Top-end tax cuts encourage exasperation, not aspiration

It shouldn’t come as a surprise when we already know from years of research that the neoliberalism philosophy of a trickle-down economy is a fallacy and those in the top tax bracket do not really contribute to the growth of the economy. Conservative governments have to move away from the obsession of reducing tax for the highest income earners. It seems that the US President-elect Biden has got it right. He went to the election with a promise to reverse some of the tax cuts that Trump, along with the Republican-controlled Senate, gave to the high-income earners, and he has that mandate now. Our governments need to focus on the lower income earners – with generous tax benefits. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill

Muddling PM’s failures outweigh his successes

Sean Kelly is perhaps too kind in assessing Morrison as PM (‘‘Middling PM still in short pants’’, December 21). Morrison did well to react to the looming virus invasion by shutting down international borders and he reacted well to lengthening unemployment queues by instituting JobKeeper and JobSeeker (though Centrelink was unprepared). However, he was not proactive in dealing with the aged care death toll, nor in coping with the demand from Australians returning from overseas. Nor, until recently, did he look beyond hotel quarantining to cope with international arrivals, when it should have been obvious that this could only have been a short-term (and imperfect) measure. The recovering economy will not be helped by having fewer Chinese students or tourists and less trade with that country, thanks to Morrison’s preference for dog-whistling rather than diplomacy in dealing with them. We need a leader who can look ahead rather than merely respond to past and current events. Muddling rather than middling better describes Morrison’s performance. Chris Danckwerts, South Turramurra

Sean Kelly rightly points out Scott Morrison is a responder and not a creator, and that his marketing background explains why he is better at public relations than he is at substance. He has clearly shown no vision or forward-thinking on climate change or energy policies, but allows those with expertise to tackle crises such as the bushfires and the COVID pandemic while making himself the face and spokesman of any response, and by association claim any credit. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl

Sean Kelly makes one key point, the PM is a responder, not a creator. This is a deadly trait in a national leader facing the existential crisis of climate change. We need creativity and action on restructuring the Australian economy for a low-emissions world. We need agriculture to be pushed towards low emissions. We need the government to take control of wind and solar energy before it is given away to multinational corporations and lost as an asset of Australia. We need Christmas puddings baked by working Australians, not by the British or New Zealanders. Unless the PM acts, Australia fails to survive. Barry Laing, Castle Cove

Sean Kelly commendably attempts even-handedness when assessing Scott Morrison’s prime ministerial record. The facts are far harsher. The wearying stories of graft, pork barrelling and corruption that bedevil this eight-year government, with no ministerial responsibility taken, then tax cuts for the rich, sums up an overarching failure. Alison Stewart, Riverview

Time to make masks mandatory

Painful as it might be for the NSW government, its COVID-19 coronet of the past months has slipped. Now neither gold nor covered in diamonds. A number of eminent epidemiologists, including University of NSW professors Raina MacIntyre (‘‘Sydney facing festive time bomb’’, December 21) and Mary-Louise McLaws (‘‘Three new COVID-19 cases prompt official health alert’’, December 17) are reinforcing their science-based message that masks must be mandatory, and protecting the nation’s population from super-spreading Christmas and New Year events must be paramount. The flaws in NSW’s quarantine system for overseas travellers and air crew need more than a tidy up so the festering danger from this virus does not continue to blight our population. The border seepages are present and dangerous, and sitting people in quarantine in the middle of Sydney is a recipe for disaster. Anne Finnane, Marlee

If the Premier won’t make masks mandatory in shops and on public transport, perhaps it is time for the unions to act. Unions covering transport workers and shop assistants could do a great public service with this, keeping people safe and the economy moving. George Rosier, Carlingford

I agree with your correspondent (Letters, December 21) that people should be able to fill in details online to avoid delays in getting COVID-19 tests. I would go one step further. One should be offered a time bracket to save people queuing for kilometres and hours to be tested. The NSW government needs to set this up. It also needs to standardise the QR system. The Service NSW app does not work in many places and some apps take too long to function. It is often faster to complete a form instead. Barry O’Connell, Old Toongabbie

Even though it’s not mandatory, it’s great to see most citizens on the northern beaches wearing masks in public. Surely it’s time to mandate the wearing of masks across greater Sydney and hopefully assist the slowdown of this wave of infections. No more excuses, Premier. This new wave needs every obstacle we can put in its path. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach

