Proper policy choice can bring a balanced economy

As a solution to inflation and rising interest rates,asking people who have money to stop spending couldn’t be more pointless (“Boomers need to share the pain and stop spending”,November 27). The government has chosen to use monetary policy,interest rates,to try to control inflation instead of fiscal policy;manipulating taxation rates and limiting government spending. Its approach is not working well and is unfair and divisive. Choosing interest rates to control inflation is more appealing to the government because it shifts some of the blame and resentment for the pain people feel from itself to the Reserve Bank. If it employed fiscal policy and increased the GST and/or reduced government spending,community ire would be directed solely at it.Prue Nelson,Cremorne Point

Policymakers have always faced the challenge of finding a balance between inflation and unemployment. In essence,a government can stimulate the economy by increasing demand for goods and services through increased spending,reducing taxes and lowering interest rates. This stimulus is amplified through the multiplier effect whereby a $1 increase in spending can generate around $3 of stimulus and activity. In turn,this increased demand tends to decrease employment and put upward pressure on prices.John Slidziunas,Woonona

Sorry Rachel,but we Boomers have already been through our pain. We will be spending because we don’t trust this Labor government to not take it away from us via intergenerational and superannuation taxes. Don’t deny us a bit of fun before we depart this earth.Pamela Shepherd,Balgowlah

As a low-income Baby Boomer,I feel pressured to move out of my house. Actually,I would like to downsize to a unit. I explored this,yet found that the weekly body corporate levy would be unsustainable for me,and possible one-off levies anxiety-producing. (Is the rash of poorly constructed buildings related to the privatisation of building certification?)Lesley Edwards,New Lambton

Rachel Clun’s article is probably well intended but for the most part,it will fall on deaf and uninterested ears. Her suggestions should be directed to the political parties. TheHerald’s own Ross Gittins has made sensible suggestions such as the government raising the GST for three months to reduce spending. Everyone agrees that raised interest rates fall unfairly on those with mortgages and necessary loans. More imagination is what is needed,not exclusionary policies.Phillip Kerrigan,Mortlake

No one seems willing to take on changes to negative gearing,which is a contributor to the current issues of housing affordability. Why don’t we just have a sunset clause that negative equity claims will cease on a certain date in the future such that any property purchased after that date cannot be written off against loss of income? No changes to currently owned properties. No current property owners will be disadvantaged but we start to correct the current imbalance over the next generation.Dale Bailey,Five Dock

When a column begins “Dear Boomers”,it’s time to prepare for yet another barrage of negative generalisations. Why is it unfair to single out someone’s race,religion,sexual orientation or body shape,but perfectly OK to demonise an entire generation?Rob Mills,Riverview

Tough cop tactics have led us into even more trouble

So George Brandis thinks we need a “tough cop” in government (“We need tough cop,not a ‘handsome boy’”,November 27). Well,a tough cop gave us indefinite detention,now ruled unconstitutional;a tough cop gave us robo-debt,ruled illegal;a tough cop severely damaged our trade relations with China;a tough cop refused to budge on climate action. I’m sick to death of tough guy politicians who lock us into indefensible policies and bring our nation into disrepute.Neil Ormerod,Kingsgrove

I’m always hesitant to read columns written by retired politicians of any persuasion. George Brandis’ recent article is a perfect example. His dismissive references to past Labor governments were embarrassingly partisan and his conclusion that Peter Dutton’s “tough cop” stance will be a political winner is questionable. Many will understand it was that same approach which got Australia involved in futile conflicts in Vietnam,Iraq,and Afghanistan,as well as costing miners and primary producers billions of dollars in lost exports to China.Col Nicholson,Hawks Nest

George Brandis is obviously looking in the rear-vision mirror when he predicts victory of the Dutton Coalition in the 2025 elections. Incumbents always lose some shine in their first term,but voters still remember the last 10 years of Coalition governments (in which Dutton was a major influence):total mismanagement of our energy policy;complete avoidance of real climate change action and planning;questionable activities galore with sports rorts,car park rorts and stacking of public service bodies;defunding of critical overseeing entities like the ACCC;the deliberate destruction of fair wage adjustments,and the list goes on.

So while current financial crises impacting voters such as inflation,the cost of power,and ridiculous cost of home ownership and rentals are significant,they have been largely the outcome of incompetent former Coalition governments.Ian Ferrier,Long Jetty

Brandis should retitle his opinion piece “An epistle from a parallel universe”. Does he really believe we have forgotten the trillion dollars of debt,the myriad scandals and rorts,robo-debt and the multiple failures in foreign policy?Dennis Metcalf,Drummoyne

As much as I hate to admit it,George Brandis makes a number of valid points about the present state of the Albanese government. Clearly the honeymoon is over. Fortunately,Albanese has a strong and competent frontbench – and he will need them to deflect any impression that the government is faltering. Dutton is not likeable,nor are his frontbench colleagues,but this is of little consequence if the government is perceived as weak.Max Redmayne,Drummoyne

Abbott showing his true colours

Tony Abbott can always be relied on to remind us how bad the last Coalition government was (CBD,November 27). Still spouting “climate change is crap” and now flirting with Viktor Orban,the hard-right Hungarian prime minister,Tony is fond of praising the benefits of western civilisation. He should also remember that less than a century ago western civilisation gave us Franco,Mussolini,Hitler and the Second World War. Europe sees Orban coming from the same mould. Tony and the Liberal party should take note.Gary Barnes,Mosman

