Raise GST to help pay for aged care cost blowout

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Raise GST to help pay for aged care cost blowout

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

Illustration: Cathy WilcoxCredit:

The cost of aged care is rising and is expected to grow from $18 billion to more than $40 billion a year in the future (‘‘$40b cost blowout for aged care’’, September 19). One way to contribute to the cost is to raise the GST but will any government be brave enough to do so? - Joan Dalgleish, Ballina

What’s all this about cost blowouts? Taxes and other charges paid over 40 to 50 years by a significant percentage of the population should just about cover the cost of looking after them as they become significant elders. I, for one, don’t recall indicating to any federal government that more funds should be directed towards the purchase of military hardware than towards the cost of social responsibility. - Mark d’Arbon, Chittaway Bay

Taxpayer dollars would be better directed to the training of increased staff and ensuring a higher ratio of carer to patient/resident. A greater emphasis should be on delivering aged care to those still able to live in their own residence, with daily home visits. Familiar surroundings with friends and neighbours is paramount to ageing with dignity. We should have the choice. - Marli Davies, Wentworth Falls

How much training does someone need to understand that abusing people of any age in any care-based facility is unacceptable (‘‘Horror tales spark calls for industry changes’’, September 19)? People who commit assault should face the full force of the law no matter where it occurs. - Greg Loder, Springwood

The aged-care sector is not all doom and gloom. My mother died recently after seven years in a nursing home where she was much loved and well cared for. Every staff member there shows care and respect to every resident. Family members are involved in all aspects of their relatives’ care and are kept informed of every health event. And RNs are on duty at all times. But it’s not cheap. And therein lies the key: good staff cost money. - Matthew Stevens, Thornleigh

While horrifying stories abound, I would like to express my family’s sincere appreciation for the continuous care and dedication from each staff member of the Cootamundra Nursing Home for my mum and dad. I am happy to say that everyone is caring and friendly and undertake their duties with utmost care. - Ayling Rubin, Cherrybrook

Do politicians and CEOs have no concept that one day they too will be part of the aged community?
As a 77-year-old facing the next (hopefully) 20 years of life, I live in fear of nursing homes as they exist today. If my life takes a turn whereby home help is not an option, I shall make moves to end my life as graciously as I can in my own home rather than be the victim of an uncaring society.
How ironic that the person who so savagely cut funds from aged care should now leap onto the bandwagon of righteousness just prior to the Four Corners revelations. - Maggie Kirkpatrick, Brunswick Heads

Can we save money on the royal commission and send all MPs to live in aged care facilities until the election? I am sure they will find the problems very quickly. And, of course, they should stay there until there are no more complaints. - Laurence Pearson, Castlecrag

Playing the bully sympathy card does not excuse it now

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The business of governing paid for by us is cancelled so our new prime minister can address bullying and intimidation within his political party. Oh yes, we are in good hands here. - John Kingsmill, Fairlight

Does the fact that Gareth Ward suffered terrible bullying at school mean that he is entitled to bully others in later life (‘‘MP accused of bullying: I went to hell and back as a schoolboy’’, September 19)? Or does it explain his bullying and therefore excuse it. Either reason seems hard to justify. - John Fraser, Surry Hills

Ward should be ashamed of himself. Playing the sympathy card to back up his denial of being an adult bully is contemptible. Many of the perpetrators of domestic violence and child abuse have been victims themselves but it does not make their crimes any less despicable. - Donna Wiemann, Balmain

Ward has worked tirelessly for our electorate. Even I admire his zeal and I am a Labor voter. - Anne Ramsay, Kiama

I will not miss the theatrical barracking and applauding from Ann Sudmalis as she gleefully supports her party’s leaders as they bully and spout rubbish during question time. - Alynn Pratt, Killara

I feel deep concern for the trauma experienced by Catherine Marriott (‘‘Terrified: Joyce’s accuser devastated’’, September 19). But anyone who feels it imperative to make any allegation about shameful conduct should put her/his name to such a momentous allegation.
Before I ruin any life I would have to be so sure of what I am alleging, that I would proudly give my name, no matter the consequences. And that is why I find so much of social media today utterly abhorrent. - Rosalind Winterton, Maroubra

The Liberals have adopted a strategic approach to their ‘women crisis’. Don’t preselect women in winnable seats, encourage a climate where current female members feel they can no longer serve and marginalise their most important female asset in Julie Bishop. Great strategy – no women, no problem. - Bernie Dagg, Willoughby

An alternative view, Ross Drynan (Letters, September 19), is that it’s only female politicians who possess sufficient courage to call out bullying in public.  - Dean Fraser, North Balgowlah

Alison Stewart (Letters, September 19), Julie Bishop was wearing red shoes to make a point, together with other female politicians, by wearing red. It seems to have worked – up to a point. - Ken Follows, Erina

Testing times in drug debate

We need to consider harm minimisation in the form of pill testing and the removal of sniffer dogs and prosecution (‘‘Pill testing not on as Premier calls in experts after festival deaths’’, September 19).

We have heard the horror stories of kids panicking when they see sniffer dogs and swallowing all their pills, resulting in them being extremely unwell and even occasioning death. Nobody wants to see that happen ever again.

