Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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I am pleased for your opinion writer (″Thanks for the $400, Jacinta Allan. Pity I don’t need it″ 2/4) who is doing so well financially that he doesn’t need the $400 government payment to help with his children’s education. However, hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty do need help – just ask the Smith Family. The writer thinks payments should be means tested.
″Means testing″ requires more public servants – that much maligned group – to design forms, to set up an IT program, to decide who gets and does not, to send the lists of those who qualify to schools along with the money, at substantial cost. It requires people to assist parents whose English or IT skills are poor. It means that schools will learn the financial circumstances of families when told who will get the $400 payment – and it must be paid direct to schools or it may not be used for education – resulting in a lack of privacy. And what of the parents who struggle to afford education requirements but are a few dollars over the cut-off? Where would the cut-off be set? The cost of administering a means test would come close to the payment itself. The $400 payment is essentially more funding for public schools, a welcome move.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster
‘Activity centres’ no-go zones for living
Our daughter and her partner will soon start home hunting and must now reconsider buying anywhere near Jacinta Allan’s extension of ″activity centres″. They don’t want to get on the ″property speculation ladder″ – simply a home and garden of their own, a dog and hopefully babies. (I wish.)
And along with a sleep-deprivation mortgage comes the risk of Jacinta Allan, intent on ″value capturing″ their home to fund the Suburban Rail Loop – moving the kids into a high-rise flat while exacerbating congestion, overcrowded schools, ambulance ramping, heat islands, overpopulation and loss of open space.
This federal election offers us a voice on matters that were deceptively hidden during recent state elections.
James Richardson, Langwarrin
Labor should have surveyed the voters
After losing the 2019 federal election it was expected to win, Labor is understandably reluctant to again tackle the tax measures that could make housing affordable for aspiring first home owners: scrapping negative gearing and the CGT discount for investors. What I don’t understand is, why Labor didn’t run a plebiscite in parallel with this election, asking voters whether they want these tax concessions removed? Surely then, they haven’t made a commitment to do anything other than implement the voters’ will?
Linda Skinner, Mooroolbark
The tax rules on housing must change
The price of a house skyrocketed during the COVID years when demand from migrants was next to zero. Since the Reserve Bank has eased interest rates, the price of housing is again rising, faster than any other major cost of living, such as groceries.
About a third of the demand for housing comes from investors. If the tax rules on negative gearing were normalised and capital gains tax breaks were ended, then demand for investor housing would be reduced and a house would become more affordable for people who want to use a house as a home and not as an investment.
Australia doesn’t have a housing supply problem. On paper, we have enough housing stock to house everyone. We need to change the tax system to encourage investors to invest in things that benefit everyone, and not principally the investors themselves. We also need ceilings on rent rises and more public housing.
Geoff Black, Frankston
Aspiring to the harbour’s views
Peter Dutton goes on about “cost of living”, yet would choose to live in flash digs with harbour views at our expense.
Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills
THE FORUM
1950s not all good
Yes, the 1950s were a time for spelling lists, quaint Readers, times tables rote learning and red pen corrections. Although it can be comforting to recite The Highwayman at almost 80 years of age and to replicate the costumes of Tudor queens, many areas of education were overlooked in that era. Almost no Australian literature or history. ″Opportunity″ classes for failing students to gather and wait for streamed secondary schooling. The strap for naughty pupils. It may be called ″woke″ to teach reading and writing from material more familiar to students, to teach the skills of emotional intelligence (including empathy and respect) and to accommodate different learning styles, but they are measures of our progress and humanity. Let’s not revere the 1950s too much.
Glenda Johnston, Queenscliff
Home skills
Your correspondent must be jesting to suggest we need national service to teach 18-year-olds how to wash, iron, prepare meals, and ″even make their own beds″ (Letters, 2/4). Surely these and other basic living talents should be taught from early in life at home?
Peter Price, Southbank
Cannon fodder
My memories of national service are being not long out of school and not long into my first job, when drafted into the army at the time of the Vietnam War. My birthdate came out of a barrel – the only lotto I have ever won. The only ″skills″ I learnt were useless things such as spit-polishing my boots and how to use a rifle.
