Power corporations are holding all Australians to ransom

The decision by Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull for the amenity of inside Sydney to unfold west sounds easy sufficient. Nonetheless, the builders, who drive the brand new suburban sprawl and regeneration of the older suburbs, don’t love tree canopies or setbacks from roadways to permit for modest entrance gardens.

Some have experimented with the up to date terrace, however these are sometimes brutalist bunkers, devoid of a cooling balcony or shaded home windows. New city centres want transplanted mature bushes, not tokenistic saplings and, greater than something, they want imaginative structure so they may turn into locations. Brian Thornton, Stanmore

Whereas good city planning is crucial, the western Sydney area and different regional centres simply could wish to stay distinctive and never harbour a ubiquitous jap Sydney neighborhood of busy fluctuating populations and upmarket purchasing and eateries. It was one cause I moved from Sydney. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer

Main change creates political relevance. Nonetheless, within the planning house, our most important step ahead was the Sydney Area Define Plan of 1968 that led to the numerous regional CBDs we’ve right this moment. The Turnbulls pushed for simply three important regional centres. The state authorities has now expanded it to 6, one in all which, Bradfield (close to the brand new airport), doesn’t but exist and will not quantity to a lot. Builders wish to construct medium density in, and round, our regional and native CBDs which have railway stations – there are lots of of them. However the state authorities needs to construct a brand new railway for the very long run, relatively than put money into our present railway which might ship much more sustainable outcomes. More and more unaffordable housing is simply one of many Turnbull legacies. Peter Egan, Mosman

I agree that our low-density “McBurbia” mannequin is totally uncontrolled. It’s ravenous provide within the residential land house, forcing us right into a car-optimised, low-density city surroundings which gobbles up individuals’s time, cash and power, and is pig ugly in addition. Mike Seward, Port Fairy (Vic)

Wage rise doesn’t inflate costs

Those that assume that the minimal wage improve will spark an inflation spiral are spouting a standard financial concept with out excited about precise behaviour (“Wage rise tipped to spur higher dwelling prices”, June 15). The important thing assumption is that employers will go the total value on in costs and that the whole lot else will keep the identical. Some argue that some staff can be laid off to stop prices rising. However will that be the true end result?

Low-paid staff will in all probability spend the entire of the rise. That can improve what employers should promote, rising their income with out rising costs. All of us bear in mind the argument for chopping penalty charges – that there can be extra jobs for employees. That by no means occurred, both. It’s about time that some stopped taking a look at issues by way of a slim, employer-focused lens, and regarded on the massive, actual image. David Rush, Lawson

A lot reward has been sprayed over the choice by the Truthful Work Fee. It was well-deserved and really well timed. Nonetheless, there hasn’t been adequate consideration given to the individuals most in want of a rise of their revenue: these on JobSeeker. Already on an unsustainably low quantity, and simply as susceptible to the huge will increase in worth of meals, they seem to have been forgotten, once more. Does nobody bear in mind the sudden improve of their well-being after they obtained a doubling of their measly revenue in the course of the JobKeeper episode? Alas, it was taken away simply as quick, when it suited the Morrison authorities. The JobSeeker complement must be doubled once more, to offer the least lucky of our inhabitants with a minimal quantity of sustenance. John Greenway, Wentworth Falls

Further yr, further worth?

I used to be a toddler within the Fifties, so my cognitive improvement was not enhanced by any formal early childhood studying (“Early begin: NSW set to supply further faculty yr”, June 16). Fortunately, I used to be in a position to fluke an honours diploma in psychology within the Sixties, which taught me to be sceptical of any claims within the social sciences. So, once I examine a call so as to add an additional yr of preschool studying with a sentence starting with “analysis reveals” alarm bells rang, particularly when the analysis isn’t referenced. Michael Costello, Ashfield

Help on the bottom

It’s no shock that 1000’s of persons are nonetheless ready for flood aid funding (“1000’s ready for flood aid”, June 16). Any clear-thinking authorities would have a aid fund activity drive that might fly into the affected space and arrange a direct and direct contact base for these affected by such a traumatic expertise. This activity drive would have the ability to substantiate flood victims’ circumstances on the bottom, significantly when individuals have misplaced documentation and are determined for help. This is able to alleviate these victims of the catastrophe from having to attempt to make claims remotely when nonetheless being traumatised. Ken Pares, Forster