Death choice

November 28 will mark a significant win for democracy and compassion in NSW. A Voluntary Assisted Dying law will come into force,and four out of five citizens will finally get something they have wanted for more than 20 years:the legal choice to ask a doctor to help them end their lives when they are terminally ill and suffering. Victoria led the way in Australia in 2017 and other states followed. Their experience has been positive. Relatives and carers have valued the fact that their loved ones had control over the end of their life and that their death was quick,painless and dignified. Slightly more men than women have accessed VAD;the median age has been 74;most had cancer;and most were receiving palliative care. A significant proportion lived in regional or rural areas. Numbers of deaths have of course been small,ranging from between half and one per cent of total deaths.Richard Mills,Leura

Despite the best palliative care on offer,my father’s last days were a living nightmare of pain and anguish. If VAD had been available,he would have died in peace surrounded by loving family. No matter how well-meaning his medical staff,they should not have held the power of my father’s life and death. Finally,NSW has caught up with the rest of the country and become fairer and more democratic when it comes to end-of-life suffering.Rivka Hartman,Summer Hill

Middle ground

I’m not sure I understand why so many Australians are coming down so strongly on either side of the problem in Israel and Palestine (“Great-grandmother freed by Hamas ‘believes in peace’”,November 27). I support the right of both Israel and Palestine to live in peace,but Hamas and very right-wing Israelis are uncompromising. Was it necessary for Israel to make the Palestinian people suffer so much? And what will those who call out against Israel have them do about Hamas? I noticed a sign at a recent protest saying “Christians support Israel”,as if it was a given for us. Some of my fellow Christians have weird ideas about Israel in biblical prophecy. I can tell you not all Christians - myself included - support Israel only.David Ashton,Katoomba

Silver lining

One ignored aspect of the recent High Court decision on preventive detention of offenders is that it is pleasing to have a High Court that robustly defends the rights of individuals against arbitrary,and increasingly hysterical,calls for imprisonment without trial or conviction (Letters,November 27). That clamour might be popular,and its policy outcomes are complicated and fraught,but that right is an absolutely fundamental and non-negotiable part of our democracy.Stein Boddington,St Clair

TAFE money

I hope the government has the fortitude to stare down builders’ demands for $10,000 for every skilled foreign worker who is brought here (“Builders urge Canberra to help pay”,November 27). Firstly,1350 carpenters and plumbers came here last year even without an incentive. On that basis,building companies will get $13.5m per year without having to lift a finger - and that’s even before joiners,electricians and other tradespeople are included. And given that many workers will return overseas long before the housing shortfall is fixed,this is a short-term fix to a long-term problem. If the government is going to be doing anything,it should be funding TAFE properly so that it’s easy for people to join the profession. And if these businesses need employees so badly,why not bring them in from the Australian population? Hiring apprentices or running training courses themselves would get people who would work in the Australian building industry for many years to come.Fraser Rew,Ashfield

Illogical decision

Thank goodness your investigators Nigel Gladstone and Matt O’Sullivan are onto the disaster that is the Sydney Metro (“Sydney Metro embroiled in corruption,fraud claims”,November 27). I have long thought that pulling up a perfectly good rail line from Sydenham to Bankstown (with trains every eight minutes in peak-hour and every 15 minutes the rest of the time) is so illogical as to suggest high-level corruption. There are huge swathes of outer Sydney desperately in need of public transport. To ignore those areas and put the people of Sydenham-to-Bankstown through the nightmare we are currently experiencing is clearly idiotic at best,corrupt at worst.Kylie Salisbury,Lakemba

Let’s just be honest. Instead of referring to the Sydney Metro as “world-class” and “transformational” can we just rename the bloody thing “gravy train”?Marie Healy,Hurlstone Park

Thank you

The CEO of the NSW Minerals Council chooses to refer to the thousands of people who blockaded the port of Newcastle as “extremists” but many of his fellow citizens see them as heroes. The world is on the brink of a climate catastrophe,caused by the burning of coal,oil and gas. The coal that is exported from this port is burnt in another country but we get the emissions back in our own atmosphere within 18 months. The short-term financial gain from mining and exporting coal will soon be far outweighed by the costs of an unlivable climate and the damage of extreme weather events. So,on behalf of my grandchildren,I say thank you to the those people who took the time to convey this powerful message.Catherine Rossiter,Fadden

Gone to the dogs

Perhaps those churchgoers need reminding that there really is a dog (Letters,November 27).Glenda Taylor,Stanwell Tops

Changing lanes

Who’s bright idea was it to change the bus lane,city bound on Victoria Road from the Iron Cove Bridge to the Anzac Bridge,from the left lane to the middle lane? It does not make sense that the buses now have to weave from the middle lane to the left lane every few hundred metres.Cettina Borg-Musin,Balmain

Only one sign is needed to clarify the traffic “flow” on the new Rozelle interchange. It should read:“If you voted for the Liberals you voted for this”.Sally Morris,Leichhardt

Can’t bear it

Jo Stubbings may lament the odd words rejected by Words with Friends (“Game’s PC way with profanity makes me curse,I swear”,November 27) but of more concern is that Wordle doesn’t allow “koala”.Jennifer Dewar,Double Bay

Fringe benefits

Question:how could now-Senator Dave Sharma ever be considered a political “moderate” (“Sharma wins Liberal Senate battle”,November 27)? Answer:Zed Seselja. And the News Corp-mandated redefinition of the political centre towards the political fringe.Alex Mattea,Sydney