Do we have record low interest rates? Tick. Stagnant wages and chronic underpayment of workers? Definite tick. Added to that, wages for many actually will fall thanks to the Fair Work Commission decision on Sunday penalty rates ("Paying the penalty: thousands face wage cuts", February 24). Now we are told the Reserve Bank board is agonising over whether to cut interest rates further to help wages growth.
Reportedly, it's Albert Einstein who said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results". Maybe the RBA can conjure him up for a bit of a reality check.
Elizabeth Tout Barraba
As a mother of full-time tertiary students, I find the outlook for young people trying to support themselves through uni pretty gloomy. As it is, many business owners underpay casuals (my daughter was offered $10 per hour in one job) and forget about super. With these confusing new rules, do you really think some employers in hospitality aren't going to use them as an excuse to lower wages when casual rates are not actually affected?
Jennifer Indsto Pennant Hills
In this current period of record lows in wage growth, record highs in underemployment, a growing casualisation of the work force and with affordability of housing increasingly out of reach, what does it say about our society today when it considers it appropriate to slash the take-home pay of hundreds of thousands of low paid workers through cuts in weekend penalty rates? Conversely, what recent corrections has society made to the take home pay of the CEO's of banks, retail chains, public service heads and others whose payroll largesse reflects the fat end of the remuneration spectrum?
James Laukka Epping
I feel upset for those working in coffee shops on Sunday mornings who have lost a significant proportion of their penalty loadings. They make it possible for the thousands of the rest of us who regularly go out for coffee on "our day of rest" with our families and friends. Compare the difficulty in finding a vacant table in a coffee shop on Sunday mornings, all along the Eastern Seaboard, between 8am and 11am, to the same time weekdays. If those making the coffee or waiting on tables can't join the rest of us in this valued social experience, they should be compensated for it. The coffee shop proprietors certainly appear to be.
John Noonan Cotswold Hills Qld
In order to balance your 650,000 workers etc headline today, please consider the 20,000,000 of us who will now be ripped off a little less.
Martin Burton Bayview
Now that Cafes have the option to pay reduced penalty rates to staff on Sundays, does this mean we can expect to see the demise of the "Sunday surcharge" levied on Sunday cafe customers?
Denise Newton Hazelbrook
Defeated Palestinians looking to turn back clock
Perhaps it may have inadvertently slipped your worthy correspondents minds (Letters, February 24) but the two state solution was accepted by the Jews in 1947, when they agreed to the UN Partition Plan for two States, the Arab state being 43 per cent of the Mandate Territory and an internationally ruled Jerusalem. This was roundly rejected by all the Arab States, as well as the Palestinians. They then invaded the newly created State of Israel, not recognising its right to exist and attempting to annihilate all the Jews. The Israelis have been fighting to survive ever since - having fought at least three major wars and numerous smaller ones. It's only after repeated attempts at annihilation of the Jews that the Palestinian Arabs now complain about territorial theft and a lack of peace.
Richard Abram Marrickville
I've attended a few protests over the years, and without exception, heated as passions have sometimes been, they've invariably been non-violent.
Attending the protest and march in Town Hall Square on Thursday evening against the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was unexceptional in this regard ... except for the police. Not only were we surrounded by dark uniformed police in large numbers, but even more unusually the police helicopter hovered loudly overhead for much of the rally.
Most of the peaceful crowd listening and applauding when Greens MP David Shoebridge stated that we stood with the peaceful people of Israel felt the use of the helicopter was an act of intimidation, and wondered why it would be that it was used on this occasion? Over-reaction or one more dangerous step toward a society where democracy is under threat.
Colin Hesse Marrickville
Tony Abbott back in campaign mode
Tony Abbott doesn't seemed to have learned much while on the backbench. ("Abbott reveals plan to 'make Australia Right' ", February 24).
I started to read his five-point plan and these were the words that stood out…cut, cut, scrap, stop, stop, end and winnable. He is such a bloke, our Tony.
