Having dropped off a Service Club donation myself to a local primary school to provide free breakfasts for children before a busy school day, the evidence that we are living in a cost-of-living crisis could not be clearer. Happy little faces were lining up for Vegemite sandwiches in the morning with volunteers lifting their spirits with tuck shop banter and the warmth of toast on cold little fingers. NSW Senator Maria Kovacic does well to lay the foundations for her argument against federal Labor government waste (Bill’s $620k speechwriter leaves us at a loss for words, DT, 6/6). With waste rampant in various ministries in Canberra, overstaffing and overpayment of public servants is surely a product of hopeless politicians being elected and being completely out of their depth. A law forcing politicians to write their own speeches would save a fortune in speechwriters and expose the less literate to their voters, hopefully ending a few careers. Fresh thoughts from new faces might offer hope to parents relying on teachers to give their kids breakfast. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 7June2024