Illustration:John Shakespeare
Claiming that charging in both directions is “fairer” is misleading (“”,March 12). What is even more galling is that the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tunnel have long been paid off and should be toll-free,or charge a toll based on maintenance costs only.Pierre Mars,Vaucluse
When the bridge was built across Pumicestone Passage to Bribie Island in Queensland,the toll was one dollar. When those dollars had paid off the cost of the bridge,the government removed the toll entirely,and it remains toll-free.
NSW governments have seen tolls,especially the Harbour Bridge toll,as a good cash cow,so continued them,until handing the largesse on to Transurban,in exchange for their pieces of silver funding ever more toll road cash cows.Dave Williams,Port Macquarie
It is not only residents of the outer suburbs suffering a cost-of-living crisis. As residents of the inner west we need to travel regularly over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and we are feeling the pinch as well. Why should we pay a toll for travel both ways?Paddy McFarlane,Cabarita
If the wealthiest postcode in Sydney – Mosman – followed by my own of Manly,and all others living in Godzone stretching to Palm Beach can’t pay an extra $3.97 to return home via bridge or tunnel in interests of easing toll stress on fellow citizens,something is wrong in the city of Sydney.Jenny Forster,Manly
The changes seem to be geared toward “bringing about compensation that would lead to no toll operator being worse or better off.” It’s all about the toll operators. What about the road users? And what about a “fundamental reform”? Why punish drivers staying off suburban roads as they use the freeways? The point is,the freeways should be free. But it should not be free to use the roads. Drivers should be charged according to the size and weight of their cars,length of trip,destination and time of travel. A realistic share of those charges would go to the infrastructure providers,according to existing contracts.Carsten Burmeister,Mosman
Living regionally,a trip to Sydney provides a new experience in accessing the tunnels and motorway system that has been created (“”,March 12). It is faster and seemingly time efficient – fewer traffic lights,and hopefully less pollution. The sting that follows each short stay is the credit card hit with an $80 top-up by Linkt. The tolls mount up quickly,and I am in constant wonder of how a person living in Sydney and having to travel daily for work copes with these costs. To the private individual the cost of tolls must be horrific,even if there is a maximum pay system in place. This evaluation of the toll system is well overdue,and hopefully the state government will be able to reduce the burden on the average driver who uses the Sydney road system.Robert Mulas,Corlette
Super is there to be used while living,in aged care or at home
Of course,they should (“B”’,March 12). Using super as an inheritance tool is probably one of the more egregious outcomes of the scheme. Super was introduced so that retirees would have less reliance on the aged pension in order that future taxpayers did not have to foot the bill. Wealthy people have exploited the rules around super to further enhance the riches of their beneficiaries. It has to stop.Jo White,Woonona
As one on the doorstep of maybe needing aged care,I fully endorse a fair payment taken from superannuation to meet my needs should I not be fortunate enough to remain in my own home until carried out in a box. I think a rental model seems eminently more sensible than the often exorbitant entry fees charged by facilities. I caution,however,that any funding model requires diligent supervision so that money paid by aged-care recipients does not end up in the pockets of unscrupulous owners of aged-care establishments,as has so often happened.Heather Johnson,West Pennant Hills
If the Albanese government decides to meddle with the funding arrangements for aged care as set out in taskforce review of aged care,it will again be negating its responsibilities and avoiding the major challenge of our structural budget deficit.
Rather than accepting the aged care royal commission’s recommendation of a levy to enhance the quality of care and to ensure the viability of the aged care sector,the taskforce has weakly opted for a raid on superannuation and for a savings-robbing rental-only model to replace refundable lump-sum deposits. Aged care cannot be appropriately funded within current and future budgets starved of revenue. The taskforce review exposed all too clearly,along with earlier evidence,that it is imperative for the government to restructure our taxation system.Ross Butler,Rodd Point
Aged care has a three-tiered system of fees that the government supports,depending on one’s wealth. The deal-breaker for many looking for aged care,however,is an often compulsory fourth fee levied by individual aged care homes which can be over $70 a day. This is independent of any government support and requires a generous income to be affordable.Elizabeth Darton,Lane Cove West
If the idea that wealthy Australians should contribute more towards their aged care costs comes to fruition,I bet we see all manner of strategies developed to ensure the appropriate amount of wealth is transferred to loved ones to enable them to fit under the limit.
Unless the family home is exempt,we can be assured that stamp duty will be removed so that it doesn’t cost anything to shift this wealth. I suspect that more international holidays will be taken and many other tactics employed to force the government (and the youth of today) to continue to pick up the cost of the individual’s care.Andrew Brown,Bowling Alley Point
Fairer funding levels playing field
Is this an anticompetitive takeover of the Australian parliament by the political duopoly (“”,March 12)? Behaving like big supermarkets,the major parties are seeking to boost their profit margins with “more taxpayer funding,tied to how many votes a party won” – a funding stream that is not available to any new political candidates.
