Re Bill Stefaniak’s article on ‘Only Aussies should vote in Australian elections’ (CW 14 July 2022 p8),

I agree with him whole heartedly. If the government let the Kiwis vote, then are they going to allow all other nations living here to vote? The New Zealanders have no more right to vote than the British, and they have to become Australian citizens before they can vote. Next thing, the government will be allowing the Kiwis to join the public service.

I also think the criminals, with no exceptions, should be deported. I can understand why Jacinda Ardern does not want them back, because the crime rate in New Zealand has skyrocketed in recent years. But she does not mind them staying here committing crimes.

New Zealand is a beautiful country and on the two occasions my husband and I visited, all the people got on with no racism; now under Jacinda they are all divided, I think it is time she was tossed out.

• V Evans, Macgregor ACT

I read with interest Bill Stefaniak’s column headed ‘Only Aussies should vote in Australian elections’ (CW 14 July 2022 p8) until he started waffling on about the 501 rule. The only thing he mentioned about Australian citizens having the right to vote was that if the criminals were Australian citizens they would not be deported. If they are criminals and have committed serious crimes no matter where they come from, turf them out. Everything is about choices that each individual makes and if they employed 40 or so workers, they could stay. What rot. Is this money before morality? If they were going to go back to a hellhole is a choice that they made when they came to Australia initially and one that should have been made before they ‘threw that brick through the window’.

Anyway Bill, I served 18 months as a National Serviceman in 1972 and 1973 initially with the ominous threat that I may be required to lay down my life for this wonderful country that I chose to live in. I had no say whether I went or not, that was decided for me by the politicians of the day, like you, who passed those laws without asking permission of my country of origin. I was classed as a permanent resident and therefore entitled to stay here forever. How many non-Australian National Servicemen were conscripted and died in Vietnam, Bill?

I came to Australia as a child aged 10, in 1969, and I am now 71 years old and still have not become an Australian citizen. I have voted, however, since turning 18 because I care about Australia, as no doubt do so many other ‘foreigners’ and if we are permanent residents, should we not have a say in who is going to look after my and everyone else’s future in this great land of ours?

• P Sinclair, Brisbane Grove NSW 2580

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