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AU Financial Review
2 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Don't let rich old men tell you the planned super tax is good
Last fortnight in The Sydney Morning Herald, Ross Gittins praised the Albanese government's proposed changes to superannuation taxes, declaring: 'Don't let rich old men tell you the planned super tax is terribly bad'. His argument essentially boiled down to this: don't listen to the critics, just trust me (a different rich old man). According to Gittins, this reform is about fairness. But a closer look reveals deeper problems with the policy that should concern all Australians, especially young people just entering the workforce.
Sydney Morning Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Albanese's cautious approach no longer meets the challenges
As columnist Ross Gittins and cartoonist Cathy Wilcox show, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has lost his spine (' In one awful decision, Albanese has revealed his do-nothing plan', June 4). Labor has been intimidated by the reaction of mining companies to the prospect of a resource rent tax, and then by business opposition to changing negative gearing and capital gains tax, despite majority support for such measures. The electorate thought Labor would better protect our environment, do more to help prevent climate change and provide more funding for the ongoing needs of its constituents. Instead, its steady-as-you-go approach to government is now totally inadequate to address our current issues, let alone those to come. Peter Nash, Fairlight An awful decision indeed. It is difficult to comprehend why Labor approved the North West Shelf gas project extension. There is, as Ross Gittins details, more or less nothing in this for Australia. Doing all this damage to our net zero credibility, and for what? The companies will sell all the gas overseas, none will flow to the struggling east coast, and they will pay little or no tax or revenue to Australia. The only winners are Woodsides shareholders. Why, Albo, why? Make it make sense. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha Bad defence I am already considering taking my vote away from Labor come next election. I am very unhappy with the prime minister's un-cooperative response to the US request (and the obvious need) to significantly increase Australia's defence spending (Letters, June 4). As a former employee of the Department of Foreign Affairs and current small business owner, I understand that spending decisions are always about trade-offs, however a government's primary responsibility is the safety and security of its citizens. In this regard, our prime minister unfortunately either has his head stuck firmly in the sand, or in another part of his anatomy entirely. David Sinclair, Franklin If the US wants us to increase our defence spending in order to do our 'fair share', our response should have been 'OK, as soon as the US rejoins the Paris climate change agreement and does its fair share on reducing global emissions'. After all, the biggest global security risk is climate change. There is no room for leaners like the Americans, who won't do their bit. Brendan Jones, Annandale Mike Reddy's letter hits the nail on the head when he says Ukraine's drone attack on Russia is the way to go (Letters, June 4). To invade Australia, the only way is by air or water. The way to defend us is drones and satellites looking over our coastline. Brian Ireland, Burleigh Heads (Qld) Free up homes Taxation of unrealised assets is a current target for OECD finance ministers (' Housing crisis singled out by OECD ', June 4). However, much of the motivation is resulting from the huge increases in wealth accumulation from property, an asset that rarely reduces in value over time. In Australia, we have only allowed property investments to be included in self-managed super funds since 2007. Rather than drafting complicated legislation to tax unrealised assets fairly, why not simply remove property from the allowable list of assets an SMSF may purchase from July 2025? This would not only reduce excessive wealth accumulation in super, but take some pressure out of the housing market. Ray Thompson, Randwick Labor's disastrous tobacco taxes are a timely warning about their proposed super taxes (' Only Canberra can stop the black-market tobacco trade it fostered ', June 4). Hundreds of billions in productively invested funds will be quickly diverted into tax-free family homes, created by Labor's 1985 capital gains tax. Minimal tax will be collected and housing affordability will be much worse. William S. Lloyd, Denistone It seems we've learnt nothing from our achievement of the trifecta in failed 'get tough' attempts to manage humanity's vices. Trifecta? The US prohibition on booze. Failed. Australia's drug laws. Failed. And now, huge taxes on smoking. Failed. I know these let's-get-tough laws are beloved of conservative folks, but is it not time we used our brains and adopted a new approach? This is a health issue, not a law enforcement issue. And who knows? It might just work – and be cheaper. Brian Haisman, Winmalee I hate smoking, and ideally the rate of tobacco use would be zero. But I'm also a realist. Our lawmakers are making the same mistakes with cigarettes and vapes as they've been making for decades with the unwinnable 'war on drugs.' Excessive price manipulation incentivises criminal gangs. Banning vapes in the hope they disappear is deluded. Forget about being tough on drugs. When will our legislators be smart on drugs? Jeffrey Gabriel, Gladesville Rampant hunters the real pest No professional vertebrate pest manager I have spoken to supports recreational hunting as an effective means of reducing the damage caused by feral animals (' Shooters Party demands new hunting body ', June 4). That's because hunters take out a tiny percentage of a pest population in an area, leaving the majority free to breed and continue wreaking havoc. In contrast, professionals, like the company I recently engaged to manage a large feral pig population on my farm, adopt best practice methods to rapidly remove the animals from the landscape. In our case, 37 pigs were trapped in a single night. There is no way a group of hunters would achieve these results and in fact, by scaring the survivors who simply melt back into the bush, the problem gets worse over