Scott Morrison sure is intimidating when he plays it tough while giving us his plans for curing the economy, and then warns us that we'll wreck it if we don't buy his ideas ("Morrison's recession warning", August 25, p7). This is a man who in times of yore would successfully have sold snake oil to the masses, slapped a consumption tax on the punters he conned into buying it, and then given the suppliers some tax relief.
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Jessica Irvine's article "A budget balancing act" (Comment, August 26, p14) clearly reveals some of the Treasurer's recent economic plans, as delivered in his Bloomberg address, along with their possible implications for the economy.
We shouldn't be worrying if Scott Morrison's hifalutin plans are impracticable or based on false premises so long as we swallow what he says. If we really believe we'll be cured we probably will be.
Too bad if his latest economic medicine leaves an even worse taste than the last lot.
Philip Telford, Tarago, NSW
Very catchy of Mr Morrison to talk about the "taxed and taxed-nots", but the dole and the pension are taxed and poor people are more affected by the GST because their incomes are low.
Marion Davis, Charnwood
Shorten plays games
The Prime Minister, Treasurer, and rating agencies all warn of a looming economic crisis, unless deficits and debt are reined in.
We have the fastest growing debt of developed countries, forecast at $584 billion by 2019-20 (about $90,000 per household), to be repaid by our kids with reduced services and increased taxation.
Despite empty promises to co-operate, Bill Shorten regards every savings measure as "unfair", and his sole aim is to force another election by bringing the country to its knees.
He will then seek power with profligate spending promises and further crippling debt, inevitably leading to loss of our AAA credit rating, recession, and a Greek tragedy — broken economy, 50 per cent youth unemployment etc. Our kids deserve better!
Johann Sheller, Forrest
Credit to Campbells
Don Sephton's inference (Letters, August 26) that the Campbell sisters spent more time on Olympic media presentation than on their training was mean-spirited and misinformed.
Mr Sephton needs to be reminded that Cate and Bronte each returned home with a gold and silver medal following superlative swims in, respectively, the 4x100 metre freestyle relay and the 4x100 metre medley relay.
There is no doubt that Cate's "failures" in the individual 50-metre and 100-metre events, in which she was strongly favoured, has hit her hard. But she has so much to be proud of, and will undoubtedly come again.
Robin Poke, president, ACT Olympic Council
Perhaps Mr Sephton might better direct his hate mail to Facebook or Twitter where he may find others of like mind who like to shoot our tall poppies down.
Alice Scott, Wamboin, NSW
Degree absurdity
University of Sydney vice-chancellor Dr Michael Spence, very candidly highlights a flaw in the higher education sector ("It is immoral to tax poor Sichuan families to subsidise kids who went to Kings", canberratimes.com.au, August 12). The issue runs deeper.
Employment is an ever more competitive arena greatly reliant on qualifications. This alone is increasingly pushing universities closer to the blanket trade of the commodity of graduate degrees.
The race is on to attract what effectively are "customers", and "customer satisfaction" drives the market appeal of a university. As overall success rates directly contribute to the institution's income and returns, this conflict of interest begs the question as to where a quality benchmark is set, not to become a graduate battery farm.
The demand-driven model based on customer satisfaction devalues the worth of the qualification; the offer eventually overwhelms the demand, and graduates end up employed in jobs that don't match their background or don't require a degree at all. The common trend among employers to address this conundrum seems to be: the more qualifications, the better. A self-defeating vicious circle ultimately pricing many out of the market.
Needless to say that a $100,000 price tag would add a component of perpetual debt and squeezed future incomes: a totally ludicrous scenario, other than for some fat executive bonuses.
The higher-education sector risks overpricing the cost of degrees. Shortsighted cuts would only compound that.
Luca Biason, Latham
Gay marriage sense
I take issue with Mark Kenny's suggestion that the Greens opposition to the same-sex marriage plebiscite is akin to their all-or-nothing approach on climate change in the Rudd and Gillard era ("Greens Gamble could see same-sex progress delayed", canberratimes.com.au, August 26).
Perhaps progressive voters would rather wait to see same-sex marriage legalised under a Labor government in three years via a parliamentary vote, than sooner via a plebiscite at a huge cost to the community.
Unlike reasonable action on climate change, marriage equality is surely something that could be delayed in order to do it properly in the very foreseeable future. This is a rational choice.
Elisabeth Lombard, Garran
Democracy is all about electing people to represent the will of the people. Whether the Greens and Labor like it or not, the Coalition won the election, which included a policy on same-sex marriage – to hold a plebiscite.
It now seems that Labor and the Greens have done the numbers, and concluded that a vote in the Parliament will approve same-sex marriage. Strangely, as reported today in the Telegraph and also The Canberra Times, Labor has concerns that a plebiscite will fail. Therefore, they oppose one. So, what sort of democracy do we have when politicians decide that they will enact laws that the people oppose?
Me, I want a plebiscite, and will accept whatever the result is.
John Burns, Hall
Make housing affordable
Former chief minister Jon Stanhope points out that we're "going backwards" on housing affordability" ("ACT government must take responsibility for pricing many Canberrans out of the housing market", canberratimes.com.au, August 26). As the parent of an 11-year-old daughter, I could have told him that, and it worries me deeply.
A socially sustainable Australia includes housing affordability for first-home buyers and renters. But it will take more than reforming the Land Development Agency to achieve the long-term stability in housing prices that our society desperately needs.
The ACT should immediately restore independent planning processes to protect Canberra's housing affordability.
Not only do we need to overhaul the Land Development Agency, but also to restore the National Capital Authority with a genuinely independent mandate. Banning property developer donations to ACT political parties and increasing taxes on foreign buyers would also help.
