WE need larger, customer-owned, mutual banks in the banking sector to reduce the market dominance of the Big Four (Commonwealth, Westpac, NAB and ANZ).
The merger into one large mutual bank by the Greater Bank and the Newcastle Permanent Building Society was therefore welcome news. However, I am a little confused as to why the treasurer signed off on the merger, rather than the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ('Treasury signs off on bank merger', Newcastle Herald, 24/9).
Despite two recent royal commissions into banking misconduct, the Big Four continue to behave uncompetitively and in unison. Profits for shareholders and bonuses for executives continue to be more important than value for their customers. As the Reserve Bank has raised the cash rate, the Big Four banks have been quick to raise interest rates to borrowers, but slow to raise interest rates for depositors.
Since successive federal governments are loath to better enforce competition laws and bring the banking industry to heel, Australia needs tax incentives for mutual lenders and tax disincentives for the conventional lenders. Whatever happened to the windfall or megaprofits tax?
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Perspectives on passing
IT is nearly impossible for most white Australians with fond memories of the Queen's life to understand the views of many Indigenous Australians who are indifferent to, or even rejoice at, her passing.
To Indigenous people in general around the globe, the Queen represented the British Empire's historical theft of lands, destruction of cultures and atrocities inflicted on their ancestors which left them in positions of social disadvantage today.
Maybe we can't judge the behaviours of the past by the values and morals of today but the modern royal family continues to enjoy the fruits of the ill-gotten spoils of history and there has never been any serious attempt from the palace to materially address this issue.
Attitudes and policies of colonisation can be directly linked to the lack of opportunities and the systemic disadvantages experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living today. The legacy of dispossession is such that Indigenous Australians can expect to have a shorter life expectancy, lower levels of health, education and employment and higher infant mortality rates as well as greater chance of spending time in prison than non-Indigenous Australians.
How can we expect others who have not enjoyed our white, privileged life experiences to happily commemorate the life of someone who represented all that?
John Arnold, Anna Bay
Follow the money on reports
MANY climate denialists seem to have a credulity problem.
They triumphantly cite some 'sciencey' website that confidently 'proves' the thousands of scientists behind the IPCC reports are all wrong.
Time and again a quick check reveals expert rebuttals and/or that they are funded by the usual suspects.
This was the case when Eric Aitchison cited a British website whose 'research' showed that "the climate scare is a fraud" (Short Takes, 26/9).
A quick check revealed it is a well-known denialist site established in 2010 by a collection of rich old right-wing men, average age 74, and despite keeping its funding secret, charity records show it is mainly funded by fossil industry denialists including the Koch brothers.
Folks, it's not hard to check. Just search for (name of person or website) plus 'rebuttal', or 'who funds (name of person or website)?', read some of the results before quoting it, and follow the money.
Michael Gormly, Islington
Faith in parliament
UPON reflection of Paul Scott's opinion ('Swing on a prayer; Faith wavers over God's role in the chamber', Opinion, 5/9) and John Arnold (Short Takes, 6/9): maybe replace 'Faith wavers' with 'Truth tellers'.
I don't recall an election, by-election or referendum electing any 'mythical beings' into parliament.
'God' clearly arrived in chambers on the coattails of primitive colonial men. Maybe we should be substituting 'Today's Text' in both parliament chambers with wisdom from our First Nations people - 65,000 years of survival might be inspirational!
Julie McCormack, Adamstown
Is it really about peace and quiet?
TONY Morley (Short Takes, 22/9), as you said, your statement about bands having to turn their music down to a whisper may be a slight exaggeration, but it's actually more slight than many may wish to believe.
Friends of mine who work in a pub have told me that the decibel level that they're allowed to have in their beer garden is only just above the volume of people clapping (by a matter of a couple of decibels).
And - oh the irony - one of the pub's live music-loving neighbours has told them that his next door neighbour who complains about the pub noise constantly has his TV on at an extremely loud volume (even when there's no music on at the pub), because he says he's too hard of hearing to enjoy it any other way.
However, he and a couple of other neighbours have made a number of complaints about the supposedly almighty roar of unamplified acoustic instruments. (Or perhaps they object to the sound of people clapping?)
So I wonder, are their complaints really about live music allegedly annihilating their peace and quiet? Or are they about trying to stop everyone else from having fun?
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Truck-free container terminal
GEOFF Black ('Flogging a dead horse?', Letters, 26/9) asks "do Novocastrians really want Sydney container trucks destroying and obstructing their roads?" I believe the answer is no.
A container terminal at the Port of Newcastle can and should be serviced 100 per cent by rail. By building a dedicated rail freight bypass of Sydney - from Newcastle to Badgerys Creek and Port Kembla - every container in NSW can be railed from strategically located intermodal terminals to the Port of Newcastle.
Regrettably, government policy is that a container terminal will not be developed at the Port of Newcastle before Port Botany and Port Kembla are developed to full capacity. Government policy can change.
A rail-based container terminal at Newcastle requires no trucks, removes container trucks from Sydney roads after Port Botany operations are relocated to Newcastle, and allows every region of NSW to have the best possible access to a container terminal.
As a commercially viable investment, the line can be privately funded.
Do Novocastrians support a change in government container terminal policy to facilitate a rail freight by-pass of Sydney and a truck-free container terminal at Newcastle?
Greg Cameron, Wamboin
SHORT TAKES
GOOD to see Phil Gardner seeking some glory on the back of the Knights NRLW success ('NRLW Knights earning success', Herald, 27/9). As Bugs Bunny would say: he has been vewy vewy quiet since Kurt came riding in like a knight in shining armour to save our Kalyn.
Mick Kembrey, Cessnock
PETER Devey ('Science and dictation', Letters, 27/9) is advised to watch the latest issue of Media Watch screened on ABC on 26/9. A concise summary is provided that the leading scientific journals conclude that climate extremes are getting more regular and more extreme. This is contrary to Mr Devey's claim that the recent extremes are not unusual.
Lloyd Davies, Stockton
SO agree with Daryll Hadfield (Short Takes, 27/9). Wollongong wins the UCI World Road Racing Cycling Championship; massive crowds, spectacular scenery and a world event. Congratulations, Wollongong.
Fran Chapman, West Wallsend
JUST an idea to be included in getting the multinational corporations to pay their share of taxes; tax the church. Why is this institution not taxed anyway? This could solve a lot of our country's financial problems.
Graeme Bennett, Warners Bay
THE problem with the Liberals is that they are happy to accept that Scott Morrison is not the true Messiah, because Peter Dutton is.
Dave Wilson, Bar Beach
MR Fordham, the left is ruling the world. Perhaps the leader of the free world will visit 'the Albanator'. How exciting. You'll probably get to shake hands with Mr Biden after he makes a speech! Yep, we've all seen Mr Biden turning around to shake hands with nobody!
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
THE two Newcastle building societies are doing quite well while competing with the big four banks. Is a merger really necessary? Bigger is not always better. It will result in branch closure, loss of employment and service to customers.
Dianne McDonald, Cardiff
IF they continue closing power stations, we will be watching TV by candlelight.
Bob Martin, Mayfield
ALL of the work done on Stockton's main street has only made a bigger footpath for the dogs to empty out on and increased business for tyre and car wheel outlets and repairers.
John Bonnyman, Fern Bay
REGARDING Les Field's word on our privatised buses ('Privatised bus service', Letters, 27/9): of course they may not be a disaster in Wickham, but try a bit further out, they are dead-set useless.
Alan Carleton, Shortland
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