time. If the NSW government is serious about controlling feral species, they should engage professional vertebrate pest management specialists to work in national parks and state forests on a permanent basis. Paying bounties to weekend warriors for taking out a couple of animals will do next to nothing for people like me, who end up footing the costs of trapping the pigs and repairing their damage because the population was allowed to get out of control inside a national park. Cath Henshall, Bungonia I live near a state forest where some shooters have special licences to hunt. Some try to take shortcuts through private properties to the hunting grounds. Some shoot without permission on private properties, from public roads, at anything that moves. I have had several altercations on our property. Some intoxicated hunters have even threatened me. I have recorded these incidents and reported them to police, and thankfully they have stopped. Shooters care not that so-called 'conservation hunting' is known to be ineffective. It's simple – it's not in the interest of shooters for pests to be eradicated, and most would not be skilled enough to shoot small feral animals like foxes and cats. Australians are proud of our gun laws and to diminish them for votes is a crime. They have been watered down enough already. Katherine McKenzie, Putty Nick O'Malley deftly exposes what is wrong with the Shooters Party bill to set up a new hunting authority. This taxpayer-funded agency would have its own hunting minister to effectively promote the hunters' wish list, regardless of the impact on the rest of the community. The push for 'cultural hunting' is risible. Guns were a colonial import, and the so-called 'culture' of non-Indigenous hunting is seen by many as cruel, ugly and violent. Just ask Emma Hurst MP, who gets death threats and vile abuse from hunters. 'Give them an inch and they take a mile' is an apt adage for the hunting fraternity. Let's hope Premier Chris Minns shoots down their bolshie demands. Em Wilkinson, Blackburn South (Vic) Cox on the run Dorinda Cox has left the Greens for the greener grass of the Labor Party (Letters, June 4). But why did she defect? Was it losing the vote for the Green's deputy leader position? Or was it losing the vote for the party's deputy whip position? Perhaps all of those could have come into play. It might also be the case that she is simply a bad loser. Whatever the answer, I suspect that the Greens are better off without defector Dorinda. Michael Davis, Balmain East Outdated idea Well said, Brian McDonald (Letters, June 4). A woman taking a man's name is an archaic tradition signifying ownership. But let's take it further: why does a baby almost always inherit the father's surname? After his fleeting contribution, the man steps aside while the woman endures nine months of pregnancy, navigating the immense physical, mental and emotional demands, and ultimately faces the agony of childbirth alone. Given that she carries 99.9 per cent of the burden, shouldn't she at least have the right to share her name with her child? Jane Lieschke, Woonona Brian McDonald must associate with very different women from the ones I know, none of whom are or feel owned by or inferior to their husbands – probably the reverse. The ancient practice of taking a husband's name is to create and denote a family unit and is more for the benefit of children feeling secure. Some women choose to retain their maiden names for professional reasons. On the other hand, at least two I know told me they didn't like their maiden name and were more than happy to take their husband's. Peter Thornton, Killara Ah, Brian McDonald, you may be right, changing your surname is a small thing, signifying much. I remember feeling sad as I signed the marriage register, thinking 'this is the last time I'll use this name'. But conditioning was such that I did not complain and saw it as a given. How naive we were. Unfortunately, many religions still assume that men are innately superior, are 'head of the house' and wives must obey 'til death do us part. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon Voices silenced How ironic that Tuesday's edition included, first, an article about new Sydney University restrictions on public comment and internal communications (' New rules for Sydney uni students ', June 3), and second, an article by former student Sophie Gee, who I remember as articulate and unafraid to speak up during her undergraduate days (' Trump fears Harvard's excellence ', June 3). In my 40 years lecturing at the university I was often asked by students if they could address the lecture before it started. They were often competing groups seeking election to student societies, sometimes they encouraged auditions or performances in the faculty musical and dramatic review, support for inter-faculty or inter-varsity sport, and occasionally information about a meeting on an issue such as HECS or the environment. Once the address took the form of madrigal singing. Not once can I remember a student speaking without my permission or giving a political or racist diatribe. As Sophie Gee wrote, at the heart of a university will be different viewpoints adding to complex knowledge. I have learnt so much listening to colleagues and students. But what a hush has now fallen over the university. Barbara McDonald, Woollahra Road to nowhere The new Western Harbour tunnel may well be an engineering marvel, but that does not mean it is a good idea ('Underground city preparing for machines to connect Sydney', June 4). Despite having a diameter that allows three lanes in each direction, it only has a capacity of three lanes at 30 cars a minute, or 5400 cars an hour in each direction. Optimistically assuming two people per car, that's barely 10,000 people per hour in each direction. A much smaller metro tunnel could carry at least three times as many people and would not need expensive ventilation. As for the 5400 cars, they all need road space to their destinations and many will need parking in dedicated facilities. Meanwhile, despite policies to encourage the use of public transport, we are told that funds for rail expansion are scarce. Jim Donovan, Lindfield Fine not fair A parking fine under your windscreen wiper was never welcome, but the new practice of a fine through the post is unfair. It prevents members the public from checking the details and, if