Well done, and take a bow. 

Back ending the important aspects of the budget to 2026-2028, such as dispatching our obscene debt levels into the never-never, is a sad indictment on the coalitions high spending mantra and very poor attitude to addressing debt reduction, which is crippling the nation.

The PM and Treasurer must step aside to allow a more debt conscious and charismatic team to lead the nation.

Tony Abbott, Christian Porter, Peter Dutton, Angus Taylor and Kevin Andrews where are you.....?

D J Preece,  Wollongong

Our present economy is obliged to grow annually at between three and six per cent.

If it grows at less than three per cent for too long the economy will collapse through lack of currency.

On the other hand, too much over 6 per cent for too long will see inflation spiral out of control.

Scott Morrison’s talk of tax cuts will see a further stagnation of wages growth (workers need at least an 8 per cent wage increase to boost spending).

The Turnbull government’s failure to reduce record debt will further erode living standards to the extent not seen since the Great Depression.

John Macleod, Berry

So a private company (AGL) refuses to sell an asset (The Liddell Power Station) they own to another private company.

“We must have Socialism to protect coal from the free market economy!”

Joyce and Abbott scream as a result.

Perhaps it would have been smarter if the Liberals had not sold the power system off to the free market economy  in the first place ?

Doug Steley, Heyfield

We have the Liberals demanding that AGL sell the Liddell Power Station to another private company.  

Abbott and his acolytes claim that coal is cheap.

Returning coal to the main source of electricity generation will bring our power bills down.

Yet the price of coal is $US94 per metric tonne while sunshine is $0 per metric tonne. Banks are refused to finance coal projects.

Insurance companies are declining requests to provide insurance cover for coal power generators.

Why do Abbott and his disciples have faith in power generators? The economic indicators suggest that this faith may be misplaced.   

Coal is more expensive than renewables. Banks and insurance companies do not want to conduct business with the owners of generators.

Perhaps the Liberals would have been smarter if they had kept the power system in government control than privatising in the first place?

Ben Morris, Wollongong

To overcome the commuter crush on the South Coast rail line “_D” suggests removing the morning stops to Oatley (Web words, Illawarra Mercury, May 21).

South Coast commuters may wonder why their train even stops at Oatley.

My guess is that it is to justify the $23 million dollars the state government spent on the station’s upgrade in 2016.

And why so much money?

Next time commuters stop at Oatley, they may care to check out our fancy footbridge, described by the Transport and Infrastructure Minister as "quite spectacular" and "top of the pops" compared with other upgrades.

Anne Wagstaff, Oatley