PM’s intransigence betrays nation’s lack of compassion

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PM’s intransigence betrays nation’s lack of compassion

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

Illustration: Cathy WilcoxCredit:

The PM is not for turning (‘‘No deals on drought relief bill: Morrison’’, July 22). Same goes for his rejection of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s offer to resettle refugees from Manus and Nauru in spite of Labor’s offer to include a lifetime visa ban for those people (‘‘Another chance looms to transfer refugees to NZ’’, July 22). He just says ‘‘our policy hasn’t changed’’. No discussion, merely a ‘‘no’’, very much like ‘‘we don’t comment on on-water matters’’. The next thing we will hear is, ‘‘we don’t talk about on-land matters’’. - Chris Moe, Bensville

Socially, morally and with fairness, NZ is a much bigger country than Australia. We are the small, mean cousins next door. As a nation, I hope we grow some humility. - Catherine Hoskin, Gloucester

These refugees are our responsibility. Our government does not want them, yet we heartlessly deny them a future and use them as pawns in a deadly blackmail strategy, afraid more will come if we treat them humanely. It is time to stop the charade and accept New Zealand’s offer. - Christina Foo, Wahroonga

They won’t say, but we know why the government is repurposing other funds for drought relief or emergency responses, or why it won’t increase Newstart – because any new spending will threaten their promised surplus. And they don’t want to break that election promise, do they? Good thing the RBA now says the economic fundamentals are ‘‘strong’’, despite two recent cuts in interest rates. -David Rush, Lawson

Rather than spending $3.9 billion of taxpayer money to subsidise select enterprises, wouldn’t it be fairer to all to spend the money on raising the unemployment benefit? It seems unfair to use taxpayers’ money to save some people’s source of employment but not others. - Mark Pearce, Richmond

You would think that if ethics and morality won’t move this Morrison mob, economics would (‘‘Cost of nation’s growing wealth gap rises by $8b’’, July 22). Sadly, even the fact that a dollar in the hands of a poor person will do more good for our nation than a dollar in the hands of a rich person makes no difference. Perhaps cabinet needs to get out their sewing needles and try squeezing some camels through. - Deb McPherson, Gerringong

Lesson in humility: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Scott Morrison in Melbourne last week.

Lesson in humility: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Scott Morrison in Melbourne last week. Credit: Joe Armao

The Newstart allowance encourages recipients to seek and accept employment at rates of pay so low that a drag on wage growth is created. A significant increase in Newstart is an essential part of an effective stimulus package. - Lawrence Fahy, Randwick

There is no doubt our farmers are in dire straits. Summer crop production Australia-wide is estimated to have declined by 35 per cent in 2018-19 and that follows many years of disastrous droughts. Morrison wants to spend billions on helping farmers ‘‘cope’’. But there is no solution to long-term drought. In marginally affected areas, farmers can adapt by using new technologies and farming strategies but for the majority there is no way to avoid the simple fact that long-term droughts mean no crops and no incomes. The Coalition, and particularly the Nationals, purport to represent farmers yet they are failing to do anything about the biggest threat of all to farmers: climate change. - Rob Bower, Peregian Beach

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Nuclear option works overseas and can here

Congratulations for reporting that there are some MPs who recognise Australia’s desperate need for nuclear power – affordable, reliable, dispatchable, safe and carbon free (‘‘Make nuclear power free: Joyce’’, July 22). What a welcome change from other politicians, including the PM, who apparently do not understand this or are more interested in harvesting what they see as the popular vote. - Don Higson, Paddington

Barnaby Joyce’s $100 lamb roasts could become reality if his misguided wish for nuclear power came true. Nuclear is now one of the most expensive ways to generate electricity, would take 10-15 years to build, and would only push prices up (except for the ridiculous few who would allegedly get it ‘‘free’’). The only way it could get off the ground would be if the government spent billions of taxpayers’ money subsidising it and completely underwriting the massive risk – so we’d all still pay for it anyway. It’s a complete fantasy. Nuclear power is a dead option. - Brendan Jones, Annandale