What is the problem with these strong-arm men who have to prove that they are in charge and dominant? What's the bet that a "slash and burn" agenda is a real turn-off to most in the electorate.
All Tony Abbott showed in his last tenure as PM was how to destroy things. Creating just doesn't seem to exist in the two-dimensional spectrum of his or many conservatives' universe.
The incumbent as Prime Minister at least displays a more holistic persona and has some ability to calm the very agenda of fear mongering that people like Tony are carrying into their battle to prove dominance.
Most thinking and feeling people are aware that excess and laziness need to be pruned across the full spectrum of our world.
When these men who have to prove they're men can start to introduce the word "create" and "nurture" into their vocabulary they might have a better chance of winning in the game of life. Until then, tell Tony he's dreaming.
Neville Williams Darlinghurst
Interested to see Tony Abbott's new five-point plan for conservatives. Clearly designed to further destabilise and infuriate his leader. Do I not recall that after he was knocked off as PM by Malcolm Turnbull, Abbott immediately promised not to "do a Rudd" and destabilise the new Prime Minister from the backbench. How's that again? He broke that pledge within weeks, from memory, and has been at it ever since. The memory of his swathe of election-eve promises – all broken – is also not forgotten. How can this man have an atom of credibility left in the eyes of the voters, or the gall to keep on blatantly stirring as he does? His resignation from Parliament would be warmly welcomed by the PM and just about everyone else.
Tim Bowden Boomerang Beach
Would it be too much to hope that Tony Abbott, and Kevin Rudd, would heed Abbott's mentor, John Howard's advice that "former prime ministers should adopt a low profile and keep their opinions to themselves". As two of the shortest-serving Australian prime ministers, both deposed by their own parties, they continue to speak from a position of privilege, not one of credibility.
Alan Marel North Curl Curl
Maybe Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd could buy a fish and chip shop to run together? Customers get an opinion with every chip.
Maurie Farrell Elanora Heights
Before we get too excited about Tony Abbott's grand plan for the Coalition let us not forget his other "great" idea to bring back knights and dames.
Margeri Mather Mona Vale
There'll be onion tears before bedtime.
Peter Fyfe Eskineville
Privatisation madness
I don't get it. The NSW's land registry has been operating for 150 years and is making a profit of $130 million a year providing a crucial service to NSW residents ("Land titles privatisation could see jobs leave the state", February 24). Yet the government is determined to privatise it. The legacy of this government's obsession with selling off any state asset they can lay their hands on will be felt for generations. Of course, many of the employees laid off as a result of privatisation, are already suffering the consequences.
Alan Morris Eastlakes
Deport government, keep the disabled
The decision of the Australian government to deport a 16-year-old autistic student who has been a resident here for the past eight years is indeed a shameful one ("Daughter's autism may force doctor to depart", February 24). To have her taken away from her mother and carer simply defies belief. If there is a slight cost to the government in her care I'm sure this is adequately balanced by the taxes paid by her mother, a working Sydney GP. The government seems to be sending out the message that if you have a disability you are a burden to society; and you are somewhat of a pariah if you are a resident trying to attain citizenship in these circumstances. What a heartless, disgraceful act.
Leo Sorbello Leichhardt
I sincerely hope when the Immigration Department comes to its senses that altruism, not autism will be used to determine this young woman's future in Australia.
John de Bres Rose Bay
Power to the Premier is the real issue
John Bunyan, the issue has never been whether people would visit the Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta. (Letters, February 24). Mike Baird never cared whether it went to Parramatta, Penrith or Premer. The issue has only ever been about flogging off the real estate at Ultimo. Witness our Parramatta War Memorial Pool, rubbed out in favour of a larger "world class" Stadium. Public loss, corporate gain.
