Tough policy needed to counter intergenerational injustice on climate
Bravo Ross Gittins for your insightful if scary analysis on the environment (“What did you do in the ‘war’?”, February 1). In 1972, sitting in a humid western suburbs’ classroom, my English teacher gave the class an article by biologist Paul Ehrlich which stated that unless we acted immediately to protect the environment, we were heading for certain destruction. It certainly influenced many of my lifestyle choices from riding a bike as transportation, growing my own veggies and avoiding plastic wherever possible. Alas, it wasn’t enough and 50 years later, the arbitrators of our future (business and government) still aren’t listening. What would it take to make them act, in the words of Greta Thunberg, as if our house were on fire? Diane Dennis, Epping
As a criminal lawyer of many years, I’ve often been told how evil the drug trade is and asked how could I represent evil drug dealers. As highlighted by Gittins, it turns out that our whole country is a drug dealer, peddling destructive fossil fuels on a massive scale, the third biggest in the world behind those paragons of virtue Russia and Saudi Arabia. Might be time for the whole country to take a long hard look in the mirror. Paul Hardin, Mangrove Mountain
The appalling intergenerational injustice of climate change was expertly highlighted by Gittins. As a nation, it is time we took full responsibility and went “to war” against the greenhouse gas emissions and subsequent climate chaos humanity continues to cause. Polluting fossil fuel companies are villains to be reined in. Current loopholes allowing corporations to buy unlimited offsets and, shockingly, enabling new fossil fuel projects into the mix, need to be closed. Our children’s futures depend on strong policy. Back to you, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen. Amy Hiller, Kew (VIC)
It’s a misguided notion that we must first have renewable energy supplies before we stop fossil fuel extraction; global warming won’t wait for market forces to work (Letters, February 1). Governments must invest to stop the burning of fossil fuels and drive both supply and demand side innovation in energy use, or suffer the unthinkable consequences of greater than 1.5 degrees average global warming. Australia is already suffering, so we must cease fossil fuel extraction and stop being part of the problem. Caroline Atkinson, St Ives
Gittins touches on the oft-heard response “what can Australia do, our emissions are miniscule” and suggests that if our “exported emissions” were counted our contribution on a per-person basis would render Australia a global pariah. Donald Horne called us The Lucky Country in 1964. Our luck is about to run out. Phil Schmidt, Newrybar
Josh LandisCredit:
Time’s up for ClubsNSW in gaming debate
Josh Landis’ sacking shows that ClubsNSW has been an organisation drunk on its own power for too long (“Game over for lobbyist”, February 1). The powerful gambling and alcohol lobby has been able to dictate to NSW governments of different political persuasions the nature of legal harm controls on the industry’s operations. These have invariably favoured private wealth generation over public interest, health, safety and welfare outcomes. Time is up for ClubsNSW and the Australian Hotel Association if they persist in opposing overdue fundamental reforms to crime prevention and welfare reforms. Tony Brown, Newcastle
As a conservative Catholic, I think it ludicrous that Landis has been sacked after referring to the premier’s gambling reform zeal a result of his “conservative Catholic gut”. I can hardly believe Dominic Perrottet could be “offended” by such an innocuous phrase. Everyone needs to chill out and have a laugh occasionally. What a country of wimps and wusses we have become. Phil Johnson, Dee Why
The reality is that successive governments, both Liberal and Labor, have allowed the clubs industry to get away with too much for too long. Peter Mahoney, Oatley
As if to reinforce his ignorant attack on Perrottet, Landis also labels him a “conservative Catholic who did not understand the complexities of gambling” (“Sacking can allow return of civility”, February 1).
