ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Whenever Julie and Peter Rovemount head up over the hill from the Old City District where they live to where they’ve bought their son a ‘starter home’ in Betoota Ponds, they lock the doors to their late-model Volvo and try not to make eye contact with anyone.
They avoid Mulholland Street at all costs.
“It’s shocking out here but it’s slowly being gentrified, which is why we made the purchase in the first place,” said Julie.
“Yes, it’ll prove to be a real cash cow. Once they close down the housing commission down the road and ship them all off to the Betoota City Limits. The Centrelink office attracts a lot of trouble.”
“That whole welfare department is a huge drain on the economy. People should work for their money,” added Peter.
“I worked for everything I have. Why can’t everybody else?”
However, a recent study published by the Betoota Member’s Credit Union has outlined that ‘franking credits’ and other tax concessions for ageing people cost the local economy much more than unemployment and disability benefits.
When our reporter put that to Mr and Mrs Rovemount, Peter explained to our young reporter that he didn’t understand what he was talking about.
Julie also took the time to explain to The Advocate that they’ve worked for their small fortune and by comparison, they’re not as wealthy as some of their other friends at the Betoota Grove Country Club.
“How dare you say that,” she said before Peter interjected.
“Listen, boy. You don’t know what you’re talking about. We built this country. Why should I have to pay tax twice on my earnings? The bank pays their tax, why should I? This is why I weep for the future of my country,”
“And people wonder why newspapers are closing and journalists are getting made redundant. Just write what people want to hear and maybe you could support a family one day, you piece of shit.”
More to come.