To threaten to ban the music festival is a kneejerk reaction, and a bad one. Nearly all of the kids in that age group are students or workers and they need fun and music festivals to relax and feed their souls. Music washes away the dust from everyday life, one of my favourite sayings. So let’s be smart about this. Let the kids have their fun but help protect them and keep them safe at the same time. After all, they are our most valuable asset. - Kathryn Butler, Port Macquarie

A regular festival-goer claimed on The Project that maybe half the 50,000 attendees at Defqon.1 used illegal drugs. Let’s assume he’s exaggerating and only 10,000 are users. The logistics of testing 10,000 pills makes this impossible. How are they to be tested? Non-destructively? Who will do the testing? Who pays for it? How long will it take to test them all? As an analytical chemist, I find the suggestion ludicrous. Drug education has been a big thing for over 30 years in our schools. Everyone is aware of the dangers. Our culture is failing us. - Barry Anderson, Kiama

Is there not enough empirical evidence about the age that certain adolescents and young adults’ brains mature? I seem to recall that it is not until the early to mid-20s that young people’s brains are able to understand consequences of behaviours. Ergo, it is nurture that is important, and if pill testing is part of that responsibility we have to avoid harm, so be it. - Meredith Ryan, Brombin

Why are these mass collections of young people called ‘music festivals’? Surely it is just noise accompanied by young people prancing about the stage with their hair flying everywhere. And is it doing their instruments any good to be thumped? What about their sense of hearing, early deafness is on the cards. The definition of music in the Oxford Dictionary is ‘‘beauty of form, harmony and expression of emotion’’.

I wonder what emotion they experience. Maybe happiness, until they fall over drunk or worse. Maybe I am being a spoilsport, kids, go out and enjoy yourselves.  - Jean Kingdon, Wahroonga

Tackling trade war

When will our politicians find the courage to speak up about the threat to Australia of Trump’s trade war with China (‘‘China vows retaliation on Trump’s new tariffs’’, September 19)?

The Reserve Bank and BHP have warned about the dangers facing Australia and international trade following Trump’s savage cuts to tariffs on Chinese imports. KPMG estimates Australia will be $58 billion worse off over five years with GDP reduced by 0.3 per cent. Yet the government appears more concerned with a Hong Kong-based company’s bid for an Australian gas pipeline owner, fearing Beijing could somehow have control over the pipelines.

The China ‘security’ phobia seems to rate more highly on our trade agenda than Trump’s economic madness. - Vincent Matthews, Forestville

Illustration: John Shakespeare

Illustration: John ShakespeareCredit:

Awards a switch off

I’m not surprised the Emmys’ ratings have plummeted. It’s become a platform for actors to support a cause and not about great television.

Stick to pretending to be someone else. - Craig Moore, Bondi

Hannah Gadsby’s ‘‘don’t like men’’ speech falls a little flat when one considers how hard she tries to look like them. - Annette Johnson, Red Rock

Threat to free speech

Michael Koziol reports on the question of whether a right to free speech at our universities, inclusive of a right to be heard, should be ensured by changes to university statutes, or even by government threats to withhold funds from recalcitrant campuses (‘‘Unis face new rules on free speech’’, September 19).

Probably the most disturbing fact he reported was how, last Thursday, an attack squad of leftist student activists attempted to ‘‘de-platform’’ Bettina Arndt from giving an address disputing ‘‘the existence of a ‘rape crisis’ on campus’’ and criticising universities for ‘‘pandering to feminist ideologues propagating scare stories’’ about sexual assault. The riot squad had to prevent the leftists from preventing those who who wanted to hear Bettina from entering the venue, and from jostling and assaulting those who tried, as they had been doing. - Colin Jory, Narrabundah (ACT)

Gun lobby shot down

The statistics should close the argument of loosening gun control laws (‘‘MPs unite on strong gun laws’’, September 19). Two-hundred lives saved every year, since the Howard government’s toughened laws and buyback program, is an extraordinary figure. They might try, but the gun lobby will not be able to counteract this statistic. - Paul Townsend, Narara

Anthem arguments

Waltzing Matilda for a national anthem? Where’s the reference to Indigenous Australians in that? As for I Am Australian, while letter writers (September 19) acknowledge Bruce Woodley of the Seekers and Dobe Newton of the Bushwackers as the co-writers, no one has mentioned Mandawuy Yunupingu on the original recording, along with Judith Durham of the Seekers and Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply.

At least that’s what it says on the cover of the recording that I have. - Peter Skrzynecki, Eastwood

Advocates for Waltzing Matilda must be nuts. A story about a suicide of a hungry penniless and homeless man perused by the rich upper class and brutal Pommy soldiers. Fair dinkum, played at a grand final it will have half the crowd calling a help line. - Richard Stewart, Pearl Beach

I nominate the Vegemite jingle for our national anthem. It is quintessentially Australian, short, with memorable words and a tune. It also has a positive theme of happiness and growth and it respects motherhood. - Tom Kelly, Potts Point

Call it puppet love

If the Sesame Street muppets don’t have a sexual orientation, why do they keep going on about the alphabet (‘‘Sesame Street writer confirms Bert and Ernie are a gay couple’’, smh.com.au, September 19)? - Peter Fyfe, Enmore

Please explain Miss Piggy’s enduring passion for one cute, little, green frog. Her sexual advances on Kermit (the quintessential comedy straight man) have thrilled generations. - Letitia Davy, Marrickville

Capital punishment

What a great quote from Tim Catley: ‘‘Canberra wasn’t really working for me’’ (‘‘Tech chief departs Home Affairs after just seven months’’, September 19). You can be sure there are plenty of others around the capital (and the country) quietly nodding. - Nick Franklin, Katoomba

Puffed-up trends

Wear a puffer jacket and be fashionable. Wear a puffy shirt and be mocked – just ask Jerry Seinfeld (‘‘Kathmandu’s profit billows from plague of puffer jackets’’, September 19). - Michael Deeth, Como West

Profits skyrocket

A Japanese billionaire has signed on for Elon Musk’s around-the-moon rocket trip. I suppose we can survive with one fewer billionaire. - Bob Holland, North Ryde

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