To blame Coles and Woolworths for inflation is drawing a long bow, but these revelations certainly suggest the “big two” have made a direct and significant contribution to the pain consumers have been feeling for many months (“Coles, Woolworths raised prices deceptively: ACCC”, September 24). This is all the more guileful given the rhetoric of caring for customers and reducing prices out of concern and good citizenship. Consumers don’t like to be exploited, treated like fools, taken for a ride or hit when they’re down.
Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills
“Down, down, prices are down” promotionCredit: James Alcock
Let’s show Colesworths how to discount with integrity. After a year of gouging, their combined profits after tax were $2.81 billion. At a half-price discount, this calculates at $1.4 billion. The other $1.4 billion should be distributed back to their fleeced customers. Let them share our pain. Peter Juocys, Rooty Hill
Did they think no one would notice? Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown
Today’s front page exposes how consumers are being ripped off by the major supermarkets. Now – how about taking on the oil companies? It’s outrageous that 98 octane fuel can range by over 50 cents or more per litre during a cycle. What is a constant fair price for all? Competition is a joke, as all the companies clearly collude or at least agree with each other. Seems they are too powerful for any government to tackle.
Denis Suttling, Newport Beach
There are, within easy reach of my home on the lower north shore, three Woolies, four Coles, one Aldi and five independent supermarkets. An independent and a Coles store are closest, but we choose to shop at Woolies mainly, occasionally topping up at the local IGA. Most of these supermarkets also deliver. Aldi, of course, is the cheapest, but poor atmosphere and parking is a problem. The local IGA is the friendliest and the most expensive. Our Woolies, along with Coles, are overall second cheapest (after Aldi), have a wide range, free parking and an excellent delivery service. I can’t comment on the latest misdemeanours of the majors but the suggestion that there is no competition is nonsense. Andrew Caro, Greenwich
When I left school, my first job was in the menswear department of Grace Bros at the newly opened Roselands shopping centre. One of the tricks of the trade I was shown was the practice of raising the price of an item exorbitantly for one day; then you would return it to its normal price the next day, and legitimately be able to claim “reduced from …” . People would think they were getting a bargain, and any sold on the high-priced day were gravy. Nearly 60 years later the ACCC seems to have finally caught on to this. Richard Mason, Newtown
Supermarket rip-offs are nothing new. As a 15-year-old working Saturday mornings in a well-known department store in the ’60s I often witnessed the same trick. A pair of shoes priced at £4/ 11/19 not selling well? Add one penny and put them on a sale table priced at £5 and watch them disappear. Everything old is new again. Janet Griffin, Breakfast Point
Nuclear fallout
Gas is not clean, it’s just another fossil fuel, in many ways as dangerous to the environment as coal (“Coalition pushes gas as nuclear stopgap, but PM says Dutton won’t ‘come clean’”, September 24). Its extraction and transportation involve large fugitive emissions of methane, a colourless, odourless gas that is about 80 times more dangerous than the well-known culprit, carbon dioxide. When it is used as a fuel, the methane itself emits carbon dioxide. Gas can have a legitimate but quite minor role for “firming”, but the idea that the Coalition would now “use incentives and other tools to pressure companies to keep gas in the market” is as ridiculous as the Morrison government’s proposal for a “gas-led recovery”. Rob Firth, Red Hill ACT
Senator Susan McDonald spoke in favour of ramping up gas.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
Dutton’s latest missed date for costings and absence of details is consistent with the rest of his nuclear policy; a complete fantasy. So far, the Australian Energy Market Operator, the Smart Energy Council, the Institute for Energy and Economics and Financial Analysis, the CSIRO, Climate Change and Energy Department, the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, the Grattan Institute, the Climate Council and Charles Sturt University have all found the cost of nuclear to be: too expensive; the timeframe too slow to replace retiring coal-fired generation; nuclear supply to be too inflexible; produce the most expensive energy; and would result in much more pollution for much longer. Of course, the Coalition in its usual obstinate, bulldozing way has rejected all of these experts’ studies and analyses offhand.
