Here's a place to discuss the big issues of the day - I'll publish letters here from the big newspapers that raise pertinent points or a different perspective, but often get lost beneath the soundbyte driven nature of our media...

I note with some amusement that the Prime Minister is insisting the ALP submit its tax policy for costing by the Treasury.

Why bother? Recently we were treated to the spectacle of the Treasury revising its budget estimates (only four months old) of this year's surplus and the four-year cumulative budget surplus by 100 per cent, and its estimates for GST collections over the same period by 33 per cent.

Given this, who could have confidence in their costings?

Greg Crease, Leichhardt, September 24.

:)

Maybe we should hear more about the stance of mainstream Christian churches on the topic of women being subordinate to men. I recently attended my daughter's wedding at a Sydney Anglican Church and was subjected to a sermon of this ilk. I was totally appalled and remain stunned that the church is teaching young people and particularly young men that their wives are subordinate to them.

What ideas will these men take into the workforce? Are these the values John Howard would like to see fostered in our schools? What are the churches teaching our children?

Ann Hatton, Manly, September 24.

All the political parties seem anxious to convince us that old-growth forests should be preserved. If the amount of election material coming through my letterbox is any guide, there can't be much of it left.

Peter Margan, Rose Bay, September 24.

All the political parties seem anxious to convince us that old-growth forests should be preserved. If the amount of election material coming through my letterbox is any guide, there can't be much of it left.

Peter Margan, Rose Bay, September 24.

This sort of contradiction is rife amongst the hard nosed lefties. So many questions can be asked of these people...

If forestry industries ended, how will the affected people be employed?

If we didn't chop down trees, how would they publish their newspapers? (sure they use recycled paper - it still came from trees though)

Globalisation can't be a bad thing if lefties used the greatest ever tool of globalisation, the internet and global communication infrastructure, to organise their anti globalisation marches.

If there were true income equality amongst everyone, where would the investment come from to actually create jobs? The government? See Russia, observe downward spiral. Observe emergence of gangster capitalism.

If one is so informed and educated on these issues, why is it? Did they receive a good education in some sort of elite school? Would they have received it if a private education system didn't exist?



I suspect many more people would be receptive to their views, if they weren't blatantly contradictory.

You've actually got a good point, there's a lot of Grey area and these issues cannot be black or white, I guess when it comes to politics you've gotta assess the balance.