LETTER: Why limit cashless card to under-35s?

BIG Brother is making a huge mistake in limiting the cashless card to those people who are no older than 35.

AGE LIMIT: What about the older people who are using their pension on the pokies? Picture: Contributed

Cashless seniors?

BIG Brother is making a huge mistake in limiting the cashless card to those people who are no older than 35.

If the government is serious about stopping pension funds being used for gambling they should target those over 65 and or invalid.

Any look at the pokie room of any club at any time of the day or night will show a preponderance of white-haired players.

Obviously it is this group who should get their pensions not in cash, but as a cashless card.

If an excuse is needed, the government could point out this group contains the greater percentage of people with dementia.

Perhaps a further excuse would be to show that this group also enjoys the occasional alcoholic drink.

Membership of the RSL should be enough to legally brand any returned man as a beer drinker if only on Anzac Day.

By all means introduce a cashless card in lieu of a cash pension but aim at the real target: the aged, ill and handicapped.

FREDERICK F ARCHER

Bundaberg

Daffodil Day

NEXT Friday is Daffodil Day - a day to show support for Queenslanders impacted by cancer and help raise funds for lifesaving research.

We can all make a difference in our local community and support loved ones diagnosed with cancer by getting involved.

More than 1200 volunteers will be out selling around 700,000 daffodils at 300 sites across Queensland this week.

I encourage everyone to give generously and buy a bunch of daffodils or a pin to save a life.

Queenslanders can also dedicate a virtual daffodil to a loved one at daffodilday.com.au.

It's our mission to ensure that every daffodil sold gives hope to the 27,000 Queenslanders diagnosed with cancer each year.

For this reason, all funds raised from the initiative will be reinvested in cancer research looking into better treatment options and early detection methods.

Since Daffodil Day started 32 years ago survival rates have drastically improved because of advances in cancer prevention, screening and treatment - an achievement all of us can be proud of.

Thank you for your support.

CHRIS MCMILLAN

CEO, Cancer Council Queensland

Intersection woes

I WANT to respond to June Bunt's letter re the intersection of FE Walker St and Ashfield Rd.

David Batt started this petition at my request, so is doing what his voters asked him to do (pretty sure that's a local polly's number one job).

To be honest, I find the fact that you obviously don't use this intersection twice a day like lots of school parents who do, quite out of touch with the reality of us who do.

To put us in the category of drivers who don't take care and are only in a hurry to work or "meet for coffee” oh and of course female, sooo insulting and assuming. That in itself makes your letter out of touch.

Believe it or not, at least half the people who should use this intersection - and yes this includes males - go a different way, way out of their way just to avoid this intersection. If everyone who had to go this way did, this intersection would be even worse than what it is now.

At no stage did David or myself imply that beautiful Anna died at this intersection. I am painfully aware exactly when and where her accident happened, and why she was on that road and not this intersection.

Yes there are lights there because of the last petition we did, but not all drivers slow to 60 and this has been nothing but a band-aid solution that is only going to get worse, no matter how much care and patience any drivers have.

CARMEN MCENEANY

Burnett Heads Rd

Card divides

WHAT a disgraceful but not unexpected decision by the Coalition-stacked senate review committee regarding Mr Pitt's signature policy for Hinkler.

Despite his acknowledgement of the employment problems in his recent and long- overdue cries for job creation and economic development in Hinkler he still pushes for this divisive and discriminatory card.

I was gobsmacked when I read the senate committee's report that recommended the bill be passed, especially when it said in part "the committee acknowledges that this bill may limit a participant's human rights, however...”

The committee has acknowledged in its own report that this card is an attack on people's human rights.

At the next election the voters of Hinkler should remember that Mr Pitt is a loud and proud supporter of a card that in the words of his own government colleagues, will "limit a participant's human rights”.

STEVE LEESE

Avoca