Credit:Illustration: Megan Herbert
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HOMES
Policies designed to benefit the well-off
It seems to have taken a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (The Age, 22/7) to show many Australians that stimulating the demand side of the housing market provides little help to prospective purchasers.
The law of supply and demand is understood by supermarket shoppers but, for some reason, it did not seem to apply to housing. Besides, the mainstream media seemed happy to go along with the press releases lauding “help for first home buyers”, rarely if ever questioning the principles espoused by the ministers involved.
Clearly, bureaucrats and ministers were well aware that increases in supply were essential for any real benefit to occur. The obvious conclusion is that these were policies deliberately designed to provide further benefit to groups other than first home buyers.
Terry Bourke, Newtown
The poorer are reaping what Cormann sowed
According to the OECD, the ability of lower-income people to access the housing market is seriously affected by negative gearing and the like. Mathias Cormann, now secretary-general at the OECD, please take note: as finance minister in a Coalition government, you presided over this egregious policy. How ironic.
Dorothy Galloway, Mentone
Tenants living in unsafe, unhealthy homes
Two weeks prior to the release of the damning report into branch stacking and other nefarious practices of the Victorian Labor Party, the Ombudsman Deborah Glass delivered another equally condemnatory report, Investigation into Complaint Handling in the Victorian Social Housing Sector.
To quote Glass, “People worried about the lack of maintenance making properties unsafe, and dangerous neighbours not being dealt with, but most commonly, that nothing happened when they tried to complain.” One tenant only succeeded in having her electricity repaired after her daughter was electrocuted.
In our social media public tenant group, we regularly hear of mould outbreaks and other unsafe, unhealthy scenarios that families are forced to endure due to an apathetic, recalcitrant administration. Glass has made recommendations to overhaul the dysfunctional nature of the public and community housing complaint systems, yet Housing Minister Danny Pearson has failed to respond.
Kerrie Byrne, Port Melbourne
Ensure social housing built to the highest standards
Hopefully the social and affordable housing advocated by Mark Steinert (Comment, 23/7) to meet an urgent need will be built by suitably competent tradespersons and not by the “cowboys” whose egregiously defective handiwork appears, unfortunately, too frequently in the press and on television.
Marcia Roche, Mill Park
Take a bipartisan approach to fix the housing crisis
Government policies from the Howard era, which favoured investors over home owners, coupled with high immigration and a lack of social housing, have made some people very wealthy while denying the dream of home ownership for many others.
Until recently the dream was alive for those in regional areas and Tasmania, but housing and rents are unaffordable for the lower-paid there also. And you do not need a PhD to know what the resumption of high immigration will be on the demand for housing.
Special interest groups and those who have benefited from the taxpayer funding of their real estate portfolio must be ignored and a bipartisan agreement on how to fix this crisis is urgently required.
Barry Lizmore, Ocean Grove
Whichever way, banks will be the winners
Having facilitated a speculative boom in the housing market, the Reserve Bank is now forcing mortgage-holders to pay more. It looks to be less about fighting inflation than covering our banks for their reckless lending practices.
Neil Hauxwell, Moe
THE FORUM
Hypocrisy on slaughter
I read the article, ‴Hard to watch’: Horror of UK foot and mouth” (Sunday Age, 24/7), with dismay. Of course there are many expressions in the media, at the moment, of horror and disgust at the potential mass slaughter of animals due to this disease.
But, in reality, whole herds of animals are slaughtered en masse every day of the week, and instead of outrage and disgust, most people are salivating. Am I alone in finding the human capacity for self-deception somewhat staggering?
Judith Crotty, Dandenong North
Closer to net zero
Perhaps instead of looking at the possible introduction of foot and mouth disease as a catastrophe, we should view it as an opportunity to get closer to net zero emissions given the high output of emissions livestock contribute.
What’s the saying? Never look a cloven-hoofed animal in the foot and mouth?
Niko Melaluka, Footscray
Act now on our borders
Nationals leader David Littleproud wants to know at what point the federal government will shut the border against Indonesia’s escalating, out of control, foot and mouth disease outbreak. After the virus has bolted and reached our shores, perhaps?
