To cover this for the taxpayers a small reduction on all government allowances, politicians and department heads. Such as staying-away-from-home allowance, travel, pollies’ office allowances, out-of-pocket allowance, tighter scrutineer on overseas junkets, use of commonwealth cars and vouchers.

Or a small insignificant surcharge on anyone earning over $300,000, it would not be noticed, not like the other end, where every dollar counts. There is no doubt low-income earners are struggling, with rising power, petrol, food, rentals, and health costs, but of little significances to the top end. Everyone would be satisfied without much pain, but it won’t happen greed will conquer.

LEN LANGAN trots out the old canard about the LNP being better fiscal managers of the economy than Labor (The Examiner, February 24).

Mind you, no examples were given other than the LNP described as a party with a strong record in fiscal and administrative government, while Labor is rewarded with  a parliamentary opposition with a demonstrably poor track record in both fiscal and legislative jurisdiction.

Mr Langan seems happy to ignore Labor’s track record of managing the economy since the Hawke and Keating’s years of change and innovation that left Australia floating the dollar, opening up the financial sector, removing tariff walls and allowing workers and employers to negotiate wages and conditions at the enterprise level while maintaining a means-tested social safety net, public health system, universal superannuation and the guarantee of minimum wages.

Also conveniently ignored was the global financial meltdown of 2008, a time when the pairing of Rudd and Swan steered Australia safely through choppy financial waters, choppy enough to sink the economies of many countries.

IT SEEMS to be a sign of the times. Walking through a popular park last week at lunch, on a picture-perfect day one would think those who were there at the time (and there were many) would want to sit and admire the surroundings and listen to the leaves rustle and birds sing along with other happenings. Well that was simply not the case. All except one were staring at their phones, iPads, and so on, with a number having earphones in.  As a person that has never had a mobile phone, it is easy for me to be cynical, for this I ask your forgiveness. But I say to those who 'must' check that screen; life is short, please take time to smell the flowers for they like humans, have days that are numbered.

AFTER SEEING Enid Denman's letter regarding vaccinations (The Examiner, March 24) I felt compelled to write. Common-sense suggests that no parent should have the right to put their children at risk of contracting a disease that would put their life at risk or have their existence blighted like these people pictured who contracted polio in 1953.

Some survived the iron lung only to remain crippled for the rest of their life.   Some have spent the rest of their life in an iron lung (or the modern equivalent). Fairly recently a man died after spending 50 years encased in one of these mechanical coffins. Vaccinate your children without delay as you have no right to inflict this risk upon them.