Increase coffers

Gareth Bryant’s article is the frankest and most shifting article on housing affordability I’ve seen (“Twenty-five years after The Fortress and the Australian dream of homeownership is lifeless”, June 16). The Herald is to be congratulated for printing it. It isn’t, nonetheless, the entire story. Builders are banned from funding political events in NSW for good causes, however are the principle contributors to the Coalition federally, with no federal ICAC to shine a lightweight on their actions. Maybe there’s a means again to housing justice and sanity. Possibly it may begin there. Norman Carter, Roseville Chase

Higher training questions

Your correspondent concludes that the varsity system is biased in opposition to boys (Letters, June 16). Whereas it could be true that boys will not be doing in addition to women in exams, there are different points of education not present in examination outcomes. And one has to solely have a look at post-school figures to see that males usually have greater wages and salaries and maintain a higher proportion of senior roles, even in female-dominated professions. So there are complicated points at play and no easy questions or solutions. There are lots of extra attention-grabbing inquiries to ask right here than who does higher in exams. For instance, how can we make training higher for all? How can we assist girls and boys and their dad and mom worth training? Why is academic success not at all times such an important predictor of future success? Mary Anne Kennan, Burwood

I don’t consider that both gender has a major distinction in capability in any topics, however I do assume there could also be a societal bias in how these topics are valued, by gender. Quite than making English not obligatory, wouldn’t it’s higher to make English and no less than one STEM topic obligatory for all college students? Invoice Irvine, Goulburn

An indication that states “Women and boys can do something” must be necessary in each classroom. Robert Hickey, Inexperienced Level

Truthful, clear tax

Some correspondents recommend land tax can be a more cost effective possibility for the house owner (Letters, June 16). Land valuation in NSW is extremely arbitrary and drawbacks owners in regional areas the place there’s not adequate gross sales proof. Land taxation is an opaque and inequitable system.
It isn’t in any respect clear {that a} residence purchaser in NSW can be higher off choosing land tax over the interval of possession than stamp obligation on buy. So much like family power costs, there’d no means of predicting how the tax will improve over time, primarily based on extremely questionable land valuation. Don’t consider economists who say that is an environment friendly tax – land tax in NSW wants transparency and equity earlier than being levied on the household residence. Cathy Hales, Rosedale

Fairly good, BTW

I used to be most impressed by the listing of honours held by Sir Martin Lewis (Letters, June 16). I suppose most of us can be accustomed to the KGB and CIA and the more moderen WTF, however I believe solely older readers comparable to me would recognise the importance of POQ and DCB. I believe Sir Martin forgot to incorporate the celebrated LOL. Col Nicholson, Hawks Nest

OMG, Sir Martin. Jennifer Nichols, On line casino

Like, dude …

Your correspondent is so final century in saying “extremely wonderful”, when the phrase is “sick”.(Letters, June 16). Stein Boddington, St Clair

Characteristic wall

Subsequent time I go to a type of shops with facial recognition cameras, I’ll put on a COVID-19 masks and a beanie, and possibly even darkish glasses (“Main retailers utilizing facial recognition expertise on unsuspecting clients: Alternative”, June 16). Peter Stuart, Carlingford

Fallacious steps

I can’t be the one particular person in Australia who thinks goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne’s dancing antics on the goalmouth to place the Peruvian shooter off was poor sportsmanship (“Shootout was a blast from my previous”, June 16). I’d relatively we received truthful and sq.. Tim Egan, Mosman

The digital view

On-line remark from one of many tales that attracted probably the most reader suggestions yesterday on smh.com.au
‘A game-changer’: NSW to introduce an additional yr of training
From Busker: “Nice information. However not precisely a recreation changer. Extra like again to the long run. All of my contemporaries began faculty as 4-year-olds. Some wanted an additional yr alongside the way in which. Holding children again has solely ever been a good suggestion for these in high quality pre-schools.”

• To submit a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald, e mail [email protected]. Click on right here for tips about methods to submit letters.