The Banking Royal Commission is progressively uncovering the unethical and unlawful practices that are being used by our major banks, insurance companies and superannuation funds.
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The spotlight has been focused on practices such as fee for no service, which unfortunately is not restricted to the organisations currently under review.
Many Victorian farmers are being penalised by the inequitable rating system used by a large number of municipal councils.
These councils use the capital improved value (CIV) of the farm house and surrounds, plus the CIV of the farm land used by the farmer to inflate the rate assessment.
Recent questions to Indigo Council for the identification of the specific services the council provides for farm land ultimately provided the answer that there are none.
Farm rates should be levied on the CIV of the house and surrounds only, as is the case with town properties.
The rates would then be the same for properties of the same value and would reflect an equitable distribution of council costs.
The current practice of charging rates on farm land where no services are provided must cease.
Robin McLiesh, Wooragee
Setting an example
Before Albury Council spends another dollar on developing sporting facilities in this city, councillors should take the time to visit Shepparton.
Last weekend I attended the hockey grand finals at the magnificent sports complex being developed in that city. Soccer, football, tennis, hockey, athletics are all catered for, both day and evening in a most amazing and visually exciting complex, with suitable parking and other facilities.
“Impressive” does not do it full justice. We have the land here around Alexandra Park to have something just as good. Let’s think big.
Noelle Oke, Albury
Malcolm isn’t missed
What an odious little person Malcolm Turnbull has shown himself to be.
This is the man who worked and schemed continuously behind closed doors to steal the prime minister’s position from the man who took 17 seats off Labor, Tony Abbott, only to give 16 of them back at the next election.
Could anyone forget his first election night, when things had gone so horribly, horribly wrong for the silver tailed saviour and he thought he'd lost the election?
He kept the party faithful waiting for over an hour.
His pathetic dummy spit about the filthy ALP phone attack and blaming everything but his leadership for what he thought was the loss of the election was the most pathetic display of political ineptitude and self servitude since Mark Latham's physical assault of John Howard with the kung fu handshake.
Now revenge having been sought and effected, he packs his bags and scurries to the $26 million holiday shack in New York City to escape the invasive press he can no longer spin and manipulate.
Alas, poor Malcolm we'll miss him, not, Horatio.
Tony Clarke, West Albury
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