding all asylum seekers, but especially those who arrived, or tried to arrive, by boat. No doubt in future years we will consider those policies and actions in the way we now view institutional child abuse – how could we have let it happen? Thank you for all your writing in relation to the plight of asylum seekers.

– Katherine Rechtman, North Carlton, Vic