What remains clear is that the private sector will not invest in nuclear, so the plan would run up an enormous national debt. The plants would not be online before our ageing coal-fired plants are retired, and the increased reliance on gas would not only increase our emissions, but would result in much higher energy costs for all. The major beneficiary would be the Coalition’s primary backer and financier, the fossil fuel industry, all under the guise of being a viable, original policy.
Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
Mr Dutton believes it is “nonsense” that nuclear could not be a “companion” to renewables, rather than a competitor. This belief reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of our current energy situation and of nuclear itself. While the Coalition’s energy policy remains uncosted, the adoption of rooftop solar, batteries, big batteries and other renewables continues to grow. Costs continue to fall. It is predicted that, by the early 2030s, renewables will provide 82 per cent of our energy needs. Enter nuclear some time in the 2040s. It operates most efficiently as base-load power, not as a fill-in for any small gaps in supply. Far from being a “companion”, in order for nuclear to be viable, renewables would have to be switched off. Fiona Colin, Malvern East
The solution to Dutton’s nuclear dilemma is staring us in the face and won’t cost anything. By 2050 we are assured by both major parties that the eight AUKUS nuclear subs will be in operation, but due to crew constraints and ongoing maintenance only two will be operating at any given time, leaving six tied up at a wharf with their nuclear reactors operating at full capacity. Hook them up to high voltage lines and away we go. Simon Chance, Richmond Hill
Westmead labs struggle
The expert panel on the COVID-19 response misses a key point – the lack of infrastructure investment in NSW’s public health laboratories.
The public health laboratories at the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research located at Westmead Hospital developed the first COVID-19 tests, diagnosed the first cases in NSW and Australia, isolated and genetically sequenced the virus, developed the first COVID-19 blood tests, and supported other public and private laboratories. Yet these laboratories are more than 45 years old, crumbling and identified by engineers as no longer fit for purpose. Recent personal communications with the NSW premier (referred by his office to the health minister), Health Minister Ryan Park (unanswered), and the member for Parramatta, Donna Davis (unanswered), have not progressed this issue.
Laboratories underpin disease responses. Without capital investment in the public health laboratories at Westmead, the population of NSW are at significant risk with the next pandemic, and the future Australian Centre for Disease Control will be hamstrung in its activities. Dominic Dwyer, Epping
Federal and state governments must improve their processes for working together before the next pandemic.Credit: Kate Geraghty, Aresna Villanueva
Service, please
Lowering the price of public transport is not solving the correct problem (Letters, September 24). The biggest barrier to public transport is not the cost of fares but rather a lack of coverage or frequency of service, as well as prohibitively longer travel times. Cheap fares won’t fix this. Jeffrey Gabriel, Gladesville
Kids in crisis
Ensuring the health and mindfulness of our young people must include more than policies within schools on anti-bullying (“Parents call for change, not blame”, September 24). One problem is the inability of parents and those working with children to recognise the signs of poor mental health and the possibility of potential harm. Often young people cannot recognise the signs themselves and are unable to ask for help. Easier access to counsellors and ongoing treatment if necessary, awareness courses for teachers, parents and community members and even senior students within schools may assist in ensuring knowledge is shared. The protection of our young people’s mental health must be prioritised to ensure Charlotte’s life and others are not in vain. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer
All strength to Charlotte’s parents in speaking out about her tragic suicide. Perhaps through them she has at last found her voice. Vicky Marquis, Glebe
Fair play
Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai want “penalties kept to a minimum” for a fast flowing game (“Cleary, Luai urge refs to keep whistles silent”, September 24). Which penalties do they want ignored, and does a referee have to decide which rules are important? Either all penalties are important and you pay a penalty for breaking the rules, or the rules have to change.
