There is no shortage of tradies (“Tradie shortage squeezes renos”, January 5). The real problem is excessive demand. We could make the kitchen last 30 years instead of 20. Does the new house really need a media room? We could build smaller houses. Maybe we could just settle for less. We should also remember that the perceived skills shortages in many areas are just that: perceptions. The ABS gets its data from employers, who think they would like to have more staff to make more money. A population policy wouldn’t go astray either. To paraphrase David Attenborough: there is no problem that would not be easier to solve with fewer people. Chris O’Rourke, Bathurst
The Green Building Council estimates “the average homeowner can save up to $550 a year on bills if they go all-electric, $463 on water costs with high-efficiency water fixtures, and at least $800 annually on energy bills with solar panels” provided they are affluent enough and able to find expensive tradies to do the work. Clearly, if governments are serious about reducing the cost of living and Australia’s emissions, more must be done to make energy-efficient renos and products accessible to all, including the one-third who rent. For those who can afford improved energy efficiency but choose not to, some financial penalty could apply, similar to the Medicare levy surcharge. We all have a role to play in achieving emissions targets. Ray Peck, Hawthorn (Vic)
Maybe just a touch smaller?
The Liberal Party under Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg is responsible for the boom in private worker utilities, and it was all about using public money via tax exemptions and concessions to buy votes. Suddenly, tradies became objects of a fetish in the government as they were “aspirational” and the backbone of the nation, as opposed to other workers who clearly were not. Then we had an election in which EVs were scorned and mocked. Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights
With all the talk of shortages in the workforce, at the age of 71 I’ve decided to return to work, as an influencer. Apparently, there’s a quid to be made: who’d have thought? I’m only part-time at the moment because, since the dog died, I seem to have little influence over anyone. However, once I find someone to influence I fully intend to go full-time. Apparently, the only skill required is a high opinion of one’s own opinion. I can certainly tick that box. Does anyone out there in Herald land need any influencing? Terry Thelwell, North Ryde
Charging points vital to take-up
I’m sure Denise Mill’s article makes accounting sense (“Why switch to EVs with these tax lurks for guzzlers?” , January 5). However, to me, watching my friend suffer acute “range anxiety”, related to his vehicle’s battery charge, about completing an unplanned detour we took, or the availability of a charging station while on a trip to a few regional NSW towns, turned me off any thoughts of an EV. We drove to the only EV charging station in Parkes, only to find it was not working and was awaiting parts. We located one 25 minutes away in Forbes in a private motel and the owner was gracious enough to let us use it, but it added hours to our trip. Unless the infrastructure to support EVs takes off, no EVs for me. At least petrol pumps are more easily accessible. Manbir Singh Kohli, Pemulwuy
Is an EV really worth the money?Credit: Michaela Pollock
Denise Mills’ article highlights one of the many reasons EV take-up has been so slow in this country. Many years ago, my accountant turned up to my house driving a large twin-cab SUV. When quizzed as to why, his response was that “the tax breaks and FBT concessions are fantastic for this vehicle”. No offence to my accountant, but he’s not an outdoorsy type of guy, doesn’t tow a boat and has two small children. An SUV is the last type of car he needs; especially as a work vehicle. I will know when the government has changed this crazy tax lurk once my accountant starts driving an EV. Warwick Spencer, West Pymble
A trip up the M1 over Christmas confirms the article about tax lurks for gas guzzlers. Many times we were overtaken by huge dual cabs emblazoned with business advertising filled with and towing all sorts of holiday equipment. Why does a business needing a briefcase to transport its tools of trade need an American goliath to transport same, and why aren’t occupations categorised and limits applied to the amount a trade can claim on a vehicle for tax purposes? Bob Cameron, Coffs Harbour
The great unread
Now I need to know who is the Herald’s most-unpublished, never-published correspondent (Letters, January 5).
