Letters to the editor | June 28

We can thank unions for our present working conditions, including the 38 hour week, four weeks’ paid holiday a year, paid maternity leave, minimum wages and work conditions, equal pay, occupational health and safety laws, and penalty rates. To name just a few.

These achievements were hard fought and unions continue to work hard on behalf of the community to protect wages and work conditions. Liberal governments have attempted to destroy and undermine the union movement since day one by changing industrial laws, reducing workers’ pays, introducing work choices and creating politically motivated Royal Commissions.

On July 1, 2017, more than 70,000 retail, hospitality and pharmacy workers will have their wages cut. They will have their weekend and public holiday rates of pay cut. These same workers are amongst the lowest paid workers that depend on this money to put food on the table, to pay ever rising power bills and keep a house over their family’s heads. At the same time businesses and millionaires will get a tax cut.

Apart from this decision being heartless and unfair, it is economically unsound as there will be less money spent and less monies gathered via taxes. To rub salt into the wound, the Liberals have also given themselves a pay rise on the same day as these lowest paid workers get their pay cut.

The Goulburn District Unions are urging clubs, pubs, restaurants and pharmacies to show compassion by not passing on these penalty rates cuts. Let us know you will do the right thing by protecting your workers and we will let the community know so they spend their hard earned money with you!

Goulburn District Unions will hold a stall at the July 1 Lilac Markets held at Goulburn Public School on Bourke Street so please join us and help protect our penalty rates.

Groucho Marx said "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies." He could have been talking about the big deal the council is making about alfresco dining on the main drag.

It is an absolute joke. I did a count of the eateries that actually have chairs and tables on the council's footpaths on Auburn Street and the total is five if you include the Roses cafe near Belmore Park.

Bob Kirk our Mayor [says] "it's not a cash grab". You can say that again, Bob. The fees are going to bring in about $1200 plus a small square metre charge. Big deal!

The word "alfresco" is Italian for "in the cool air" and refers to dining outside, although these days in Italy they use the word "fuori" for dining outside and the word "alfresco" now refers to spending time in jail. So, eatery owners using the council's footpath, be very, very careful.

With all these stupid rules and regulations made up by bored council bureaucrats, what would happen if ratepayers used the same logic and billed the council for mowing and maintaining the nature strip outside their houses. Just a thought.

We at the Health Hub are strong supporters of plans for the Wollondilly River. With a kilometre of frontage, the opportunity to make an exciting park on the river banks adjacent to the Health Hub exists.

Firstly the infestation of woody weeds have to be cleared. The ‘Sydney Water Catchment Authority’ is responsible for the river banks and they have plenty of money to spend.  Park land is such a cost-effective way of making an area inviting.

On the Rail Trail to our west, shrubs have been planted. The intention is to make an interesting park land along the Rail Trail. This was done in part by the Goulburn City Lions Club with the encouragement and physical contribution of our Mayor Bob Kirk.

There is a public consultation issue and a natural justice issue at stake. Why is a semi-permanent business allowed to operate in our main street in Gunning? No business registration is visible and who do we call if there is a health issue?

Such a business is in competition with permanent business that pay rates, registration, insurances and are subject to inspections by our council health people. How can our existing business grow if these fly-by-nighters are allowed in?

There is a big difference between a once-a-month for our exceptional good Lions club market, and a semi-permanent, take-the-money-out-of-our-shire [pop-up]. Ratepayers and business have a right to know.

I turned on my TV on Saturday at noon to see a full program of the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressing the national Liberal conference, blaming everybody else for what is wrong in Australia.

He blames the federal Labor Party ... for the sale of gas, causing the present problems on the east coast. Former Liberal leader John Howard sold 30 years’ gas to the Chinese when he was in power. Someone might like to correct me if my memory is wrong.

Our local member Angus Taylor stands behind the PM in TV interviews, many time just nodding his head in agreement, just like myself and many other motorists when we put a toy dog on our dashboard and it shakes its head all day long in the car.