HECS TAX
Dear editor,
Is it true that Australian students with HEC debts pay more tax than some large foreign companies? Just asking for taxpayers.
Margaret Wilkie,
Peregian Beach.
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NEW OZ DAY
Dear editor,
On Australia Day I was sharing traditional lamb chops and pavlova with my neighbours thinking on the annual division about the Day’s commemoration when we are supposed to be emphasising that we are one, but we are many – unity in diversity.
Perhaps, I’m naïve offering this simple suggestion.
We move the public holiday on New Year’s Day to the day before – New Year’s Eve – usually a more popular festive occasion.
The public holiday on January 1 becomes Australia Day.
After all that is the date in 1901 when we became one with the Federation of the colonies to form a new nation called the Commonwealth of Australia.
The term Commonwealth was chosen by our forebears from names including ‘Federated Australia’ which sounds like a union to me!
Another was ‘The Australian Dominion’ which sounds like living in a medieval lord’s manor as we were still classed as British subjects on our passports.
We were not uniting out of fear or after the bloodshed of winning our freedom in a revolutionary war against England but out of the desire for the common good – sharing the common wealth of Australia.
That’s still us isn’t it with our constitutional monarchy?
Now, I wonder who I’ve unintentionally offended which seems to govern decision making these days.
Garry Reynolds,
Peregian Springs
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GREATEST SHAVE
Dear editor,
The World’s Greatest Shave is arguably Australia’s favourite fundraising campaign spanning 26 years – with more than two million Australians taking part by shaving, cutting, and colouring their hair, to raise vital funds for the Leukaemia Foundation and people living with blood cancer, in Australia.
The World’s Greatest Shave, however, wasn’t immune to the devastating impact of Covid, which created the most formidable challenge the campaign has faced in its 26-year history. With the World’s Greatest Shave being the single biggest source of income for the Leukaemia Foundation, the organisation took a significant hit and saw fundraising figures drop dramatically.
The World’s Greatest Shave had to pivot, and this year we farewell the beloved chins as we launch a new era of the campaign, with a vibrant, bold, contemporary, and more personal approach – to support the growing number of Australians impacted by blood cancer.
The new-look World’s Greatest Shave celebrates the everyday heroes in our community doing ‘bloody beautiful’ acts of shaving, cutting, colouring, or donating. The new creative direction will feature real human participants and a catchy new slogan ‘That’s Bloody Beautiful’, which will resonate more deeply with Australians.
More than 140,000 Australians are currently living with blood cancer. Incidence of blood cancer has soared by 47 per cent in the past decade, making it a significant public health issue in Australia.
Funds raised through the World’s Greatest Shave ensure that the Leukaemia Foundation can continue to provide vital support to blood cancer patients and their loved ones, and fund ground-breaking research, in the hopes of one day finding a cure.
We urge the Australian community to sign up to shave, cut, or colour their hair for World’s Greatest Shave by visiting worldsgreatestshave.com
Chris Tanti,
CEO, Leukaemia Foundation.
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HOUSING PROBLEMS
Dear editor,
At present Queenslanders are facing many challenges with the devastation of the recent cyclones and flooding, with the cost of living and federal tax reforms on everyone’s minds. Therefore, Premier Steven Miles’ announcement of his government’s long-term plan Homes for Queenslanders to tackle housing and homelessness is welcome news.
Among the initiatives is a 20 per cent increase in funding to all homelessness services. A boost for local homeless support organisations to enable them to carry out their work helping those in need of a safe place to live.
Also, in the Homes for Queenslanders Plan is help for renters such as a ban on rent bidding and increased rental support; a rebate to support affordable housing; and doubling the First Homeowners Grant. There is increased funding to build and buy more social housing as the government tackles the problems of homelessness.
Housing and homelessness problems will not be solved overnight, there are many challenges ahead to deliver the plan, however if you don’t have a plan and targets, little will be achieved. It is great to see our Queensland government’s initiatives to help those most in need.
Everyone has a right to live somewhere safe with a roof over their head.
Robyn Deane,
Bli Bli.
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COST OF LIVING
Dear editor,
As we all suspected, big business has been price gouging with impunity during the current inflation crisis, due to lack of accountability and lack of competition, making historical profits without being questioned. It’s what all consumers suspected, while the complete lack of political conscience about the rising cost of living, exacerbated by unconscionable patterns of increasing, unexplained costs, kept rising.
Governments’ efforts to explain the escalating costs in everything, including banking, housing, power, fuel, food, and services, have done nothing to ease or explain the bolting horse scenario. Labor has been at the forefront of exploiting goods and services costs, due to rising costs in fuel taxes, which they refuse to adjust. Now this explanation has revealed that, in business, “greed is good” and acceptable, especially when businesses keep their secret manoeuvres well-hidden and without scrutinisation.
This is the world in which the haves dictate the terms of interaction with the have-nots. While the have-nots have no idea what the haves are up to and what conditions impact their costs, ignorance is bliss. Now the secrets are out. These corrupt business dealings, which have made a mockery of democracy and fairness, exploiting our ignorance, are now called to account. However, don’t expect the cost of living to suddenly become cheaper, while political inaction seems to delay any change, including condemnation from the top.
E. Rowe,
Marcoola.
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