source : the age
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ENERGY
In his eloquent description of the crossroads we are at regarding the future of Scott Reef (″Big gas drillers give us so little and take so much. They can’t have this treasure”, 20/9), Tim Winton reminds us that we – ordinary people – do have agency.
The fossil fuel sector pushes the lie of catastrophic consequences for our economy if we don’t continue to drill and burn their toxic products.
Politicians in both major parties – and now One Nation – enable this deceit, even though the technology already exists for a healthy economy independent of gas, coal and petrol.
We are at a similar crossroads with respect to AI. The tech oligarchs and their political enablers would have us believe that a future without this technology is not possible, despite ample evidence that AI models in their current state are more than capable of escaping human control and wreaking havoc.
It’s up to us – individually and collectively – to make clear the kind of world we want to live in and to hold politicians to account for failing to deliver.
We can choose not to believe the lies we’re being fed and to withhold our support – both tacit and financial – from those who seek to profit from the products and technologies that threaten our very existence.
Donna Cohen, Southbank
Gas not needed when other power available
Tim Winton’s story of Scott Reef as it dances towards danger was enthralling and alarming. I’ve had the good fortune of exploring several coral gardens around the world.
Now in my 80s, I was again transported to the magical underwater world he painted so beautifully. It’s horrifying to think that the Albanese government may not see the import of saving this treasure trove.
If I were strong enough, I’d be in streets marching against gas companies, BP and Woodside.
Enough is enough. We don’t need gas when we have so many other options.
Anna Sewards, Mitcham
Great Barrier Reef also in firing line
It’s not just the beautiful and remote Scott Reef that’s at risk from the proposed Browse gas project. The Great Barrier Reef is also in the firing line.
Research from the Australian National University found that climate pollution from Browse could contribute to the loss of more than 29 million additional coral colonies on the Great Barrier Reef during each future mass bleaching event.
More than 70,000 Australians have made submissions urging Environment Minister Murray Watt to apply greater scrutiny to the Browse proposal.
As Tim Winton aptly wrote, this decision is a ″national inflection point″ for climate change and the environment. Minister Watt can side with another fossil gas project, or with the reefs Australians treasure.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Government should represent us, not gas industry
Congratulations to The Age for devoting an entire opinion page to Tim Winton’s magnificent description of Scott Reef, and his excoriation of the federal and WA state governments who are facilitating its destruction by fossil fuel companies.
Woodside, Chevron, BP and Shell are amoral mining behemoths They will squeeze out the last drop of profit even if it destroys the irreplaceable, sublime beauty of Scott Reef. (″Big gas drillers give us so little and take so much″, 20/9.)
But our governments are meant to act on our behalf, not theirs. Will they act in time to prevent Winton’s essay from becoming a eulogy?
Richard Barnes, Fairfield
THE FORUM
‘Survival sex’ horror
I am left speechless after reading Wendy Tuohy’s article, ‴Survival sex’: The dire choice for girls made homeless by family violence” (21/9).
I can barely imagine the horrors these young girls have been experiencing at such vulnerable age. Where is the assistance they so desperately need? More lip service will not deliver any answers.
Helena Kilingerova, Vermont
There is hope
Thank you to Wendy Tuohy for shining a light on the link between family violence, homelessness, and “survival sex” for young people. Homelessness, loneliness, mental health distress, and hunger make coercion all too easy.
It is important to recognise, however, that for many young people, vulnerability to sexual exploitation does not begin and end with homelessness. Sexual exploitation shapes a young person’s whole sense of self, approach to relationships, and emotional landscape in ways that cause lifelong impacts beyond their primary housing challenges.
Impacts carried by the individual ripple across society into healthcare and the justice system.
Alongside adequate housing, sexual exploitation requires its
own targeted, evidence-based response, as recognised by Child Protection services.
The Young Women’s Program of St Kilda Gatehouse is a specialist service, reducing vulnerabilities to and harms from child sexual exploitation through empowerment. This is slow, relational work that cannot be captured in glossy “announcement” images.
We’re using evidence-based tools and techniques, including partnerships with housing, educational, health and case-management service providers, and we’re demonstrating results.