I didn’t understand why girls weren’t in the draft as they could have spit-polished their boots and used a rifle as well as the boys (it wasn’t hard). The biggest individual cost of national service was being commodified: none of us were seen as worthwhile for meaningful learning opportunities, eg. learning critical thinking skills or the ethics of war. We were all just cannon fodder.
David Hickey, Heidelberg
A mother’s teaching
Regarding you correspondent’s memory of learning to ″wash and iron (and starch), prepare meals (still not my forte), and even make my own bed. It made me independent, taught me survival skills and self-discipline″ my mother taught me all those things, (apart from the starch) without having to watch me sent off to Vietnam to do my “Nasho”.
Barry Doyle, Portarlington
US and foreign ways
Your correspondent (Letters, 2/4) notes the difference between France and America when it comes to criminal offences interfering with gaining political office. To borrow from the opening line of L.P. Hartley’s The Go-Between, America is a foreign country; they do things differently there.
Deborah Morrison, Malvern East
Not uniform saving
So it took a review to decide that school uniforms were expensive. (″Cost relief for parents″, 2/4) Just ask any parent – it’s not the cost of socks, pants and trackies that cause the pain. It’s the blazers, jackets, shirts, dresses and hats with school logos that stretch the budget and “above the waist” items that were not included in this ban.
Ann Banham, Williamstown
Define excellence
Could Peter Dutton define what he thinks is the ″excellence″ the ABC should display? I am frustrated at these statements being made without explanation or policies.
Michael Brinkman, Ventnor
Dutton as friend
Anthony Albanese says Peter Dutton is ″hostile to Victorians″ (″Allan poses a problem for PM″, 2/4).
However, if the Albanese government loses a significant number of seats in the election, the Allan state government might finally get the message that many Victorians do not support the premier’s cherished Suburban Rail Loop and regard airport rail as a much higher priority.
In that case, rather than a foe, Peter Dutton might be the best friend Victoria has.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills
Transport vision
Sir Henry Bolte’s vision (Letters, 2/4) was for a freeway from the international airport and, for better or worse, we have that. The rail line may be 50 years late, but let’s not have letter writers to The Age in 50 years’ time lamenting the SRL being similarly late.
Peter McGill, Lancefield
The nuclear hoax
Peter Dutton has announced that he is withdrawing federal funding from the proposed Suburban Rail Loop, claiming that the project will never be delivered and is a “cruel hoax”.
I assume he will now apply the same logic to his nuclear power plan?
Simon Bennett, Hawthorn East
Awake to woke
It’s common knowledge these days that ″woke agenda″ is a subjective term often used by conspiracy theorists to promote their own agendas. So when Peter Dutton uses that term in regard to reviewing Australian education, and, as your correspondent warns (Letters, 2/4), it’s not a good thing. In fact, it sounds more like revising the revisionists’ views to suit Dutton’s misleading take on Australia’s history.
Henry Herzog, St Kilda East
Sentiment warning
Victorians planning to vote for Brad Battin at the next state election because they believe anything is better than Labor should be reminded that this was the same sentiment that saw Jeff Kennett become premier.
Phil Alexander, Eltham
SRL doesn’t stack up
There is no ″game of chicken″ here (Editorial, 2/4). Infrastructure Australia has said the SRL does not stack up. The Victorian Auditor-General says it does not stack up. And the Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office has said the SRL does not stack up.
These are three highly professional independent parliamentary bodies. I am no Liberal, but why are we still even having this debate?
James Tucker, Greensborough
Reckless announcements
Peter Dutton’s view on public servants suggests that when the Coalition was last in power it had the optimal number of public servants – where one less would be deficient and one more inefficient. That seems to me the greatest piece of hubris and quite frankly rubbish I have ever heard. Were there too many or too few public servants employed when the Coalition decided to press ahead with the ill-fated robo-debt? There is absolutely no science or evaluation in his reckless pronouncement. Come to think of it the same is lacking in Dutton’s push for more gas, new nuclear energy and anything else he throws a dart at. He is as bad as Donald Trump. They may as well consult a fortune teller.
