Trickle-up economics

Roy Ramage writes: Re. “Government’s support for FOFA repeal looking thinner than ever” (Monday). The one thing business and status quo (Liberal) politicians constantly chase is growth. Endless growth. If there is low growth or, heaven forbid, no growth, these folks lurch back to what was working (for them) before. The same financial commission structure that so ably assisted the 2009 financial meltdown, from which we have never sufficiently recovered.

Rather than change things or do something different Liberals will do more of the same. That is seek to grow wealth for all those who already have plenty. How do our banks (too big to fail) and financial institutions grow bigger if things are stalling? Repeal the Future of Financial Advice reform package of course!

Never mind Australia’s aged, the dire economic straits of our younger generations or the continuing stagnation of Main Street. The Liberals will bleed them more. Never mind that our low growth or no growth was ushered in by financial sleight of hand, outrageous commissions and high frequency insider trading. No, Liberals want more of the same. They want to keep a trickle-up effect as they ensure there will be no more trickle down.

Malcolm …? Malcolm …?

John Richardson writes: Re. “Malcolm, where are you?” (yesterday). Malcolm Turnbull appears to be a man for all seasons. I once copied him on a letter of complaint that I’d sent to a then-Labor minister and was surprised to get a reply from Malcolm asking me if I wanted him to take the matter up on my behalf, even though I didn’t live in his electorate.

Fast forward to April 10 this year, when our local residents and ratepayers’ association wrote him as Minister from Communications, seeking clarification on plans for the roll-out of the NBN on the south coast of NSW. A reminder was sent on May 10, but still no reply, let alone the courtesy of an acknowledgement.

Said correspondence was also copied to the federal member for Eden-Monaro, one-time Howard acolyte Peter Hendy. Not a peep from him either.

There is a growing sense in our part of the world that the likes of Turnbull, Hendy et al just couldn’t give a rat’s. If their behaviour is an indication of how responsive government is when “the adults are in charge”, then it must surely be time to hand everything over to the kids.

As for perceived fallout from the budget, the truth is that our worm had started to turn well and truly turn before then.

Foreign ownership

Andrew Dempster writes: Re. “Age of empires” (yesterday). Guy Rundle wrote “…is the idea that the Grauniad Australia editor will always be a Brit? That smacks of a paternalism …”. Of course Guy is right. What we really need is, say, 70% of our print media owned by a Yank …