Too many entitlements

TAX increases, pension cuts, and pharmaceuticals slashed, so once more the underprivileged must suffer under untrustworthy dictatorial governments.

How about hitting the pockets of ex-prime ministers who plunder nearly $10 million a year out of the taxpayer-funded economy for doing absolutely nothing?

Some were not even in leadership for two years, and some wrecked the economy, yet they are all multi-millionaires still ripping massive amounts of cash from a bankrupt economy.

Julia Gillard: $500,000, plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus once a week first-class world travel for life with her partner ($900,000 PA)

Kevin Rudd: $500,000 plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus once a week first-class world travel for life with his partner ($900,000 PA)

John Howard: $500,000 plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus once a week first-class world travel for life with his partner ($900,000 PA)

Paul Keating: $500,000 plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus once a week first-class world travel for life with partner ($900,000 PA)

‘‘ THIS IMMENSE SUM ... IS OBSCENE IN COMPARISON TO THE AGE PENSION FOR A TAXPAYER ...

Bob Hawke: $500,000 plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus once a week first-class world travel for life ($900,000 PA)

Malcolm Fraser: $425,000 plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus once a week first-class world travel for life with partner ($825,000 PA)

Gough Whitlam: $425,000 plus free car with driver, power, phone, incidental expenses, plus first-class world travel for life ($825,000 PA)

(Figures from dept financial documents.)

This immense sum, approaching an estimated $10 million, is obscene in comparison to the age pension for a taxpayer, who after 50 years contributing to the Australian economy receives a pension of $250 per week, or below the poverty line at $12,000 per year.

This comparison is out of all proportion, and if cuts need to be made they should start at the top, not the bottom of society, disadvantaging the aged and disabled folk who cannot defend themselves or fight back.

These political “entitlements” must be asset tested, as are the strict new tests for the disabled.

Enough is enough and now the people are revolting against too many politicians with their snouts in the trough.

BRIAN J.H. SAYERS, Millmerran

AUSSIE OF THE YEAR

Who in our ridiculous federal government had the intestinal fortitude to stand up and speak his mind?

Who has saved Australia from internal self-destruction?

Who has rid said government of the greatest threat to our once worldleading prosperity and living standard?

Peter Dutton for Australian of the year.

BRAD MENGEL, South Toowoomba

BE GRATEFUL

MALCOLM Turnbull must be regretting trying to pull the Liberal horse into the left lane only to have lightly backed Scomo charge up the middle of the pack and win the race.

But the morning after the Liberal implosion, the sun came up, the shops were open and there were no police on the streets beating protesters. We should all feel grateful for the country we live in, regardless of our political opinion and the fact we can freely express one contrary to the party line.

Residents in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and China, plus many other countries have no such freedoms as we take for granted. That is why, with our system of democracy, millions would flock to live here tomorrow, if they could.

PETER KNOBEL, Toowoomba

SOLAR FARMS

THERE are two important facts which predicate this letter. The first is that solar farms are here to stay and the second is that we are facing a mighty big drought.

How you might ask are these two facts interrelated.

To this I would answer that the former is the answer to the latter.

Imagine if every time it rained water came trickling off a thousand acres of glass and was drained straight into our water catchment so that with even one inch of rain we captured 22,687,500 gallons of water as opposed to nothing now.

All that is required is to situate a thousand acres of solar panels next to our dams and fit them all up to a drainage system into the dams, just like getting water off a roof.

JOHN DAVIES, Toowoomba