contested, taking a photograph to support their case. Parking fines carry a hefty penalty in NSW, more so than any other state or territory in Australia. I note also the new advice regarding $65 'enforcement cost' – if you are under 18 it is now reduced to $25. This is good, but reveals that the $65 is not for the cost of enforcement. It is, in part at least, a tax in disguise. David Allen, Woollahra Taken for a ride Taxi rides are not the only rip-offs at Sydney airport (' Plan to stop taxi ripoffs ', June 4). Another is the station access fee ('excess fee') charged by the operators of the two airport stations set up under a Greiner government public/private partnership (PPP – public perpetually pays) to 2030. It is currently $17.34 for adults. The Perth airport station access fee is zero. Philip Laird, Keiraville Performance anxiety Travel writer Ben Groundwater rightly questions the use of client surveys to assess a worker's efficiency (' A hotel staffer begged me for a good review. Her job was on the line ', June 4). It is one thing for an organisation to want to evaluate its own performance, it's another for each worker's efficiency to be open to the whims of whichever clients chose to complete the surveys. Client feedback surveys would have to be one of the most flawed systems for evaluating workers' performance as they are totally subjective and will vary from one client's expectations to another. I now refuse to complete such surveys. If I have a gripe I will contact the organisation's complaints section directly. My dissatisfaction should be an organisational matter to solve; not a reason for punitive action against a single worker. Such worker surveillance strategies, although sugar-coated in client relationship speak, are controlling, subversive and devalue the worker. If a worker is not performing well enough it is the responsibility of the employer, not me, to monitor that and take action. Warren Marks, Richmond (Tas) Worth the money If small business owners can't afford to pay a modest and overdue minimum wage increase, as their representatives keep telling us, then they should close their business and seek employment at the wages they object to (' Millions to get pay rise as wages boosted ', June 4). Alynn Pratt, Grenfell States of disgrace Grant Heaton's grasp of British political history is at best sketchy (Letters, June 4). He compares the House of Windsor with the Trump administration, however, since the Magna Carta was instituted in the 13th century the power of British monarchs has been increasingly restrained by the political system that has evolved into the Westminster system, the one we and other democracies use today to curb the power of elected officials. In comparison, the US Constitution hands overarching power to one individual. If you're looking for the political system that nurtures the possibility of a despot, look no further than the USA – the land of the free and the home of the insane. Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga Made good Made in USA. Yes, it was once considered a plus. I remember travelling in Japan 40 years ago when goods made there were considered cheap. I bought a nice local souvenir with the label 'Made in USA'. It was a clever marketing ploy, as Usa is a city in Oita Prefecture on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Bernie Carberry, Connells Point
Sydney Morning Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Albanese's steady approach no longer meets the challenges
As columnist Ross Gittins and cartoonist Cathy Wilcox show, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has lost his spine (' In one awful decision, Albanese has revealed his do-nothing plan', June 4). Labor has been intimidated by the reaction of mining companies to the prospect of a resource rent tax, and then by business opposition to changing negative gearing and capital gains tax, despite majority support for such measures. The electorate thought Labor would better protect our environment, do more to help prevent climate change and provide more funding for the ongoing needs of its constituents. Instead, its steady-as-you-go approach to government is now totally inadequate to address our current issues, let alone those to come. Peter Nash, Fairlight An awful decision indeed. It is difficult to comprehend why Labor approved the North West Shelf gas project extension. There is, as Ross Gittins details, more or less nothing in this for Australia. Doing all this damage to our net zero credibility, and for what? The companies will sell all the gas overseas, none will flow to the struggling east coast, and they will pay little or no tax or revenue to Australia. The only winners are Woodsides shareholders. Why, Albo, why? Make it make sense. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha Defence fail I am already considering taking my vote away from Labor come next election. I am very unhappy with the prime minister's un-cooperative response to the US request (and the obvious need) to significantly increase Australia's defence spending (Letters, June 4). As a former employee of the Department of Foreign Affairs and current small business owner, I understand that spending decisions are always about trade-offs, however a government's primary responsibility is the safety and security of its citizens. In this regard, our prime minister unfortunately either has his head stuck firmly in the sand, or in another part of his anatomy entirely. David Sinclair, Franklin If the US wants us to increase our defence spending in order to do our 'fair share', our response should have been 'OK, as soon as the US rejoins the Paris climate change agreement and does its fair share on reducing global emissions'. After all, the biggest global security risk is climate change. There is no room for leaners like the Americans, who won't do their bit. Brendan Jones, Annandale Mike Reddy's letter hits the nail on the head when he says Ukraine's drone attack on Russia is the way to go (Letters, June 4). To invade Australia, the only way is by air or water. The way to defend us is drones and satellites looking over our coastline. Brian Ireland, Burleigh Heads (Qld) Free up homes Taxation of unrealised assets is a current target for OECD finance ministers (' Housing crisis singled out by OECD ', June 4). However, much of the motivation is resulting from the huge increases in wealth accumulation from property, an