My heart bleeds
Letter to Self: I am so so so sorry. My heart bleeds at what we have done. For what have I done! As an Australian Citizen I am a part of the collective consciousness that must claim ownership of Canberra's federal ratbags and as a part of the collective must accept some responsibility for re-employing the so called financial rationalists but I only claim the redder part that is Labor and Greens, apparently a minority.
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What have we done, Australia, returning a bunch of deniers of global warming, who claim taking food out of mouths of babes and call it financially sensible, who deny the most vulnerable even modest adjustments to make life liveable and less painful yet stroke the egos and wallets of entrepreneurs and wealthy business?
But where is the heart in this? A fuller bank balance will not save nor promote our humanity. Where is the gentle touch to soften life's harshness? All the franking credits will not promote goodwill or generosity towards the true poor and harmed.
We may not have Trump but we joined his mindset, his arrogance, his indifference to the vulnerable, his attraction to personal wealth at the expense of others. It is too painful to bear. We have voted for a drought on humanity. I would rather be broke and happy than an emotional eunuch with a bank balance.
Don't be different or vulnerable. This is what we have voted for.
Our economic rationalism does not know how to hug.
R. Cowan, Vincentia
Isolation lies ahead
Congratulations to Labor and Mrs Phillips on their electoral victory.
Sadly, in Labor winning the constituents of Gilmore may again experience the feeling of political isolation from those in Canberra.
The recriminations in the local party have already begun with many a call for the expulsion of the well known agitators from same.
Labor in Gilmore is not a common occurrence and is a tad galling. I would suggest the only phone call Mrs Phillips will receive is from those asking for her support during the impending leadership challenge.
Mrs Phillips is reported as saying her main goal will be aged care but it would be more helpful if the minister concerned was on the same side of the chamber as her.
B. Cumberland, North Nowra
Volunteers privatised
Meals on Wheels, a community-based volunteer meal delivery service, is finished. The feds have turned the volunteer operations into subservient slavery.
The commercialisation with government involvement (My Aged Care) brings unwanted changes: for the first time, the introduction of meal administration fees "package deals" adds an extra $4 per meal. "Hot meals" are being phased out in preference for "frozen" meals prepared by food delivery services. Bulk frozen meal depots are proposed as well as the purchase of trucks to convey meals from a central distribution point to service depots.
In the past, when meals services were the responsibility of the state, the costs to government were light (a) a fuel voucher (meal deliveries, Monday to Friday) and (b) service administration fees (stamps and stationery etc). There were also provisions under the act to apply for grants (at cost to the government) for kitchen equipment.
Each service was autonomous and a benefit to the community. Nothing should have been changed, everything ran like clockwork.
What we have now is a government inspired dictatorship - a behemoth - that's led to the creation, across the nation, of thousands of jobs that are not needed, a boon to the frozen meal companies that will take over and replace the hundreds of thousands of volunteer community kitchens in every state and territory of Australia.
It won't work.