Susan Caughey, Glen Iris
It’s been too little, too late
It is pretty clear that most Australians are done with mask wearing, regardless of whether it protects the vulnerable. So how can we possibly expect Australians who are returning from Bali to do the right thing and again protect our country from foot and mouth disease? I fear it is already too late.
Janine Lacey, Rosebud
Let’s get on the front foot
On Saturday, 37 Victorians died from COVID-19, the third highest day since the pandemic began. Politicians can take the following steps to decrease case numbers and deaths. First, repeatedly point out that case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths have been increasing since March. Many Victorians seem to be unaware of the facts.
Second, take every opportunity to encourage the 1.5 million Victorians who have not had a third vaccination to have one and encourage everyone to wear masks indoors as much as possible.
Third, make PCR testing available to those with symptoms but who have had a negative RAT result. We know that the RAT is falsely negative at least 5per cent of the time, in the best of circumstances, and with Omicron 4 and 5, it might be wrong 40per cent of the time.
Dr Tim Woodruff, Richmond
Mask up for all our sake
Wear a mask in public. No mature person needs to have a mandate put in place in order to think of others. Wear them for your family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, fellow citizens and for your own health. We are not out of this pandemic yet.
Grace Carter, North Fitzroy
Call for a ceasefire
The deal signed between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations will see the flow of grain and other agricultural products from the Black Sea ports to the world (Sunday Age, 24/7). A triumph of diplomacy and negotiation.
NATO, the United States and Australia should now, immediately, call for a ceasefire and broker a diplomatic, negotiated settlement to the current armed conflict. They should stop sending arms to Ukraine. It is only resulting in more deaths on both sides.
Audrey Davies, Macleod
Warped priorities by…
It seems that former prime minister Scott Morrison and former home affairs minister Karen Andrews were tarred by the same brush – “Coalition ‘pressure’ over election-day boat interception” (The Age, 22/7). That of putting political gain ahead of national security. Shameful.
Mark Thomson, Beaumaris
…Coalition government
The previous government sat on the State of the Environment report for seven months, but requested that the Australian public be “informed” of an intercepted boat immediately. Priorities, priorities…
Christina Finch, Bendigo
The issue of integrity
In implying that Lizzie Blandthorn is being targeted because she is a woman (Letters, 23/7), your correspondent draws a pretty long bow. The fact that the minister is a woman is irrelevant and the same would/should have happened regardless of the sexes involved.
The question here is one of integrity (something Labor seems to lack as shown by numerous scandals and failings) and possible or perceived conflicts of interest.
Claude Tomisich, Pascoe Vale South
Corporate interests first
Why should our planning minister stand aside to benefit her brother’s position? This is yet another example of inherent sexism in our society. How can a lobbyist’s job be more important than that of a government minister?
Lobbyists exist to maximise profits for their employers and there are three lobbyists for every politician in Canberra. They have regular access to MPs, and anyone who has tried to meet with their local MP will recognise that we have a system that favours corporate interests. There is need for review in this area.
Chris Cook, Essendon
Minister must be full-time
I endorse the comments made by opposition planning spokesman Ryan Smith (The Age, 22/7).
After much thought and consideration, Daniel Andrews has come up with a brilliant way to handle the potential conflict of interest with Lizzie Blandthorn and her lobbyist brother. The solution, it appears, is to install a part time planning minister.
The premier should immediately revisit his decision and appoint a minister who can oversee this very important portfolio in a full-time role.
Sandra Alexander, Camberwell
Wiping out habitats
It’s not only the “big ticket” events that affect Australia’s biodiversity. Every day, thousands of smaller activities combine to push all our creatures to the brink of extinction.
Removing old sheds, trees, fences, waterhollows, weeds and logs from a property, then spraying and mowing whatever is left, has devastated our wildlife. Even small dairy farm amalgamations (to form one large cleared property) wipes out a variety of habitats.
Householders who spray their entire property after finding a spider in the back shed, and councils which mow down the wildflowers the minute they appear, are all part of the problem.
How can bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders and other bugs (along with the creatures that feed on them) exist if we continue to wipe out their habitat?
