Intergenerational inequity talk cheap and unhelpful

So, everyone agrees there has been “intergenerational inequity” but talk is cheap (“Arrested development of our young”, August 27), and it will be interesting to see if this big problem is backed up by big government action. However, in all the statistical comparisons of Boomers and Millennials, there are a few additional differences over which the government has minimal influence. It may suggest life is not so bad for the young. Firstly, young people have had far greater opportunities to experience the wonders of travel overseas at a young age. When we were in our 20s, air travel was expensive and most of us, with the expectation of little help from our parents, felt the pressure to work, earn money, marry, have children, and buy property etc. Secondly, if young people play their cards right, they will live until they’re 90, while we Boomers, according to projections, will be lucky to make it to the early 80s. Finally, many Millennials can expect to soon inherit the vast wealth that the government has helped us Boomers accumulate. All that is required is patience. Meanwhile, enjoy life with what you have. All things being considered, perhaps the “arrested development” is not such a bad thing, as a long life has every chance of being quite enjoyable and rewarding. Geoff Harding, Chatswood

The number of young people tying the knot is in steep decline. Those who do marry are leaving it later and later. It’s clear that many feel they simply can’t afford to have kids and buy a home, even. There are encouraging signs that those attending the recent economic forum in Canberra not only understand this, but also believe real action is needed. For starters, many in my generation will need to release their vice-like grip on a smorgasbord of lurks and perks that governments have showered on us for years. It won’t be easy, but I suspect there are many grandparents keen to bequeath a fairer future to their children and grandchildren. Vote one for intergenerational fairness. Nick Franklin, Katoomba

As usual, Ross Gittins tells us in plain English what the issue is with intergenerational inequity. That the present generation is more educated, has better income and prospects, and makes better choices, but is unable to buy a house, is puzzling. Unfortunately, I also notice, anecdotally, that they have outsourced their financial management, superannuation and tax management, leading to lower levels of financial literacy. We had to understand how money operated and take charge of it. I am not saying this is the only reason, but it needs to be examined in the mix of causes for this inequity. Maybe their higher incomes and easy access to money have made them complacent and financially careless? Manbir Singh Kohli, Pemulwuy

So, the young are more educated but, of course, are carrying large HECS debts. Even with the recent wiping of some of that debt, when will we realise that such debt is holding back the young from getting a home, eating into disposable income, and limiting wealth opportunities? Substantially lift the threshold at which the debt has to be repaid and give them some breathing space. Surely, this is another example of generational inequity? Michael Blissenden, Dural

History lesson

Of course, people just love a dictator (‴⁣⁣Maybe we like a dictator’: Trump defends crackdown”, August 27). That is, they do until they decide enough is enough, and then they tend to dispose of them in nasty ways. Remember the Ceausescu couple in Romania, and the end of Mussolini was not too pretty. It depends a lot on how fast you can get away when the mob that thought you were great is now baying at your heels. It might be a good idea to find a bolthole in some country that does not know about you, just in case. Nola Tucker, Kiama

In the US’s now seemingly increasingly isolated and myopic education curriculum, European history, especially Germany in the 1930s, doesn’t appear to be familiar. Republicans and other MAGA supporters should realise that the thousands of loyalists, hero-worshipping attendees at the Nuremberg rallies, ended up in World War II as cannon fodder, alongside the conscripts who had no time for the Make Germany Great Again propaganda. Brian Collins, Cronulla

Green momentum

Sussan Ley is between a net zero rock and a hard place inside the Liberal Party (“Canavan group wants debate on scrapping net zero”, August 27). However, poll results last week suggest that even a majority of Coalition voters support the predicted Climate Change Authority’s 2035 targets of 65-75 per cent emission reduction. In America, despite Trump, the economics of the energy transition have momentum; it is now cheaper and faster to build clean energy than fossil fuel capacity, such as gas. In the words of Tom Steyer, the billionaire behind climate-focused investment firm Galvanize, “When the cost curves cross, all of a sudden people start adopting things really fast.” Fiona Colin, Malvern East (Vic)

Why are we even still having this conversation? The science of climate change, based on pure, unequivocal, objective data and irrefutable evidence, has been around for half a century or more. We are all now experiencing the effects of global heating. The time for humouring sceptics, placating conspiracy theorists and fiddling with soft-shoe measures has long gone. The time to act was 20 years ago. The Earth is warming at an alarming rate, with climate patterns changing, ecosystems breaking down, food insecurity, melting ice caps, and ever more species struggling to survive. The world must move immediately to an emission reduction target of 75 per cent of 2005 levels by 2035, based largely on eliminating fossil fuels from our energy base, with a view to net zero by 2050. Anything else is culpable negligence. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills

Climate change sceptic Matt Canavan wants the Coalition to debate net zero. Perhaps he’d like to debate whether the world is flat as well? Graham Lum, North Rocks

Time for change

As inevitable as death and taxes, barely a week goes by without one or the other featuring in the letters to the editor. Currently, Norway’s riches (Letters, August 27), a result of their resources rent tax, are being compared with Australia’s failure to tax miners and multinationals, who export our wealth and pay precious little for the privilege of doing so. When former prime minister Kevin Rudd and his treasurer Wayne Swan proposed a super resources rent tax, the Coalition and their cohort combined their considerable financial and media clout to render the reform dead. In doing so, they were supported by the Australian electorate, which opposed, against its own interests, Labor’s changes. It’s easy to talk about change, but it’s another thing to achieve it. This might partially explain our PM’s slow and steady approach to reform. John Bailey, Canterbury

