The government tells us that we have been too greedy and the ‘‘wage explosion’’ is the cause of our problems.
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The latest figures released from the ABS show the annual pace of wage growth remained at 2.6per cent for the second straight quarter.
The index peaked over 4per cent shortly before the global financial crisis and has been on a downward trajectory ever since, now running at the lowest level since records started in 1997.
Abbott and Hockey also emphasised the need to increase productivity.
They don’t tell us that between 2003-04 and 2012-13, capital productivity shrank 23per cent while labour productivity increased 14per cent.
It would appear that the workers are doing the lifting while the owners of capital are doing the leaning.
Don Kelly, Kanahooka
The taking of hostages in Sydney doesn’t happen every day, but nor should it be an excuse for gross exaggeration and facetious platitudes. It is bunkum to say that Sydney will never be the same. Sydney will go back to doing what it always does.
The sad reality is that crime occurs everywhere and this is just another example.People will use this event to push their own barrow, but if Monis hadn’t been Muslim and flown a jihadist flag, this event would have received publicity without sending the media, the police and our politicians into meltdown.
Adam Bonner, Meroo Meadow
Time to face reality. After what happened at Martin Place recently, Australians might start to think for themselves about our immigration policy.
In every Western nation that has a substantial Muslim population the same thing is happening. Namely terrorism.
In Britain, Muslim terrorists – the offspring of moderate Muslim immigrants – decided to carry out extreme violent acts.
Logically speaking as their numbers increase in this country, the frequency of these occurrences will also increase.
The terrorists are not Buddhists, Christians, Jews, etc. They are Muslims. As my brother-in-law in Britain said, ‘‘We gave them a nice place to live and now they are blowing us up.’’
Not all Muslims are terrorists, but it appears that most terrorists are Muslims. Think about it.
Ken Davis, Mangerton
Ian Granland’s letter (Mercury, December 15) raises an important issue. The ALP Affirmative Action Program approved at the 1994 ALP Conference allows a 20per cent loading for state and federal election female preselection candidates, but it does not apply in council elections.
Up to 1994, of the 53 prime ministers and state premiers in Australia, only nine were female. With women representing about half the population, this was deemed unacceptable.
The outcome has been an increase from 14.5 per cent in 1994 to 35.6per cent Labor female parliamentary members in 2010.
This compares with 23.9per cent Liberal.
Interestingly, the only Liberal woman to hold a top job was Kate Carnell.
With the Liberal-National Conservative Old Boys Club objecting to Tony Abbott having a woman working in his office and only one female cabinet minister, this situation in unlikely to change any time soon.
Bob Fulton, Darkes Forest