LETTERS
![<i>Illustration: Alan Moir</i>](/web/20151220021720im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/r/a/a/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.glqpci.png/1450432578567.jpg)
Illustration: Alan Moir
If the outed finances of an Australian test cricketer, movie star or politician revealed tax dodging on the scale of at least some on this roll call of corporate parasites, a gaggle of reporters would assemble immediately outside their homes ("Four in 10 companies pay this much tax ... $0", December 18). Cameras would flash as they scurried for their cars, hiding their faces in guilt and embarrassment. The tabloids would gleefully catalogue their portfolio of trophy properties, their kids' expensive schools, their overseas holidays and shopping sprees.
Quite rightly, such individual tax cheats would cop the full media perp-walk treatment, leaving no citizen – least of all them – in doubt about the shamefulness of freeloading on honest taxpayers. Yet none of this due public reckoning will be visited upon the discreet senior executives who run these companies, earning their million-dollar salaries and bonuses at least partly for devising and executing the dubious taxation strategies that, "legal" or not, are no less morally contemptible and civically corrosive.
If these corporate "leaders" were individually named in the media alongside their tax-rorting companies, it would allow a most interested public to extend each one the appropriate personal credit for their professional cunning.
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Illustration: John Shakespeare
Jack Robertson Birchgrove
Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer assures us that the Australian Tax Office has all necessary powers to ensure that it can enforce Australia's taxation laws, but can she give us an assurance that it has the resources to do so ("Oil, gas giants get rent free", SMH 18Dec15)?
Daryl Jordan Denistone
The tables that accompany Michael Gordon's analysis raise an interesting question about foreign investment in Australia: if foreign companies cannot turn a profit here (i.e. generate "taxable incomes") why on earth do they continue to buy up here ("Hard to sell cuts to health when some at the 'big end of town' are not coughing up", December 18)?
From your earlier reporting it seems that one answer is that by having an Australian presence many of these companies can book income overseas but charge costs to their Australian offshoots. Perhaps there are other equally absurd reasons. Surely it would not beyond our Treasurer to ensure that all economic activity generated within Australia comes within the purview of the Australian Tax Office and to ensure that taxpayers are not propping up the apparently unprofitable Australian activities of so many multinationals.
Ian Bowie Bowral
It's rape and pillage of Australia on a grand scale by the published corporations, none of which paid even 30 per cent tax and they have the audacity to keep demanding a cut in the corporate tax rate and for the government to rein in the deficit by attacking welfare recipients. Can you believe it?
Companies are inanimate entities. It's the directors who are really at fault and need to be named, shamed and blamed. How many hold dual passports? Cancel their Australian citizenship and deport them. How dare they. Let them ravage somewhere else and their families should feel obliged to follow.
The only ones to match these toxic Australians is the lethal mix of gutless and dishonest politicians. These Australians who have known for years the truth about the sham, rort and hoax being played upon us and have wilfully failed to act. They are unfit for public office.
Howard Charles Glebe
Kelly O'Dwyer's assertion that huge companies named as not paying tax in Australia are reviewed and audited by the ATO should surely scream, in letters 100 metres high, that THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR TAX LAWS. Rather than making life harder still for those who need blood or other pathology tests, or X-rays, surely the government could be lifting the stone of current tax laws to see what is lurking beneath.
Denise Newton Hazelbrook
Leaners.
Peter Fyfe Eskineville
Levy to compensate taxi drivers is daylight robbery
I am baffled why the government should expect taxi users to cough up $250 million to compensate taxi licence holders who have had it too good for decades, all of it due to lack of adequate competition tolerated by governments that seemed to believe that the Taxi Council warranted more consideration than users ("Uber riders stung to fund taxi compo" December 18). Users have now voted with their feet (or their Uber app) and the government has at last acknowledged the inevitability of change.
But the compensation slug on every fare is in stark contrast to the recent demise of video stores, also the result of new competition, but in that instance totally uncompensated. Taxi licence holders have already had their compensation, from past fares being far too high, and the service below par. Compensating them for a few more years at user expense is nothing less than obscene.
Graham Lewis Lindfield
Once again country people are being treated unfairly by the "Sydney" government. In a small country town a trip to the shops by taxi might cost no more than $10. Add on a levy of $1 and it amounts to a 10 per cent increase in the fare. In Sydney where an average trip by taxi might be $20 or $30, the increase is far less. Surely the levy should only apply to fares over a certain amount, say $20, so that people who only travel short distances are not unduly penalised.
