Don’t trust vested interests who bemoan fall in property prices

Can you really trust the vested interests of the Liberal Party and the Property Council to give us a balanced account of the overdue fall in house prices (“House prices on track to plunge by up to 13%”, September 2)? In the article, CBA’s senior economist Trent Saunders provided what they cannot do, a balanced analysis, clearly stating: “We expect the downturn to eventually run its course. Falling prices should improve affordability and increase the rental yield, drawing some buyers back.” Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson did his version of an economist clinging to a leaky economic life raft, while the Property Council’s policy expert, Matthew Kandelaars, chimed in that proposed trust taxes would harm the market. Neither the Liberals nor the Property Council seem to care about fairness. They are there to protect their mates who have for decades wallowed in the trough of generous tax loopholes, making themselves rich at the expense of others. I think it is really time for Wilson to start repairing the policy holes in his raft and start paddling away from the rocks. Rob Asser, Balmain East

Chicken Little would have a field day with this story of doom and gloom. There’s another angle that might not suit property investors and shadow treasurer Tim Wilson: first home buyers are no longer having to battle speculators to buy properties. Anecdotally, our son, in his 30s, says several of his friends are now, miraculously, able to buy, after failing to before the government’s sensible negative gearing law changes. Chicken Little and Wilson might like to remember that houses are primarily homes, ownership of which allows people security, self-respect and stability to raise families. Alison Stewart, Riverview

As Ross Gittins argues, the fact that the majority of households are home owners makes it politically difficult for the government to support a drop in house prices (“Affordable housing? OK, if we must”, September 2). However, the increasing divide premised on whether you own your home outright, have investment properties, have a mortgage or are a renter who will never be an owner is certainly perpetuating inequality in Australia. One solution is for government to embark on a huge social housing program with set annual targets. The cost benefits will be enormous. Research clearly indicates that when a person has stable, affordable and decent housing, their quality of life and that of their children improves dramatically. If we can afford to spend $368 billion on AUKUS, we can afford to spend big on social housing. The latter will do a lot more for creating a secure and cohesive Australia. Alan Morris, Eastlakes

The budget change to negative gearing was intended to remove investors from the housing market and give first time buyers a better chance with the subsequent fall in house prices – which many had long called for. There is always a downside, though. Many vendors panicked at the drop in prices and removed their properties from the market, shrinking supply. Removing investors also removed future rentals – every investment property needs a tenant. Renters also did not escape the knock-on as falling rental stock leaves many with no choice but to sit tight where they are, at the whim of their landlords raising rent in a tightening market. As Ross Gittins rightly asserts, affordable housing requires state and federal governments to start building them, but that, even if agreed, will take time. A “disorderly” period lies ahead, I think. John Elder, Brisbane (Qld)

Inconvenient truth

Orly Lavee’s mischaracterisation of Sunday’s Sydney Marathon protest as displaying “messages of hate” leaves out one rather inconvenient fact: Jews helped organise it (“Messages of hate strike wrong note at Sydney Marathon”, September 2). I am Jewish and a member of Jews Against the Occupation ’48, one of the groups involved. Jews were at the protest, two Jews spoke, and it was Jewish researchers who helped uncover the backgrounds of IDF soldiers and others with military links running in the marathon – the story that prompted the protest. So, who exactly were we supposedly hating? The chants targeted the IDF, not Jews. Opposition to the Israeli military is not hatred of Jews. Lavee’s description also bears little resemblance to the protest I experienced. It was incredibly uplifting. Runner after runner responded with raised fists, peace signs and high-fives. Some carried Palestinian flags. The support was overwhelming. Jewish Australians who oppose Israel’s actions exist but are too often ignored or abused for speaking out. Perhaps it’s time we stopped being erased from the definition of “the Jewish community” simply because what we say and experience doesn’t fit the prevailing narrative. Judith (surname withheld), Sydney

Orly Lavee makes an excellent point by distinguishing clearly between the negative act of publicly spreading hate and the positive act of trying to improve bad situations. Marathon runners in Sydney were shamefully subjected to booing and hateful signs. Genuine criticism aims to make things better by persuading, challenging and seeking improvement. Abusing people only makes haters feel morally superior, and spreads hate and prejudice. You might feel good but the world is worse off for it. Celia Ziegler, Maroubra

PM ducks the issue

What a cop-out by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regarding the flood disaster in Nepal. Albanese claims that “there will be time to examine the science on what has occurred here” (“Nation knows only too well the dangers of climate change”, September 2). Scientists have already delivered their verdict and time is short. Glacial collapse in high-altitude regions due to global warming is causing these regions to become unstable, triggering floods and landslides. Nepal’s contribution to the pollution that fuels climate change is negligible, yet its people are now bearing the brunt of it. Why does our government continue to approve new coal and gas projects and extensions when we know what the consequences will be? Are they beholden to the fossil fuel corporations? The Albanese government was elected on a promise to take strong action on climate. It’s time to step up. Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa

Thank you, Nick O’Malley, for spelling out the devastating reality of climate change as it unfolds in real time across the globe. The Pacific Island Forum seems an opportunity for leaders, including Anthony Albanese, to draw a line in the sand on the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis. Thirty‑six new coal and gas approvals since 2022 is 36 too many. Woodside’s Browse proposal, which would be Australia’s biggest ever polluting gas project, is now on Environment Minister Murray Watt’s desk. If Labor wants to retain any credibility on climate, the rubber stamp on Browse needs to read “rejected”. Isabelle Henry, Ascot Vale (Vic)