There is hope.
Nickie Gyomber, CEO, St Kilda Gatehouse
Cost-of living causes
It is quite alarming how both the federal government and the Coalition are pussyfooting around identifying one of the prime causes of our cost-of-living crisis which is the inanity being shown by the Trump administration.
By starting and perpetuating the war in the Middle East, and showing timidity towards Russian ambitions in Ukraine, driven by ego and a desire to appear hairy-chested, US President Donald Trump has aggravated critical supply lines, driving upward inflationary pressures here and in other places.
And let’s not forget the influence of Trump’s tariff trajectory.
This passion for self-aggrandising autocracy in the United States, and its paler version here in ″our Pauline″, is having consequences that someone needs to call out sooner, rather than later.
Graeme Foley, Werribee
No going back on AI
Notwithstanding the benefits of AI, which seem to encompass “absolutely everything”, from a jumped-up version of Google and pre-existing technology (voice commands, for example) through to advanced diagnostics, robotics and so on, the hype, impactful launch, and promises of a yellow-brick road are suspicious. As is the “get on board or you’re nothing but a relic” mantra.
Your correspondent (Letters, 21/9) may have a valid point in declaring the AI onslaught as largely a sell to generate investment to help bail out the US economy. Equally, as the global power balance shifts in response to a gradual transition away from fossil fuels, those seeking to retain power inevitably look for new industries on which to build global dependence (upon which they are in turn dependent).
Cars and fossil fuels underpinned the power balance in the 20th century, while mobile phones/devices and technology are marking the 21st century shift.
There is no going back, but it must be managed ethically, honestly and fairly, to work for everyone’s benefit, not just a few. Laying claim to the intellectual property of others (the source of creators’ livelihoods) is one appalling example of the latter.
Emma Borghesi, Rye
Come on AI agreement
Crossing fingers for Australia to be accepted as part of the UN Security Council. Yes, the world needs a global agreement on AI akin to a nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Another law Prime Minister Anthony Albanese might be able to help establish is to require all AI data centres to use only renewable energy and to provide the means to generate it. This would help lessen the threat of existential climate change as well.
Marguerite Marshall, Eltham
Sheeran’s sorry saga
The recent controversy (“I’m so sorry”, 21/9) about Ed Sheeran’s support acts being cancelled, or choosing to withdraw, should make us think about how we respond to what is happening in Israel/Palestine. The fact that it is “over there” and irrelevant to the daily lives of most Australians might reassure us that it is neither our responsibility nor our right to
get involved.
However, Sheeran has shown that ultimately, we are all making a choice between closing our eyes to the truth (and who wouldn’t choose “unity” and “safe places”?) and standing up against what he accurately describes as catastrophic, disproportionate, and unjustifiable devastation.
Many artists have acted with integrity on this issue, risking their incomes and careers in order to do something. Famous or not, we can all do something.
Jo Thomson, Northcote
Musician’s minefield
Poor Ed Sheeran. A musician who’s stepped into a political minefield. He tried to step away from his justifiable actions of silencing Macklemore by stating the war in Gaza or its damage is unjustifiable. Unfortunately, Ed, it is justifiable if Hamas continue to roam and control the streets of Gaza with weaponry. Israel needed to
launch a war after the horror of October 7, 2023.
Hamas is a movement with the stated intention of destroying Israel which it planned for two decades with the building of strategic tunnels and a build-up of weaponry from their like-minded Iranian colleagues.
None of these tunnels were ever offered to poor Gazan civilians who were intentionally placed in harm’s way to get maximum (negative) media coverage.
Charles Freeman, Caulfield South
Sign of our times
As the dust settles after the preliminary final at the ‘G on Saturday, the real issue of the result is not unhappy Hawks and happy Lions fans, but the throwing of the bottles at the umpires and onto the ground generally.
This was done by a cross-section of society, and represents a push back against authority and the circumstances created by the system which adversely affects many who believe it was unfair and feel powerless.
Some will say the AFL must act to ensure it does not happen again, but the real leaders of our society need to have a very good look and speak and act appropriately before such behaviour becomes the norm.