Australian voters like to shop around. Over recent decades,we’ve increasingly been supporting minor parties and independents because we want more healthy,diverse,and authentic political produce,not the generic major party pork that we repeatedly find disappointing. It would be a disaster for our democracy if the major parties are allowed to hide their own failures by freezing out their competitors. While we do need political donations with transparency,we also need to ensure we have a fair political competition.Peter Moore,Newport
Feeding on funding.Andrew Dyson
We have a number of pressure points that are threatening the integrity and smooth functioning of our democracy. Social media is a big one but the most insidious one is political donations. Donations from businesses,associations,institutions and labour unions make donations for one reason only;to seek easy access to executive government and influence policy to their own advantage. We see evidence of this daily as governments struggle to be true to their values and policies but simultaneously repay the favours to their largest donators. Political parties that win government know who they can expect to be knocking on the door for a meeting looking to level the balance sheet. The struggle to effectively address climate change and energy supply without upsetting the coal and gas industry is one example that plays out like a never-ending Greek tragedy.
Only registered voters should be allowed to donate to a party or independent candidate,and that should be limited to a modest amount. In addition,in order for donations to be fully transparent they need to be reported in real time.John Whiteing,Willoughby
When one looks at the profligate spending in US political rallies and campaigns,its resultant waste of community resources and bias toward rich old men,any reduction in electioneering spending is a sensible move. Ideally,all political donations should cease,as such payments are for meddling influence,no matter how subtly applied. Publicly paid support for moderate and sensible campaigns may be a dream too far,but any fair reduction of the present set-up would be a welcome start.Donald Hawes,Peel
While it remains extremely difficult for a rich man to negotiate the eye of a needle,our billionaires have never had problems influencing election campaigns with sometimes multimillion-dollar donations. This has been distorting election campaigns for years,and while politicians have too often been only too willing to accept the moolah,I’m sure the great majority of voters would be more than happy to see it curtailed.Nick Franklin,Katoomba
No relief
So,who is going to provide much-needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza if UNRWA doesn’t (“‘”,March 12)?David Rush,Lawson
Hard lesson
It is not only school leaders who have to learn from the Cranbrook saga (“”,March 12). Parents need to learn that paying exorbitant school fees doesn’t guarantee a safe learning environment for their child,and that teachers may be better off in the public education system.John Cotterill,Kingsford
Empathy first
Shane Wright lists the long history of tired arguments against a series of well-considered progressive policies proven to have saved or improved lives (“”,March 12). Yet,it seems the Coalition has learnt nothing,other than how to change their shallow insults. It used to be the evils of “the nanny state” or “political correctness gone mad” that so enraged conservatives. “Virtue signalling” had a good run,but now the preferred ad-hominem attack is “woke”. Meanwhile,innocent lives are lost or damaged as a direct result of their irresponsible politicking. For those with their empathy gene intact,“woke” has become a badge of honour.Phil Bradshaw,Naremburn
Terrible Trump
I doubt the US or any of its democratic allies like us can be entirely proofed against a “terrible” Trump presidency if he prevails (“”,March 12). Donald Trump’s misogyny,open hatred of opponents,corrupt business dealings,contempt for the rule of law,support for the Capitol riot criminals and tolerance of dictators like Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban should have disqualified him from seeking “a revenge presidency”. His progress in the US primaries has seen him drag a soiled Republican Party through the dirt and scar the political landscape. Should Trump somehow triumph,we must maintain our national dignity diplomatically,disagreeing where we must and agreeing only where we can.Ron Sinclair,Windradyne
Illustration:Dyson
It is difficult to overestimate how terrible and dangerous a second Trump presidency could be especially to the US. Trump is dangerous because he lacks empathy and compassion. He doesn’t have the inner voice of conscience telling him the difference between right and wrong. Like many of his countrymen,he does not separate politics from the judicial system. What makes him most dangerous,especially in the short term,is that the Republicans have sold out to him in a Faustian deal. There are no brakes to slow his mad rants.Mark Porter,New Lambton
Tough going
The main reason I don’t eat sourdough is that I don’t carry a chainsaw to cut through the crust (,March 12).Phill Clark,Eureka
Air of the dog
In the US,small pets in carry cases can be taken on board short-haul flights (,March 12). I recently travelled there with a small dog beside me on the floor in its crate,accompanied by its owner. No worries,I thought,until we were delayed for three hours,all of the passengers kept on board,as the snow fell outside. The flight,instead of two hours,took five. The aroma emanating from the little dog during this extended time frame left a lot to be desired.Kathleen Molloy,Thornleigh
Snap decision
I think the modern royal family and their media department know all about manipulating public opinion,not just editing photos (“”,March 12).Geoff Teys,Chippendale
Royal flash.Matt Golding
This royal photo business – what’s the scandal? Our great photographer Frank Hurley was an early Photoshopper. He would bring clouds closer or better position explosions to make a more artistic composition.Barry Lamb,Eastwood