I have just watched a TV news report on the Senate inquiry regarding the methods used by the largest of the multinationals to minimise the tax they pay in Australia, and the way they are responding to the questions from the various senators. I noted the apparent smug looks on some of the respondents; it appeared that they were not at all worried by the well-intentioned efforts of the Australian members of parliament to address or highlight this practice.
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I am not at all confident that anything will actually change the amount of tax collected by the Australian Taxation Office to the level that should be expected if it was an Australian company or an Australian taxpayer. I am confident there will be a lot of posturing and talk about what should happen, but I doubt that a change (for the better) will be effected that will be just.
If the British government has an effective solution to the same problem, then what is stopping the Australian government from making the same changes today, now, immediately? What is stopping such a change? Political will, perhaps? I regretfully suggest that no matter which party is in power, there will be little improvement in the foreseeable future.
John Seebohm, Isabella Plains
Singapore's economic success is generally accredited to their own industry, but I wonder how much it helped them to be able to tax profits made in other countries. If we lower our tax rates to less than theirs, can we expect one day to tax their profits as they now tax ours?
S.W. Davey, Torrens
Climate of silence
I agree with Rod Holesgrove (Letters, April 9) about the lack of media coverage of climate change. Recently, I went to Longreach in outback Queensland. I took my camcorder with me. What I didn't know was the whole region had been in drought for three years. Highways are littered with road-kill kangaroos that had vainly sought water. Inland temperatures and rainfall deficiencies are the highest on record. Around the globe, extreme-weather events are getting more extreme.
What the media and politicians don't want you to know is at: www.radiograham.info.
Graham Macafee, Latham
Rod Holesgrove (Letters, April 8) is right. Climate change is the greatest problem that has ever faced humanity. It is not just another discreet environmental, economic or political problem. It is a systemic crisis that requires concerted action locally and globally. It is about this planet and its ability to support life as we know it. It is about us, our children and our fellow humans. So why is the Australian media so quiet about it?
G.M. King, Narrabundah
Rush to suffering
Ian Dunlop must be congratulated for his article "Rushing towards our doom" (Times2, April 7, p4), but will it receive the attention and response it deserves? Since I read "The Limits to Growth", a report published for the Club of Rome in 1972, I have tried to keep informed about such matters, and I can only say his criticisms about political incompetence and community disinterest are probably not strong enough or sufficiently broad based to win change or influence pollies (who wouldn't want to endanger votes).
And if you think we are rushing towards disaster now, 'you ain't seen nothing yet'. Why? Because we not only have to overcome scientific ignorance, but religious misdirection and human nature - both of which are working against climate believers - as well.
Religion has to accept responsibility for continuing to teach that man has dominion over all things on earth, and should overpopulate and hence pollute without constraint. Clearly, we don't have those rights, but we will be told to keep trying.
And human nature, weighed down by greed, selfishness, ignorance, budgets, stock markets, and a heap of other faults, prevents most of us from even considering precautionary change in lifestyle or reduction in natural resource use.
I am now too old to see change. But how frustrating it must be for those still too young to vote, but intelligent enough to face what we are rushing them towards, and then have to spend a lifetime suffering it.
Geoff Armstrong, Monash
Subs show the way
As the Federal budget approaches, there is an opportunity to at least do one positive thing; in making the decision to build our next generation of submarines in Australia. Many years ago at Canberra "navy day" I watched a video on the Collins class as my children were entertained by the diver in the tank. Like many people I knew only of all the problems in the design process but was struck by the size, scope and vision of the submarine. It makes sense to build the submarines in South Australia where we still have some expertise.
1. Most of the money stays in Australia and we don't add to our overseas debt.
2. For every $100 million dollars spent, the government should get at least $50 million back in tax from the workforce and contractors.
3. It gives the Australian economy a great lift in activity.
4. We keep and develop manufacturing skills in a range of high-tech activities.
5. It's an opportunity for the federal government to show some confidence in our Australian workforce.
To keep the project on track it needs good planning, with firm deadlines, and it is essential that project managers have practical skills in welding, electronics or a similar trade.
Too many projects in Australia have managers with no practical skills or appreciation of how long a task should take.
The program can model itself on overseas programs where it takes three to four years to build and commission a submarine; so we need to start a new one each year.
Before starting it is vital that there is consultation with those who designed, built and maintain the Collins class, to avoid the problems experienced with these boats.
