How will the stage 3 tax cuts cost us all?

I have enjoyed the recent circus of events and performances by our politicians regarding tax policy (“Dutton promises more tax cuts under Coalition”, February 7). The broken promises and “liar in the lodge” descriptors have provided great humour but as we, the public, look on, I would like the politicians to add one more feature to the media presentations as they tussle to race towards zero taxation: please list the items that will be removed from government financial responsibility. We need to acknowledge that, with less tax, there will be fewer community needs provided by the government. If that’s what the people want – by voting for that political party – so be it. So I politely ask that journalists and interviewers seek a deeper answer when politicians suggest lowering taxes and have an accompanying list of which services will be cut. I look forward to greater clarity in what a tax cut will actually cost us all. Robert Mulas, Corlette

It is disingenuous of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and the Coalition to complain about Anthony Albanese’s broken promise if they are voting to support the changes in parliament this week. To vote for the changes to the stage 3 tax cuts is to concede that these changes are better for most Australians. The Coalition cannot protest a broken promise if they are supporting the changes. So please, spare us the confected outrage. Leo Sorbello, West Ryde

Dutton and the Coalition will seek to amend the tax cuts, but ultimately allow them to pass, although a small number thought the changes should be opposed. This information was conveyed anonymously so that caucus members could relay private conversations. I suppose it is too much to hope that the names of those who oppose the changes could also – anonymously, of course – be revealed. Many voters would like to possess this information at the next election. Ian Morris, Strathfield

More pretzel logic from the opposition that now supports the reformed cuts despite considering them so bad that last week they were demanding an election be called. John Bailey, Canterbury

Dutton says the Coalition will support the changes, not in order to support the prime minister’s lie, but to help struggling Australians. He is also promising that the Coalition will take its own comprehensive policy to the next election, probably 10 -15 months away, when circumstances could be different from today’s. He also repeats, ad nauseam, the mantra that the Coalition will always be a lower-taxing government. At whose expense, I can’t help wondering? Has anyone asked him what he would’ve done if he was in government now? George Baumann, Balmain

I wait with bated breath to be told by Dutton and Albanese the scale of tax cuts to come. Then my breath is even more bated as I wonder how governments propose to maintain the security, health, education and wellbeing of the nation as well as deliver all the tax concessions we have come to expect. Trim government fat, abandon subsidies to business, tax wealth and magic puddings come to mind. George Marsh, Clontarf

I would like to know if Dutton is promising steak knives too. Joan Fitzhenry, Woolloomooloo

Renewables backlash wastes precious time

David Littleproud, leader of the National Party, does not have a knowledge of the status of all farming land in Australia (“Call to end renewables rollout Nationals declare bush is full”, February 7). Not all farming land is suitable for a solar farm due to aspect or terrain. There are farms more suited to farming the sun and the wind due to poor soil and areas of frequent drought. Let the farmers have a choice, and if their land is deemed suitable for a solar farm by an energy company, let them help the country reach the targets by 2030. Robyn Lewis, Raglan

After being part of the do-nothing Coalition that allowed our coal-fired power stations to degrade without an alternative plan, the Nationals are now asking the government to slow down on the providing clean replacement power. Why should I be surprised? Geoff Nilon, Mascot

The attitude of National Party leaders to the rollout of renewable energy in regional Australia is bizarre. I can think of no other industry in the world that will be more devastated by a runaway climate than those working the land. There is plenty of support in the regions for renewable energy. Why are Littleproud, Barnaby Joyce and others not listening to them? It is past time for the Nationals to get their house in order and move dinosaurs who are in leadership positions. Jim Lavis, New Lambton

Open climate-change denial has morphed into attempts to delay the rollout of renewable energy. Climate change is already heavily impacting regional areas so the call by the Nationals to stop the rollout of renewable energy is so blindly short-sighted as to border on insanity. Much of the culture wars rhetoric against climate change mitigation is generated by right-wing think tanks funded by fossil fuel corporations. It is time for the Nationals to wake up to reality and look after their constituents instead of parroting fossil fuel sponsored anti-renewable propaganda or pretending that nuclear is economically viable. Graeme Finn, Earlwood

Littleproud needs to tell us whether he believes in climate change or not. If not, then he is perfectly justified in opposing the rollout of renewable energy. But if he does believe the Earth is heating up and that we are the cause, then he needs to tell us what he proposes to do about it – and his solution will have to involve a lot more than just putting solar panels on people’s roofs. I had hoped that we had moved past the so-called “climate wars” that held back action on climate change for over a decade. But it seems not. We need action now, not disingenuous arguments about renewable energy. Ken Enderby, Concord

The absurdity of succession of the monarchy is highlighted by the current crisis (“King has cancer, will ease off duties”, February 7). Charles was unable to become the monarch until aged 75, way past his peak. In a just system, the ruling monarch would step aside when the heir gained competence. Ian Bryce, Rozelle

I trust that when King Charles recovers from his recently diagnosed serious illness, he will find the energy to thank the UK’s National Health Service for not keeping him lying on a trolley in a corridor for the usual one or two days. Shaun Davies, St Peters