Janice Howton, Sawtell
You may have to be violent to win a football final, but that in itself is a shocking commentary on the state of contact sport and its winner takes all mentality (“No-holds-barred training run saved Roosters’ season”, September 24). Other quotes include “brutal”, “mongrel and aggressive mindset”, “no-holds-barred”, and “you’ve got to be violent”, “we’ll rip into each other again”. And that’s just in training. Does any of this “training” carry on into the home life of participants? It’s hard not to think so. Lois Hudson, Thornleigh
A fine mess
The problem with parking fines is that they are too expensive, relative to the indiscretion (“On-the-spot fines could spell trouble for rangers”, September 24). Here is a simple opportunity for the government to ease the cost-of-living pressures and reduce them to a more palatable level while still serving as a reprimand. No wonder parking rangers fear for their lives; it’s sheer greedy revenue-raising. If you compare the cost of “no stopping” fines with European countries, Spain is the most expensive at €90 ($145) and the average is €50. By comparison, Sydney is $320 for being in a “no stopping” zone, even for five seconds while dropping someone off! A balanced approach needs to be addressed.
Tim Maunsell, Bondi Beach
As a local government councillor I cannot in good conscience revert to paper-based tickets for parking fines. The introduction of ticketless parking fines has resulted in an enormous drop in assaults and abuse of rangers. With work, health and safety obligations to keep our employees safe, it would be a dereliction in our obligations to put them back in harm’s way. Sarah Grattan, Northern Beaches Council
Shipping out
Sad as I am to wave goodbye to the trusty old Manly Freshwater class diesel ferries, I’m delighted they will be replaced by Australian-made electric ferries (“Sydney’s grand ferries’ use-by date is set as fleet goes electric”, September 24), just as New York and Hong Kong are gradually replacing their iconic ferry fleets with “look-alike” electric ferries. Jenny Forster, Manly
The Freshwater ferry at Balmain shipyard on Monday.Credit: Nick Moir
When Sydney’s new harbour ferries come online, let us hope strong efforts are made to preserve some of the existing vessels they will replace. There will be another Transport Heritage Expo at Central on the October long weekend, showcasing the successful preservation of our historic buses and trains, but the same cannot be said for our maritime transport, with the Manly ferry South Steyne languishing for decades at her berth and the restoration of Kanangra, our last surviving double-ended inner harbour ferry, still in progress almost 40 years since she was withdrawn from service.
Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills
It was good to hear of real climate action with the announcement that Sydney ferries by 2035 will be electric or hydrogen-electric. A real plus for the much-needed reduction of transport pollution. Perhaps an electric or hydrogen-electric train from Canberra to Sydney could be considered? Dennis O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)
Fresh Freshwater, electrified elegance, sustainable sailing, Australian assembled, shipyards smiling, commuters comfortable; Minns magic, at last! Barry Laing, Castle Cove
Flight plan
The article by Anne Ring regarding pick up and drop off at the Sydney domestic airport terminal had more than a ring of truth about it (“This airport needs an upgrade, and not just the long hall”, September 24). The domestic pick-up and drop off arrangements are a nightmare and not customer friendly. It seems to me to be designed to force people to use the expensive parking stations. Arthur Hennessy, Gymea Bay
I am totally over it, too, just like your correspondent, but there are several things you can do. You can play the “I’m an old person” card by asking for mobility assistance at the airport. A very nice assistant will push you in a chair of sorts, or, you can make use of the golf buggy lookalike to move around the airport. After all, they want you to fly, so they will make it as easy as possible to do that. Also, you can make use of the public bus that stops just outside each terminal every 20 minutes, destination either to Burwood Station or Bondi Junction. It’s actually quite a pleasant route, and you can be picked up at a place of your convenience without paying the airport parking charges, and without walking miles to get to the speedy pick-up area. Done! Mia David, Wollongong
Genuine humanity
My attention was drawn to the death notice of Monsignor John Usher. Father Usher will always have a special place in my heart. While the Royal Commission into Institutional Sexual Abuse was laying bare the depths to which the Sydney Archdiocese under George Pell had sunk in denying the rightful claims of the sexual abuse victim John Ellis, Father Usher offered a heartfelt and tearful apology to Ellis. His genuine humanity shone through when he sought assurance from counsel representing Ellis that his relationship with the Ellis family had not been damaged in the whole sorry affair. He was assured, and his relief was palpable. May he rest in peace. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove
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