Andrew Papworth, Campbell
Meeting the city's costs
The issue of degradation of old suburbs like Yarralumla and Forrest, and green space infill by the ACT Government since self-government, has largely to do with the need to generate ever more income to meet the substantial costs of running a local government and public service that is probably 10 times larger than it needs to be to service a small city the size of Canberra.
The ACT government needs to focus on sustainability and quality of life issues, rather than an unsustainable growth model driven by developers and senior bureaucrats. I have lived in the ACT since 1980 and during that time there has been a steady decline in the quality of life in the ACT.
And where is the ACT government taking us? Towards a city of more than a million people with traffic congestion, pollution, a decline in goods and services, and a need for increasing expenditure on infrastructure.
The focus should instead be on reducing government expenditure, downsizing the ACT public service, reducing rates and land tax, and working towards a sustainability model based on the current population. It is said that a politician looks to the next election, while a statesman looks to the next generation. Give us a statesman before it is too late.
C. Williams, Forrest
Walls or pool fence
I'm a bit weary of the on-going labelling exercise by the media and the government regarding the use of "withdrawal spaces" in schools ("'Panel set up after outcry over school autism cage", April 8, p3). If the child's enclosure had had walls instead of the pool fencing with a safe space inside there would have been no mention or concern expressed.
As mentioned, Tony Shaddock did review special education in 2009. He did provide an expansive report at the time but the recommendations then as now required and will require both funding and training for the teachers and assistants.
Part of that funding requirement will be needed to cover the costs of repairing the damages caused by the special needs students to physical space and equipment, individual teachers, assistants and students.
Nobody argues that these students should be excluded from the mainstream classrooms but we all know that it is an unreasonable demand on teachers and schools to manage children with special needs on the paltry budgets eked out by federal and state/territory "fixers" without adequate if any training for those dealing with the students!
While the review is probably not necessary, let's hope Shaddock will be able to extract a few extra dollars from governments to build full enclosures/withdrawal areas for pupils or teachers, who need them periodically.
W. Book, Hackett
What is responsible?
I find it quite amusing that both N. Hardy and Marilyn Truscott (Letters, April 6) feel they are responsible cat owners because they either keep their cat(s) indoors at night or that they only kill the occasional bird or two.
Yes, feral cats and other introduced species have had a devastating effect on our native species and continue to do so, but contrary to your assertions, so do domestic cats, particularly on our bird populations. Many surveys confirm it. And I certainly don't believe a responsible person would allow their cat to roam freely over adjacent or even not so near neighbours property just because it is daytime.
I'm grateful that I live in a suburb that has a policy of cat containment and even more so that my fellow habitants have willingly accepted the restriction without complaint. Apart from being free of the chore of scraping through the garden mulch clearing it of cat faeces, I can enjoy the quite varied birdlife in the trees and shrubs and even the occasional Antechinus mouse scampering almost hidden under shrubbery.
Lud Kerec, Forde
Political manoeuvring
I was interested in Jack Kershaw's arguments for linking Floriade with the Arboretum (Letters, April 8). Certainly, the Acton site for the NMA and AIATSIS at 11 hectares is only 12 per cent the size of the original spacious site chosen for the National Museum at Yarramundi.
The scandalous political manoeuvring that led to the violent and shameful destruction of the Canberra hospital in 1997 will forever be a dark part of the history of the national capital.
It is hard to envisage how that could be reversed. But in time, some changes could be made, perhaps to accommodate performing arts as Mr Kershaw suggested, and a link between Acton and Yarramundi established, with Australia's first peoples invited to be involved and represented at both sites.
Noel Haberecht, Ainslie
Life tarnished
So another young man's life is tarnished by a rape claim (ANU student acquitted of raping fellow resident, April 4, p5). When will we stop naming such people until they are convicted?
Innocence carries severe social penalties while guilt is protected by anonymity either because of under age - the Clea Rose killer an infamous example - or for uninformative "legal reasons". We do our citizens and legal system grave injustices (pun intended) by not protecting those charged with offences.
Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla
I find it utterly inconsistent that an alleged victim in a rape case ("ANU student allegedly raped in dorm after pub crawl", canberratimes.com.au March 31,) had their name suppressed yet the accused has their name publicised during the trial.
While I fully understand and support the reasons behind suppressing the names of alleged victims, this should also apply to the accused with the suppression order only lifted in the event of a guilty verdict.
