Using public money to buy votes distorts democracy

Illustration by John Shakespeare.Credit:Sydney Morning Herald

Barilaro says pork barrelling is “the democratic process, something I’m very proud of”. This government’s malfeasance will be ever more starkly on display. – Jennifer Fergus, Manly

If the idiotic $1 million bushfire grant hurdle been publicised, applicants would have been nuts not to have jacked project scopes up to have them qualify. Just maybe the secret of the threshold had been whispered in selected ears to facilitate payments to bolster the favoured owners of those ears. – Peter Cox, Gerringong

Meeting the bushfire relief criteria appears simple: there has been significant bushfire damage, regions are hurting, relief is required and there is money available to distribute. How hard is that Mr Barilaro? You don’t even need to check who the local member is. – Diana Finch, Holroyd

When you’re out bushwalking and you get a whiff of something overwhelmingly fetid, you know that it’s a decomposing corpse of some description without seeing the actual carcass. We all know the stink of this government’s barrels of rotting pork without seeing the actual pig. – Clare Raffan, Campsie

I am concerned that although I live in an electorate represented by a government member there may be some people receiving benefits here who did not vote for that party candidate. How can we ensure that any benefits only flow to those who had the sense, or the luck, to back the correct candidate? – Don Squires, Lake Cathie

Where is the opposition on this? Hello Jodi McKay, are you out there? – Arthur Hennessy, Gymea Bay

It used to be that politicians were more likely to be sacked for the lies they used to cover up the rorts than the rorts themselves. Unfortunately in this era of post-truth politics, lying no longer attracts the same opprobrium. – Graeme Finn, St Peters

Here’s a new game to rival Monopoly. Everyone throws money into a bucket. A leader then chooses the winners but never discloses the rules of the game. The losers cry foul. The leader-in chief says sorry this is not corruption it’s just how you play the game. – Carolyn Pettigrew, Turramurra

I now know that elections are for the purpose of buying votes and not, as I had previously thought, to pick someone to represent the views of my electorate in Parliament. Bids for my vote can be addressed to me via the Herald letters page? –Rob Siebert, Skennars Head

Treasurer’s blinkered vision condemns Sydney to mediocrity

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet exhorts the Sydney populace to “shun mediocrity in reshaping the metropolitan landscape”. This sounds like a battle cry for a more charming, distinctive, and liveable city (“It’s time to wake up sleeping beauty, says Treasurer”, February 9). Examine the detail and the truth emerges. The Treasurer identifies built heritage as one of a trifecta of issues condemning Sydney to “mediocrity”. He has waged war on our built heritage assets since coming to government. His simple equation is that heritage blocks “progress”. Progress is good. Heritage is bad. The problem is, destroying heritage comes at a price: sterilising our cities of their past creates a cultural vacuum that actually dis-incentivises economic development. It also makes these cities boring, anodyne places to live. It is not heritage, regulation and taxes that condemn us to mediocrity, it is the “vision” of politicians such as Mr Perrottet. – Kate Mackaness, Box Hill

All credit to Mr Perrottet for joining the conversation about better planning and aesthetic standards for Sydney. However, does he really speak about our city’s malignant ugliness as if it has been going on in spite of the state government? Londoners and Parisians (as well as New Yorkers and Amsterdammers) have indeed inherited city lifestyles to envy. But it’s only when our decision-makers begin to act on the understanding that neighbourhoods are for people – and not for cars or developers – that we will have some chance of matching those cities’ excitement and liveability. It would be lovely to think that our post-pandemic recovery will lead to a real change in direction for Sydney. But, in planning it, will Mr Perrottet or his colleagues really start shaping the city for us, and stand up to the likes of Transurban and Meriton? – Matthew Bogunovich, Alexandria

Sydney’s greatest sin is sameness, and guess who caused that? Still, a changed direction is welcome and, hopefully, we’ll soon see ambience in the ferries replacing the grand old ladies of the harbour, and New Macquarie Street proving heritage cool. – Peter Farmer, Northbridge

It’s good to see the Treasurer taking an interest in planning; but is it not a bit late? The present government has made many mediocre decisions and taken no interest at all in heritage. Destroying Parramatta Park with a huge stadium and swimming pool is surely mediocre. Moving the Powerhouse Museum is mediocre. Barangaroo and Darling Harbour are mediocre. Driving from the Harbour Bridge to Glebe is a sea of mediocrity. What about the hideous convention and exhibition centres. I could go on. – Clive Lucas, Neutral Bay

Taking city-building and urban amenity advice from this government is akin to getting recipes from Jeffrey Dahmer. – Brendan Donohoe, Collaroy

What is the Nationals’ purpose?

Once again the Nationals’ relevance must be called into question (“McCormack exemption suggestion shocks farm sector”, February 9). They clearly do not represent the National Farmers’ Federation, the red meat sector, grain growers or the pork industry, which have all set their own net zero target dates, while luddite National MPs still fight for construction of new coal-fired power stations. Who exactly do the Nationals represent? Ask any grazier or produce grower how another two-degree temperature increase will affect their livelihood. The Nationals would appear to be out of touch and out of their depth. – Alan Marel, North Curl Curl

Deputy PM and Nationals leader Michael McCormack thinks we should exempt the agriculture sector from our carbon emissions target. So he wants Australia to be 87 per cent pregnant. – Tony Powell, MacMasters Beach

McCormack and John Barilaro have cracked it. Give National Party voters all the benefits of emissions reduction but ensure they bear none of the costs. I’m sure it’s perfectly legal and everybody does it. – David Hale, Gordon

