Albanese’s climate-destroying projects

To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.

GLOBAL WARMING

Peter Hartcher (“The world is failing to curb carbon, and may be close to a scorched earth tipping point”, 7/7) provides an alarming list of climate chaos and fatalities (more than 4,000 people) recently besetting Europe.
Here, in Australia, the Albanese government has failed abysmally to take global warming seriously. It approved 26 fossil fuel developments in its first term of government, and since taking power has approved 36 new, expanded or extended coal, oil or gas developments.
Most reprehensible was the decision to approve the Woodside North West Shelf gas project to continue spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere until 2070.
The strong push for renewable energy, whilst laudable, does not adequately compensate for this long list of approvals of climate-destroying projects.
Ian Bayly, Upwey

The poorest will suffer most
Peter Hartcher’s article should be a clear warning of the global instability that is being experienced by many people and the earth itself due to the changing climate. We are confronted by many tragedies caused by the climate crisis.
The climate deniers are getting louder such as the rise of One Nation and the mantra of Donald Trump, “dig baby dig”, and the obliging – and subsidised – extractive industries that drill more, but with insufficient regulations.
The battle to meet energy needs responsibly is between renewables and continued gas and coal digging. Added to this, is whether the world can work cooperatively for stronger and lasting solutions before it is too late.
As usual, the people with the lightest footprint will continue to suffer the most. The wealthy may survive a little longer in their “caves” but eventually, if the worst plays out, there will be nothing sustainable left.
Judith Morrison, Nunawading

Time for Liberals to stand up
Peter Hartcher’s excellent article on accelerating climate change is a huge warning to all of us. Yet, the three right-wing parties either tell us that it doesn’t exist or want to cut back on renewables.
No wonder there are an increasing number of real Liberals who want to modernise the party, trust the science and recognise the damage climate change is doing to our lives after this disastrous European summer and the Liberals’ equally disastrous polling numbers.
Ross Hosking, Blackwood, SA

Technology employed in worst way
Peter Hartcher reveals the harsh truth; our actions have tipped the climate off its benevolent Holocene axis. The Easter Islanders destroyed their environment, blindly building stone images looking out to sea in the hope the gods would bring them a better life; to save them from themselves.
We seem determined to do the same, this time on a global scale. Our worship of technology has blinded us to the destruction in its wake. Now we’re worshipping at the altar of artificial intelligence.
Its very designation, artificial, should have us reaching for the thesaurus. Fake, false and insincere are three synonyms you’ll find. Technology is not intelligence, artificial or otherwise. How you apply it is. We have the technology to build a sustainable planet. Sadly, we seem to lack the wisdom to use it.
John Mosig, Kew

Dig to keep cool
Instead of drill, baby, drill for oil and gas, we need to drill, baby, drill underground dwellings to get away from the increasing heat above. Worms know how to keep cool.
Margaret Collings, Anglesea

THE FORUM

Modernise weaponry
Surely, the firing of a missile by China to the sea in the South Pacific was to tell us all that a series of military alliances are pointless when we are now in the age of the missile and drone.
We can look at the use Ukraine is making of them to realise that that is where defence dollars should be going, not wasted on yesterday’s technology such as submarines and bases for them.
Loch Wilson, Northcote

Should we be afraid?
Just as Anthony Albanese signs a new defence alliance with Fiji, and Pacific islands, China tests long range ballistic missiles in the Pacific (“China’s nuclear move”, 7/7). The missile launched carried a dummy warhead but is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. This action seems to undermine the stability, peace and security of the Pacific.
Is China just showing us how powerful and strong it is? Or do we need to be afraid? While China says that this testing is just part of its annual military training, is it purely coincidental that the missile was fired now, or is it a warning? Are we to believe that this is a benign display, or is China really a sheep in wolf’s clothing, always on the prowl?
Julie Ottobre, Brunswick East

Are we hypocrites?
Australia spends billions of dollars on weapons, and it is called “defence”. China tests a missile and it is called “destabilisation”. What utter hypocrisy.
Reg Murray, Glen Iris

State Libs on treaty
This week as we celebrate NAIDOC, it’s a special opportunity to learn from First Nations wisdom and approach to living together as described by Aunty Munya Andrews (“We’ve never been a monoculture: One group of Australians knows this”, 7/7). She describes core understanding to care for nature and to care for others.
We can build on this way of thinking in regard to treaty in Victoria. It’s an opportunity for Victorian Liberals to lead, own the political centre and offer bipartisan support for treaty. Despite the fear generated in the media by the Voice campaign, Victoria did record about 47 per cent Yes vote.
If Liberals want to govern, then now is the time to support our treaty. Extreme right-wing parties will come and go but our First Nations people and their wisdom will continue and have much to offer. Treaty recognises that.
Jenny Kashyap, Bentleigh

Elder wisdom
Aunty Munya Andrews, diversity is not the problem; monoculture is. Thank you for your wise words. As an established elder myself, I see a troubling lack of wisdom wherever I look these days.
Kanyini and its principles of responsibility, connection and care should be reflected in all our daily decision-making. Like you, I also believe it would help create a better world. Homo sapiens means ″⁣wise human″⁣. Let’s endeavour to live up to our name.
Paul Caine, Glen Huntly

Corruption’s bigger cost
The debate over the exact cost of corruption on Victoria’s Big Build is a distraction from the real issue. Revelations in The Age prove to a very high standard that there was, and continues to be, corruption that is costing Victorian taxpayers significant sums of money. Let’s not be distracted from the real task of holding all parties proven to be involved to account.
Peter Randles, Pascoe Vale South

Podcaster ethics
I read The Age and log into ABC news several times a day, but I am one of a rapidly shrinking cohort, as fewer take their news from legacy media. The majority now seem to find their news from podcasts, social media and influencers. Your correspondent (Letters, 7/7) is wrong to suggest prime ministers should avoid these sources.
I decry it, but politicians must engage with these sources if they are to inform the wider population. They must learn how to use these resources to inform the electorate, especially come elections. The prime minister was right to appear on the comedian’s podcast, but he was given an unanswerable question.
The only answer is ‘this is a misogynist question and demeaning to women’, but that would come across as humourless. The commentary has focused on the prime minister’s response, but what of the podcaster?
It is the podcaster who should wear the opprobrium. Comedian or not, the question is not funny and she – and any others who play this ‘game’ – should be told to stop.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster

Kyle’s wedding too
The prime minister’s decision to attend Kyle Sandilands’ wedding seemed incongruent to some of us at the time. Not so much now.
Peter Thomas, Pascoe Vale

Labor double standard
Can you imagine the outrage from Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong, Katy Gallagher, Jacinta Allan and others who boast that they ‘will call out misogyny wherever I see it’, if a senior Liberal had said what our PM publicly said?
They would have demanded his immediate sacking. But, demonstrating yet again that it is always about what tribe you are in, they said that the prime minister had nothing to apologise for.
Of course, after he did apologise, they said that he had done the right thing by apologising.
Robert Box, Chelsea

Teals looking good
Your correspondent (Letters, 7/7) asks where are the Melburnian statesmen and women hiding. Answer: look no further than the teal independents.
John Hughes, Mentone

Eggs of all stripes
The article ″⁣Barn-laid, free range? Let’s crack that egg carton code″⁣ (5/7) ignored the benefit to low-income earners when it stated that there is no upside to buying cage eggs. They are considerably cheaper than barn or free range eggs, providing a low-cost source of protein for many in our community.
Andrew Parnell, Box Hill South

Sport’s tectonic shift
Growing up as a migrant kid in the 1950s and 60s I became inured to the contempt that my beloved sport of Association football was held.
I was told I must play Australian Rules at primary school. At high school we were offered sleeveless left-over guernseys as a uniform for the team we organised ourselves.
Older Aussie blokes would stop to abuse us for using the wrong shaped ball on the local oval, and the media would invariably reference the game as a lesser form of football, and demote it to their sports’ roundup summary. How insular the world of Melbourne sport was. Sport could only be looked at through the lens of Aussie Rules.
To now see the national football team usurp the sporting landscape, at least for its World Cup presence, is a tectonic shift that is beyond the comprehension of my teenage self. It can only get better.
Mike Pantzopoulos, Ashburton