It’s quite a call to equate Prince William’s circumstances with those of “many of his generation – sandwiched between looking after young children and caring for elderly parents.” Are the royal family’s innumerable staff not up to the job? I’m tempted to fly over and whip up a casserole, put on a load of washing and wipe down the kitchen bench tops (“The King needs William and now the Prince of Wales needs Harry”, smh.com.au, February 6). Anne Ackroyd, Melba (ACT)

Loan crisis

The current cash rate is fairly close to the mean over the last 33 years. The reason that recent home purchasers are struggling to pay their mortgage payments is mostly due to the price that they paid for the house (“The graph that shows why the bank of mum and dad will be on the hook this year”, smh.com.au, February 7). Even if inflation returns to the Reserve Bank’s target range of 2-3 per cent and unemployment stays at its historically low rate, mortgage holders should not expect the cash rate ever to return to the emergency level that applied during the pandemic. They will be paying a huge chunk of their income to service their $800,000 mortgage for the next 25 to 30 years. As their discretionary income stays low, they will not be enjoying the lifestyle of their Boomer parents. The opportunities to take time off to have children or have extended overseas holidays will diminish. This trend will only be reversed when housing prices in Australia return to a more realistic, affordable level. Any attempt by government to encourage such a trend, however, will face staunch resistance from those sectors in the real estate industry who are advantaged by upwardly spiralling home prices. Mike Reddy, Vincentia

Pet hate

What a lot of hoo-ha NSW carries on with about dogs on public transport (“Allowing dogs on public transport on the agenda: Transport secretary”, February 6). Melbourne has had animals on trains for a long time and the whole time I lived there and utilised the service I never encountered one issue (and no they don’t have special animal only carriages either). It was particularly beneficial for those who lived in social housing in the inner city who didn’t have cars. NSW has been talking about this for years, citing all sorts of problems as excuses for not doing anything. It’s time the government got their act together. Lynda Rose, Potts Point

Our public transport system, sans dogs as it is, already lags others in terms of geographic coverage and capacity. Buses famously run late or do not turn up at all. Let us fix these problems before welcoming dogs aboard. Let us invest in coverage and capacity for people before considering pets. Kim Woo, Mascot

Old habits

I wonder how many of those cars shown in your picture of the traffic jam on Victoria Road had more than one person in them (“Faster to walk: Reality of Victoria Road go slow”, February 7). I would say not many. How many of those cars are going to sit in a parking spot all day until it’s time to go home? Old habits die hard; people in Sydney would rather drive their car than take public transport. Sitting in traffic jams is a big price to pay for not changing your habits. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill

We have heard so much about the traffic impacts, for the worse, that the Rozelle interchange has created. Is there anywhere where the opening of this project has improved traffic? I’d love to hear. Otherwise, what is it all about? Dale Bailey, Five Dock

Appalling behaviour

When you watch Nemesis you can only feel real disgust and disbelief at the appalling way that our politicians behaved. Did they even care about the country (“Have you found me to be a thug?′ Dutton all smiles after Nemesis accusations’’, February 6)? It makes me wonder if such behaviour still continues in parliament today. Does more women in Parliament change this ruthlessness? I hope so. Rosslyn Jeffery, Castle Hill

Not believable

So loggers are going to scout ahead and check that there are no glider den trees before they start logging (“New logging rule worsens glider plight”, February 6). Then they are going to count up a certain number of trees to be retained each hectare. Really? I can’t quite picture this happening. Judith Rostron, Killarney Heights

Enjoy life

In a world plagued by international conflicts, political bickering, climate concerns and cost of living issues, not to mention the privates concerns we all have, how refreshing to read a cleverly written, tongue in cheek piece about simply enjoying life (“Stuff it! If everything good’s not for us, I’m breaking bad”, February 7). Ken Webb, Epping

Great anthem

In your article on things we should adopt from New Zealand, one of the things your writer talks about is their adoption of the Maori language in everyday use but I think he should have also included the singing of the first verse of their national anthem in Maori (“Ten things Australians should adopt from New Zealand”, smh.com.au, February 7). It brings a tear to my eye when it is sung when the All Blacks prepare to beat the Wallabies. Paul Webber, Croudace Bay

Thank you for 50 great years

I’ve just been taken on a romp through a brief history of last 50 years of newspaper publishing and the Herald, with a wave to its editors and a nod to the treasurers, prime ministers and economic policy on the way (“Fifty years ago, I found my dream job – and I’m not done yet”, February 7). And I now know who to blame for all those Harvey Norman ads and who to thank that I can still buy a hard copy of the Herald. If I were offered a dinner with a person of my choice, or a desert island companion, it’d be a no-brainer.

Thank you for the last 50 years, Ross. I’m looking forward to many more. Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point

Teachers and students of HSC economics will forever be in the debt of Ross, the Guru of Economics. Old economists never retire, nor do they suffer from diminishing returns. Paul Coghlan, Allambie Heights

Can we ask the PM to declare the first Wednesday in February each year as Ross Gittins Day? Kevin Farrell, Beelbangera

“OMG!” said Grandma (95) when she saw the Herald’s front page, “Is he dead?” I said, “No, no, he’ll be around for a while yet.” “Strewth,” she said, “thank God.” Carsten Burmeister, Mosman

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