asset that rarely reduces in value over time. In Australia, we have only allowed property investments to be included in self-managed super funds since 2007. Rather than drafting complicated legislation to tax unrealised assets fairly, why not simply remove property from the allowable list of assets an SMSF may purchase from July 2025? This would not only reduce excessive wealth accumulation in super, but take some pressure out of the housing market. Ray Thompson, Randwick Labor's disastrous tobacco taxes are a timely warning about their proposed super taxes (' Only Canberra can stop the black-market tobacco trade it fostered ', June 4). Hundreds of billions in productively invested funds will be quickly diverted into tax-free family homes, created by Labor's 1985 capital gains tax. Minimal tax will be collected and housing affordability will be much worse. William S. Lloyd, Denistone It seems we've learnt nothing from our achievement of the trifecta in failed 'get tough' attempts to manage humanity's vices. Trifecta? The US prohibition on booze. Failed. Australia's drug laws. Failed. And now, huge taxes on smoking. Failed. I know these let's-get-tough laws are beloved of conservative folks, but is it not time we used our brains and adopted a new approach? This is a health issue, not a law enforcement issue. And who knows? It might just work – and be cheaper. Brian Haisman, Winmalee I hate smoking, and ideally the rate of tobacco use would be zero. But I'm also a realist. Our lawmakers are making the same mistakes with cigarettes and vapes as they've been making for decades with the unwinnable 'war on drugs.' Excessive price manipulation incentivises criminal gangs. Banning vapes in the hope they disappear is deluded. Forget about being tough on drugs. When will our legislators be smart on drugs? Jeffrey Gabriel, Gladesville Rampant hunters the real pest No professional vertebrate pest manager I have spoken to supports recreational hunting as an effective means of reducing the damage caused by feral animals (' Shooters Party demands new hunting body ', June 4). That's because hunters take out a tiny percentage of a pest population in an area, leaving the majority free to breed and continue wreaking havoc. In contrast, professionals, like the company I recently engaged to manage a large feral pig population on my farm, adopt best practice methods to rapidly remove the animals from the landscape. In our case, 37 pigs were trapped in a single night. There is no way a group of hunters would achieve these results and in fact, by scaring the survivors who simply melt back into the bush, the problem gets worse over time. If the NSW government is serious about controlling feral species, they should engage professional vertebrate pest management specialists to work in national parks and state forests on a permanent basis. Paying bounties to weekend warriors for taking out a couple of animals will do next to nothing for people like me, who end up footing the costs of trapping the pigs and repairing their damage because the population was allowed to get out of control inside a national park. Cath Henshall, Bungonia I live near a state forest where some shooters have special licences to hunt. Some try to take shortcuts through private properties to the hunting grounds. Some shoot without permission on private properties, from public roads, at anything that moves. I have had several altercations on our property. Some intoxicated hunters have even threatened me. I have recorded these incidents and reported them to police, and thankfully they have stopped. Shooters care not that so-called 'conservation hunting' is known to be ineffective. It's simple – it's not in the interest of shooters for pests to be eradicated, and most would not be skilled enough to shoot small feral animals like foxes and cats. Australians are proud of our gun laws and to diminish them for votes is a crime. They have been watered down enough already. Katherine McKenzie, Putty Nick O'Malley deftly exposes what is wrong with the Shooters Party bill to set up a new hunting authority. This taxpayer-funded agency would have its own hunting minister to effectively promote the hunters' wish list, regardless of the impact on the rest of the community. The push for 'cultural hunting' is risible. Guns were a colonial import, and the so-called 'culture' of non-Indigenous hunting is seen by many as cruel, ugly and violent. Just ask Emma Hurst MP, who gets death threats and vile abuse from hunters. 'Give them an inch and they take a mile' is an apt adage for the hunting fraternity. Let's hope Premier Chris Minns shoots down their bolshie demands. Em Wilkinson, Blackburn South (Vic) Cox on the run Dorinda Cox has left the Greens for the greener grass of the Labor Party (Letters, June 4). But why did she defect? Was it losing the vote for the Green's deputy leader position? Or was it losing the vote for the party's deputy whip position? Perhaps all of those could have come into play. It might also be the case that she is simply a bad loser. Whatever the answer, I suspect that the Greens are better off without defector Dorinda. Michael Davis, Balmain East Outdated idea Well said, Brian McDonald (Letters, June 4). A woman taking a man's name is an archaic tradition signifying ownership. But let's take it further: why does a baby almost always inherit the father's surname? After his fleeting contribution, the man steps aside while the woman endures nine months of pregnancy, navigating the immense physical, mental and emotional demands, and ultimately faces the agony of childbirth alone. Given that she carries 99.9 per cent of the burden, shouldn't she at least have the right to share her name with her child? Jane Lieschke, Woonona Brian McDonald must associate with very different women from the ones I know, none of whom are or feel owned by or inferior to their husbands – probably the reverse. The ancient practice of taking a husband's name is to create and denote a family unit and is more for the benefit of children feeling secure. Some women choose to retain their maiden names for professional reasons. On the other hand, at least two I know told me they didn't like their maiden name and were more than happy to take their husband's. Peter Thornton, Killara Ah, Brian McDonald, you may be right, changing your surname is a small thing, signifying much. I remember feeling sad as I signed the marriage register, thinking 'this is the last time I'll use this name'. But conditioning was such that I did not complain and saw it as a given. How naive we were. Unfortunately, many religions still assume that men are innately superior, are 'head of the house' and wives must obey 'til death do us part. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon Voices silenced How ironic that Tuesday's edition included, first, an article about new Sydney University restrictions on public comment and internal communications (' New rules for Sydney uni students ', June 3), and second, an article by former student Sophie Gee, who I remember as articulate and unafraid to speak up during her undergraduate days (' Trump fears Harvard's excellence ', June 3). In my 40 years lecturing at the university I was often asked by students if they could address the lecture before it started. They were often competing groups seeking election to student societies, sometimes they encouraged auditions or performances in the faculty musical and dramatic review, support for inter-faculty or inter-varsity sport, and occasionally information about a meeting on an issue such as HECS or the environment. Once the address took the form of madrigal singing. Not once can I remember a student speaking without my permission or giving a political or racist diatribe. As Sophie Gee wrote, at the heart of a university will be different viewpoints adding to complex knowledge. I have learnt so much listening to colleagues and students. But what a hush has now fallen over the university. Barbara McDonald, Woollahra Road to nowhere The new Western Harbour tunnel may well be an engineering marvel, but that does not mean it is a good idea ('Underground city preparing for machines to connect Sydney', June 4). Despite having a diameter that allows three lanes in each direction, it only has a capacity of three lanes at 30 cars a minute, or 5400 cars an hour in each direction. Optimistically assuming two people per car, that's barely 10,000 people per hour in each direction. A much smaller metro tunnel could carry at least three times as many people and would not need expensive ventilation. As for the 5400 cars, they all need road space to their destinations and many will need parking in dedicated facilities. Meanwhile, despite policies to encourage the use of public transport, we are told that funds for rail expansion are scarce. Jim Donovan, Lindfield Fine not fair A parking fine under your windscreen wiper was never welcome, but the new practice of a fine through the post is unfair. It prevents members the public from checking the details and, if contested, taking a photograph to support their case. Parking fines carry a hefty penalty in NSW, more so than any other state or territory in Australia. I note also the new advice regarding $65 'enforcement cost' – if you are under 18 it is now reduced to $25. This is good, but reveals that the $65 is not for the cost of enforcement. It is, in part at least, a tax in disguise. David Allen, Woollahra Taken for a ride Taxi rides are not the only rip-offs at Sydney airport (' Plan to stop taxi ripoffs ', June 4). Another is the station access fee ('excess fee') charged by the operators of the two airport stations set up under a Greiner government public/private partnership (PPP – public perpetually pays) to 2030. It is currently $17.34 for adults. The Perth airport station access fee is zero. Philip Laird, Keiraville Performance anxiety Travel writer Ben Groundwater rightly questions the use of client surveys to assess a worker's efficiency (' A hotel staffer begged me for a good review. Her job was on the line ', June 4). It is one thing for an organisation to want to evaluate its own performance, it's another for each worker's efficiency to be open to the whims of whichever clients chose to complete the surveys. Client feedback surveys would have to be one of the most flawed systems for evaluating workers' performance as they are totally subjective and will vary from one client's expectations to another. I now refuse to complete such surveys. If I have a gripe I will contact the organisation's complaints section directly. My dissatisfaction should be an organisational matter to solve; not a reason for punitive action against a single worker. Such worker surveillance strategies, although sugar-coated in client relationship speak, are controlling, subversive and devalue the worker. If a worker is not performing well enough it is the responsibility of the employer, not me, to monitor that and take action. Warren Marks, Richmond (Tas) Worth the money If small business owners can't afford to pay a modest and overdue minimum wage increase, as their representatives keep telling us, then they should close their business and seek employment at the wages they object to (' Millions to get pay rise as wages boosted ', June 4). Alynn Pratt, Grenfell States of disgrace Grant Heaton's grasp of British political history is at best sketchy (Letters, June 4). He compares the House of Windsor with the Trump administration, however, since the Magna Carta was instituted in the 13th century the power of British monarchs has been increasingly restrained by the political system that has evolved into the Westminster system, the one we and other democracies use today to curb the power of elected officials. In comparison, the US Constitution hands overarching power to one individual. If you're looking for the political system that nurtures the possibility of a despot, look no further than the USA – the land of the free and the home of the insane. Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga Made good Made in USA. Yes, it was once considered a plus. I remember travelling in Japan 40 years ago when goods made there were considered cheap. I bought a nice local souvenir with the label 'Made in USA'. It was a clever marketing ploy, as Usa is a city in Oita Prefecture on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Bernie Carberry, Connells Point
The Age
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Liberals need to rethink core values strategy
