Letter: Sydney, Manchester and other burning issues
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Your story (11 January) on the Sydney bush fires contains an error. As traumatic as they are, it is incorrect to label them 'Australia's most devastating bush fires'.
In the bush fires of 1983 that swept through south-eastern Australia, the land between Melbourne and Adelaide (a distance approaching 450 miles) was ablaze, and more than 70 people died as a result, while millions of acres of farm land were burnt. Using whatever means of calculation (sheer size, loss of human life or damage caused), the fires of '83 were far more devastating.
The international media have fallen victim to the Australian equivalent of a complaint often voiced here: that news coverage is biased towards a geographical part of the country. Yes, Sydney is the largest and most picturesque of the Australian capital cities. However, this does not mean that an event centred in or around Sydney is more important than another.
Yours sincerely,
KEVIN MAXWELL
London, SW17
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments