Letters

Investigate policy

Ed,

I’m just trying to figure out why mining has such a hold on our governments. According to government sources (parliament Australia) mining makes up only 1.7% of the workforce in 2018, making it one of the lowest industries for working people in Australia. Art and recreation workers come in at 1.9% and yet we receive the lowest levels of support with the NLP slashing money from their arts budgets since 2011 (and with Howard) even though this industry is growing.

With the people who live in the Pacific facing major problems and displacement from their island homes our government reckons that mining coal and now uranium even, is keeping 100s of 1000’s of jobs. It’s actually less than 200,000 and falling. Surely that many people could be taught to work in a renewable industry.

While Scott on one hand supports the democratic movement in Hong Kong – the right to free speech, on the other hand he’s calling for yet another inquiry into Get Up because they don’t bow down to a government supported by the mining industry.

Tourism is another industry being woefully neglected by our governments with 8% of the workforce nearly 1,000,000 people. Jobs in this industry are under threat from mining, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

We should be working toward a cleaner future, not electing clowns who are still denying the impacts of climate change. People are so self interested and privileged in Australia, no wonder, we had it pretty good for a while but it’s time to rethink and reinvest in our future. The future of human existence. Please look carefully at who you vote for in any upcoming elections. Don’t be conned by scare campaigns, investigate policy. Start today.

Julie McKenzie, Maclean