MARK PEARCE

VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE STEPPED UP TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES

We are seeking to overcome barriers and leverage current opportunities, so we can all come together, help our communities and experience the many benefits of volunteering.

This National Volunteer Week, take notice of all the volunteers in your community and those supporting democracy on election day.

Let’s celebrate the power of volunteering to bring people together and say thank you to the millions of volunteers for their dedication to help their communities.

Together, through volunteering, we are changing communities for the better. MARK PEARCE IS CEO OF VOLUNTEERING AUSTRALIA

Mike O’Connor (CP, 17/05) that was your most informative and politically balanced column to date. I was hoping you’d conclude with the only logical call to action — that voters need to put the major parties last. The Labor and Liberal oligopoly has created this economic disaster and are clearly incapable of repairing it. At this point, randomly selected members of the taxpaying public would do a better job. Economist, Cairns

Just like the industrial revolution the clean energy revolution is coming, and tough luck if you’re a petrolhead like Mike O’Connor (CP 17/05), because in 20 years’ time car manufacturers will only be making EVs.

Reece, Mt. Sheridan

Neither Liberal or Labor have a plan to either help new homeowners into the market or to save existing homeowners from losing their properties as the government debt binge forces inflation and interest rates up. The United Australia Party does have a valid plan to address these issues and is advertising its heart out trying to communicate that message. However, for some unfathomable reason, the commentariat only wants to talk about Liberal and Labor.

Ancient Steve, Redlynch

There are three problems with Ergon (CP 17/05). One is the ETU. Another is the management appointed by the government. The third, and biggest, is the lack of competition. Juss Sayen, Cairns

Max, forgive me if I’m wrong, but from my memory the insurance costs skyrocketed under Labor’s watch after cyclones Larry and Yasi. They have pretty much levelled out under the LNP. Maybe you should do some more research before writing to the paper. Robbo, Gordonvale

I forget who said it, but somebody here described the ALP and LNP as two cheeks of the same bum. It was probably the most accurate, um, analogy, ever.

Trevor, Brinsmead

Labor are hypocrites, when it comes to providing funding for housing. In 1927 the Commonwealth Bank was set up to provide cheap loans to buy a home, which was good until 1990 when it was sold by the ALP to private enterprise. The ALP from 1990, under Hawke and Keating in 1991 to 1996 sold the Commonwealth Bank for $8bn. A bank that from 1996 to 2021 has made over $100bn. So much for the Labor Party caring for Australians.

Tony, Cairns

Re: Election. Anybody else getting the impression our election is being run like the last USA presidential election? They had their ”Rhino’s” now we’re having ”Teal candidates”. I wonder if we’ll also have alleged electoral fraud here.

Icarus, Atherton