TED TALK
Dear editor,
I note with great wariness honourable member O’Brien’s visit to Coolum High! Back in the day, politicians stayed out of schools, for good reason! It was seen as inappropriate and horribly cynical. Leave the unsullied and fresh perspectives of youth alone. And to mention modular nuclear power? Just as Fukushima is preparing to release radioactive water into the ocean. Good timing Ted!
Dylan White,
Coolum Beach.
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Y’BAR YES
Dear editor,
What a great opportunity for our younger generation and the future of Yaroomba. Take your heads out of the sand and wake up, they call it managed progress and that’s a great thing!
Michael Dickson,
Yaroomba.
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NUCLEAR?
Dear editor,
Love Nuclear Power? I’ve heard glowing reports in the Capricorn/ Sunshine Coast electorates. Will “zero emissions nuclear energy” bring more bang for your bucks, unimaginable forces of energy, and a jobs boom? Just asking for a friend.
Margaret Wilkie,
Peregian Beach.
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COST OF LIVING
Dear editor,
Whilst everyone is screaming about the cost of living, I wonder if we are being overindulgent. I heard someone complain about the cost of cheese. One kilogram of cheese can cost $10, and it takes 10 litres of milk to make that. So, for $1 a litre, a farmer has to make the milk. The cow must give birth regularly to produce the milk. They live on a dirt patch and trudge around on heavy udders which make it difficult to walk. Dairies then have to make the cheese from the milk, and the supermarket has to make a profit. Tell me who is suffering?
Diana Korving,
Mt Coolum.
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PRICE RISES
Dear editor,
It has been revealed that profiteering by companies during the pandemic and since the war in Ukraine, has greatly exacerbated inflation. In particular, supermarkets, energy retailers and oil companies in Australia are making historical profits, using global conditions and inflation as the excuse; the inflation to which they contribute uncontested.
Governments are not helping the rise in inflation, by ignoring these elements which contribute to exorbitant price rises. Supermarkets are guilty. Having contributed to inflation by raising their most popular products periodically, a dollar at a time since the pandemic, or 50 cents for smaller products, almost half yearly – inflation is a runaway at their discretion. Oil companies continue to charge $2 a litre for most fuels at the top end of the price cycle, knowing full well world oil prices have dropped to pre-pandemic prices.
Supply and demand rhetoric is the usual premise, but when the supply comes at a cheaper wholesale price, prices don’t correspond accordingly. As for supermarket suppliers, their profit margins are low, barely existing, with their production prices rising exponentially, while supermarkets continue to take advantage of profiteering from both suppliers and consumers. This unethical practice, gaining at both ends of the market, seems to drive inflation, and adds to higher interest rates.
It is a government’s responsibility to ensure consumers aren’t being exploited by big business with no conscience. Calling the perpetrators to account, while consumers are powerless to address this, should be a priority, while the nation is facing a recession we may have to have. Our politicians are elected to represent their constituents, in theory.
E. Rowe
Marcoola
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ATSI VOICE
Dear editor,
Those pushing the no case for the Voice referendum are spreading misinformation and lies causing division and confusion. They say a Voice is not needed as Indigenous people already have bodies which represent them however, none are truly representative of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
If the referendum is successful, there will be a process of consultation with all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the broader community, and the Parliament to design the Voice. The result of that process will then be put to Parliament to be legislated following the usual scrutiny and debate, possible amendments etc. and passing by both Houses of Parliament.
The Constitution sets out the principles guiding how our nation works. The role of the Parliament is to design the legislation that fulfils those principles.
Fact checks by media groups and others have dismissed many of the spurious claims by the no case. So far, they have not substantiated any of their misleading and divisive claims.
History is calling, it is time to make a difference for our First Nations people and vote yes for the Voice.
Robyn Deane,
Bli Bli.
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