A Western Sydney surgeon has raised arguments unfairly critical of the state government. (Surgery cost cuts unjust, 17/10). The public are not critical when bureaucrats audit spending in other government departments. The health dollar is no exception. Budgeting by local health districts focuses funding on local need. It is not the government’s role to be the whipping boy when local priorities cause dissent. Waiting list times are a poor index of resource distribution. It is often ignored that excellent surgeons have longer waiting lists and are worth waiting for. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta. 19Oct2019.