We witness McCormack, Barnaby Joyce and Bridget McKenzie vehemently fighting on behalf of our farmers to protect them against net zero emissions by 2050. Their policy reflects three things: the Nationals don’t understand that climate crisis affects farmers first, that elected representatives are supposed to listen to their constituents, and their views are causing Australia to be increasingly isolated from the rest of the world. – Lorraine Hickey, Green Point

Charge retirees more

The ACOSS proposal to tax retirees’ superannuation earnings at 15 per cent (“‘Tax retirees’ to help fund aged care”, February 9) is an essential policy suggestion, but does not go quite far enough. It is outrageous that well-off retirees contribute nothing toward essential services in society, particularly in this difficult time when government services are under huge pressure and many people are under financial strain. Considering that retirees are the demographic most likely to seek frequent medical attention and all will shortly benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine, an additional 2 per cent Medicare levy would be appropriate. – Geoff Harding, Chatswood

ACOSS is a joke! Superannuation was designed to save the federal budget pension payouts. Now ACOSS is suggesting it should be a cash cow for those who spent their money instead of savings for retirement. There is a long-held belief on the left of politics that anyone who is frugal should fund the spendthrifts in society. Wealth is not measured correctly. Those who accumulate through frugality should not be required to fund the retirements of those who squander. The answer is simple. Raise the GST. Tax those who spend, not those who save. Make them pay for their own retirement as do those who accumulate superannuation. – Gary Bigelow, Teralba

All the Kings Cross horses

The Liberal-led government’s plan to axe lockout laws to “revive the CBD and Kings Cross” isn’t so much a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted (“Revival for the Cross as lockout rules relaxed,” February 9). It’s more like shutting the gate after the horse has put its stable into liquidation, vacated the premises, a Liberal benefactor horse has purchased the stable and adjoining facilities for a pittance, had redevelopment plans rubber-stamped, constructed a luxury apartment building for wealthy inner-city horses to live in and now there’s nowhere for the horses to go if they wanted a quiet drink or to watch live music anyway. – Daniel Kell, Mascot

Opening Kings Cross to later drinking hours will only bring more anti-social activities to the area. It can’t and won’t bring diverse businesses to the area as claimed, nor will it help to make Sydney a “global city”. The vomit-metre will go off the scale as crime and ambulance callouts increase. – Andrew Woodhouse, Potts Point

Wave of condemnation

Congratulations to the Lennox Head community for successfully heading off the World Surf League (“Locals are learning rules for radicals”, February 9). It’s no mean feat to get ahead of the major events juggernaut which bulldozes consultation to impose events that typically rely on inflated tourism numbers to justify their huge public spend and lack of proper process. – Christine Everingham, Newcastle East

Sledging shameful

What a wonderful obituary for Colin McDonald, the great Australian opening batsman (“Courageous opener stood firm in face of raw pace”, February 9). Fascinating to read his comments on sledging. “It’s an abomination,” he said. In later years, the Australian cricket team constantly applauded themselves on being the best sledgers in the world. Such a pity McDonald’s successors did not follow the example of such a gentleman. – Michael Walsh, Croydon

Colourful language

As a former NSW president of the Australian Institute of Physics, I think it’s important to point out that “blue hydrogen” (“Hype or holy grail: What’s driving the hydrogen rush?” , February 8) is one of those expressions referred to as “greenwashing”. “Brown hydrogen” would be a more accurate label. It makes no sense to expend vast amounts of energy to extract and convert something that will already burn (natural gas or methane) into something that will burn cleanly (hydrogen), and then expend even more energy storing the waste product in perpetuity by carbon capture and storage. “Green hydrogen”, created directly by electrolysis, has been the sensible – and increasingly obvious – solution since the turn of the century. – Brad Powe, Gladesville

Cluey Kiwi kinder

New Zealand uses a different, but successful, model for the first year of school (Letters, February 9). Kiwi children start school the day they turn five. They go into the new entrants class with others who have also started that year and are slotted into a suitable group within that class. They are changed into different groups depending on their progress over the following months. As someone whose children and grandchildren started school in this way, I can honestly say it works well and with a lot less stress. – Lynne Smith, Gerringong

Minister for stuff-ups

I see that online COVID-19 vaccination certificates will be available via the MyGov website (“Certificates available within days of the jab”, February 9). This will be overseen by the minister, Stuart Robert, the man who thought it was OK to have a $2000 per month home internet service paid for by the taxpayer, who presided over robo-debt and who could only mutter “my bad” when he stuffed up the Centrelink response to the unemployment crisis at the start of the pandemic. Why do I have an uneasy feeling that this will go badly? – Ian Morris, Strathfield

Feeling wokeist

Latest American irritating not-so-neologism? The word “woke”, when used to mean deluded or false awareness of social issues and movement against injustice, inequality and prejudice. Apparently “not woke” is the negative conjugation; “woker” and “wokest” are the comparative and superlative, respectively. I must be just unasleep? – George Zivkovic, Northmead

Spread the love

An appropriate word to describe the opposite to diaspora? (Letters, February 9). How about aropsaid? – Bryan Hayes, Dunmore

Perfect serve

So Ash Barty eats her brussels sprouts so that she can perform at her best (“Open just business as usual for Barty”, February 8). I am going to try them to see if they improve my tennis game. – Graham Russell, Clovelly

The digital view

Online comment from the story that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
“Bushfire fund projects required minimum spend of $1m, Barilaro says”
From Mais51: Here we are donating every penny, emptying our pockets of any spare cash, responding to the call for help for the bushfire victims – never for one moment thinking the victims are Labor or Liberal voters, they are simply our fellow Australians in need. But our money – tax and donation included – instead used for election pork barrelling by barefaced partisan politicians. Don’t they have a conscience, a moral principle at all?