Looking back over the past eight years, what has our fiscally responsible Liberal government given us?
After "ditching" Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott repealed a carbon "tax" of about $20 a tonne, a world-leading and effective means of reducing emissions and then paid industries with our taxes to voluntarily reduce theirs. The Europeans now pay $80 a tonne.
"If they can't make a profit they shouldn't be here" meant subsidies for our car manufacturing were stopped and subsequently so did the three manufacturers. A loss of capabilities not easily replaced.
An obsession with a budget surplus meant a reduction in spending for education and research. A dependence on overseas students to cover the costs of the universities created problems when the country locked down. It also meant a freeze on Medicare payments made health more expensive and sometimes unavailable. Royal commissions into aged care, banking and bushfire response have resulted in minimal action on the proposals put forward.
In an attempt to make our manufacturing competitive, wages were purposely suppressed, for many this meant a reduction of living standards. Jobs became more casual or on short term contracts, access to finance becoming almost impossible. Those with assets or capital utilised the lowest interest rates to buy up real estate, outbidding families looking for their first home. Houses rose dramatically in price. Public housing didn't keep up, indeed slowed.
A fibre to the premises was vetoed early in their governance, producing a hybrid version fibre to a node then the old copper network. This went way over budget and produced an inferior version unsuitable for the new centuries.
Several prime ministers later, this country has alienated its major trading partner, lost the trust of our Pacific neighbours, France, and just about anyone who reads a newspaper. Our "back in the black" budget now has a trillion dollar deficit.
Finally, our PM flying off to the COP climate conference proudly espousing our reduction in emissions, which for all intents and purposes has been brought about by the state governments. Plans for their own involvement still to come. Happy days.
Greg Rendle, Rankin Park
Macron wasn't having a go at us
JUST another embarrassing example of our inept prime minister, "Scotty from marketing" of foreign diplomacy on the world stage, stating that French President Macron was "sledging" Australia over reneging from submarine deal.
No Mr Morrison, Mr Macron was not having a go at us Aussies. He was having a go at you. Just like other world leaders were having a go at your government's plan for COP 26 in Glasgow.
This is a government that doesn't care for us citizens, only large political donors like the fossil fuel industry. If it wasn't so bloody serious, it would be laughable.
Ryan Adamson, Hamilton South
Australia's done nothing wrong
FRENCH President Macron needs to reassess his anger regarding Australia's withdrawal from the purchase of French submarines.
Australia has more than 50,000 soldiers lying in graves in France from the First World War.
During the Second World War the Vichy French Government fought for Nazi Germany, against Australian soldiers. NSW's longest serving Governor General, Sir Roden Cutler was awarded the Victory Cross in June 1941 fighting French Forces during the Syrian Campaign.
Australia has more than earnt the right to withdraw from a military contract with the French. Mr Macron, please review Australian/French military history before 'spitting your dummy'.
Paul McGlynn, Valentine
Eyes of the world are upon us
WELL, what is our plan that apparently we had input into?
Listening to Scott Morrison's breakdown of a master plan as to how Australians are going to have zero emissions by 2050 was all fluffy, but there was no meat as to what actions we have supposedly agreed to, he spruiked that there will be no reductions in the workforces in mining, and that Australia has the most roof mounted solar panels in the world, yet our bills continue to rise, so what is this big plan, it can't be hydrogen generation because it will emit more carbon into the atmosphere, it can't be solar because we are as he stated at maximum exposure already, it's not wind farms as they are impractical and not very productive, it can't be nuclear because of the disposal of used rods, and we are susceptible to earthquakes being on the pacific rim of fire, so what did we agree to, a policy put together by our experienced politicians in environmental issues.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Developer contributions detailed
AS the manager responsible for regulatory, planning and assessment, I write in response to a letter to the editor from Peter Mullins on October 25 in relation to income received by City of Newcastle from developers. In the past two financial years, City of Newcastle received a total of $8.12 million in contributions, $4.017 million in 2020-21 and $4.103 million in 2019-20. It is a legislated requirement for City of Newcastle to report income from developer contributions annually in our financial statements, which can be found online via the City of Newcastle website.
Developer contributions are used to fund essential community infrastructure such as roads, footpaths, sporting facilities, parks and playgrounds, that support new residents and growth across the city. $17.4 million of developer contributions has been spent across the city over the past two financial years. City of Newcastle identifies infrastructure priorities within our delivery program and operational plan each year, which can be viewed online at newcastle.nsw.gov.au.
With an expected 23,000 new residents and 11,500 new dwellings by 2036, we need to ensure that public infrastructure keeps up with population growth and is equitably funded, which is why a new developer contributions framework was developed and adopted at last week's council meeting following a public exhibition period.
An additional $6.5 million per year is expected to be raised under the new section 7.11 and section 7.12 development contributions plans when they come into effect from January 1, 2022. The additional funds raised under the new plans will be invested in new and improved infrastructure within growth areas to benefit our community, while ensuring that current ratepayers aren't burdened with the cost of future development and associated infrastructure demands. It is worth noting that despite an increase in contributions under the new plans, Newcastle's contributions rates will remain less than surrounding councils. All of this is publicly available on the City of Newcastle website.
Michelle Bisson, manager regulatory, planning and assessment, City of Newcastle
SHORT TAKES
ON a comment from Ray Dinneen, (Short Takes, 2/11), if you lived in the country you wouldn't hear them, but out there you get a rooster every morning, "cock a doodle do".
Gary Graham, Raymond Terrace
GET a life Ray, (Short Takes, 2/11). You must be the unhappiest person in Newcastle; always complaining about something. Now it's about the ship's horns entering the harbour waking you up on a Sunday morning. Your pilot friends must think you're a joke. How about it "Adz"? Do they jolt you out of your bed? I personally would love to live in town just so I could hear the ship's horns.
Loretta Paolucci, Wallsend
I WONDER what the collective personal carbon footprint left in Glasgow would be compared to your average Australian punter this week.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
WE now learn from former PM Malcolm Turnbull that our current PM has "always had a reputation for telling lies", just as we (and the French) all suspected - good old ScoMo can't be trusted or believed in anything.
Mac Maguire, Charlestown
IF our Prime Minister was taking advice from a senior Aussie public servant instead of the pastor of his church, then no one would be told that working for the dole is good for their character.
Dave Wilson, Bar Beach
DOES it surprise anyone that Scott Morrison chooses to fight the French president over the submarine fiasco rather than focusing on the reason he is in Glasgow in the first place? Climate change. It's time for a new prime minister and government. A government that is not being sabotaged by the incompetent National Party.
Colin Rowlatt, Merewether
MELBOURNE Cup, the race that stops the nation 'for a few minutes'. COVID-19, the virus that stopped the world 'for two years'.
Alan Harrison, Glendale
MR V'landys, throw all the money you want at races you are kidding yourself if you think it will take over the Melbourne Cup. Just look everywhere and it's people dressed up having a good time, not just at track.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
WITH all the speculation re Mitchell Pearce's future at the Knights, good luck to him on whatever he decides to do. Let's hope a call is made early as opposed to every paper we read reporting that he is going here or there. Let's see a decision made on Pearce made sooner rather than later and get on with focusing on winning the comp in 2022.
Steve Fernie, Maryland
WHILST sitting on my front verandah on a misty rainy morning I hoped that the clouds would clear and bring me a brighter day. Someone must have been listening because all of a sudden the sun shone and landed on a beautiful jacaranda which seemed to light up with warmth. I thought I could forget about the housework; it could wait.