Robert Scheffer, Bayswater North
More than just a word
Thank you, Bill Shorten, for reinstating the word “mother” on government forms (The Age, 22/7). “Mother” has a rich, deep and powerful meaning underpinning all societies worldwide.
We owe significant gratitude to our mothers who have worked tirelessly and selflessly in our families and communities. Retaining the word “mother” acknowledges the special and irreplaceable place they have in our lives.
John Fitzgerald, Glen Huntly
All power to Ryan
What an exhilarating, candid article about Monique Ryan (Good Weekend, 23/7). And the “Gooms” (Grumpy Obnoxious Old Men) description resonates with all older women. Ryan is a breath of fresh air and she ain’t no Bambi.
Marea O’Brien, Deepdene
The real, hands on training
Bring back hospital training for nurses. It was the best way to learn, and to staff hospitals. Theory could be taught at university if necessary, or in hospital lectures.
Sue Gilbert, retired registered nurse, Balnarring Beach
The battle over a name
Re “Family feud over party name rights” (CBD, 19/7). I doubt most people appreciate the enormous challenge it takes to create a political party from a place of obscurity, let alone accomplishing such a deed, while fighting a biblical-style, David versus Goliath-style legal battle. When embarking on this expedition more than 12 months ago, our intentions were pure and simple, as stated on FFV’s website. Our main mission is to “support families over special interests and ideology”.
Fast forward to July 14 and imagine our committee members’ disbelief, discovering the Victoria Electoral Commissioner’s decision to accept yet another political party application, under an identical name while still processing ours. Yes, that’s right. Family First Victoria Parties presenting two completely different policy agendas.
Now, I have the mind to ask for a full refund of the $751.50 fee as this money would have been better spent as a month’s repayment on our family’s home mortgage.
Lisa Bentley, leader, FFV, Williamstown
Towards real democracy
Annika Smethurst (Comment, 22/7) is right that the auditing and transparency measures proposed by IBAC and the Ombudsman will make branch-stacking harder, but that the reforms fail to dismantle the incentives which encourage powerbrokers to use branch-stacking as a way to gain influence.
One measure would be to make senior officeholders in registered parties legally responsible for ensuring the organisations conduct their affairs democratically. This includes a duty of care towards genuine members whose scope to participate in the party, including in policy forums and seeking pre-selection, has been heavily eroded by those “stacked” into the party.
Ian Hundley, Balwyn North
TV journos, take note
“The injured driver was taken to hospital where he is in a stable. Condition”. The need to reinterpret sentences after delivery can become. Wearing.
Jim Pilmer, Camberwell
AND ANOTHER THING
Economics
The Reserve Bank reduced rates too much, then failed to increase them soon enough. And they are the so-called experts.
Dan Drummond, Leongatha
Thank you, Labor, for tackling housing affordability by cracking down on foreign investors. It’s sad this didn’t begin nine years ago.
Patricia Rivett, Ferntree Gully
Give us a referendum on (the unaffordable) tax cuts. I suspect the outcome will be an overwhelming “no”.
Ralph Frank, Malvern East
Politics
A public servant with nothing to gain reports his department was pressured on election day, but the former minister says it didn’t happen. Who to believe?
Ron Slamowicz, Caulfield North
Tampa comes to mind.
Barbara Lynch, South Yarra
Andrews, leader of the Victorian ALP for 12 years and premier for eight, knew nothing. Really?
Elizabeth Meredith, Surrey Hills
I thought your headline read “Tougher new rules to stop foot in mouth”, then realised my mistake. Well, it is a year of elections.
Mark Kennedy, Sebastopol
Does Tony Abbott still think climate science is crap?
David Hamilton, Hampton
Furthermore
What will be done about the spike in gun crime? Australia’s stellar reputation for gun control is fading fast.
Bronwen Lichtenstein, Caulfield South
What Splendour? What Grass?
Alistair Davies, Thornbury
Bombs away. Will the world’s thriving weapons industry lead to peace or Armageddon?
Paul Murchison, Kingsbury
I have evidence that miracles don’t happen. Richmond didn’t win another close game.
Andrew Smith, Leongatha
Where are the public health strategies to encourage people to wear masks?
Robyne Schwarz, Toorak
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