Labor must explain where’s the money coming from

There’s no end to Bill Shorten’s profligacy. And he seems to have no economic plan, no vision, no productivity reform to boost living standards and no inspiration to take risks and get ahead in life. There’s no need to work hard because comrade Shorten will look after you.

He continues rolling out his generous social programs and crediting himself for the money that would fund the programs when in fact it is sourced from the hard work of investors, shareholders, higher income earners and self-funded retirees.

But people change their investment choices according to changes in the tax regime so the money will soon dry up. Shorten’s propensity to spend without any plan to sustain it is neither clever nor inspiring. We expect our governments to be more responsible with our money. As we tell our children, irresponsible spending may have short-term benefits, but long-term disastrous consequences.

Ron Hobba, Camberwell, Vic

Your editorial gets to the point of the imbalance between Labor’s half-baked election promises and the source of funding for them (“Shorten rolls out spending barrel of taxpayers’ funds”, 29/4). As with Wayne Swan’s mineral resources tax that barely realised the cost of collection, Bill Shorten’s raid on franking credits, capital gains, negative gearing and those already paying the bulk of income tax will fall short of his ballooning spending promises. People will shift their savings elsewhere, and the golden goose will stop laying.

An economy shrinking under tax and energy costs will not deliver. Australians should not swallow magic-pudding economics that their parents rejected half a century ago by asking “where’s the money coming from?”

John Morrissey, Hawthorn, Vic

Another questionable promise by the free-spending Labor leader. His concept of “free” dental care for all pensioners amounts to only $1000 for dental work over two years.

Anyone who has experience of dental costs knows this won’t cover much more than basic examinations and the odd filling and will certainly not cover any more extensive dental work that is generally needed in older people, and clearly does not cover follow-on work by dental technicians.

Various governments have looked at creating a universal dental care system equivalent to Medicare, including bulk billing, but have found it almost impossible to achieve without the full support of dentists.

R. T. Hawksley, Benowa, Qld

Bill Shorten obviously has a low opinion of our intelligence. His statement that he will release his economic costings “before the election is concluded” reeks of desperation. The electorate needs to know those figures well before polling booths open.

We have now had another billion-dollar promise concerning dental care. Unless and until he explains in detail from where all the money to pay for these promises is coming, Australians would be foolish to cast one vote in the direction of the Labor-Greens coalition.

Nick Bailey, Nicholls, ACT

Judith Sloan points out that Bill Shorten’s promise to spend an extra $4 billion on childcare subsidies would benefit centre owners far more than parents (“Labor’s dodgy plan to spend billions it doesn’t have on childcare fantasy”, 29/4). But one group of parents would be left even further behind if Shorten wins government — those who forgo a whole salary to give their own children the highest quality care at no cost to the taxpayer. Single income families with young children have already been penalised by governments from both main parties. Two-income families with kids have a $36,400 tax-free threshold, but their one-income counterparts get only $18,200. This is surely unfair.

Roslyn Phillips, Tea Tree Gully, SA

More steps towards Labor’s utopia, with childcare and free dental. I could ask what’s in it for me? But I know the answer — more taxes. I will be punished for saving and going without to fund my retirement while those who didn’t are given everything. Bill Shorten thinks money grows on trees.

C. Dicker, Bracken Ridge, Qld

Bill Shorten is proposing to take away 23 per cent of my income by ending franking credit refunds and in return he will give me and my wife a dental subsidy of $1000 every two years What else should I expect from a trade union boss?

Ron Owers, Mollymook, NSW