Albanese government paying too high a price on wage increases

The Albanese government, seeking popularity by formally supporting a 5.1 per cent increase in the minimum wage, has opened a Pandora’s box in wage demands by unions – a move that must increase inflationary pressures and negatively impact the cost of living (“Unions to chase 5 per cent plus wage claims”, 20/6).

The government’s move was irresponsible and will likely cause untold grief to small business that will, in the end, impact households through job losses. Employment Minister Tony Burke has his head in the sand if he seriously believes otherwise.

Whether the Fair Work Commission will approve a flow-on of the minimum wage increase to awards remains to be seen but knowing the new government’s attitude it is more likely to be supportive. The wage-inflation spiral has begun in earnest; the losers are all of us.

John George, Terrigal, NSW

During the Whitlam years the company I worked for had about 20 employees. The quarterly wage rise granted translated to four lost jobs a year.

I wonder if Employment Minister Tony Burke understands that the 5 per cent is just the starting point; payroll tax, superannuation contribution, leave loadings and insurance are all assessed at the new pay rate.

A substantial pay rise may be justified but it’s more than likely that one worker’s pay rise will be another’s job.

Bruce Collison, Banks, ACT

Pole position

The gaggle of luvvies on the ABC Insiders couch on Sunday couldn’t conceal their enthusiasm for the NSW government’s mirroring of federal Labor’s house equity scheme, for its renewable energy enlightenment and for its $25m flagpole.

Labor-lite may be the Coalition’s ambition, but why wouldn’t the NSW electorate just vote for the real thing next time round?

Kim Keogh, East Fremantle, WA

Nick Partridge asks what universe does the NSW Premier live in, revealing that he is spending $25m on a flagpole (Last Post, 20/6).

I do not know what universe, but it must be the same one Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk resides in, spending $200m on the now white elephant Wellness Camp which is currently empty.

In comparison, $25m seems low for a flagpole. I am sure many can think where to tell NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to put his flagpole.

Susan McLochlan, Caboolture South, Qld

If people are stunned at the $25m cost for a flagpole on Sydney Harbour Bridge, wait until they see the cost for Australia to become a republic. That is, if the cost of a change to a republic should ever be revealed.

Kerry Rees, Yungaburra, Qld

People’s republic

Rather than praising the Australian Republic Movement’s third republican model in three decades, Professor George Williams should be lamenting it (“Model for republic ready to debate when time is right”, 20/6).

The whole point of the model, a guided democracy in which the politicians would choose the candidates for whom the people would be graciously permitted to vote in expensive but pointless elections, was to unite the republicans.

Not surprisingly, this guided democracy and the stripping of any power in the president to act as a constitutional guardian has not appealed to the Real Republicans who sided with us in the last referendum.

There is only one message for the republicans: back to the drawing board.

Or, better, finally accept that merely grafting some politicians’ republic on to what is a constitutional monarchy won’t work with the people.

David Flint, national convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Although supporting the concept of a republic, the people rejected the last referendum because they did not want politicians appointing a president.

The proposed new model is just Buckley’s choice; the politicians choose their preferred candidates and the people get to choose which one.

Iain Rae, Palmwoods, Qld

Dropping the ball

Another round of weekend AFL matches has produced another list of serious injuries (“Horrific injury mars Suns’ crow”, 20/6).

Surely it’s time the AFL conducted an inquiry into the mounting level of injuries that force players out for significant periods.

Is the game still too congested? The prevalence of concussion, for example, suggests that it is.

If the game was a normal workplace the health and safety inspectors would have been called in long ago.

Peter Kennedy, Mt Lawley, WA