Council expenditure questioned
It was enlightening to read of City of Greater Bendigo subsidies in Ted Coleman's letter published in the Bendigo Advertiser last Saturday.
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It shouldn't be left to a resident to dig up this type of information.
Councillors should be pressing officers to provide this type of information to ratepayers on a regular basis.
My impression is council officers and some councillors would prefer we be kept in the dark on how much battling ratepayers have to stump up to entertain the more privileged who are part of "Council's Bubble".
It is obvious the more well to do members of the community benefit most from the massive subsidies of the Gallery, Theatre etc.
I imagine that many residents of Greater Bendigo would be asking the question: Is it fair they be asked to underwrite the costs of these venues to this extent given that 40% have gross incomes of less than $40,000 pa?
Of course we need to support these activities but what about increasing entry prices and make users pay a lot more. To me that's playing fair!
Robert Smallpage, Huntly
Private ownership disaster
Privatisation of essential services has been a disaster, and it is time to return some of these areas to community ownership.
What could go wrong has gone wrong.
Banks, telecommunications, transport, energy supply, and private aged care are just some examples.
Privatisation of some nursing homes has been a failed experiment, and continues to effect the communities in costs, and now lives, and should be discontinued.
For decades, loosely regulated human behavior has allegedly been driven by profit.
COVID-19 has made us very much aware that we are a society at the crossroads which has been coming for some time.
A powerful minority in our country is reaping huge benefits at the expense of the majority, who are consigned to casualisation, decreasing social support, and an increased feeling of utter despair.
If there is one positive, it is that it is shining the spotlight on the vulnerable of our society, aged care, disability care, casual workforce, and homelessness.
But it is one thing to bring attention to these issues to improve their conditions, it is quite another for society through Government to actually do something positive.
Victoria, and as such Australia, is at the crossroads. Messages relayed have been crystal clear for weeks.
Listen to the medical advice, follow the instructions, physical distance to limit infection, stay home, and wear a mask when going out. It is now or never.
The buck stops with us, no excuses.
Ken Price, Eaglehawk
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