Soccer’s big picture
The Socceroos may have lost in Dallas on Saturday but what a team of winners they are as they represent the diversity and the best of modern Australia. They were such positive ambassadors for our country through their actions and their words.
This has carried through to even when they are home as shown by the wise words of Awer Mabil when he was reflecting on what a great country Australia was. He also reminded us that none of us pick where we are born, nor choose the colour of our skin. However, we do choose to be a good human being. And “It’s many journeys, with one jersey.” Words that could be heeded by us all so that we can work in helping all those who call Australia home to live their best possible life.
Rod Moran, Brighton

FIFA needs reboot
For someone who rejects the rules based order, it is unsurprising that Donald Trump felt he could intervene regarding the US soccer team’s case with FIFA. What is disgraceful is that FIFA acquiesced to the overturning of a referee’s decision.
Perhaps it’s time for a new governing body for world soccer, one that has robust governance and acts with integrity. I am reminded of the old proverb: “Cheats never prosper”.
Congratulations Belgium on a well-deserved win.
Anne Lyon, Camberwell

Divided loyalty
I think I was barracking more for Belgium to defeat the US than I was for any of the Socceroos matches. Is that unpatriotic?
Dean Virgin, Strathmore

Own goal
Donald has kicked an ″⁣own goal,” against the entire sporting world.
Doug Perry, Mt Martha

Succession woes
Your correspondent (Letters, ″⁣Mrs Bennet rocks″⁣, 6/7) leads a fitting rallying call for Mrs Bennet, wife of Mr Bennet, gentleman, although he isn’t wealthy after failing to manage his entailed assets well. The Bennets’ carriage was, after all, drawn by farm horses.
Pride and Prejudice is a ‘comedy of manners’, using nuance, satire, exaggeration and so on to underscore serious social problems.
Patrilineal primogeniture, whereby the eldest son, or eldest male in the next degree of consanguinity, inherits land, was abolished in England in 1925 and, contrary to your correspondent’s assertion, is no longer legal.
Property has since passed to males and females, and changes to succession laws in 2011 enable a first-born female to become monarch.
It was certainly dire for women in prior centuries as, in Jane Austen style, daughters had to marry to avoid homelessness. Otherwise, they faced exchanging gruelling work in ‘workhouses’ or ‘taken in’ by charities or family.
Barbara Chapman, South Yarra

AND ANOTHER THING

Trump’s World Cup
Fantastic to see Belgium soundly defeat the USA. The country that has given the world great beers, amazing chocolate and Belgian waffles triumphs over the country that has given us McDonald’s and Trump.
Mick Hussey, Beaconsfield

I have always loved a Brussels Rout!
Carl Harman, Strathalbyn, SA

Nothing says rigged like a president ordering that a decision he doesn’t like be overturned.
Annie Wilson, Inverloch

US player Folarin Balogun has missed a rare opportunity to show the world how to treat Donald Trump. He should have sacrificed his spot in the World Cup quarter-final against Belgium.
Ian McKail, Cheltenham

The World Cup has been ruined. Thank you, Donald Trump.
Leny Verbunt, Blackburn South

Trump admitted he didn’t know the consequences of a red card in soccer. It’s obvious he won’t admit to not knowing the consequences of worldwide import tariffs on global economies and his own country.
George Djoneff, Mitcham

Albanese
PM has an interview with a young, savvy, shrewd comedian. What could possibly go wrong?
Myra Fisher, Brighton East

Anthony Albanese, if only you’d channelled Grace Tame and had been ‘difficult’ and refused to answer a misogynistic question about Kylie Minogue on a podcast. A lack of respect shown by you not only to Ms Minogue, but to all women.
Belinda Burke, Hawthorn

Albo, when Barnaby Joyce can tell you that you have to be cleverer with your public persona, you have a problem.
Kevan Porter, Alphington

In condemning the PM for ill-advisedly responding to a podcaster’s inane question, has anyone commented on how deeply into the cesspit supposedly everyday free speech, social media communication and internet commentary have descended?
David Johnston, Healesville

The opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.