Expecting all kids to learn reading the same way is bogus

In my experience, whatever the classroom literacy teaching program, from intensive systematic phonics to balanced literacy to literature based, one thing is true. They all work for most students, but not all.

There is a group of students who learn more than the program offers; a group who learn just what the program offers; and a group who are not learning what the program offers.

A teacher's professional responsibility is to observe, assess and differentiate instruction to those three groups so they all progress. A small group of students will need well-resourced early intervention programs (which have disappeared due to funding).

Teachers also needs to integrate reading and writing programs, so learning is reinforced through both. Any teaching approach that insists all students learn the same things at the same time is bogus. These programs usually are promoted by commercial interests.

Australia's transport emissions rose 7.4 per cent in the year ended June 30, 2023. This is much higher than population growth (2.4 per cent) due largely to the move from sedans to SUVs and utes with higher fuel consumption and higher emissions.

Over 2022-23, sales for passenger cars rose 4.1 per cent, light commercial vehicles rose 6.9 per cent and SUV rose a whopping 20.9 per cent. The government's announced introduction of a fuel efficiency standard is both welcome and necessary.

Hopefully, this will go some way to reducing the significant emissions in the transport sector. Emissions in sectors such as agriculture will be much harder to reduce.

Reducing emissions is a difficult task and will require societal changes if the required target for a 'safe' climate is to be met.

As mentioned in recent articles, the Hilux and Ranger are certainly popular vehicles ("Testing our 'unbreakable' appetite for useful but high-emitting utes", canberratimes.com.au, February 11).

But that doesn't mean these vehicles need be "slammed with penalties for their emissions" because the standard will be averaged over a suppliers' fleet of new vehicles. Penalties will only apply if averaged fleet emissions exceeded the standard.

Manufacturers need not face any penalties, so long as they offer a suitable choice of vehicles to meet the standard across their fleet. A so-called tax on utes is highly unlikely. The USA, Canada and New Zealand all introduced fuel efficiency standards and the industry adapted to it. It wasn't the "end of the ute" or the weekend for that matter.

If others can do it, so can Australia. We need strong fuel efficiency standards.

Now that the debate on negative gearing is hot, I would like to add my two bob's worth.

As a self-funded retiree with no rental properties, my observation is that housing for rental is a poor asset class to invest in.

Tenants have no real incentive to look after the property, laws favour the tenant in disputes, regulations governing the standard of the rental property are on the up, cash-strapped governments are increasing property taxes, maintenance is expensive, and capital gains are often more than eroded by the 15-year or so renovation cycle. Acquisition, and later selling costs, usually amount to 10 per cent of the price.

If an investor needs to borrow, they ignore the above, as well as interest rate cycle risks. The path to a comfortable retirement is assets which are debt-free or positively geared.

Investors should avoid the headaches of rental properties, and get good advice on alternative investments like shares and commercial property.

The effect would be to free up more housing for the young to buy as their first home.