Patrick St George Goulburn
Forced local government amalgamations a blow for democracy
Once again the people of NSW are to suffer from the kind of directed democracy that would do any totalitarian leader proud as Mike Baird bulldozes the local from local government ("Bulldozed: Councils forced into mergers", December 18). That the half-baked proposed amalgamations brought forward by a combination of bullying tactics from the Baird government, gutless self-interest from many local government leaders, and developer lobby groups don't even match the proposals of the Independent Review Panel into local government exposes how shallow these so-called reforms are.
Of course it would be too much to ask for the people to actually get to vote on the form of government they enjoy? That the proposed amalgamations come with proposals to review the rating system that will see increased rates is no surprise at all. The only efficiencies on display with this whole process from the Baird government have been with the truth.
Colin Hesse Marrickville
Democracy is now dead, as 150,000 people do not know nor elect candidates, they just vote for parties, as happens in state and federal elections. Instead of amalgamations, the better model would have been downsizing with shared facilities such as maintenance and office administration. We didn't want the poles and wires sold off. Now they have been. We want local government we can relate to. That is now gone. To quote Paul Keating, this government is rapidly becoming unrepresentative swill.
David Neilson Invergowrie
You call it home, so pay tax
It is disgraceful that Qantas is paying a small amount of tax. More so, Alan Joyce's salary is offensively high and he has just bought a $5 million house in Sydney ("Qantas boss lands $5m Palmie pad", December 18). We need to boycott Qantas.
Steve Barrett Glenbrook
Mindfulness in short supply in Byron Bay
Good grief! Unauthorised yoga classes operating on a rural property without approval ("Byron Bay venture runs foul of neighbours", December 18). Stopped by council during a dawn raid? Neighbouring residents and the Byron Shire Council need to get a grip. Namaste.
David Mackinnon Kings Cross
The apparent alarm of the Byron Bay civic authorities about yoga reminds me about the Chinese government's concern with Falun Gong. Get over it, Byron Bay.
Tim Herborn Blackheath
Films worth fighting for
Your editorial is spot on ("Local film gems deserve funding respect", December 18). It's the "little guys" who have made the breakthroughs this year. The diversity of The Dressmaker, Last Cab to Darwin and, say, Alex and Eve has been not only been refreshing but commercial as well – $47 million would make at least five Australian films, equally as diverse in both subjects and budgets, and spur our industry along. Instead our cultural philistine Scott Morrison hands the money to the fly-by-nighters on the grounds it will create 3000 jobs. Maybe so, but where do those 3000 go when Disney and Marvel and whomever else leave?
I am a film producer and I am not opposed to offshore production coming here, but not at our expense. We should be marching in the streets to guarantee security for the industry we have fought for now for more than 40 years. Australian films can travel the world when given the chance. Water Diviner, The Dressmaker, Last Cab and, dare I say, Mad Max testify, too. Redirect at least half the money now.
Anthony Buckley Point Clare
ASIO chief makes stand for wisdom, insight
Bleating by conservative politicians about security agencies trying to stifle free speech would have credibility if they hadn't been so vociferous in using security concerns as the reason for banning publication of any information about conditions in detention centres ("Liberals row over ASIO chief", December 18). Sauce for the geese indeed.
Mark Gallagher West Pennant Hills
As an Ahmadiyya Muslim, I welcome legitimate advice of ASIO head Duncan Lewis to Australian politicians about their comments on Islam, and admire the courage of our Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop in wisely supporting Duncan. It is important for our leaders and politicians to talk with wisdom and insight. Most Australian Muslims stand united with the government in the fight against extremism, but if politicians will wrongly accuse Islam, they will lose support of peaceful Muslims.
We cannot establish peace and harmony in our society without observing equality, and justice. We should treat every member of our society with dignity and respect. Blaming Islam for the atrocities of the so-called Islamic State is not only against morality and justice but also a root cause of increasing anti-Muslim attitudes in our society. Politicians should encourage building bridges with Muslims rather advocating hatred and divisions. I welcome our politicians to follow motto of "Love for all, hatred for none".
Usman Mahood South Bowenfels
Desalination plant sucks money into its orbit
I don't know if it was a good or bad omen for the Sydney Desalination Plant to be damaged during the tornado that hit Kurnell ("Worker sucked out of desalination plant window", December 18). However, it certainly is an expensive "white elephant". It costs water consumers $195 million a year just to keep it on standby.
Carolyn Wills Cremorne
You call that a storm ("Wind gusts shatter a 41-year-old record", December 18)? In January 1991, an explosion of rain, with wind gusts estimated at 230km/h cut a snaking swathe of destruction through parts of Wahroonga and Turramurra: 7000 houses were seriously damaged with more than 100 unroofed and 20 completely destroyed; 50,000 mature trees were either uprooted or torn apart; 60,000 truck-loads of debris were taken to rubbish dumps; and it took a week to get electricity back to some areas, including North Turramurra, where I lived. That was a storm!