Housing affordability underpins the future of our children and grandchildren. We must act now.
John Haydon, Lyneham
Thank you, Canberra Times for the article "Call for LDA review" (August 26, p1). Jon Stanhope and others are saying that housing costs are far too high in Canberra and the least affordable in the country, yet Andrew Barr's spokesperson has the gall to claim that Canberra is "the most affordable jurisdiction in which to buy or rent". Who is he kidding?
Then he says that "17,000 sites would be released ... with 20 per cent for affordable housing". Does that mean that 80 per cent would not be affordable? Which is it, Mr Barr?
M. Flint, Erindale
Shame on Geocon
Anyone who has worked in the ACT construction industry long enough knows about Geocon's infamous "topping out" parties, which are held after the last of the structural concrete has been poured.
Geocon provides food and alcohol, and they usually erect a stage with lighting for strippers. For Geocon managing director Nick Georgalis to deny that work party at the Wayfarer apartments was not a representation of the company's culture ("Hi-vis nudity on ACT building site", August 27, p7) he must live with his head in the sand.
Peter McMahon, Richardson
Who committed the worst offence? The company which allowed half-naked women to serve beer at a building company function or The Canberra Times for publishing photos of it on the front page?
Neil Stevenson, Calwell
It was very wrong of a construction company in Belconnen to have a topless lady in a g-string serve beer, in a section of the city near a church and school. I was delighted to read their apology (Geocon apologises for topless party", August 28, p3). I hope The Canberra Times will issue an apology to the lady in question for flashing her picture on the front page for the whole city to see.
The whole matter should have been covered up (pun intended). When the subject came up after the pre-service Bible study, I remarked, do mothers have to blindfold their children before sending them off to buy the paper?
Andrew Short, O'Connor
Asbestos disgrace
The Commonwealth government singularly failed in its duty of good government for the residents of this Territory when it permitted loose asbestos to be installed in Canberra houses. Tony Stewart (Letters, August 26) rightly resents the present Commonwealth government's insistence that the ACT repay $1billion lent to remediate ACT properties.
In providing its loan, the Commonwealth has come to the party only in respect of property damage, not to alleviate the slowly accumulating but inevitable toll on health and life flowing from its actions.
The vital step is surely to insist that the Commonwealth join the ACT government in conducting an inquiry into how, in the light of the health warnings given to the Commonwealth, the decision to permit use of loose asbestos came about. Future engineering failures are prevented only when the cause of failures are fully investigated. Decisions about asbestos should be held to the same standard.
M. McConnell, Giralang
NRL dictators
I was appalled to read in a Sydney newspaper on Friday that Raiders fans have been given "approval by the NRL to repeat their passionate pre-game 'Viking clap' during the finals". The article advises that "the NRL takes complete control of all game-day content during the finals".
I would like to see the NRL try to stop over 20,000 passionate Raider supporters from doing the clap during any game – What could they do? Have the police throw all the supporters out of the ground! I don't think so!
Their discriminatory actions in denying Canberra and three other clubs the opportunity in having a home major final reeks of a dictatorship organisation intent on maximising profit before ever considering the people who are the backbone of the game.
Tony Swift, Kambah
Literary masterpiece
I marvelled at the insights and skills that were revealed and presented by local and international authors at the weekend's Canberra Writer's Festival. The festival was superbly located in our significant national buildings and attracted an interested and interesting audience. Another affirmation of the gems on offer in this great city.
Hopefully there is the energy and sponsorship to enable this event to continue.
Mike Taverner, Turner
TO THE POINT
The Canberra Times wants to hear from you in short bursts. Email views in 50 words or fewer to letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au.
TERMS OUTDATED
The Northern Territory can do fixed four-year terms. Papua-New-Guinea has five-year terms.
Variable 2.75-year terms in Canberra look silly and dated.
David Z. Hughes, St Kilda West, Vic
LESS HATE IS A WORRY
Of more concern to Manly supporters than the loss to the Raiders is the fact that Manly have slumped to third on "The Most Hated Team in the NRL" table – behind the Bulldogs and the Broncos.
R.J. Wenholz, Holt
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
For some time the advocates of same-sex marriage have been proclaiming that at least 70 per cent of Australians are in favour of it. Now they oppose the idea of a plebiscite because they fear it might not pass. Do I detect an inconsistency here?
Roger Quarterman, Campbell
'INCISIVE' COMMENTS
Stan Marks' comments (Letters, August 26) calling for a national plebiscite on the near farcical concept of homosexual marriage are incisive and deserving of the fullest praise.
Michael Doyle, Fraser
CHARGE QUESTIONED
I was appalled to hear that Kerry Mellor was charged with praying silently for unborn babies near an abortion clinic, something he has been doing for years. What is our society coming to?
Ingrid Ross, Campbell
GOD AND SCIENCE
I agree with Barrie Smillie (Letters, August 25) that it was not for the church to decide scientific questions. Equally, as a Christian I do not look to science to decide whether I should love my neighbour, or use technology responsibly.
Arthur Connor, Weston
WOBBLY LOGIC
If Collingwood suffer from the collywobbles, then the Wallabies are surely afflicted by the wabbalies!
Alex Wallensky, Broulee, NSW
MUSIC TO HER EARS
Thank you, V.R. Condon (Letters, August 26), for your wonderful description of the Music at Midday concert. I was immediately transported into the theatre with tapping feet and cant wait to go to the next one.
Mary Robbie, Aranda
PARTING SHOT
Good to see Sarah Hanson-Young replaced. She has been an embarrassment ever since trying to coach the Ombudsman before Senate hearings which resulted in him having to resign his position. She should have gone at the same time.
Ric Hingee, Duffy
Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attached file. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
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