Letter of the Week
FOR a long time now I have had the view that the Federal Government, whether LNP or Labour, don’t have the foresight on how to help this country support Australian businesses. I am not an economist nor hold any higher level of education, but it is common sense that has got me where I am today.
My suggestion to the government is to give all businesses huge tax breaks by supporting them with at least 50 per cent of the employees tax benefits so they can expand their businesses and save a great percentage from going broke.
This will allow businesses to employ more people, thus reducing the unemployment situation, as well as being able to reduce the costs of running Centrelink with eventually very few or no future unemployed people in this country. A win-win for the government.
They could also re-establish the motor vehicle industry and steel manufacturing industry, as we have an abundance of iron ore which we send to China and then buy back the produced steel.
By putting back into these industries a share of the income tax revenue, thus again creating more employment and with the added revenue from additional income tax and GST that will be gained from extended spending, this country could be free of unemployment as it was back in the ’50s and ’60s.
To further improve the wealth of this wonderful country, why can’t the vast outback be irrigated by building massive pipe lines from the Burdekin in North Queensland and the Kimberley in Western Australia, so that water could be stored in massive dams in the outback and farmers could cultivate large produce farms that would feed our population forever.
I’m sure there are many people who would agree with me and I urge every one to write to your Federal Member, with these ideas, and let’s start a campaign that will make this country poverty free in the near future.
After all it is OUR money the government manages, and we should have a say as to how it is used. BRIAN PARKER
SHADE is an essential part of sun protection – which is why we’ve partnered with the Queensland Government to help keep children and young adults covered this year.
Not-for-profit organisations catering for children and young people aged 0-18 are invited to apply for up to 50 per cent matched funding for a portable or permanent shade structure through the 2018 SunSmart Shade Creation Initiative. The Palaszczuk Government has provided $870,000 of funding across three years to ensure schools, junior sporting and community clubs, and childcare centres, have adequate sun safe areas.
If your organisation fits the criteria and you need more shade, I urge you to apply.
Safeguarding our children from the harmful effects of UV radiation will reduce the risk of them developing skin cancer later in life.
Sun protection remains the best defense against skin cancer and is required when the UV Index is three and above, which is all year round in Queensland.
Shade is a practical, user-friendly form of sun protection and research shows that if shade is available, people will use it.
Last year, 88 Queensland schools, sporting and community clubs, and childcare centres benefited from new shade structures –
this year it could be you. Applications close at 5pm on March 9. To apply, complete the application form on the Cancer Council Queensland website. CHRIS MCMILLAN, CEO, CANCER COUNCIL QUEENSLAND
THE NSW State Government is copping severe flack from the angry public for allowing their courts to show leniency to repeat drink-drivers, one of whom is responsible for the devastating road crash deaths of actress Jessica Falkholt and her family by a hideous repeat offender whose licence should have been banned forever by the courts years ago.
The Queensland Government also needs to instruct their judges and magistrates to show some professionalism, or step down from the bench and be replaced with others who are prepared to protect the public from criminals and repeat drink-drivers. KEN WADE, TWEED HEADS
WHAT idiot(s) approved the Mobike share bike arrangement? Didn’t the council learn from the debacle in Sydney? Absolute eyesores. And it’s started here already with the unsightly things littering our streets. DARRYLE KNOWLES, MAIN BEACH
DO those who continually protest about progress and slow down construction of more units realise these units are needed to make it more affordable to those entering the market or is it a case of I’m alright mate? Thank god for our forward-thinking Mayor and the councillors who back him. ROD WATSON, SURFERS PARADISE