Chris Bowen has displayed contempt and arrogance

Labor’s tax policy has been compromised by its Treasury spokesman.

Your editorial savages Labor’s declaration of war on retirees (“Bowen brushes off the votes of thrifty retirees”, 31/1). It tells of a contemptuous arrogance towards them displayed by shadow treasurer Chris Bowen on ABC radio. Not only would confiscation of dividend imputation credits be a reversion to the double taxation ended by Paul Keating, it is also evidence of Labor’s decisive and divisive leftist turn since its Hawke-Keating predecessors.

Add to that an appeal to the “fairness” of a measure that would, as Robert Gottliebsen notes, discriminate in favour of Labor’s favoured industrial super funds, and one finds an unbelievable hypocrisy.

And the promised policy, by its inducement to abandon thrifty independence in favour of a pension, displays stupidity about its optimistic revenue-harvesting forecasts. Such stupidity causes me to ponder the need for greater maturity and practical experience in politics.

John Kidd, Auchenflower, Qld

Chris Bowen’s belief that the retiree tax grab will have little effect on voters is threatened by the impact it could also have on retirees’ descendants. When the children and grandchildren of self-funded retirees realise that this unfair cash grab would reduce their inheritance prospects, the votes against Labor could increase.

The Coalition government should capitalise on this factor in its election campaign.

Frank Cullen, Bowral, NSW

Chris Bowen’s disdain for self-funded retirees and those of pensionable age who have saved all their lives to support themselves and not be reliant on welfare is outrageous. This man says he doesn’t care if those affected by his proposed imputation tax changes don’t vote for Labor in the coming election.

Well, mate, you should worry. It won’t be just the votes of the grey brigade going against you. I am from a long line of dairy farmers. I have siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces who will be just as infuriated by Bowen’s class warfare. They won’t be voting Labor either. They will stick up for their heritage, for their family members who worked back-breaking hours in drought and flooding rains that no card-carrying Laborite, no unionist, no Greens, no GetUp member would ever know. They’ve worked to produce the products most Australians take for granted. They’ve worked to support themselves in their retirement and not be a burden on taxpayers. How dare Labor take these people for granted?

Colleen Walker, Mt Louisa, Qld

As someone with a self-managed super fund, and a Labor voter all my life, I am at a loss to understand the blatant unfairness of exempting industry funds from the franking credit reforms. It’s not Chris Bowen’s money.

David Brown, Double Bay, NSW

What a frightening prospect for self-funded retirees like me to be told in effect by Chris Bowen that Labor doesn’t need my vote, could not care less who I vote for, but just wants to reduce my retirement income by pocketing my excess franking credits.

Margaret Bergomi, Lane Cove, NSW

The scornful manner in which Chris Bowen has dismissed older Australians for disagreeing with Labor policy is shameful. Bowen’s response to criticism of Labor’s proposed dumping of the franking credit tax arrangement with a “vote against us” retort, dismisses self-funded retirees as policy collateral damage and is arrogant and disrespectful.

The people Bowen would disenfranchise with Labor’s proposal are Australians who have managed their weekly pay and superannuation so that in retirement they are not a burden on the country.

Clearly Bowen doesn’t think there are enough of these people to damage Labor’s chances of winning the next federal election. He has shown himself to be disrespectful, dismissive and divisive, not prepared to entertain the protests of thousands of Australians who stand to lose income if Labor’s proposal comes to pass.

Tim Sauer, East Brighton, Vic

Chris Bowen’s plans to steal retirees’ hard-earned money are abominable. By abolishing franking credit refunds, stealing from self-managed super funds, Labor will drastically punish nearly a million Australians. Seniors; this is a call to arms.

Jennifer Austin, Seaforth, NSW