Caring for children takes money

GOVERNMENT

ONLY a few days separated the release of the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Treasurer proudly reporting how the budget is improving through the slashing of spending. He missed the connection. Protection of children costs money, yet child welfare across the country is underfunded, under-resourced and a poison chalice for any politician given the portfolio. If the findings are to have a hope of being implemented, it will take ordinary Australians to tell the Treasurer to start spending on our most vulnerable children and stop cutting taxes, especially for the rich. There seems to be no one in the Government capable of working this out. consumer. The minister will crow “efficiency dividends” and “economic advantages” and “consumers will benefit from competition and lower prices”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Youthful wildcard

FEDERALLY, both major parties are doing an excellent job of building voter allergy to them and to the toxic way politics is being conducted. Until recently younger people were failing to register in droves, at least partly out of disenchantment. One probably unintended consequence of the marriage vote is that many new voters registered and will have to vote. They could be an interesting wildcard, probably improving the chances of minor parties.

Flooding wilderness

THIS time 35 years ago, the Tasmanian government was trying to flood our World Heritage wilderness by building the Franklin Dam. Today, the Tasmanian Government is attempting to flood the wilderness with tourism developments. Cable cars, sprawling lodges, intrusive tracks and squadrons of helicopters — no lake, cove or canyon is deemed too pristine to be spared this noisy extravaganza. The Government claims developments will be sustainable and sensitive. What boneheaded claptrap. Assessments have been perfunctory and secretive. The cumulative impact of such developments — and there are dozens proposed — seems to be a nonissue. The Parks and Wildlife Service used A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. to enjoy a reputation as an excellent manager of world-class reserves. It has become the lackey of the tourism industry. With such an uncaring Government, grasping developers and feeble regulatory system, it is impossible to have confidence. This combination has the potential to foul up the most benign of facilities and bring the tourism industry into disrepute.

Overfed pussycats

MY reading of Xi Jinping’s comment about Australia “poisoning” the relationship between our two countries is an indication of culpability, or an over-reaction. Some pro-Chinese students at our universities have attempted to set the agenda. Are we supposed to behave as an overfed pussycat and just roll over and let our tummy be tickled?

Real cost of housing

SINCE Paul Keating ceded government to the banking sector, things have slid downhill. The policy of pumping up house prices by giving loans which are unaffordable means there are insufficient funds for other spending. Hence low economic activity which depresses the economy and people. Selling public assets to enrich the corporate sector lessens the influence government has on the cost of living and planning for future needs, which are of no concern to the new owners, be it power stations, roads or other “public services”.

Not such a ripe target

REGARDING the prediction that under an expected new government, the forestry industry would “hand the reins to the salmon industry” (Letters, December 23). Why would the salmon industry be interested in having charge of an enterprise with a history of net loss?

Hot air on pokies

WITH 29 councils, two houses of Parliament and reliance on GST revenue from other states. I would say we are already a nanny state. The statement by Will Hodgman is hot air saying the phasing out of poker machines will bring it on.

Bloated

TASMANIAN public service administration is sized to run a country and achieves Third World outcomes.

Unimpressed on gender comment

SO Rebecca White is now trying to run the gender card in her political ambitions. I’m sorry, but not impressed, very unwarranted.

Tax breaks hurt the poor

MR Morrison’s all the way with the USA with tax breaks for the wealthy. The trickle-down effect espoused by Turnbull has seen wages stagnate, conditions deteriorate and more wealthy companies paying not one cent of tax. The US has added over a trillion dollars in debt from tax breaks, it needs to find ways to get that money and it will be the poor who provide it, as it will here.