Some may say it already is, and the throwing of bottles is another manifestation of the emerging trend.
Keith Hanslow, Blackburn
MCC drinking
Saturday night’s great preliminary final was marred by can-throwing. Sitting in the forward part of level four of the MCC, patrons could buy three cans of alcohol from a self-service outlet.
The cans are opened at purchase point. When three cans per patron are consumed, three more can be bought. Since drinking outside bars have been allowed, behaviour has deteriorated. Profit for the MCC seems the main concern.
Barry Marshall, Armadale
‘Boys being boys’ excuse
Many football commentators (or those who talk about football) say it was so emotional and heightened at the game on Saturday night, that they can understand the emotions and actions. The actions were wrong, but they can understand.
″She made me do it″, say domestic violence abusers. ″I was so mad, I couldn’t stop.″
No. Grow up and act like adults. Boys being boys, indeed.
Stephanie Howell, Brunswick
Professionalise umpiring
Having digested the weekend, the real blight on an extraordinary preliminary final is that so much of the discussion has been about the legitimacy of the officiating rather than the football.
Throwing bottles at umpires is indefensible. But the anger in the crowd should not simply be dismissed. When supporters believe subjective umpiring decisions have materially influenced who reaches a grand final, confidence in the contest is damaged. Great games should be decided by football acts, not remembered for the whistle.
The AFL should professionalise field umpiring. In a billion-dollar national competition, an elite full-time cohort should spend its working week training as athletes, reviewing decisions, calibrating interpretations and preparing for high-pressure scenarios.
Umpires will always make mistakes. The AFL’s job is to make consequential ones as rare as possible. Finals should be remembered for the football.
Alan Tse, Fitzroy
Finals fever
High emotions, booze and one-eyed views of umpire decisions, what could possibly go wrong?
Pepe Salvatore, North Fitzroy
Big not always better
As the largest tram network in the world, Melbourne was invited to compete in the recent European Tramdriver Championship in Warsaw. Twenty-six teams from
24 countries competed in events such as tram bowling and the water-spill challenge. Melbourne came second last. Our tram network might be big, but it’s clearly not world-class.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills
Status quo
While your correspondent (Letters, 21/9) is not concerned that South Korea could become Korea South, I’m more concerned about states such as Australia South and Australia West. Best we leave them as they are.
John Wyatt, Armadale
AND ANOTHER THING
The Coalition calls for more discipline in classrooms and for every school to have a flag. Why not turn the clock way back and have the monarch’s portrait in every government building and school classroom? That should solve any problem facing the Australian population.
Peter Roche, Carlton
Ali Berg’s opinion piece ″Men are looking for love in the wrong places,″21/9 is an apt follow up to the Spectrum feature on romance fiction (19/9). Empathy all around.
Betty Rudin, Wandin North
Donald, if you want to rebrand AI, it is not superior intelligence or any other superlative you want to call it. Try ‘Fake Intelligence’.
Colin Campbell, Strathfieldsaye
Three NSW women died last Saturday as a result of domestic violence. How does this fit with Pauline Hanson’s narrative that domestic violence prevents police from dealing with ″real crime″?
Phil Alexander, Eltham
AFL
Passion is part of football, but post-game bad behaviour, as seen Saturday, is totally unacceptable. A lifetime ban should be implemented. We never want to see this happening in our game.
Barbara Rozenes, Southbank
The ball was in courageous Hawthorn’s court but they fell short of the mark. Accept it – it’s called sportsmanship.
Margaret Skeen, Ocean Grove
When it comes to AFL grand final flights, there are no positive connotations to the airlines’ dynamic pricing.
Ian Macdonald, Traralgon
Further to your correspondent’s letter about AFL and technology (20/9), and using the cameras and the infrastructure proposed. Why not just have robotic umpires and decision is final? And make them missile proof.
Doug Springall, Yarragon
Finally
Your Letters correspondent (20/9) ridicules the linguistic drift, America South etc, but missed one with multiple nuances: Canada South.
Ken Blackman, Inverloch
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