Lack of town planning

In a paper earlier this month, an article said, “Journalists too often underestimate the length of time it takes for the electorate to understand issues, particularly something a bit complicated,” and I feel that the political landscape isn’t much different on the matter of Commercial Land vs. Rents vs. Rates. Over the past two decades, a ‘lack of town planning’ has caused a focus on increasing commercial rates, but not on the overall commercial real estate environment. E.g., Molonglo Valley, where something close to 90%+ of dual-zoned (commercial/residential) land developed is now 100% residential, to the detriment of small business opportunities and growth. And shops that are built have exorbitant “Braddon rates.” While the papers and candidates talk about rates and payroll tax, what is not being discussed is the sadly nuanced impact of years of ‘lack of town planning’ with the resulting impact on the business landscape in our town. While landlords decry, “The rates are too high!” buildings sit mostly empty. Each year they expect higher rent when some buildings have lain dormant for a decade – the market is flawed. If we’re considering payroll taxes based on company payroll size, then why not look at setting commercial rates for Owner Occupier vs. Owner Leaser vs… Serial Dud Landlords who’ve profited from a ‘lack-of-town-planning’ have buildings empty for years but complain about paying rates. If they were residential homes, they’d drop the rent to get tenants – clearly, they can afford the buildings empty. Time for some real ‘town planning’ in Canberra.

Sincerely, a small business owner.

• Tom Adam, Wright

Lidia Thorpe’s contradictions

Lidia Thorpe believes she has justified her roundly criticised protest action against King Charles. King Charles was not around when the First Fleet arrived, so how can he be held responsible? In fact, his ancestral family was not around either. Has Lidia said sorry to the descendants of the families that her ancestors may have killed, given that history books tell us the Aboriginals were (and still are, in some areas) a warring race? Lidia wants an end to the ongoing war against First Nations people; I wish she would enlighten us, as I am not aware of any war between us. She says, “I don’t subscribe to assimilating myself into colonial structure,” yet she is getting paid $260,000 per annum plus superannuation for being a senator in the country’s parliament. I assume she is living in a Western-style home; she wears Western-style clothes; she has an office paid for by the taxpayer. So, what exactly does she mean by not assimilating? Given Lidia swore the oath “under duress,” as she put it, to fulfil her duties, does this mean her oath was invalid? Lidia must be a very unhappy person, to be filled with so much hate that has come out in her attacks in recent years, so maybe we should feel sorry for her.

• Vi Evans, MacGregor

The King’s Speech

Let’s not be too tough on Senator Lidia Thorpe’s passionate outburst against the King. After all, people from her chamber are second-tier and awkward, so it’s not unexpected. Wasn’t it former Prime Minister Keating who described this lot as “unrepresentative swill”? It would be wrong to make a special case out of this because of her Indigenous profile; that could smack of exclusion. We all need to calm down. The excitable media has described her as an ‘Australian lawmaker’ and provided this giant of Australian politics with five seconds of fame, beating it up enough for a lifetime, so her media deficiency problems have been overcome and her recovery strategy has been launched, sadly only if in screeching kinder English. Give her a break because she’s trying! We need sharp leaders of this nature if we’re going to have a Treaty in the future – fasten your seatbelts!

• John Lawrence, Flynn