ADDY READERS HAVE THEIR SAY - LETTERS AND TEXTS

NATION NEEDS TAXES LIFTED, NOT REDUCED

THE Coalition and Labor’s current obsession with tax cuts is extremely irresponsible.

Most Australians are well aware that our public schools, hospitals, aged care, mental health and addiction rehabilitation facilities all desperately need greater government funding.

As well, many of the most vulnerable in our community dependent on Newstart unemployment and parenting payments are living well below the poverty line.

Therefore raising taxes for those with ongoing, properly paid employment, as well as businesses, corporations and multinationals is absolutely essential.

I sincerely hope that voters will see the long term picture rather than giving in to election time gimmicks. Robert Van Zetten, Highton

SMOKERS SHOULD KNOW WHO NOT TO VOTE FOR

MANY people argue about who to vote for at elections but the simple fact remains that if you smoke cigarettes and you vote for Labor, Liberal or Greens then you are a fool.

Smokers will not be treated fairly until you give your vote to anyone except Labor, Liberal or Greens. Graeme Bell, Griffith, NSW

STAND UP TO VICROADS ON BEST CYCLE PATH

RIDING daily to my workplace in the city l will give the second or even third best option of Moorabool St a trial (GA 25/6).

However l feel it won’t be long before I return to my preferred route through Kardinia Park. I wish the city would stand up to the VicRoads bully tactics and investigate the best route. Terry Bohan, Belmont

SAFER CYCLING AROUND CITY IS HIGHER PRIORITY

WHY does your paper seem to be giving such support to the anti-bike lane cause? I have never struggled to get parking in the Belmont High St.

There are plenty of car spaces behind the shops so I really think this is a non-issue.

Surely it is more important to have good cycling infrastructure in place to encourage residents to be able to ride in safety, taking cars off our roads and encouraging a healthy activity.

I hope the council stands firm against these complaints and is forward thinking enough to follow the plans through as envisioned.

The route planned is the direct route. It will be great to ride from Waurn Ponds into the city totally separate from traffic.

My wife will take up riding to work when it happens because at the moment you have to take your life in your hands to make this same jour- ney. We will probably cycle down to Belmont High St for Sunday coffees and breakfast. Chris James

TEXT TALK

WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Paul and Vicki R (GA 26/6) about dog poo not picked up. We walk our dog at the park behind Newcomb High School (Ervin Reserve) which I call dog poo park. It disgusts me the number of lazy mongrels who refuse to pick up their dog’s poo, and school groups play football on these ovals. Yuck. Trevor Pope WITH all the concern — and rightly so — from High St traders re the proposed bike lanes I have never seen a cyclist use the designated lanes in Swanston St. Do we really need them? Or is it the usual catering to the minority. Just curious