Exactly what do LNP parties believe?
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What do the Liberal and Nation Parties stand for or believe in? It’s hard to tell from their present budget and actions. It seems that because the ‘poor are always with us’ (a misquote); that support and charity should be aimed at the ‘deserving poor’.
These attitudes and beliefs come straight out of the 19th century. These attitudes were held at a time when the Poor Laws were enacted in Britain almost 200 years ago: a time of the poor houses and workhouses and Dicken’s Oliver Twist and transportation to the colonies – a time when many of our ancestors were forced from their homes by famine, opening of land for sheep, or to fill the new mills of industrialisation.
Those old-time rulers believed in their right to rule, in free markets without controls, and/or in some biblical proof that poverty and sinfulness went together, while possession of wealth was God’s reward for their goodness.
Nowadays, I seriously wonder. Are our present leaders the descendants of the industrialists, aristocracy and ‘new rich’ who benefitted from the displacement and death of so many people in the 19th century?
This generation of leaders seem to feel they have a right to rule over those who don’t have their advantages, or their inclinations or their capacity to enrich themselves at the nation’s expense. Is this genetic? Or learned?
What are the beliefs and values of the LNP? Are they the same as their think tank, the IPA? Are any members of the LNP preselected if they disagree with the extreme views of the present ‘ruling trio’? Do all the men of the party share those same values and beliefs?
This budget is proof of the illogical conflict of beliefs – polluters are rewarded, and those with large incomes are to be temporarily taxed (levied), whilst the poor and vulnerable are targeted for permanent restrictions, harassment and poverty.
The LNP believe in each person taking personal responsibility for their life circumstances, but will pay more than 30 per cent of the incomes value to have someone else manage your money for you.
They say they want the market to decide everything, but know the market does not measure everything.
They do not believe in man-made climate change (or even climate change) but are prepared to pay hundreds of millions to polluters to stop climate change. They demand absolute and perfect honesty of others while they play with words, timing and politics. They express belief in small government while keeping themselves in very well paid jobs, privatising. sending work offshore or bringing (in) 457 visa workers while we cannot find enough decent jobs and are punished for joblessness.
Please ask your local members to publicly state just what they believe in, and if they will vote against their party if their conscience cannot bear the burden of conflicting belief systems.
Audrey Winther
Daylesford
Spin doesn’t fool most ratepayers
My thanks to Gav McGrath for writing about council rates (Rate rise kept to four per cent, Advocate June 25).
The article presented the ‘official’ views of the council and mayor Cr Henderson. Now it is time to hear quite different comments on the issue from a member of the public.
Cr Henderson, it would appear, has mastered the art of political spin now.
Perhaps that goes hand in hand with his salary, I don’t really know. I find it quite absurd that they would want us, the property owners and ratepayers of Hepburn Shire, to jump with joy because we are going to be facing a rate rise of four per cent for the next financial year.
Cr Henderson’s starry-eyed comments that the rate rise “was one of the smallest in Victoria” quite overlooks the fact that, in the early 2000s we had to endure rate rises of seven, eight, nine or 10 per cent annually.
Thus, in Hepburn Shire, we are now faced with one of the highest rate levels in country Victoria.
So I don’t think the mayor should be expecting us to get too excited about a mere four per cent increase given the extraordinarily high levels that we are already paying.
There is a certain amount of propaganda in Cr Henderson analysis in my opinion. When council plans to spend $20k for a feasibility ‘study only’, instead of putting such money directly into the Trentham Childcare project; when $10k is earmarked only for ‘investigation’ of a business case for parking meters in Daylesford, instead of actually funding the project, then I have to wonder where is the ‘efficiency factor’ of which the mayor boasts?
Many residents of the shire are convinced that council actually displays inefficiency, even bordering on incompetence, when it comes to executing certain projects. The fiasco of the repaving of Vincent Street just last March is a good example.
Zachery Casper
Glenlyon
Community Hub ticks every box
The new Hub offers everything rolled into one; library, information centre, neighbourhood space, performance area, community edible gardens (because we don’t have enough space in our backyards to grow our own vegies), the design is modern, lots of space and great aspect to let lots of light in.