Walk the housing talk

Your correspondent (Letters, August 27), “a developer for more than 50 years”, really delivers us some bad news when he writes, “it is not possible to build affordable housing today”, given high costs and taxes. If this is the consensus of those building homes today, we are really in trouble. Government-owned properties on government-owned land must be seen and acted on as a priority if governments are going to walk the talk in our housing crisis. Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown

Australia deserves an apology

So it becomes apparent that Iran has been fuelling the claims of antisemitism made against the federal government (“Inside the ‘Bond’ arson attack in Bondi allegedly directed by Iran”, August 27), and indeed the Australian people, by both the Coalition and too many in the Jewish community. Surely, it’s reasonable that both the government and our nation receive the appropriate apologies. Brian Roach, Westleigh

Is it still too soon to say Australians are not antisemites who want to terrorise the Australian Jewish community? Now we know two serious attacks on Australian Jews were orchestrated by Israel’s arch nemesis, Iran, is it time to ease up on criticism of the broader Australian community? We are a pretty decent society where people from all over the world have come to have a good place to live. Garry Feeney, Kingsgrove

The importance to the criminal economy of having a good understanding of English is exemplified by the emails displayed in the Bondi arson cases, where individuals appear to have been unable to transmit their thoughts in the written word, or comprehend its meaning. Donald Hawes, Peel

A small aside, but it appears that the initial concerns about the Dural caravan as a possible terrorist plot were not so misplaced. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

The Iranian theocratic government has done nothing good for its people or for the world. Its terror arm has harassed and targeted innocents in this country, and done much worse to its citizens and the political pawns who have been unjustly imprisoned in Iran. All this in the name of God, specifically a narrowly defined, vengeful god. Finally, the evidence has shown the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be a terrorist organisation. Surely, only a regime change will allow diplomatic relations to resume with the civilised world? Geoff Nilon, Mascot

Detailed investigation by ASIO, facts, swift, unambiguous action; a clear message to all. Sounds like the actions of a strong leader who puts his faith in the integrity of state institutions and acts quickly and decisively. I look forward to the Israeli Prime Minister’s retraction of his hysterical name-calling. Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield

At what point should a state lose the right to sovereignty? NATO eventually intervened to stop Serbia’s genocide in Bosnia, with leaders eventually convicted of war crimes. That point has surely arrived for Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel. Michael Britt, MacMasters Beach

Not-so super markets

I agree that shopping at our major supermarkets has become a nightmare (Letters, August 27), especially for the elderly and the infirm. Recently, at my local Woolworths, there was only one checkout staffed by an actual person, and several older people were hanging on to their trolleys while they waited to be served. I looked up the store’s number, rang them up and requested that staff be sent to operate other checkouts – it worked, in two minutes another checkout was operational. I advise other shoppers to do the same. Helen Robinson, Killcare

Hear hear, to your correspondent. When the supermarkets provided service, especially at checkouts, I expected their incidents of shoplifting would have been fewer. They would also have had to spend less dosh on expensive technologies that turned customers into unpaid employees to catch the few trying to steal, and invade the privacy of the many. They would have also contributed to society more by providing more employment. Mary Anne Kennan, Burwood

Stay scam-alert

Nina Hendy’s article “scammers” gives all a timely reminder (“Aussies lose $175m to scammers in first half of this year”, August 27). Yes, it affects everyone, but especially the elderly. Not a day passes without telephone calls or emails attempting to con us. Governments, banks, etc need to be more vigilant in educating the older generation. The golden rule for us oldies is to never give out bank details unless you personally ring back the bank or organisation to verify the need for any requested information. Take care, folks. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach

Industry gone to dogs

It’s sad and ironic that it takes an alleged sexual harassment claim to put the misery and cruelty of greyhound racing back in front of your readers (“Heat on greyhound industry as state MPs told of sexual harassment claim”, August 27). Luke Crosthwaite, Surfers Paradise (Qld)

Swim for your life

When I was at school in the 1960s, swimming lessons were compulsory (“Warning for retirees in drowning data”, August 27). There was weekly swimming in summer, and an annual Swimming Carnival where everyone had to compete. Swimming should be compulsory at all schools and a certificate of proficiency should be a requirement for any immigration application. William Lloyd, Denistone

Since retiring, I’ve nearly killed myself swimming through a turbulent ocean cave, botching a backflip into a pool, and trying to bodysurf six-foot dumpers. Older men like me may be overrepresented in drowning statistics, but that’s better than abandoning our last, deluded vestiges of youthful prowess. Col Burns, Lugarno

It’s snow fun

Your correspondents (Letters, August 27) have differing views on the beauty or otherwise of winter in Norway, with one writer opining that “That winter was a wonderland of snow, fjords, and northern nights”. Like most (non-skiing) Australians, I am fascinated by cold weather and snow, but when I was driving in the States in a heavy snowfall with an American friend, he remarked that snow is a fantastic spectacle until the moment you have to go out into it. Ross MacPherson, Seaforth

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