Funny. From this distance it appears to me that gambling requires one to put money in the slot, it disappears. Gone. Where’s the complexity in that? Bob Edgar, Westmead
So sad to hear that Landis has been sacked. A bloke who could make a statement like he did must have so much more entertainment to offer. Ron McQuarrie, Budgewoi
Robo-schemers
The robo-debt scam caused suicides and ongoing suffering for many of those dependent on welfare payments (“Alan Tudge’s former adviser reveals ‘dole bludger’ robo-debt media strategy”, February 1). How typical of the Coalition government to ask its propaganda arm – otherwise known as News Corp – for help to demonise whistle-blowers and critics of the program. One has to ask, is there anything that ragged bunch of schemers and ne’erdowells got right? Mark Henry, Urunga
Voice must confront past
Penny Wong’s call to rethink the colonial legacy of Great Britain has come at the right time, as we grapple with what the Voice may look like (“Confront colonial past, Wong tells UK”, February 1). The aggrandisement of colonialism has skewed our view of ourselves. Drip fed to generations of Australians, it is time to look at the consequences of cultural and political values on our own social determinism and whether they have created the cohesion and order they intended. The American historian Francis Fukuyama proposed that all history ends when all societies become liberal democracies, but we should ask, at what cost when colonialism is the foundation stone? Brian Thornton, Stanmore
Sydney ‘beauty’ needs rethinking
Retreating to the built aesthetics of 20th century Europe hardly suits a contemporary global city like Sydney (“From bleak to beauty: Grand designs to transform an unloved city block”, February 1). Minister Rob Stokes is right.
Cultivating our own architectural identity rather than relying on “vanilla” solutions such as those of Paris’s Beaux-Arts or Houston’s high rise.
However, what’s commendable is the “Sydney is Beautiful” initiative includes, indeed highlights, a welcomed discussion about the quality and “connectivity” (apologies for the architectural jargon) of the public space as part of a balanced development conversation.
Arguably private commercial interests have subjugated the quality and quantity of our public realm. Inviting prominent thinkers, designers to define best practice city design could be fascinating. Cleveland Rose, Dee Why
Libs plummetting stock
Public policy laziness, and much self-inflicted haplessness, bolstered by a continuing willingness to genuflect to hard-rightists and religionists, will only breed more Liberal lemmings at the party’s branch and parliamentary levels (“Dutton is driving Liberals off a cliff as colleagues watch”, February 1). Sue Dyer, Downer (ACT)
Council should bin outsourcing
Much as the City of Sydney is an extraordinarily effective council that does excellent work and should be applauded, one would have to conclude that the outsourcing of rubbish collection to a private company was when the service went downhill. Before that, it was always efficient and reliable (“‘This is urgent’: Sydney council faces growing stink as bins, dumped rubbish pile up”, February 1). As well, the careless handling of bins has resulted in many of them being smashed and broken. Such waste. Anthony van den Broek, Erskineville
If the City of Sydney outsources even “core” services, such as waste collection, what is it the council itself actually does? Ross Duncan, Potts Point
Last one standing
At 81, I’m old enough to have seen Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir John Gielgud, Dame Edith Evans and other legends in some of the great performances of the latter half of the last century (Letters, January 31). In 1980, I saw the very first production of Amadeus with Simon Callow and Paul Schofield. Audience members didn’t immediately leap to their feet.
The instant standing ovation for theatre performances is a relatively recent phenomenon. It’s really more about attention seeking than critical appreciation. Philip Thorniley, Broughton Vale
Climate of respect
I was saddened to hear of Professor Will Steffen’s death (“Climate science giant paved way for truth”, February 1). My initial encounter at a climate conference was something that I will not forget. As a newbie in the climate change movement, my hesitant approach was greeted with a respectful greeting. Never patronising, Professor Steffen made time to answer my questions simply and clearly. His quiet demeanour belied the silence of the waters that ran so deep. Zeny Edwards, Lindfield
Soft threat
If your position needs defending from a few ribbons, it might be time for a serious rethink (“Security start cutting protest ribbons at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral”, smh.com.au, February 1) Peter Fyfe, Enmore
False teachings
Thank you, Katrina Marson, for pointing out the weird logic of some teachers in our schools and churches (“Teaching kids to be ashamed can harm their sex lives”, February 1). From the age of five I was told I had grey splats of sins on my soul even as a baby (never quite worked out where that soul was). I was taught about naughty Eve “tempting” Adam and, of course, the virgin birth. Creating fear and denial from such a young age about sex, which should be joyful and life-enhancing, has caused serious damage to the psyche of generations. Rosalind Ward, Balmain
Human nature
Rather than using Banshees as a sly slur on the Irish (Letters, January 31), your correspondent could view it as the lengths a man will go to to remove himself from a situation he is unable to control. That is a human issue, not an Irish one. Maggie McElhill, Annandale
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
China’s COVID-plagued slowdown threatens Australia’s economic recovery
From Dave: “We must diversify our trading partners. China did us a big favour when they gave us a a wake-up call by banning so many imports. Let’s learn from that lesson.”
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