Nicole Hasham’s article was a splendid opportunity to point the following out to politicians and voters, who have been fed misinformation, hence the banning of nuclear power in Australia. Please let them know that 75 per cent of France’s power is nuclear. Russian, US and Chinese warships are nuclear powered. India and China have over 60 nuclear power stations between them. The Ukraine and Japanese meltdowns were from causes never to be repeated. Germany is in a financial nightmare over clean power, having turned its back on nuclear as Australia has. Germany draws what power it can from France’s nuclear sources. Let’s use our massive uranium deposits, use our aquifers-free outback for deep deposits of spent uranium, use our brilliant nuclear scientists at CSIRO. Soon thorium will remove even this issue. C’mon both parties, bring us into the 21st century. - Basil van Rooyen, St Ives

Thank you Barnaby for delivering the biggest laugh we’ve had across our kitchen table over breakfast for some years with your plan to build nuclear power stations in the middle of country towns.
And with this material, there’s so much more priceless comedy to be had. You need to go local. How about detailed plans for nuclear power stations in the city centres of Tamworth and Armidale in your electorate? Then give us an artist’s impression of a nuclear power station in Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, in the heart of your party leader’s electorate. And don’t forget you’re in a coalition, so let’s have a nuclear waste facility in the Shire. Share the love, Barnaby. - Gavin Gilchrist, Annandale

Smith shows taxes for rich failing

Dick Smith shows how misguided/misinformed this franking credits discussion has become (Letters, July 20-21). To have $500,000 surplus credits in super would mean well in excess of $20 million invested ($1.6m in tax-free pension mode with the remainder in 15 per cent taxed lump sum mode) and with it all in bank shares. Why would Smith have put that much into super if it wasn’t tax advantageous at the time? Now he says he tried to give it back to the Tax Commissioner. The issue wouldn’t exist if the big end of town was taxed appropriately. Full marks to Smith in giving surplus credits to charity. On a lesser scale I do the same. I wonder if charities are aware of their potential loss if franking credits surpluses were discontinued. - Patrick Dwyer, Magenta

With all the talk of pensioners and deeming rates, another group of retirees has been overlooked. I refer to self-funded retirees who are wholly, or partly, dependent on term deposits for their income.
The recent reduction of half of one per cent by the Reserve Bank will mean a reduction of 20 per cent in earnings for this group, of which I am one. Recently banks were offering 2.5 per cent, now I don’t expect any more than 2 per cent. There must be tens of thousands of people in this position. This will obviously result in hundreds of millions of dollars which won’t be circulating in
the economy. - John Coye, Belrose

Economic miracle

Your article (‘‘NAB’s crisis duo to revive ailing bank’’, July 22) points out that NAB’s new CEO will embark on slashing thousands of jobs. Your weekend article ‘‘Bank CEO pay packets head upwards again’’ reports that NAB will pay its new CEO up to $9.5 million annually, some 20 per cent above his predecessor. That must be trickle down economics in action. - Geoff Wannan, Dawes Point

Moon billions wasted

Is it possible that I am the only person with similar views about the moon landing (Letters, July 22)? The billions of dollars could have improved the lives of millions of poor people in America and around the world. And it looks as if US is doing it again. - Susie Klein, Bellevue Hill

We’ve been hearing for days about the work done by Tidbinbilla and Parkes during the period of the moon landing and subsequent showing of the images. There hasn’t been any, or little, on the contribution of the staff of the Post-Master General exchange and OTC satellite station at Moree.
My husband has talked about how crystal clear the images coming through the exchange were compared to the distorted images we’ve always seen. He was one of those responsible for the broadcasts being received from Parkes and transmitted by them and the OTC staff to NASA. I don’t know why these people were left out but somebody needs to blow their bugle for them. - Mary Grocott, Orange

One of the nicest things about the commemorations is that a place charmingly called Honeysuckle Creek emerged from the shadows. - Rosemary O’Brien, Georges Hall