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@ Please include your home address and telephone number. No attachments, please include your letter in the body of the email. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published. Ross Gittins says women are the key to the Liberals' future (Comment, 7/5). Even more fundamentally, however, a ″core value″ of the Liberals is ″small government and lower taxes″ – as recently advocated by Gina Rinehart (' Rinehart calls on Liberal Party to move further to the right and adopt Trump policies ', 6/5). Yet it has been clearly shown in recent decades that ″trickle-down″ economics based on this core value doesn't work because an inevitable consequence is even greater gap between the wealthy and the poor. Thus economists now understand that governments must provide support, services, a tax regime, and a climate policy to shrink that gap so ″no one is left behind″. These policies are what will attract women voters. If the small government core value remains part of the Liberals' platform, they have much thinking to do way beyond the tactics employed in last weekend's election. Ian Hopkins, Aireys Inlet Punching for championship: climate change The boxing analogy of the editorial (7/5) invites extension to an opportunity lying ahead for Australia, Anthony Albanese and Labor. If defeating Peter Dutton, Michael Sukkar, Max Chandler-Mather, Adam Bandt and Clive Palmer in one night is heroic the Foreman-like final touch, the heavyweight championship, now lies ahead. The ambitious and long-lasting reform that beckons could well be winning a decisive bout with climate change. The opportunity was spelt out in 2021 by John Hewson's Climate Targets Panel in its updating of the Climate Change Authority's 2014 emissions reduction targets. Its analysis aimed at determining Australia's fair share of global emission reductions consistent with a 1.5 degree temperature rise. The answer was not net zero by 2050 but rather net zero by 2035. John Gare, Kew East Time to catch up with the times Ross Gittins (7/5) has got to the heart of the Liberals' problem – Australia has changed but they haven't. What is extraordinary is that in our parliamentary democracy, the MP is supposedly there to represent their electorate. Yet Liberal MPs have basically held steadfast against that purpose, and that includes even the ″progressive″ Liberals like Tim Wilson. If you think back 15 years, you have Tony Abbott , a committed monarchist, who bestowed a knighthood on Prince Phillip. Scott Morrison who was a divisive and unpopular PM. Malcolm Turnbull, a possible progressive, who was rejected by his own party. Peter Dutton expressed views on immigration, climate and Indigenous issues that some of his own party members disowned. All the Liberal heartland seats were stolen by teal women who espoused the policies that appealed to the shunned Liberal progressives. As Age columnist Peter Hartcher has advised them – catch up with the 21st century. David Fry, Moonee Ponds Introduce a conclave to elect leader I would like to suggest the Liberal Party be creative, and have a conclave to elect their new leader. The suggested contenders do not inspire confidence and will guarantee the party will be in the wilderness for many years. If the entire remaining members were all candidates, they could vote in secret and come up with the brightest star, who may not be one of the spoken-of contenders. Lyn Anderson, Surrey Hills No advice cred in Credlin Chip Le Grand hit multiple nails on the head (″ Lessons for the Liberals: do the opposite of what Peta Credlin says ″, 8/5). To his list of rules I would add, ″Be transparent″. The Albanese Labor government ran a couple of weeks short of full term. Yet the Liberals continually promised to release its policies ″soon″ and its costings ″soon″. When a party has almost a full term to prepare policies and costings this tactic suggests to the electorate they aren't prepared, are hiding something or their maths is dodgy. And yes, definitely do the opposite of what Peta Credlin says. Mick Hussey, Beaconsfield THE FORUM Voice must be heard Anthony Albanese is determined to reassure Australians that he's not about to capitalise on his massive electoral victory by embarking on revolutionary change. It's steady as she goes. Those who see a golden opportunity for bold reform are being encouraged to dampen their expectations. This applies as much to foreign policy as to domestic issues. On Gaza, for example, Rodger Shanahan's conclusion that the government's ″first-term handling of the issue has not cost it politically″ (″ Israeli offensive risks enmeshing troops in 'forever war' ″,8/5) implies that Australia is unlikely to offer more forthright criticism of Israel's conduct of its war. The imperative to speak out, however, will only intensify as Israel advances its campaign of bombardment, starvation, occupation and displacement of the people of Gaza. Australia's voice matters. It must speak out in loud and clear denunciation of this inhumanity. Tom Knowles, Parkville Reduce salmon stocks In all that is being written about salmon farming in Tasmania, the one point seemingly missed is that, since it began back in the 1980s, the industry has been supplying fresh fish to Australian consumers and now contributes 75,000 tonnes of our annual marine protein. High in Omega-3 fatty acids, and important vitamins and minerals, salmon has become an integral part of the nutritional intake (' Something distinctly fishy about the way Labor romped home in Tasmania ', 8/5). There is no doubting the fish in the pens are becoming stressed by warming water temperatures. To save the industry for Australian consumers and to protect the Tasmanian environment, surely regulated stocking densities must be reduced to the safe numbers of earlier times. It may reduce output and increase costs, but the option is to lose a vital part of our fresh food supply. John Mosig, Kew
Sydney Morning Herald
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Tax reform in pursuit of equality is the fix we need
