WELL, another winter is upon us and if my memory is correct this will be four years that the esteemed budget brains at the City of Newcastle council still have not done anything with the villas from the Stockton Holiday Park that are sitting unused adjacent to the swimming pool. It appears they are also unwanted as they are now seemingly deteriorating from lack of use, care and maintenance.
How can this still be happening? Can the council simply afford to let these villas worth many millions of dollars waste away? There are many people around Newcastle and flood areas of NSW desperate for a roof over their heads, and this situation is unbelievable and unforgivable for what we are told is a caring and careful budget-managing council. While I think about it, when is the vacant and unused former Stockton Centre going to be converted into emergency accommodation? It is ideal for this purpose. Just another case of total waste. Surely there is someone in the local, state or federal government that can do something about this ridiculous situation?
Dianne Kindleysides, Stockton
Land prices hold house costs high
AS a long-time ALP member I'm as disappointed in the budget's housing policy as most groups ("Lack of housing action slammed," Newcastle Herald 11/5). Now that building lots constitute some 60 per cent of the cost of homes, affordable housing won't make reasonable progress until more affordable lots are available.
I have had some 40 years experience in building and land development both as a developer and on government councils. When I started building in the 1960s land represented around 10 per cent of the cost of a home. By the time I retired in 2000 it had risen to some 20 to 25 per cent.
Now, despite smaller lots, prices have risen past $300,000. Is it any wonder that a major listed company developer reported to the exchange that they had sold some 5900 lots during the last boom for a profit of over $2 billion?
Until governments get back into the business of developing residential lands like in the 1980s and '90s and sell lots to first home buyers like they did through LandCom, there's no relief. Builders are being screwed trying to build homes to an affordable price but are going into bankruptcy at a record rate while developers pay record dividends.
Governments at all levels must combine to make land available so community housing groups like Vinnies can be financed into building social and affordable homes and every bit of community-owned land be made available for community housing. Unless the control of affordable land by developers is broken, affordable housing is nothing but a dream.
My first home in Port Stephens was built on a 700 square metres I bought for $8000 from council in 1988; now it would sell for $770,000. If that does not point to a problem, what will make our politicians see? Because of this, one major developer is making lots available for leasing with permission to build a home as they realise it is becoming impossible for families to buy.
Frank Ward OAM, Shoal Bay
No need to play with pay schedule
CARL Stevenson (Short Takes, 9/5), says that it would be sensible for those paid monthly or fortnightly to be paid weekly to avoid high interest payday lenders.
The vast majority of workers being paid like this would be in the high income bracket, so without wishing to sound uncharitable, I believe any of these people needing to use payday lenders would be lacking in budgeting skills, or living beyond their means. Welfare recipients and pensioners for the large part, do live within their means, often with great difficulty I realise, so weekly payments would make little difference.
Apart from that, the cost to change to weekly payments would be huge whether it be private enterprise or government footing the bill, so with all due respect Mr Stevenson, I disagree with your logic.
Ian King, Warners Bay
Coal saved the day in the budget
WHILE I appreciated reading your views on the federal budget, with all the relief it will bring, I do think however you missed a fairly vital piece; that is the removal of the $1500 tax offset for some 10 million taxpayers. I acknowledge both political parties went to the last election with the intention of removing this.
However, given the Labor government promised to reduce the price of our power bills, they must have had some plan to reduce the cost of living while in opposition. No doubt the cost of living was an issue prior to the last election. It is now a full-blown problem, with inflation running at over 7 per cent and unemployment is forecast to rise along with interest rates. I would have thought now was not the best time to remove that tax offset for 10 million workers battling to survive. So in fact for many of us there is nothing in the budget but pain and greater pressure on cost of living, high interest rates and higher taxation.
My other point would be for a federal government that has spent many years in opposition and in government rubbishing the coal and gas industry, it's those very industries that have saved the government's bacon. I thought it a shame Jim Chalmers couldn't bring himself to recognise that fact.
Andrew Hirst, Beresfield
Script switch comes at a cost
ONE of the 'cost of living' measures announced in the budget was to allow doctors to prescribe 60 days of medication instead of 30, saving the patient a trip to the pharmacy every second month.
Ignoring all the negative health impacts this has the potential to unleash, the biggest problem here is that Labor funded this directly out of the pockets of pharmacist small business owners.
So instead of getting paid a dispensing fee every 30 days, pharmacists now have to supply double the goods every 60 days for the same operating profit they were receiving for 30 days. Labor is saying you must now operate your small business - pay wages, pay rent, pay the bank and all your other costs - on half the income you were receiving last month.
Pharmacists support cheaper medicines for the community but it is ignorant to expect pharmacists to personally fund this and not expect consequences. Out of the money pharmacists get paid for dispensing they also fund many of the free services people have come to expect - free ready access to a professional pharmacist for health advice, free deliveries, free blood pressure checks. These will go, and that is even if the pharmacy can continue to operate. Many will find this impost will send them to the wall and the community will lose its local pharmacy; at best staff and operating hours will be cut.
Labor is ill advised to pass this legislation.
Mark Shaw, Merewether
SHORT TAKES
I HAVE an idea: maybe the Newcastle Knights can be paid on match payment for wins, and not so much when they lose. Maybe this might stop them from travelling overseas or around the country for a holiday midseason. In my opinion it would be much better as a supporter if I knew that they were training whilst they were having a break.
David Smith, Belmont
THANKS for the positive image of a vigorous 84-year-old Brian 'Shredder' Schrader on the Merewether baths pool deck in budgie smugglers and matching swim cap ("Holy mackerel: quick start for the cool club", Newcastle Herald 8/5). It sends an important message that with regular physical activity including weight training and maintenance of optimal body weight, frailty and ill health are not inevitable and a fulfilling useful life to an advanced age is possible. If you read this, Brian, please share your exercise routine.
Phillip Buckner, Dudley
DID I hear correctly? The government is actually providing funds for child care providers to pay bills and staff? I am sure in-home childcare won't be included, as usual.
Amanda Johnstone, Mayfield
CARYLYN Lightfoot (Short Takes, 10/5), while I agree with your opinion on the Herald's coronation reporting, apparently the ABC took the cake as far as negativity and disrespect go. While no great fan of the monarchy myself (I watched the footy instead) I'm led to believe the ABC coverage was nothing less than a biased, bitter takedown of the monarchy and colonialism. This was not the time or the place and in my opinion, if the ABC decides to be nothing more than a mouthpiece for the woke left and ignore their charter of impartiality they should be either shut down or made to raise their own finances.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
BRIAN Hammond (Short Takes, 11/5), if it upsets Malcolm Turnbull, the ABC and Stan Grant, bring the coronation to Australia.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
NSW Premier Chris Minns canned lighting up the Sydney Opera House on the occasion of King Charles III coronation. This decision was taken on economic grounds. I wonder whether he will adopt a similar approach with the City of Sydney's very popular annual Vivid festival? Hopefully, we do not have another 'Uncle Dan' Premier.
Richard Devon, Fishing Point
BIG boy's bonus budget! Reminds me of medieval times; the royals got the gold and the peasants got poverty. It sure seems like nothing's changed.
Harold Kronholm, Cessnock
I HAVE great pleasure to write praising the young members of Maitland Repertory who were present after Neil Siman's Rumours last Sunday. During the performance I lost my wallet. I returned to the theatre without much hope of finding it. However to my great relief I discovered that these excellent young people had recovered the wallet which they generously returned to me! I am most grateful to them.