No doubt it will meet every compliancy standard in the book, and will be open seven days a week – these being a few of the important factors in the Hub’s evolution. It is also very sterile, harsh, industrially angular and suburban, as a lot of modern architecture is.
Having said that, I’d imagine the materials chosen to build with would be quite sustainable.
On the downside, it wastes a lot of the already well utilised and recently funded facilities within Trentham, which carry a lot of historical, social and personal importance for the people who were born here and grew up here. The stories, memories and feelings associated with these community spaces are endless, priceless, and in part, represent the real hub of communities.
My arguments against the proposed Trentham Hub come largely from an emotional appeal to respect the experiences and memories of the people who grew up in the area and the existing community spaces that are the physical, social and historical foundations of this town.
My arguments also come from a practical, fiscal point of view. Why not spend a lot less state government money on seeing the necessary repairs to the Mechanics Institute and extend it to accommodate the massive 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent growth in the area?
Rather than building the monstrosity that is the proposed Hub, wouldn’t it be better if the finances needed for it were better spent on health and education for the whole of Victoria?
Please take the time to view the Trentham hub website: http://www.trenthamhub.com.au and make your own decision.
Julie Suter
Trentham
No service for local residents
Your letter “What on earth is happening to our dear little township” struck home.
I’ve tried numerous times to book a table at certain pubs in Daylesford but have been refused every time.
The gentleman in me prevents me from naming the establishments in question, but if you are truly local you will know to whom I refer.
It infuriates me that as a local, I can’t book a table at local pubs to get a local meal. As someone who has cared for and loved the community for so long now, I think that is downright discriminatory.
It is no secret that if I were from ‘out of town’ I would be treated a little differently. It makes me sad to say that I feel like a second class citizen in my own town.
Do I need to prove myself to gain access to basic sustenance? Do the proprietors in question wish for me to display my determination for nutrients by standing in the furious elements waiting for a table? I’d like to know where the council stands on this issue and why they haven’t lifted a finger in response yet.
What do I pay my taxes for?
Van Andrew
Daylesford
Friendly faces can make a difference
Momentum gathered recently for a local family with broken hearts. Showing the healing effects of compassion and empathy, hundreds of locals have made cash donations to show their support for this family.
The coming together of our community has shown many of us just how much we are capable of, and how valuable ‘community’ and ‘giving’ can be.
The tins were located throughout Hepburn and Daylesford, with locals digging deep to support one of our own. Together we raised well over $3000.
There was local footy/ netball collections also.
As one local woman in the RSL said, “we just wanted to show the family that the whole community is behind them”.
Thanks to all those businesses who volunteered their help, and thanks for such kind donations and beautiful sentiments shared on your cards.
Michelle Roberts
Daylesford
Climate change starts at home
While I admire the persistence of your letter writers who continue to engage and debate with members of the climate change deniers league/flat earth society, I think it is time to move on and participate in conversations and debates of a more positive and constructive nature with regard to global warming.
How are we going to stage our energy descent plan and how can we transition to a fossil fuel free future?
What can we do in our lives, our jobs and homes to reduce our emissions?
How can we ensure our governments at all levels take urgent steps to prevent the disastrous consequences of 4-6 degrees warming?
There is plenty we can do on a personal level – install solar panels, reduce household emissions, use public transport, grow your own food and buy local food, insulate your home and reduce your consumption of junk.
I encourage readers to join others in our communities (BREAZE, Ballarat Climate Action 2014, Permaculture Groups) and from across the world (350.org, Transition Towns) acting on climate and calling on governments to support renewable energy and encourage sustainable communities and healthy environments.
Jane Marriott
Broomfield
Forum to gauge public feeling
As convener of Australian Nationalist Party (on Facebook) I support the editor’s editorial on renewable energy.
We are against fracking and pro Australian industry and energy independence, via solar energy.
I plan to hold a community forum in (and all of us love the idea of lefty-socialist gardening experiences) the Macedon Ranges to gauge feedback from the community in what concerns them.
If you could publish this email and gauge community response it would be most appreciated.
Buddy Rojek
Kyneton