The voice will struggle as a mechanism to help battle inequality

The voice will struggle as a mechanism to help battle inequality

Instead of debating the voice, we need to debate and audit where the $30bn or so of federal money goes each year. We need to recognise that many of the elements of the gap that have resisted closure are state-administered responsibilities. The constitutional voice as proposed does not seem to have strong prospects of closing the gap at a community level.

Geoff Bowden, Tewantin, Qld

Let’s defer the Constitution referendum until everyone comes back to their senses. It’s the wrong time for this vital, important referendum to happen.

Kon Parris, Parramatta, NSW

I fear that the proponents of the voice are setting their communities up for a fall. In the event the referendum is not successful, I suspect that there will be significant and permanent divisions created in our society. The same outcome is assured if the referendum is successful. Politics before reality.

Stephen Maitland, Red Hill, Qld

Aged-care test fear

The Aged Care Minister’s taskforce should reject any means testing of aged-care residents as a basis for determining how much they pay.

People entering aged care should be told clearly the cost of the care they wish to receive and they then decide whether they wish to pay that amount. When buying a litre of milk, a customer is not asked how much money they have and the shop then sets the price based on the customer’s capacity to pay.

The same principle should apply to buying aged care. If not, some people might enter care with some wealth but will not have much left when they leave. Once an aged-care facility discovers a resident is comparatively wealthy, they will be tempted to charge more simply because that resident “can afford it”.

A Medicare-styled tax levy is a much fairer method of funding aged care.

Rod Wise, Surrey Hills, Vic

RBA trumps politics

It is time that our government recognised that ideologies and politics are overriding good economic policy.

Small and medium businesses are being hurt by a complete lack of understanding of their operations. Interest rates and their cost to business are being forced higher than they would be if the government were more responsible with its fiscal policy when producing budgets.

The Reserve Bank has no option other than increasing interest rates to curb inflation, adding extra costs to business. Sadly, it seems the government does not recognise that it is nearly impossible for businesses to recover these cost increases in the marketplace. It can only follow that the level of investment will fall because of any lack of incentive.

David Gray, Peppermint Grove, WA

Medical matters

Like many, I rely on certain medications to be taken each day. But they are now in short supply or not available at all. I assume this applies to many or most people taking medications regularly. But why are they in short supply or non-existent in Australia? We should stop wasting money on all sorts of projects that are of no real value to us in the end. There are many familiar government initiatives that could be mentioned in that regard. We should also focus on becoming the clever nation that devotes resources to the needs of the population. I include in this manufacture and production of local medicines. But I also include other things such as lithium battery development.

Damien Cremean, Balwyn, Vic

First I would like to congratulate your paper on its unbiased reporting on the voice – articles setting out both sides of the argument for or against. However, the voice appears to me to overshadow a far more important issue that will affect Australian people, yet I see no reporting in the press.

The subject is the International Health Regulations and the 300-plus amendments put forward by member states for consideration by the World Health Organisation.

I stand to be corrected but, as I read the situation, on May 27 last year a set of amendments (to an existing agreement) to the International Health Regulations (2005) was adopted and member countries have the opportunity to negotiate on the amendments put forward by member states. It seems to me that the final decision will be made by the World Health Assembly in May next year, not parliament. Parliament can debate the amendments and make representations, but it seems to me that it is the World Health Assembly that will be making the decision after considering inputs from member states. There appears to be a real chance that many astonishing amendments will be adopted. I worry that the regulations and their amendments are going to take away individual and sovereign rights; that is, patient autonomy and informed consent.

Keith Rennie, Adelaide

Coal front

We continue to sell more and more coal to the world but all the while, over here, we keep on getting colder.

Francis Smith, Caulfield North, Vic