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The Age
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Leave legal electric bike riders alone
Younger voting age I happened to be chatting with my mother and my daughter when the story about the UK lowering the voting age to 16 came up. I pointed out that my mother left school at 14 and started working full time (although she was unable to convince my 19-year-old daughter that 'typist' was a genuine job). My mother was married at 19, and had her first baby with her at her 21st birthday. Yes, she was 'worldly' and mature and experienced at a young age. My daughter still lives at home with her mum and dad at 19 years of age, which is in no way uncommon. She won't finish her schooling (at university) before she turns 21, and probably won't be in full-time work until a few years after that. Again, that's not uncommon. Clearly, kids 'grow up' much later in life now than they did two generations ago. This should be a factor in rejecting the move to allowing 16 year olds to vote. Geoffrey McNaughton, Glen Huntly Proceed with caution The Greens who are wanting the vote for 16-year-old Australians, believing, perhaps mistakenly, that these young people would be more likely to support their cause, should remember that, unlike the UK, we have compulsory voting. Certainly, many 16 year olds can articulate their socio-political opinions and would be worthy contributors to national debates. But many would no doubt rely on the example of parental voting patterns and information (false or true) from social media for their views. Indeed, many less mature children may indeed simply add to the informal vote. Kay Moulton, Surrey Hills Educate, then vote Following the UK example, considering if 16 year olds should have the vote in Australia is worthy of discussion. However, there needs to be some thought as to how young voters can be enabled to make informed choices. Most of the students I taught over a 40-year span in the secondary setting were very vague about Australian politics and the mechanics of the parliamentary system. This year, volunteering for an MP during the election campaign, I was surprised at the number of voters who also had a limited understanding of the workings of the electoral system. Although the secondary curriculum is very overcrowded, perhaps there is merit in introducing a short and tightly structured unit on Australian politics for senior students. The more voters know about how government functions in Australia will make our democracy even more robust. Louise Edwards, Sorrento Reading choice Interesting to reflect on the 'expert views' of your contributors to the 'debate' about the value of reading to children. One certainly must acknowledge the pressures on parents, be that financial or competing choices, and peer pressure amongst many such considerations. However, ultimately we all make choices and perhaps these are not always well considered. Do I go and watch the latest episode of a favourite series or talk to my kids or read them a story? Not always an easy choice, but it is a choice with consequences? Charles Griss, Balwyn Call this democratic? What other democracy gives one category of people two votes each while another category of people, get one vote as is the case in City of Melbourne council elections? Another Jess Kennett legacy apparently. This needs to be urgently addressed (″ Reece moots electoral reform for Melbourne ″, 19/7). Jenny Macmillan, Clifton Hill Infants at risk The guilt, grief and anger described by Wendy Syfret (Opinion, 19/7) as she was forced to leave her crying baby in childcare due to the financial necessity to work, is echoed daily in childcare centres across this land. The choices of parents are now greatly diminished, narrowed by the cost of housing and justified in the name of productivity. Babies need secure and consistent care by people they know and trust. Being exposed to multiple staff in a childcare system driven by profit and riddled with staff recruitment and retention problems, puts infants at serious risk of emotional abuse, with potentially long-term harm. We have known this for a long time – it was why we closed babies' homes in the 1970s. In addition to all the measures needed to make childcare safe for very young children, let us think broadly about the solutions. Housing affordability, extending paid parental leave, increasing work flexibility for fathers as well as mothers, means-tested family benefits in lieu of childcare subsidies for parents who prefer to be at home with their infants – all these should be high on the government's agenda. Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott, Australian Centre for Child Protection, Adelaide, SA Plastics in the stream I thought I had a fair grasp of plastic recycling in Australia and was fairly confident that I was doing the right thing, but the article ″ The plastic that contaminates our recycling stream ″ July 19, was a depressing eye-opener. What will it take to achieve nationwide, clear and consistent labelling that is both legible and specific to local recycling capabilities, along with mandatory extended producer responsibility? The onus is on government, manufacturers and consumers alike to effect the positive change so desperately needed. Vikki O'Neill, Ashburton ICYDK about RPET I am curious if any other conscientious, well-intentioned, would-be recyclers who read the article 'The plastic that contaminates our recycling stream″ now feel even more confused than they were before. Opaque PET? Is that a plastic milk carton? RPET? Does that mean any recycled plastic is a pointless nuisance if included in your recycling bin? We try our best, and yet again I feel we are Sisyphus dwarfed by the growing mountain of rubbish and plastic we generate. If the governments and councils cannot get their act together to help us understand how to do things better, perhaps The Age could enlighten us all by running a short series investigating all the common things Victorian households recycle (or mistakenly try to recycle). Sam Bouchier, Kyneton Solar panel regret I have just received notice of upcoming increases in my electricity rates. All have gone up except the solar feed-in tariff which has gone from 4.5 cents (a pittance) to 1.5 cents (an insult). If I bypass the meter I would be charged with theft, if they bypass reasonable compensation it is called 'business'. I regret ever having installed solar panels. My $8000 plus investment will never pay for itself and only serves to subsidise the electricity company. There is even a suggestion to pay us nothing or charge for feeding in solar. I consider that amounts to theft, taking something and selling (fencing) it to someone else. Floris Eringa, Hinnomunjie Lawless actions The renaissance of consciousness of MAGA members about the Epstein 'cover-up' by the Trump government should prompt cautionary introspection. The impunity enjoyed by those who partook of Epstein's paedophiliac activities is probably trivial in comparison to the risk posed by the lawless actions of ICE towards minors. The taking of children by ICE, combined with the staggering absence of accountability, must be enormously attractive to paedophiles, eyeing the opportunity to abuse infants without the intervention of the rule of law. It would be a blessing to humanity if the rise in consciousness currently being exhibited by MAGA members extended to the protection of children today. Martin Bell, Balgowlah, NSW AFL sell-out I paid to attend a socially relaxing night of AFL football, only to find that the main event was advertising. Even during the game, we were continually assaulted by flashing, running billboard lights so distracting that you could hardly watch the game. I had to retire to the bar and watch it on TV. Is it time government banned excess advertising at public events? We have always had limits on public TV. Greed is destroying our environment, our national sport and our social relaxation. They are selling its soul. Michael Yencken, Armadale AND ANOTHER THING Diplomacy Peter Hartcher's article ‴ Adolescent' nation coming of age ″ (19/7), reflects Australia's movement away from the time-honoured ″all the way with L.B.J.″ to a more practical policy, ″on our way the Albo way″. Jim McLeod, Sale One has to hope and pray that Albanese's bromance with Xi isn't a modern version of Pig Iron Bob. Tom Stafford, Wheelers Hill Trump The political tyrant Trump suing the media tyrant Murdoch will be an interesting spectator sport. George Djoneff, Mitcham Donald Trump is to sue Rupert Murdoch for $15 billion. Rupert, 'Reap what you sow'. Enjoy. Rod Eldridge, Derrinallum Trump in one word:'Tariffiying'. Barry Greer, Balnarring Furthermore Re ' Think you're getting old?' (20/7). I must be getting old. It reports 'don't say the word ridiculous in front of your adult children'. That sounds ridiculous to me. Robin Jensen, Castlemaine As a teacher of more than 35 years, I have no more concern about lowering the voting age for students as I do in allowing some of the parents to continue to vote. Craig Jory, Albury, NSW Seriously, is anyone surprised about anything to do with Mark Latham? And to think he was once an option for prime minister. Lol. Michael Carver, Hawthorn East
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Young Aussie reveals $390,000 property regret after falling into common trap: 'Pressure'