John Christie, Oatley
In the shade
It seems ironic that the very people cutting trees down to improve their views (Letters, January 5) are often the people who, when out visiting, rush to park their cars in the shade thrown by trees. I recall an article in the Herald many years ago showing two nearby parallel roads, one with a tree canopy and one without, and the difference in temperature at ground level was 10 degrees. Draw your own conclusions about the value of trees. Merilyn McClung, Forestville
Service … do it yourself
“Service station” is alliterative but misleading (“On the servo’s graveyard shift, time stood still”, January 5). I am old enough to recall when a real attendant would fuel your car up, clean the windscreen and check the oil and tyres if requested. Methinks the slippery slope into self-service began at the petrol pump and has spread to supermarkets and banking. Kim Crawford, Springwood
The night shift looks better in the day Credit: Sydney Morning Herald
Sunnies search party
Glad to hear David Warner has recovered his caps (“‘Pleased and relieved’: Warner locates his missing baggy greens”, smh.com.au, January 5). Can the “search party” he publicly thanked now, please, be redeployed to help me find my sunglasses, which have been missing since before Christmas? Stephen Driscoll, Castle Hill
Make future train builds face a Spanish inquisition
I am continually amused, and extremely concerned, by the ongoing fiasco regarding the public transport infrastructure issues within NSW (“More delays and costs for new trains from Spain”, January 5). I will be using these long-distance trains should they ever reach the railway tracks of regional NSW, and I am deeply concerned at cost blow-outs and future reliability. The belief that overseas production would result in a cheaper and better quality product in our rail systems (light and heavy rail) has proved such a furphy that I think all levels of government should be put on notice. A good start would be to get rid of the secrecy used through “commercial in confidence” ruse. Even better would have been to revive the industry behind building rolling stock in NSW. I hope the NSW government representatives firstly succeed in getting these trains on track, but also look at future infrastructure purchases in the light of promoting Australian made. Robert Mulas, Corlette
The train will arrive … soonCredit: iStock
Despite the latest litany of long-running problems with the heavy rail trains being built in Spain, there was always the promise that this procurement process would be cheaper for NSW. But now one asks: who benefits? Certainly not public transport users when trains are about four years late into service. Why can’t we expose whoever were the decision makers who signed for inadequate designs during the previous Coalition state government? Evan Bailey, Glebe
Big bridge
The 3.6k trains through Wagga must come with a bridge (“Freight fears in regional towns”, January 5). Meantime, where are the parked new trains, and can the Southern Highlands line please have some? It’s not the 1980s any more. And please reopen the Mossvale/Wollongong line to create a big loop back to Sydney and renew the villages along the way. Trains not toll roads.
Ivan Head, Burradoo
Sport fizzer
NSW is correct in being reluctant to hand over taxpayer money to retain or attract sporting events (“Money the real test of Sydney’s New Year’s resolution”, January 5). None of these events generates new economic activity, merely concentrating it in one place. The question has to be how much leakage from NSW there would be if an event moved to another state. If the leakage is less than the money paid, it isn’t worth doing. Greg Baker, Fitzroy Falls
Why is the taxpayer expected to pay a sport to have its event in NSW? The major sports are big businesses, generally with huge income from television rights, sponsorships and gate takings. If the sport can’t stand on its own two legs, pay for the use of our facilities and make a profit, then they need new management. Terry Cook, Ermington
Energy gap
It is exciting to read Carnegie Clean Energy is making good progress with its wave energy technology (“New wave of high-tech to fix nation’s energy storage”, January 5). I first heard of this technology around 25 years ago, and it made such sense for Australia being an island surrounded by water. The government must get behind this technology to solve and address the “firming gap” in energy supply. Bill Young, Killcare Heights
The new wave in energy productionCredit: AP Photo/Richard Vogel
Medicare mess
One of the last changes that Howard and Costello made to superannuation significantly increased the inequity between young and old Australians (Letters, January 5). This change removed super pensions from the calculation of Medicare contributions. Thus, well-organised baby boomers, the highest users of Medicare, can make little or no contributions to the costs that they incur. Alan Robertson, Campbell (ACT)
Outback misconception
Film-makers are not doing Australians any favours with depictions of our outback as a remote destination containing people and animals which are mostly dangerous to visitors (“The horrors of the outback,” January 5). I wonder how many overseas tourists are put off exploring our country by these films which over-emphasise the danger? Anyone who has really explored our outback will have been inspired by the beauty of the sometimes harsh landscape, and the friendliness of the people. It is often said that the further one gets away from the towns and cities the more friendly and helpful people are. This is probably because in that remote situation people have to depend on each other. There are many positives about our remote regions which could be brought into focus, rather than stressing the mostly fictional dangers that they might represent. Derrick Mason, Boorowa
The outback is really very nice. Don’t believe the films.Credit: iStock
Animals overheating