John Rome, Mt Lawley
Sink the subs
Our biggest and most immediate threat to our security is probably not a foreign invader, but climate change and environmental degradation. We are doing a great job of destroying our assets. The billions of dollars tied up in AUKUS submarines could be put to better use by making a positive and sustainable contribution to the planet that sustains us.
Jennie Epstein, Little River
Victim of perception
In politics, perception is everything and Jacinta Allen is a victim of that perception (″Jacinta Allan’s sinking popularity inflicts brand damage on Albanese’s election hopes″, 2/4).
The biggest negative perception is that of debt. Yet debt is necessary if you want to build infrastructure. I am sure that few Victorians would disagree with the money spent on the rail network for example. As to the level of debt it is less than NSW where huge debt was accrued by the Coalition building infrastructure (sound familiar?) and less than half that accrued by the revered Henry Bolte so clearly the Coalition are not the answer.
As to preferred premier it was interesting to note that the preferred option was somebody else at 41 per cent.
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Daylight saving daze
This weekend sees daylight saving come to an end in much of Australia.
Admirable as most people seem to find it in the languorous days of summer, that it continues until almost three weeks after the autumn equinox is too long.
There are 77 days of daylight saving before the longest day on December 21, but 106 days after that summer solstice, a marked imbalance. There is no reasonable reason to extend it into April.
A logical cessation time would be about the March long weekend, which would produce an even period of daylight saving each side of the longest day.
I suspect many people starting each day in the darkness over recent weeks would appreciate the practical change.
Brian Kidd, Mount Waverley
Donate the money
Maybe opinion writer Tom Ormonde (Comment, 2/4) can donate the $400 to the Smith Family.
James Lane, Hampton East
Why American oranges?
Why are supermarkets selling American oranges? Surely we should be supporting our growers and buying Australian grown fruit.
Meredith King, Mooroolbark
Sydney example is the key
I am not a big fan of Sydney, but to fly in, get in a train and be at Circular Quay in about 30 minutes hassle free, beats the heck out of getting to and from Tullamarine.
Marie Nash, Balwyn
Obama’s opening?
Donald Trump suggests that the Constitution be damned, he may stand for a third term. Does that mean then that there is a chance of Barack Obama standing also for a third term? One can only hope.
Darren Grindrod, Glenroy
Credit: Matt Golding
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
We have an Australian name for election day: the Democracy Sausage. Now we need one for a collection of election campaign days. For starters, what about The Gravy Train, or The Truth Train?
Vince Corbett, Essendon
It’s a bit old hat to think that a photograph of the prime minister kissing babies is going to gain votes. Anthony Albanese, try photos with dogs like your Toto. Definitely a vote winner.
Di Bull, Hawthorn
I do get some pleasure out of Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots ads and his party colours. Yellow and Black – go Tigers.
Patricia Grodski, Heidelberg
Has Jacinta Allan become the albatross around Anthony Albanese’s neck? (″Allan poses problem for PM as voters dump Labor″, 2/4)
Ivan Glynn, Vermont
Be patient, Ben Carroll. Your time is nigh.
David Cayzer, Clifton Hill
With the focus on recycling, I do hope that a use will be found for all the red tape that the opposition says it is going to cut.
Joan Segrave, Healesville
Dutton and Kirribilli. What a snob.
Dan Drummond, Leongatha
Reactions to Peter Dutton’s Sydney domicile choice: Brisbane miffed, Canberra chagrined, Perth Peter who? Adelaide – let us pray, Melbourne overjoyed.
Greg Curtin, Nunawading
In this present political climate we need some comic relief. Where’s Barnaby?
John Bye, Elwood
Trump
There has been talk of Donald Trump seeking a third term as president. Surely the American people would not be so stupid as to vote him in for a third time.
Reg Murray, Glen Iris
Why is Trump claiming he will attempt to win a third presidential term when, in his mind, he’s already won three elections?
Mike Pantzopoulos, Ashburton