An Australian mortgage broker has revealed why she regrets buying her first property and why she is urging first-time buyers to slow down and consider all their options. Housing affordability pressures mean some first-time buyers are making fast decisions for fear of missing out, and it could cost them significantly in the long run. Imogen Alexy bought her first home, a one-bedroom apartment in Glen Huntly, in Melbourne's southeast, in 2020 for $390,000 with a 5 per cent deposit. The now 29-year-old mortgage broker told Yahoo Finance she felt pressure at the time to get into the property market as quickly as possible and achieve the 'Great Australian Dream'. 'I feel like I rushed it because I wanted to get my foot in the door and thought that it was a rat race. I thought if I left it until I was later in my 20s I was failing or missing out," she said. 'You constantly feel this pressure of the market is going to go up and I need to get my foot in the door, but really the market is a cycle.' RELATED Aussie couple's $150,000 mortgage move in growing Bank of Mum and Dad trend Centrelink payment alert for 58,000 Aussies in caravans: 'Won't affect' Couple's side hustle amid double redundancy secures $13 million fortune While her apartment has gone up by about $100,000 in value, Alexy said she wishes she had waited and instead bought a house or bigger property in the outer suburbs with better capital growth potential. She admitted she thought buying where she wanted to live was the only way to get into the market and said she wished she had looked at the long-term, rather than just the immediate, consequences of buying a property and considered rentvesting. 'I think I took the convenience factor over thinking about my future and I didn't have someone in my corner,' she said. 'I wasn't aware at this stage that there were other options and I could look at different quality properties, and that could set me up for success better in the future.'After living in the property for two years, Alexy now rents it out for $350 per week and lives in nearby Glen Iris with her partner. She is saving up for another property and said she would have loved to be in the position to use the equity in her first property if it had been bigger. Instead, she said it will now take her longer to save up a deposit. A staggering 45 per cent of first-home buyers who purchased in the past year admitted they regret their decision, a new survey by Finder found. The two most common regrets were paying too much for the home (26 per cent), followed by not saving a large enough deposit (11 per cent) and buying in the wrong area (10 per cent). The percentage of first-home buyers who bought out of a worry that prices would become too expensive had increased to 38 per cent. 'This kind of financial risk-taking reflects not just ambition, but anxiety – the belief that if you don't buy now, you may never be able to,' Finder head of consumer research Graham Cooke said. Aussies are also pushing their budgets to the limit, with about 14 per cent of Aussies who bought in the past 12 months saying they had no savings left and a third had less than $10,000. Alexy said buying with a 5 per cent deposit was one aspect she doesn't regret because it meant she still had a buffer in place and money for other investments. The fact that she bought a cheaper property also meant she didn't stretch herself too thin and was able to cope with rising interest rates. Little Real Estate executive general manager of property services Anne Crarey said there were a few common 'traps' she was seeing first-time investors like Alexy fall into. 'Poor research, overestimating returns, and failing to plan for vacancy or maintenance costs are some of the most common issues that can turn a promising investment into a costly mistake,' she said. Other frequent pitfalls include focusing on yield without considering growth, overlooking vacancy rates, letting emotion drive decisions, and overextending financially. 'Don't go it alone. With the right advice and a clear strategy, you'll be in a much stronger position to build a property portfolio that delivers results for years to come," Crarey said. Alexy said she would also recommend first-home buyers do their research and speak to experts in the industry to understand all their options. 'It's really easy to get laser-focused on one idea and not necessarily consider all your options. I think that's where buyer's remorse comes into play a lot of the time,' she said. 'Stop comparing and slow down and realise that it's our own journey, and whatever timeframe we have that's totally ok. There's no rush to be buying your first home, the average first-home buyer is 36 now.' Alexy said it was important to consider the property's growth potential and plan ahead, even if you planned to live in it for the foreseeable future. 'It's really uncommon that someone buys somewhere and is going to live in their first home forever,' she said. 'Most people, unless they have extenuating circumstances like massive gifts or huge deposits or really high incomes, have to use that first home as a stepping stone to get somewhere that they would like to live longer term.'Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