In the meantime, if an accused is truly innocent until proven guilty, newspapers should perhaps reconsider throwing about names during the course of a trial.
Gordon Williams, Watson
Sort out the saving
J.J. Heywood's note about about Daylight Saving Time (Letters, April 8) is correct but possibly confusing. In Canberra on April 1, we have sunrise 6.15am (7.15am), sunset 5.59pm (6.59pm), hours up 11.44, while on June 21 we have sunrise 7.11am, sunset 4.59pm, hours up 9.47.
The times in parentheses are Daylight Saving times. The purpose of Daylight Saving Time is to get you up an hour earlier so you experience your sunlight in the evening instead of in the morning. If we ended Daylight Saving Time two weeks sooner, then the latest Daylight Saving Time sunrise would be on March 21 (7.06 am) and would not occur later than the Standard Time of sunrise in midwinter.
Bruce A. Peterson, Kambah
Worst fears almost realised on bus run
In 2015 the ACT Government cancelled a raft of school bus services, including a number serving primary schools. One of those consigned to oblivion was the bus transporting children home from our local primary school. No child would be disadvantaged, I was assured. Children could now catch the public bus. I pointed out at the time that there were very few public buses travelling to our little corner of Kambah, a brisk 2.5km walk from the nearest stop. Not a problem, the ACTION representative cheerfully responded. We'll divert the bus that passes near the school at 3.30.
I also raised concerns with the ACTION hierarchy that the abolition of school buses servicing primary schools (ie children as young as 5) could represent a safety issue, ie young children having to leave school grounds unsupervised, then waiting at a bus stop for the public bus, which may or may not arrive. My concerns were heard sympathetically, with the assurance they would be "passed on". Right.
Well, 10 days ago my worst fears were almost realised. On this particular day, the bus sailed right past the turnoff to our locality and headed into Woden with my three primary school children on board. Fortunately my eldest child (aged 11) is quite responsible and was able to access a phone and call for help. I dread to think what would have happened if she had not been with them. Two young boys wandering around Woden bus interchange, wondering where on earth they were.
The net result will be fewer parents willing to trust ACTION with their children's safety, and a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions as yet more children are driven to and from school. Great planning. And I'm still waiting on a response from ACTION to my complaint direct to them (10 days ago).
Jo Rouston, Kambah
To the point
FIGURE LACKS CONTEXT
I note that Wildlife ACT states ("Lobby group calls for cats to be locked up", April 8, p2) that it treated 47 native animals for injuries caused by cats, less than one a week, but a figure I do not doubt.
To understand the significance of this figure, perhaps Wildlife ACT could have also told us how many animals they have helped with in- juries caused by vehicles, dogs, or flying into windows or other haz- ards associated with living in Canberra.
David Rees, Harrison
THE LAST LAUGH?
A placebo effect? Will Stephen Danks have the last laugh?
Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla
A MEMORY SLIP?
Your correspondent ("Hawks dream of flying high again", AFL 2015 season guide, April 1, p8) seems to have forgotten the incredible Melbourne side of the 1950s (five premierships in six years) when he suggests Hawthorn is trying to be the second side in 60 years to win triple premierships, or could it be Brisbane's triple last decade has slipped his memory?
Bob Gardiner, Kambah
ROYAL CONUNDRUM
Amid the infantile hysteria about the visit to Australia of "ordinary soldier" Captain Wales, one major puzzle remains unsolved: how can his surname be Wales when his father's surname is Windsor?
Merrick Jones, Kambah
NUCLEAR NICETIES
Perhaps it matters little if Washington offers a different account from Tehran over the recent nuclear agreement ("Republicans push for say on Iran deal" April 7, p7). To paraphrase Churchill: if neither party is fully satisfied, then that is the best evidence of a fair settlement.
Sam Nona, Burradoo, NSW
IMMIGRATION RISK
Have our federal politicians considered what Muslim immigration will mean for our national security, social cohesion, culture/way of life, community harmony and workplace functioning?
Colin Douglas, St Kilda, Victoria
SCUPPER THE SUBS
A very timely article by Nicholas Stuart ("Barbed-wire Defence ditched", Times2, April 7, p1). Do we intend to spend $25 billion on a new submarine fleet?
They will be redundant before they're launched. What about spending that sort of loot on renewable energy? At least we will keep the jobs at home as we are as competent as any other nationality in this field.
Johannes Esman, Braidwood, NSW
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