Here's how to fix our democracy ', April 23) elaborates on institutional changes that can improve the effectiveness of our elected government. The need to improve process, procedure, oversight and accountability are pretty well accepted, albeit rarely acted upon, when government has to implement. Unfortunately, he treats the most pressing issue (after climate change) lightly, implying meaningful tax reform at both ends of the earnings scale is unrealistic. The conundrum of not being electable for proposing what is recognised as an obvious solution is an indictment of the politicians and the electorate. Those who support a more equitable income redistribution say aye. Those who wish to continue slow decline say no. The no vote prevails. Robert Caraian, Crows Nest Ross Gittins suggests that our federal government should be examining the ideas for improving our democracy as described in the Susan McKinnon Foundation report, which should certainly be done. However, no one has a monopoly on good ideas, and the report the federal government put out last year (Strengthening Australian democracy) and the Australia Institute report (A Blueprint for Democratic Reform) would surely help improve our democracy. To ensure these are not one-off improvements, we really need to have in place procedures for a systematic improvement of our democracy, otherwise we become reliant on occasional reports about the problems that arise. Peter Nash, Fairlight Ross Gittins is right again: 'Four-year fixed terms in NSW came in 1991 as part of the bargaining with four independents after Nick Greiner's Coalition government fell short of numbers at an election. Political miracles do sometimes happen.' The same could and should happen federally. While a fixed four-year term is the ideal, that requires a referendum – Gittins says a fixed three-year term only requires government legislation. This could be the first bill passed by the next minority government at the same time as the new election funding laws are also scrapped as they overly favour the two major parties. I am already looking forward to the next federal election, in May 2028, with no election date manoeuvring by the prime minister, whoever it is. These two issues would be the most important reform for the next parliament. Peter Kamenyitzky, Castle Hill Perhaps, to help us stop electing the wrong pollies to govern us, it would be prudent to keep in mind that pollies 'who promise by the cartload deliver in spades'. Just saying. Steve Ngeow, Chatswood How about special classes (especially in ethics) also for aspiring politicians? After all, as Robert Louis Stevenson once observed, 'Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary'. Edward Loong, Milsons Point There is a glaring omission from the Ross Gittins list of fixes to our 'democratic' system. Until we tackle the huge lobbying industry, we will never get decision-making that puts Australian people first. As long as we allow hundreds of lobbyists to have free and unrecorded access to the corridors of power in Canberra, we will continue to get decisions that favour sectional interests. Everything else is just tinkering. Greg Baker, Fitzroy Falls The call for independent advisory bodies and a more independent public service could be actioned this year. A fully detailed 'ending jobs for mates' private member's bill already sits in Hansard. It was presented to parliament in March 2023 by Mackellar independent Dr Sophie Scamps and includes the creation of a public appointments commissioner who would be charged with ensuring that politicians are at arm's length during recruitment and appointment processes. A hung parliament offers a remarkable opportunity for this long-overdue, giant leap towards integrity that neither major party would ever be likely to embrace. Graeme Stewart, Avalon Beach Dutton dilemmas Not only do Peter Dutton's policies change by the hour but he's now refusing to say where his cuts would be made ('Dutton heeds Trump call with defence spend pledge', April 23). The promises as they currently stand are very short on detail and proper costings. He can blame Labor for an alleged 'scare' campaign but the truth is, to more and more people he appears as unpredictable as Donald Trump. Denis Goodwin, Dee Why Peter Dutton has said he takes inspiration from John Howard. As a public servant at the time of the 1996 election, I recall Howard promising in the lead-up to voting that public service cuts would be no more than 2500 jobs and would be achieved by natural attrition alone. After the election he sacked 30,000 public servants. This produced boom times for consultants but reduced services provided to the public. William Kennedy, Jordan Springs There are those who, through understandable adversity, see little option but to return the Coalition parties to federal government. There are many cautions, both current and historic, but the disgrace of Robo-debt alone should be sufficient to disqualify any former minister associated with that appalling predatory policy from ever holding such high office again. John Constable, Balmain According to the prime minister in the Channel Nine debate, low-income people such as seniors and pensioners cannot be given any cost-of-living support, however modest, as they must pay for salary increases in aged care. This is even though most of them are not in aged care and are no more likely to be than anyone else. On the other hand, extrapolating from the budget, high-income earners such as the prime minister, treasurer, politicians and wealthy retirees need the additional support of tax cuts to help with the cost of living. Jobseekers who got no assistance were not mentioned. Perhaps they also need to pay the salaries of aged care workers, or maybe they are paying for childcare workers? Frances McMahon, Mosman Nuclear fallout Your correspondent claims, without a hint of irony, that 'renewables investors are terrified of nuclear energy' due to the 'potential loss of government subsidies' (Letters, April 23). That's so ironic, because Dutton's nuclear 'plan' cannot survive without its 100 per cent taxpayer subsidy, while the vast majority of the renewable rollout has been funded by private enterprise with minimal subsidy. And once a renewable project is completed in Australia, it operates on a purely commercial basis. If a nuclear power station were ever constructed, its operation would continue to be subsidised by taxpayers for its life because it would be unable to compete with lower-cost electricity from wind and solar. Brendan Jones, Annandale Like any other pro-nuclear proselytiser, your correspondent has ignored the rather large pachyderm on the premises, viz. the safe disposal of the highly radioactive waste products (including the reactor vessel itself when it reaches the end of its economic life). Does s/he really intend to selfishly kick the problem down the road for future generations to solve? Dave Horsfall, North Gosford Bay watch Sorry, what planet are those who have a plan to turn Batemans Bay into a new Gold Coast living on (' Batemans Bay, a 'new Gold Coast'', April 23)? It would be interesting to see the artist's impression factoring in climate change and the predicted rise in sea levels of 0.4 to 0.8 metres and possibly two metres by 2100. Glenn Larner, Freshwater Hail Pope, not archaic Church Pope Francis should rightly be lauded for his compassion and support for the poor, the oppressed and the stateless (' Cardinals converge for Pope's humble farewell ', April 23). However, he was still the representative of a Church whose doctrines are still entrenched in the Middle Ages. Sure, he claimed that homosexuality wasn't a crime, but it was still a sin. He upheld the ban on contraception, endorsing only the natural planning' method. The Philippines, which has more than 80 million Catholics, remains the only country apart from the Vatican to ban divorce. Such is the sway of the Catholic Church over the ruling government. The provision for a marriage to be annulled is pure sophistry – an intrusive process that effectively establishes, at some cost, that the marriage never took place. Abortion is anathema and was described bluntly by Francis as murder. His support for the LGBTQ+ community was also ambivalent. He asserted that God loved them, but there was no place for them in the ministry. Francis allowed Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples but such blessings would not legitimise 'irregular situations' but be a sign that God welcomes all. Michael Bright, Moss Vale Despite knowing about allegations of sexual abuse against Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis appointed him to a senior position. This would have been a kick in the teeth for alleged victims. More recently he was overheard using an offensive term when referring to gays, which he later retracted. The people's Pope for some, but not all. Julie Robinson, Cardiff Women need not apply I noted the strong beliefs Pope Francis held, and the list of possible candidates for his replacement (' Francis saw the need for women's genius in the church ', April 23). No women. Is there any reason for any church or any society that prides itself on inclusion to exclude women from the top job? Why is this anomaly still in place? Nola Tucker, Kiama Believe it or not It's not surprising that your correspondent (Letters, April 23) quotes GK Chesterton supporting Judeo-Christian beliefs, as he was a most ardent supporter from a time and place where a mixed marriage was between a Protestant and a Catholic. Contrary to GK's flippant opinion, secularism accepts all religious beliefs, favours none, with only one condition: no one, from any religion, is above the law. Hardly a 'risky' proposition for our much-envied multicultural society? Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn Not that musty old G.K. Chesterton 'if people don't believe in God, they'll believe anything' nonsense again. Why is this so frequently put forth as the final, unanswerable argument in defence of Christian belief? Let's look at what Chesterton expected us to believe: About 2000 years ago, an itinerant preacher died and, a couple of days later, came back to life. He was able to achieve this remarkable feat because he was the son of the creator of the universe. Over the ensuing 40 days, he appeared at irregular intervals to his friends before disappearing into a supernatural realm. If we do what he asked of us, we will join him there after our deaths, where we will experience unending joy and bliss. If we ignore his teachings, however, we will be tortured by fire for a post-mortem eternity. This is an extraordinary claim. I'm happy for people to believe in anything that gives them comfort, but it gets tiresome to be told if I don't believe this, I'll believe anything. Len Keating, Balmain East Unholy alliance It seems President Trump wants an American Pope. If that doesn't occur, will he claim the conclave was rigged? Gillian Scoular, Annandale Your contributor (Letters, April 23) suggested that replacing Trump with J.D. Vance would be Hobson's choice. I think Vance is worse. Trump doesn't believe what he says, it's just a means to an end. Vance believes it. Peter Bourke, Rockdale I agree with your correspondent saying Trump's presence at the Pope's funeral is disrespectful. It is perhaps a vain hope that Trump realises it is not about him. Vicky Marquis, Glebe Language barrier Your correspondent may not have realised how lucky he was that his parents even had a dictionary to learn from (Letters, April 23). Being a recently arrived migrant from a non-English-speaking country, all I seemed to get was 'should improve her English mark'. Fine, but a little help with learning the language would have stood me in good stead. Mia David, Wollongong Half-baked plan The $40 million redesign plans for Leichhardt Oval are indeed grand (' First look at $40m redesign proposal for Leichhardt Oval ', April 23). There is no mention, however, of parking facilities. Public transport access is inadequate, the surrounding streets are narrow and the existing car park adjacent to the Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre is barely adequate. Where are 20,000 football fans supposed to park? Perhaps there is a plan, as yet not revealed, to acquire acres of parkland and cover it with bitumen and white lines. Peter Craig, Dulwich Hill Gas hazards There has been recent media attention around gas industry advertising. To add to the story, we highlight major health risks associated with using gas at home. Gas appliance use causes sickness, suffering, and increased health costs. Gas releases pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NO2), carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene (a potent carcinogen) that linger indoors, damaging health. Evidence reveals children are 30 per cent more likely to become asthmatic in homes using gas, comparable to the effects of cigarette smoke. It also increases asthma and bronchitis risk in adults. Exposure to NO2 has been associated with an increased risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Carbon monoxide exposure causes vague symptoms mimicking flu or food poisoning. It can lead to worsening memory, mood and behaviour changes, and cause deaths or near misses. Increased awareness of the health risks of gas, and an accelerated transition to healthy gas-free electric homes, would benefit everyone, and be lasting. Anthony Hull, Randwick