It’s not just our furred kids that suffer the health effects of heat and weather stress (Letters, January 5). My neighbour’s bees have been slaking their thirst in our pool. Most of the handful I fish out each day are drowned. Lifting out near-drowned bees, beetles and ants gives me hope. The rare survivor shake off their sodden selves weakly at first, drying out enough in the waking sun to resume their day after cranking up their wings. Bees are critical to crop and fruit pollination and underpin humanity’s non-animal protein food supplies. Birds alternate between withering in supercharged heat and being soaked to the core in heavy storms. I’m sorry that Fido’s walks are curtailed to the cool times of day and increasing summer thunderstorms acutely distress them, but I fear the global decline in bees and insects is a harbinger of far worse in store for humanity. Joseph Ting, Carina (Qld)
Black fallacy
When and where did the rumour start that wearing black makes you appear slimmer? Why do we have to view what looks like family and friends at a mass funeral daily - starting with early morning dog walkers, continuing with passengers at bus stops and train stations, on public transport, workers and customers in shops, office staff etc? Wouldn’t it cheer everyone if they saw colour all around instead, as soon as the sun rose - as well as the gardens in flower? Wouldn’t young children feel more inclined to laugh, clap hands and sing, with bright colours rather than black facing them whilst being pushed around in a pram or stroller? Let’s ditch the grey and black. Marianne van de Voorde, North Narrabeen
Let’s move to colourCredit: Getty Images
Naughty MPs must lose privileges
Anyone watching or listening to question time in federal parliament is well aware of the childish behaviour of politicians (“MPs behaving badly is the ugly face of democracy”, January 5). The use of mobile phones during question time shows just how uninterested our elected representatives are in what is being discussed. Just as schools are banning the use of mobile phones during lessons, so should parliament follow suit during question time. After all, the pollies behave like children and should be treated accordingly. Greg Thomas, Annandale
Children are quick to improve their behaviour when their special privileges are taken away from them. So it should be for those parliamentarians who insist on acting like badly behaved children. Joy Cooksey, Harrington
In the editorial, you say, “voters have grown tired of the endless futile negativity”, yet Peter Dutton’s wrecking ball approach to opposition and the ease with which Coalition voters repeated the juvenile “Airbus Albo” slur or worse, the Voice misinformation, suggests otherwise. Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn
You can’t expect parliament to be more civil if those inside it refuse to behave. Or to facilitate the creation of a body that might make them behave. David Rush, Lawson
Glebe rebuild destroys fabric
While recent news has heralded bright shiny new developments around Blackwater Bay and Central Railway to name but two adjacent districts, the gradual destruction of the once diverse, colourful social fabric encircling the city’s high-rise skyline stands in stark contrast (“Glebe state housing residents push back against unit rebuild”, January 5). Both ex-local resident Carolyn Ienna and Glebe Society pro bono architect Hector Abrahams make sensible points of criticism. Who indeed would want to live in a shady, sunless unit? Why destroy a workable social community for what appears little gain? The state Labor government can and should do much better. Why not simply renovate appropriately a solidly built 35-year-old brick development as proposed by Abrahams and maintain the social fabric of the dwelling? The once infamous cloak of being the Emerald City should be replaced by one representing a welcoming socially rich and environmentally diverse, sustainable city. Cleveland Rose, Dee Why
No glee for demolition in Glebe Credit: Oscar Colman
John Howard started the sell-off of public housing by squeezing funding to the states. The NSW Coalition from 2013 accelerated this privatisation and the redevelopment of public housing and non-residential assets such as the Exhibition Centre and several stadiums. Where still possible, the Minns government should reverse this wasteful strategy. Tony Simons, Balmain
I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve read, “experts say ... but the government says ...” This is another sad and costly example. Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown
Postscript
The new year started well, if a bit competitively, on the Letters page. After last Saturday’s claim by Allan Gibson to have the “last letter” of 2023, people rushed to claim the “first letter” of 2024. The pages just aren’t designed for that, sorry, but, for the record, the first letter hoping for first letter bragging rights was from Lorraine Hickey of Green Point, very early on Saturday morning.
The biggest story of the week was the news the Crown Princess Our Mary will soon be queen of Denmark. Finally, after years of faffing around with minor royalty, Australia will have a properly appointed queen of its own, despite the killjoys who keep pointing out that she is now officially Danish. As a bonus, Australia beats New Zealand for producing royalty.
On more serious subjects, there was discussion about whether cash should, could or would survive in this now strongly digital age. Most writers are for preserving cash, digital is seen as being of benefit, and profit, mostly to banks, not people. Dire warnings also came from writers who had lived through natural disasters when the first thing that broke down was the electrical system, leaving people without cash at a disadvantage.
Writers were interested in the latest New Year release of cabinet papers, with many thoughts about when such documents should be released. Is 30 years fair, and is there advantage in releasing them earlier?
Talk continued about illegal tree felling, a subject that has struck a nerve with writers, with many suggesting ingenious punishments for the scofflaw fellers. There are those who feel that private trees are your own business, but harming public trees is beyond the pale.
Harriet Veitch, acting letters editor
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