Firstly business representatives did not make this decision nor did the federal government, a Labor created independent body did.

The major retail outlets that open on Sundays are not paying the very high penalty rates penalty rates imposed on small businesses because the shop and distributive workers union gave them up years ago and I am sure received a sizable ‘backhander’ for their efforts.  

Small cafes and restaurants struggle to pay penalty rates, often only open for brief periods, have many owner operators and are largely only in the main drag.

The chain restaurants  are not paying the same rates as small businesses because yes wait for it a union brokered enterprise bargaining agreement. The unions aiding vast American fast food chains but not small Australian owned businesses. How is that fair?

I don’t know how Ken can predict that there will be no increase in employment due to this minor decrease in penalty rates, it hasn’t happened yet.

What about the mushroom pickers and many other AWU members who lost much more in a deal brokered by the then AWU President and now ALP leader, that champion of the workers Bill Shorten?

Shorten even had the cheek to try to hide the backhander his union received for selling out their members. With friends like Mr. Shorten workers need to watch their backs.

Andrew Humphreys, Narrawallee

In response to the page 13 article (‘States take action on looming energy crisis’, Illawarra Mercury, Wednesday, March 15, 2017), the headline of the article makes me angry, to which I blame the global warming scaremongers and elitist politicians who follow the climate change religion.

Green policies from both State and Federal governments promote and subsidise renewable energy schemes while making coal-fired power stations close down.

Further, it makes absolutely no sense for governments to implement policies that make the building of new coal-fired power stations unacceptable when they have proven to supply the cheapest and most reliable electricity for everyone.

South Australia's Premier Jay Weatherill now wants to fix his state’s major power problems, which he caused. Greens claim batteries will back up wind power.

But the one promised by Elon Musk would keep South Australia going for 3.5 minutes.

The one that the South Australian government promised is perhaps the biggest in the world according to the Premier which is the equivalent of 1500 electric car batteries and would only keep a small town going for just a couple of hours.

And for this green madness, Jay Weatherill wants to spend $550 million?

Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow

In response to William Bielefeldt’s letter (‘Hang on a minute’, Illawarra Mercury. March 22, 2017), I actually paid this $29.00 “T Bar”  cost at a Telstra shop on that day.

We needed some tech advice.

The girl showed us in less than two minutes what we needed to know, but the $29 charge had to be paid.

The shop was empty at the time, and at least six of the Telstra staff idle.

I felt ripped off, and the slogan “that’s how we do business” will forever have an evil meaning from now on.

Makes you feel like switching provider. My complaint fell on deaf ears.

John Pronk, Wollongong