The prime minster was understandably evasive about the Nepal disaster while at a meeting on a Pacific Island that is particularly at risk from human-induced climatic change. Australia does not have the high moral ground. We may be reducing our domestic greenhouse gas emissions but our consumption of imports that embody emissions is soaring, as are our exports of fossil fuels that will do even more to accelerate the processes that lead to events such as the collapse of a Himalayan glacier. We don’t do much to prepare for human catastrophes arising from climate-related events, even our own floods and fires. What is it about humans that we blithely pretend we are immune to the consequences of tampering with the natural balance? Ian Bowie, Bowral

It’s no surprise Albanese ducked a question about whether the world shares collective responsibility for the climate‑driven disaster in the Himalayas. He doesn’t want to admit that he leads a petro-state with an oversized carbon footprint. Australia is one of the world’s largest exporters of coal and gas and our exported climate pollution continues unabated. Some are even celebrating gas now flowing from the Beetaloo Basin in the NT. Double‑dealing our Pacific neighbours at the Pacific Island Forum – promising that Australia is decarbonising while actively allowing climate pollution to continue – is anything but responsible. Sharee McCammon, Pelverata (Tas)

PM’s pay discrepancy

It seems fair that our acting prime minister, Penny Wong, will be paid the same rate as Anthony Albanese for the time she is in that role (“The unnoticed rule change that has Penny Wong entitled to the PM’s salary”, September 2). It reminds me that for running a country with a population of about 29 million, our prime minister (or acting prime minister) is paid less than principals of elite private schools with about a thousand students. That’s a telling comparison, don’t you agree? Irene Buckler, Glenwood

Hanson thin-skinned

I think I have this correct – when Pauline Hanson tells a senator “piss off back to Pakistan” that’s free speech, inviolate. It’s also free speech when misogynistic demonstrations against Jacinta Allen, Julia Gillard and others are held. It’s also free speech to interview British far-right activist Tommy Robinson and to denigrate Indigenous people, Muslims and Asians, and to generalise about Australian workers being lazy. However, when Attorney-General Michelle Rowland comments about neo-Nazis infiltrating One Nation and the politics of division, Ms Hanson demands an apology. Her hypocrisy is staggering (“Hanson demands apology as claims of inciting violence continue”, September 2). Graham Fazio, Cootamundra

Trump: What’s next?

I think it’s generally agreed that Donald Trump has a severe personality disorder (“US launches major strikes against Iran for first time since late July”, September 2). After promising lower costs during his campaign, on assuming office his globally imposed tariffs have driven costs through the roof, his new laws have cut funding of Medicaid despite him pledging not to, and perhaps most significantly assured under his watch, there would be no foreign wars. Now, instead of engaging with the Iranians in a manner designed to end this drawn-out conflict, Trump pours even more fuel on the flames of war, bragging about “the biggest attack is waiting in the wings”. God help us all if this is Trumpspeak for a nuclear strike. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

Don’t let it lie

Peter Miniutti writes of the challenges of detecting cheating in HSC assessments (Letters, September 2). But surely it should be encouraged. Could there be any greater passport to success in the contemporary corporate world than the ability to lie and cheat undetected? Malcolm McCallum, Dulwich Hill

AUKUS a shot duck

Howard Charles questions the value of the AUKUS agreement on several grounds (Letters, September 2), but there is one obvious one that is seldom mentioned. The fact is that the Newport shipyard in the US has never produced submarines at the rate required to meet the AUKUS targets, and that, if anything, its performance is deteriorating rather than improving. On top of that, the UK defence program is in crisis and there must be serious questions about its ability to contribute to it as specified. We don’t have to worry about whether the submarines will be of any use when they are delivered, because the chances of them being delivered at all is negligible. We are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into an exercise that benefits nobody but the Trump administration which, in return, is targeting our economy and threatening long-term global stability for its own political purposes. One wonders who carried out the due diligence on this agreement before we signed up to it. Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy

Fly our own flag

September 3 is National Flag Day. Once again we are asked to honour our anachronistic British Blue Ensign. The Union Jack fills the canton – the honorific top-left corner of the flag. This design was chosen in 1901 because we were all Britons and Australia was a dominion of the British Empire, with our laws overseen by the UK Commons and House of Lords. All of this was true in 1901 but, 125 years later, it is a distant memory. Forty years ago the Australia Acts 1986 severed our last remnant ties to the UK. Surely by now, as a grown-up, independent nation, we have earned the right to fly our own flag. My patriotic desire is that our athletes unfurl a bold new green and gold flag at the 2032 Olympic opening ceremony. It’s only six years away – we can do it. Peter Skinner, St Lucia (Qld)

Candid camera talk

I have cameras in my phone, my watch, my computer, my car, my house and, most recently, in my glasses. There are cameras on the street, in shops, restaurants, bars and almost anywhere else you can think of. In fact, the entire planet is under constant surveillance by satellites. Yet the only device I own that has an indicator light showing a photo is being taken or a video is recording is my pair of smart glasses. All cameras have the potential to be used inappropriately or illegally, and I understand why their ubiquity is a concern for many people – so regulate all cameras, not just my glasses (“My smart glasses were brilliant. Now people think I’m a creep”, September 2). Denis Goodwin, Dee Why

Preserve the peninsula

It’s absolute madness for the government to even consider selling off public land on the Middle Head peninsula (“Why this slice of land on Sydney harbour might be harder to sell than expected”, September 2). This land is a community asset and needs to be preserved for future generations. Once sold, we can never get it back. Peta Colebatch, Potts Point

Lack of buzz

It’s not just the warming climate that concerns me (“Sprung! Flowers don’t lie about climate”, September 1). The plants I have judiciously chosen which are supposed to “attract bees and butterflies” are already flowering, but now I’m wondering where are all my customers are as there is nary a winged creature in sight to sup on the beckoning nectar. Alicia Dawson, Balmain

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