For all the good it did (Velcro) it might as well have been a hoax. - Gary Frances, Bexley

Britain’s clown prince

Illustration: John Shakespeare

Illustration: John ShakespeareCredit:

I suspect Sir Humphrey Appleby would describe the ‘‘neo-liberal think tank the Henry Jackson Society’’ proposal that the same day supply of goods from the EU across the English Channel be replaced with a CANZUK (Canada, Australia and New Zealand) partnership in a free trade zone as a ‘‘bold decision’’ (‘‘Two ways to view Boris as PM’’, July 22). Has anyone in said think tank noticed Canada is on the far side of the Atlantic Ocean, or recalled what was meant by the description of Australia and NZ as the antipodes? - Steve Bright, North Avoca

The imminent coronation of the British Conservative Party’s prince across the water, Boris Johnson, reminds me of a striking image conjured during the abdication crisis of 1936. In a letter to the editor of The Times, a British resident of the US observed that the king’s antics had ‘‘transformed Great Britain ... from a sober and dignified realm into a dizzy Balkan musical comedy attuned to the rhythm of jazz’’. If only the current descent into farce were as tuneful. - Kathleen Riley, Burradoo

Johnson may well be a clown, even a charlatan, but I wonder how much weight should be given to politicians who cheer us up. England is split over exiting the European Union, and is heading down a road to who-knows-where. Poms are opting for a driver who can at least keep them amused on the journey. - John Synnott, Enmore

Twenty-one of Britain’s previous prime ministers were old boys of Eton college. Hasn’t the British working class learnt anything? - Barry Riley, Woy Woy

Beer sale goes flat

As a beer drinker and perfectly sober at the time of writing, I fail to understand how the Asahi takeover of Carlton & United Breweries can be a ‘‘win-win’’ (‘‘Publicans raise a glass to Asahi’s $16b takeover’’, July 22). Another takeover with the profits going offshore. What next: Coopers and those two major brewers in Tasmania? - Brian Lips, Mittagong

Hip pocket referral pain

Indefinite referrals can save an annual visit to a GP for a referral, but not all specialists accept indefinite referrals (Letters, July 22). I have had two ophthalmologists who have insisted on a new GP referral every year and have charged the inflated first appointment fee each time for monitoring an ongoing condition using the records created during previous appointments. - Linda Pettersson, Cremorne

Prices leave a mark

A good place for the AFL to start a cost of living survey would be at the main grounds (‘‘COLA talk bubbles on as Sydney cries poor’’, July 22). A [Connoisseur] ice-cream that costs $5.10 at the MCG costs $6 at the SCG. - Maurice Critchley, Kenthurst

Smoke-free zone

I was enjoying the beautiful clear blue sky over the weekend when I realised that there was no bushfire smoke.  What has happened to our hazard reduction burning? Has the work been completed? - Richard Cortis, Clovelly

Fair go Foxtel

Congratulations to Dave Gordon for squeezing Foxtel down from $90 per month to $55 for the full package (‘‘Foxtel slashes prices to keep customers’’, July 22). Even more kudos to Nikki Smith for securing the full package for $35 per month. I thought I was doing OK paying $39 per month for drama and documentaries. Silly me. I now see that I am little more than a sheep being fleeced! So I called Foxtel and connected with their Melbourne call centre. ‘‘Sorry we have no $35 per month offer,’’ I was told repeatedly. An hour later, a call was received. No name or number was offered. Just a title, ‘‘manager’’. I was directed to call Foxtel back and ask for ‘‘accounts’’. So I called and this time spoke to the Philippines call centre where I was offered the full (platinum) package for $89 a month. Repeating the $35 deal that the Herald reported was an exercise in futility. - Jonathan Ariel, Darling Point

I get my service paired with my Telstra data service. With the basic Foxtel I pay, I think, $109 per month. Without it I would also pay $109 a month, contracted for two years. As the remote is from Austar and close to dead, I watch SBS a lot. But other than move to Optus, nothing I do can rid me of the landline. - David Neilson, Invergowrie

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