John Lewis Port Macquarie
Ideas to solve ancient woe
It is a pity that the promotion of innovation and ideas being spruiked about for this country does not do anything about an age-old problem that seems to be getting worse: homelessness ("Sydney in grip of housing crisis: mayor", December 18).
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the number of people sleeping in parks and along our footpaths has increased dramatically during the past decade. Walk along Sydney city's streets early in the morning and you will see countless people sleeping in front of buildings with their meagre possessions next to them. Surely we can make some attempt at abolishing this crisis, if we wanted to. Building a few refuges for the homeless will not bankrupt this nation.
Con Vaitsas Ashbury
When have security checks ever been random?
So, if Malcolm Turnbull randomly comes up for a full-body search, will someone get stood down for not searching him because they knew who he was and they were worried they'd get done for a non-random search of a famous person ("Airport check on Bishop was 'non-random' ", December 18)?
Keith Russell Mayfield West
Good to see airport security is being reprimanded for non-randomly targeting a blonde, Anglo-Saxon woman. I assume the apologies for young men with beards and dark skin are to follow?
Adrian Pokorny Surry Hills
Schools more than sum of their tests
Thank you, Jenny Allum, for clarifying the limited application of the HSC league tables when measuring the worth and success of a school and its pupils ("League tables aren't the best measure of HSC success", December 18). Your recognition that schools do far more than can be measured in any form of test brought echoes of a wonderful comment made by the educationist, Henry Schoenheimer, in 1975. As a way of judging the success of any school, at whatever level of education, he said that only one question needed to be asked: "Is this the best that this learner can be helped to do?" We must always strive to be able to say yes.
Kathleen Chivers Vincentia
With respect to the HSC results, anyone who has raised boys and girls knows that 17 to 18-year-old boys are still boys while girls of that age are young women. In previous times and societies, adolescent boys were sent away from the tribe – to the desert, to war, to sea, to the colonies – anywhere away from home until they became men. Interestingly men still climb the career ladder successfully compared with women. Male bosses tell us they appoint "on merit". Could it be that male patronage is still the most important means of promotion rather than brains?
Elspeth Browne Greenwich
Middle finger gesture no sign of remorse
I've had hard days at work too, but I don't kick my dog or hit my wife or pull some young kid out of a car and beat him senseless ("Matthew Bailey escapes jail for bashing of Jesse Chapman over a minor car traffic accident", smh.com.au, December 18). The photo of Bailey extending his middle finger to the press camera doesn't suggest contrition or remorse. It suggests the contempt of a man who just got off with an extremely light sentence.
Alpheus Williams Red Rock
No limits for Rudd
If Kevin Rudd is considering candidacy for United Nations secretary-general (Letters, December 18), it would only be as a stepping stone. Today the world! Tomorrow … the universe!
Bruce Hulbert Lilyfield
No agreement on gifts
True to their form, economists are again in disagreement, this time, on the topic of gift giving ("Economists discover the meaning of Christmas", December 18).
Mustafa Erem Terrigal
The shirking haves
No, Chris Mangan (Letters, December 18), welfare is the haves paying tax to support the have-nots. Negative gearing and superannuation concessions are shirking your responsibility towards those who are less fortunate, frequently through no fault of their own.
Sally James Russell Lea
A Christmas fantasy
All I want for Christmas is a secular society filled with religious tolerance.
Denis Goodwin Dee Why
Postscript
We rarely publish letters that pat us on the back. Too little space. Too many more important issues. But it's almost Christmas so, in this season of ritualised overindulgence, indulge me.
Con Vaitsas, of Ashbury, wrote this week to praise the publication of a letter from Harvey Cooper, former inspector of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, outlining his concerns with the current inspector's recent report on the commission.
"The missive from Harvey Cooper is an excellent example why letters to the editor are important," Vaitsas wrote. "Not only do some give us a well-deserved giggle but others offer an interpretation of an issue of utmost importance to the public which we would never have been made aware of otherwise."
As an example of the power of the Letters page, he offered an incident from the Hawke era when the Australia Card was "torpedoed by a retired public servant" and a letter to the editor. This sent me looking for further detail.
The bureaucrat, as some of you may recall, was the late Ewart Smith, who wrote to The Canberra Times and The Australian about the "evil card" with a passion any letters editor would appreciate. According to The Australian Financial Review, Senator John Stone spotted at least one of his fiery letters and contacted him. They met and Smith briefed Stone on a Parliamentary tactic to block the card that he had conceived. It worked.
So you never know where a letter to the editor may lead. And even if we don't publish yours, we may spot in it the kernel of story worthy of referral to one of our journalists. So keep writing! Merry Christmas.
Julie Lewis Letters co-editor