On wage stagnation and the G20 summit

Les Heimann writes: Re. “G20 heads in the sand on the big global issue: wage stagnation” (Monday) 

One may think that the inexorable reduction in the workers’ reward is recent. Rubbish, this “phenomena” is anything but. The free market economy, so lovingly termed by capitalists is all about lowering the cost of labour; actually lowering costs of anything needed or used to produce things to sell. I suggest that all truly independent economists have seen this coming since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In my view, if you want a good example of the economic shit hitting the wall look carefully at the USA – and that country has elected as President the greatest example of burning capitalism. So now the commentariat want to make a story out of how our political class are handling this rush to economic depression.

The class divide is already obvious and lazy politicians, intent only on their own destiny, are as bronze as the three wise monkeys. I am no communist but if I was surely it would be a time of great celebration. We all know the problems: less work, less money, increased prices, economic divide growing massively, globalisation, privatisation, famine, racism, huge population shifts, violent crime and a whole lot of other examples of community divisiveness.

There is no such thing as a successful free market economy – it is as unnatural as pure communism. We need the world to adopt what once was the Australian catchcry; “fair go mate”

In Australia whomever adopts “fair go for all” as the bedrock measurement of all things economic will sweep into power and stay as long as this policy is pursued across all elements of community, economy and society. Who will lead the charge?

On Australia’s domestic violence response

Richard Barlow writes:  Re.”The Rosie Batty effect: a recent timeline of Australia’s response to domestic violence” (Monday) 

The latest addition to this is the preliminary decision by the Fair Work Commission to amend Awards to include a minimum standard of unpaid leave for family and domestic violence.  The ACTU were seeking paid leave but this was not supported by Fair Work, at this time. Still, it is a start , and it will now be a workplace right. Well done to the unions!

On Rundle and Imre Salsinszky

Niall Clugston writes:  Re. “Coin in my groin … robot journalists … Uhlmann’s spray …“

Guy Rundle has dubbed Imre Salusinszky the “Good Soldier Schweik of the Australian culture wars”. This is defaming the Czechs’ favourite literary character, as Guy Rundle adds, “whichever empire he happens to end up in, Imre knows the words to the anthem by heart”. The Good Soldier Schweik, however, only serves the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In fact, it’s hard to see any similarity between him and Salusinszky, apart from the fact they are both Eastern European in origin…

On the murder of activists

Meredith Williams writes:  Re. “On the anniversary of an activist’s murder, Cambodia prepares for a showdown” (Monday)

Monday was also the anniversary of the 1985 murder of activist photographer Fernando Pereira, who died when the Greenpeace ‘Rainbow Warrior’ was bombed in New Zealand in a terror attack authorised by the French government of the time. Feelings are still very strong amongst New Zealanders over the shocking attack, ostensibly by a friendly country. Singing ‘Anchor me’ with NZ and environmentalist friends yesterday was an emotional experience. The ‘Rainbow Warrior’ will ever remain a symbol of the passion for global justice and environmental preservation.