Bob Edgar Westmead
It was a joy to read Chris Brown's cunningly disguised application ("Ten more things to move to Parramatta", February 24) for the position of chief influence peddler at the Urban Taskforce lobby shop.
Geoffrey Briot Stanmore
Anyone for Herald cuts?
I'm sure there are many Herald readers out there who agree with Con Vaitsas (Letters, February 24) that too often we are saddled with sections of the paper that hold no interest for us and are therefore headed straight for the recycling bin or the cat litter tray. Without advocating the previously suggested option of a fully personalised Herald, surely technology in this day and age can allow subscribers to "opt out" of certain sections?
Randi Svensen Wyong
John Hewson for PM
John Hewson records that "John Howard used to chip me about the need to recognise politics as a profession" ("Career pollies don't suit the job", February 24). Even accepting that politics is a "profession", to quote Robert Louis Stevenson: "Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary."Surely, there lies the problem.Every other profession, job, trade or calling requires minimum training and standards, but not politics.No wonder the poor quality of politicians!
Edward Loong Milsons Point
Last post
Now that he's lost his job perhaps Ahmed Fahour could get some weekend work in a fast food joint; it would only take him, oh, with the new penalty rates, about 150 years to earn his last year's salary at Australia Post (as long as he laid off the smashed avocado of course) ("Next Post boss faces million-dollar pay cut", February 24)
Deborah Clark Chifley ACT
Bring back adverbs to aid our grammar
Speaking of grammar (Letters, February 24), can we please bring back the adverb? Recent sayings such as "Drive safe" are using adjectives instead of adverbs when "Drive safely" is more correct. But how are we ever going to fix this when radio announcers, advertisements and the general public have dropped the "ly" off many expressions?
Margaret Grove Abbotsford
While we are discussing grammar misuses, is there any chance we can rid ourselves of the now ubiquitous "different to". My old English teacher always stressed that you can be similar to, or greater than, but always different from!
Peter Noone MeadowbankCamden Primary School, 1954, Sixth Class, teacher Mr Holt, best grammar lesson ever: "If you're not sure whether to use 'I' or 'me', eliminate the other person. e.g. 'It was given to Bill and I/me'." Surely even our political leaders could follow this rule and make us cringe less.
Brian Keast Minnamurra
Oh, Lyndsay McAuliffe – Parse and Grammar (Letters, February 24). Excellent. Couldn't do better. Shouldn't try harder. Wish I'd thought of that!
June Dibbs Mona Vale
Postscript
"When the re-education camps are being built to handle the grammar miscreants, could an additional wing be added to the "fewer/less" cell blocks", asked Ian Morris of Strathfield this week."This will house those who talk about "the amount of people here today". Yes, sports reporters for commercial TV stations, I'm talking about you. Come the revolution we have a list and your names are at the top."
His was but one of a veritable avalanche of letters we received in response to the news of the new Stage 6 English Syllabus for the HSC.
The tsunami of letters welcoming what is seen as the re-instatement of grammar was predictable, wrote Ron Sinclair of Bathurst. "It is mistaken to think it will herald a new golden age of literacy. Grammar was compulsory in the decades leading into the early 1970s and resulted in no such golden age. It was made non-compulsory (it could still be taught and was by many) because considerable research evidence over the 20th century repeatedly concluded that teaching any of the grammars at school level was largely time wasted."
As the former Orange primary school teacher said: "You do not need explicit grammatical knowledge to be able to communicate easily and well. I was never taught grammar myself and one of the best writers I ever had was completely ignorant about grammar." Tony Cronin of Port Macquarie touched a raw nerve on the fewer/less debate.
"Fewer people these days understand the correct usage of these two words", Barry Sexton of Primbee pointed out.
The week began with a congestion of "clean coal" conjecture and ended with a flurry of claims that Tony Abbott was sullying the Liberal Party yet again. Mostly though grammar has occupied us this week, the pages have been a pedant's paradise.
Helen Pitt, Letters Co-editor
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