Even if we give Angus Taylor and the federal government the benefit of doubt and assume they are right about Australia being on course to meet its carbon emissions reduction target, he and his Coalition colleagues can take no credit for this ("Taylor claims Paris progress", December 7-8). The government’s own energy department attributes our reductions to growing contributions of large-scale renewable energy projects and higher than previously estimated uptake of rooftop solar panels. Any reductions we are seeing are thanks to independent, forward-thinking organisations and individuals investing in fossil-free energy despite the lack of leadership from our politicians.
Paul Attfield, Mount Colah
As Australia burns, Taylor’s emissions response is risible, even contemptuous. The Paris Agreement calls for the “highest possible ambition” in nations, but we try the lowest possible to get away with it. Not only is our target woefully low, but the fact we want to weaken it greatly by carry-over credits speaks volumes. Any carry-over weakens action in the next period, but what's worse is our credits are dodgy: from setting ourselves deliberately weak targets in the Kyoto period (an 8 per cent increase from 1990-2012 versus an 8 per cent decrease by the EU bloc, say) to ‘hot air’ credits from sleight of hand on land clearing known infamously as the Australia Clause. Working hard to slow the accumulation of emissions or creative accounting with dodgy credits to appear to meet a low target on paper? Sadly, it is the latter.
Nick Wilson, Palm Beach
Is this the Angus Taylor who cannot read a printout of figures from Sydney City Council? Frankly, I am inclined instead to believe the ANU report, which reveals that, despite a certain amount of data-shuffling, the emissions trend is still going up.
Nola Tucker, Kiama
Air force versus bushfires
Andrew Wilkie has requested that the RAAF develop “a heavy firefighting aircraft capability”. Our Prime Minister has told Wilkie that the fire chiefs have advised him that they already have enough assets ("What fire? Life in the Canberra bubble", December 7-8). Could someone please explain how more than two million hectares have been burnt if assets are sufficient? We have a $34 billion Defence budget to keep Australia safe. Surely, rather than have it sit idle as we tilt at the windmills of an imaginary enemy, we should be using those funds to defend Australia against these real threats at home.
Charles Hargrave, Elizabeth Bay
One blow-up short of disaster
By highlighting the seriousness of the fire situation across NSW and beyond, Peter Hartcher, Elizabeth Farrelly and Phil Koperberg (December 7-8) do the work our governments should be doing. Here in the western Blue Mountains and mostly out of the smoke (so far), we can see palls billowing in most directions. I fear that many people east of the fires may not realise the magnitude of the risk. We are just one blow-up day short of a massive disaster, while firefighters work their guts out and politicians are mostly MIA. They have gone very quiet since the stupid debate about more off-season burning. Why? This is a national emergency where we desperately need our leaders to step up, put ideology aside and talk frankly to the Australian people.
Ian Brown, Mount Victoria
Super-department should cover it
Why is the federal government combining the Department of Agriculture with the Department of the Environment when the country is facing an environmental catastrophe of Biblical proportions ("Mergers raise red flags for environment", December 6)? Perhaps it's because the agricultural sector and the many farming families that Australia depends upon for its food are being affected so badly. Maybe the government should also add the Department of Foreign Affairs, as poor environmental conditions are keeping the tourists away. We must not forget the Department of Health as the state of the environment leads to more serious health implications for everyone. Then, of course, there is the overall bottom line so we had better throw Treasury into the mix.
Martine Moran, Gunnedah
In the Great Depression, a time of economic crisis, US president Franklin D. Roosevelt invested in the arts. Oral histories of the civil war and slavery were recorded and kept for future generations as were recordings of blues, gospel and Appalachian music. Artistic beneficiaries included Jackson Pollock, an artist whose talents were later to be invested in by the Whitlam government. In Australia we amalgamate the arts into the ministry of infrastructure and transport. We are led not by the inspirational but by second-rate bookkeepers.
John Bailey, Canterbury
What about the white-collar thugs?
There is much merit in Scott Morrison’s desire to clean up the union movement, but he should not stop with unions only. Recent events have shown banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, clubs, and not for profit organisations, and yes even some political operations, all need serious attention to weed out financial malpractice and corruption.
Tony Lyons, Lithgow
When will the AttorneyGeneral, with his Ensuring Integrity Bill in hand, attack the United Workers Union for picking on Grill'd ("Grill'd over pay", December 7-8).
Neil Forscutt, Quirindi
How many more companies must rob workers of wages and conditions before the Prime Minister and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash will publicly condemn them in the same aggressive language they use against so-called "union thugs"? Their silence speaks volumes.
Sev Milazzo, Maroubra
Read the small print
Rugby Australia settled to be rid of Israel Folau. Israel settled for the money. The folk who donated millions missed out on their day in court. Will they get their money back? Not under the carefully drafted terms of the funding mechanism. Have they been played for fools? Time will tell.
Mary Nixon, Newtown
Go see the anti-vax reality
Can I suggest that the steering committee of anti-vaxxers hold their next annual conference in Samoa ("Herd mentality allows a killer to return'', December 7-8)? Perhaps while they are there, they may wish to educate the locals on the benefits of non-immunisation.
Geoffrey Heise, Thornleigh
We apologise for the delay
Being Jetstar, I wouldn't be surprised if the scheduled Christmas strike was postponed or cancelled ("Jetstar pilots, ground crew plan strike action", December 7-8).
Michael Deeth, Como West