Remember that lady who caught COVID-19 while cleaning quarantine hotels and got the train multiple times to and from work before she was diagnosed but didn’t infect a single other person because she was so diligent with her mask wearing and hand washing? My nomination for NSW Person of the Year. Jenni Stapleton, Kiama

Count our blessings

While many families are having the ‘‘great festive divide’’ thrust upon them (‘‘Beaches cluster grows’’, December 21), for others it was always going to be this way. Families of medical workers, ambos, television and radio staff, bus and train drivers, hospitality workers and others always have to fit their Christmas celebrations around the work they do for us. Many people with acute or chronic illness are unable to travel to be with families; low-income families may struggle to provide gifts and food. Others are grieving the death of a loved one who will never share Christmas with them again. So let’s be grateful if we are in good health, can see our loved ones via modern technology and have food on the table. There are 364 other days in the year. Sally James, Russell Lea

I’ve never been keen on Christmas in July but suddenly it’s looking like a brilliant idea.
Barbara Stacey, Cronulla

Doug Anthony, all-star

I’ve found that some politicians make an instant impression that is favourable and you don’t know why (‘‘‘Quiet giant’ opened doors to Asia’’, December 21). I was appointed to a small school on the Tweed in 1968. One Saturday morning in Murwillumbah, I was introduced to Doug Anthony, local federal member for the seat of Richmond, who was doing a walk-through on Main Street. When I told him I’d arrived from a school in New England, he said, ‘‘Welcome to God’s own country; it’s a lot warmer here.’’ Present also was Ian Sinclair, federal member for New England, who laughed. Then Mr Anthony, shaking my hand, added: ‘‘I hope you’ll be happy here.’’ He may have been old-school National Party but he was the real deal for whom politics was about rural people and not just a shrewd career move. Vale, Mr Anthony. Peter Skrzynecki, Eastwood

Free this family

Your correspondent (Letters, December 21 ) suggests that ‘‘Our PM could easily turn this sad and sorry tale into something all Australians would be proud of at this spiritual time’’ by releasing the incarcerated Tamil family back to Biloela. It’s way past overdue for these and other detainees to be set free from the brutal servitude our country has levied upon them. How our ‘‘Christian’’ leaders reconcile their actions, or lack of actions, is beyond me. If not now, Prime Minister, when will be the appropriate time to end their incarceration? Greg Horan, Breakfast Point

As their terms end, US presidents offer pardons. It would be a positive move if Australian PMs each new year gave compassionate pardons. I can think of at least one deserving family in detention on Christmas Island who should be pardoned and allowed to get on with their lives. John Bailey, Canterbury

I often hear people say refugees must go through ‘‘the appropriate channels’’. Yet most refugees have fled their home countries, often in haste, and have become stateless without papers. This ‘‘appropriate channels’’ fiction is encouraged by the current federal government, culminating in the taking of punitive measures and deliberately transforming them into people who have no hope. That doesn’t make me proud. Malcolm Chalmers, Cleveland (Qld)

Chores are cheaper

I save money when I do much of my walking (Letters, December 21). Keeping the house clean and tidy for two people saves golf and gym fees. Valerie Little, Tathra

Just add water

Fish ladders? (‘‘Only way is up for device that helps fish scale river barriers’’, December 21). They come up with some ridiculous ideas for those poor little fishies – what about just adding (monsoonal) water? Steve Johnson, Elizabeth Beach

The art of smart

Well said regarding intelligence and the HSC (Letters, December 21). As Ben Chifley was fond of saying, success in life is not a matter of how many brains you have, it’s knowing how to use the few you’ve got. Grant Heaton, Port Macquarie

Pulled the plug

COVID-19 has finally done something positive. The rich boys’ yacht race has been cancelled (‘‘Crews count the cost of Syd-Hobart cancellation’’, December 21). Simon Squires, Hornsby

Hackneyed, much?

Forget about word of the year. How about Tired Old Cliche? I nominate ‘‘the pub test’’, followed by ‘‘Scotty from marketing’’, but perhaps ‘‘goldstandard’’ may now be the front runner. Gillian Anderson, Northmead