So, Peter Dutton tells us that his nuclear policy will be cheaper than Labor’s renewables policy (“Dutton to claim nuclear rollout will end up cheaper than renewables”, December 6). I would recommend to readers the Climate Council’s myth-busting article “The seven ways the federal Coalition could cook the books on nuclear costings”.
Some points it includes are: excluding the cost of keeping our ageing power stations open until 2038, estimated at $225 million per year for the Eraring station alone; excluding the prohibitory costs for storing nuclear waste for no less than 100,000 years and giving no consideration to the cost of continuing to burn possibly 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon by 2050, which will increase the number of climate disasters and a rise in insurance premium costs for all of us.
It also ignores the reality of cost blowouts for building a nuclear system, and the cost of transmission upgrades that are needed at the ageing power stations that they are pretending to be cost-neutral sites for their nuclear plants and are already being used for new battery, wind and solar power. Charmain Brinks, Newcastle
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is pushing nuclear power.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen, Getty Images
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that solar- and wind-produced energy is 10 times more effective at reducing carbon dioxide emissions than nuclear energy, which delivers far less power per dollar and is now adding as much energy in a year as renewables do in just a few days. Stanford University studies show new nuclear plants cost up to seven times as much as onshore wind or solar per kilowatt hour, and take five to 17 years to deploy. It will be interesting to compare Dutton’s estimated cost to store nuclear waste safely with the current estimated cost in Britain of £53 billion ($105 billion). Peter Nash, Fairlight
The claim that nuclear, in Australia, is cheaper than renewables is simply false. It ignores price changes over the past 20 years, whereby the cost of renewables, as predicted, has fallen by 90 per cent. Also, 2050 is 25 years away; anyone who thinks solar power will be the same 25 years from now is deluding themselves. Batteries will be much cheaper, in real terms, in 25 years’ time. Critical materials such as lithium will be in the recycling phase by then. On the other hand, since nuclear energy depends so much on the fuel cycle, it could become more expensive. Meanwhile, renewables will continue to get cheaper as transmission lines with aluminium cables improve, and get cheaper, and hydrogen-generation costs fall by a factor of 10 or more with natural gas feed. Noel Thompson, Riverview
It appears that the Coalition is pushing its nuclear power idea solely based on dubious capital cost estimates produced by a friendly associate. Nobody is considering such important issues as waste disposal, plant location with cooling water supply security or the availability of specialist labour and construction timelines. Giorgio Genocchio, Lane Cove
Rather than pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into nuclear submarines, our money would be better spent on building a national fast train network to the advantage of all Australians. The estimated cost of the submarines is $368 billion, while the estimated cost of a national fast train network is $150 billion. The days of manned submarines are limited, and nuclear subs bring with them all the attendant problems of basing, manning and maintenance – for a questionable defence benefit. The rail job should be put out to international tender. In a fair competition, China might well be the winner, as China has the world’s largest fast train network. Clive Williams, Forrest (ACT)
At $500 billion, Peter Dutton’s 2045 nuclear plan is not only late, it’s expensive. At that price, we could put $33,000 worth of batteries on each of Australia’s 15.2 million buildings and abandon the grid altogether.
Sarah Hart, Gordon
When it comes to a politician versus Australia’s peak scientific body about the cost of nuclear energy, I know who I’d rather believe.
Dave Horsfall, North Gosford
Guiding light
The National Gallery of Australia was not the only gallery to benefit from the generosity of the remarkable Ellen Waugh (“The 99-year-old artist and the $4.9 million roadblock: Breakthrough for Sydney coastal walk”, December 6). In 2011, she donated to the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery a pencil drawing – a dentist’s surgery from the patient’s perspective – given to her in 1955 by the artistically precocious 16-year-old Brett Whiteley, who she taught in night classes at the Scots School in Bathurst, while on the foundation staff of the Bathurst Teachers’ College. John Payne, Kelso
Ellen WaughCredit: James Alcock
What a refreshingly uplifting story, a tale that highlights a creative individual’s foresight, artistic integrity and generosity directed towards her broader community. Ellen Waugh’s final creative act brings joy to both current and future generations of public coastal walkers on the Bondi to Malabar. The coastal cliff and sandstone ocean edge she so loved is now made accessible by virtue of her foresight and will. Little wonder that Christo and his partner Jeanne-Claude’s wrapping of Little Bay in 1969 caught Waugh’s imagination and creative eye.
Ellen Waugh’s nephew fondly described his eccentric aunt as “crazy’ and “mad”. This kind of madness we could surely all benefit from.
Cleveland Rose, Dee Why
I have lost count of the number of times I have trudged up Cuzco Street on my way to Lurline Bay and wondered about who lived in the house blocking the way. Thank you, Ellen, for making it possible for future walkers to enjoy the coastal path without that detour.
Josephine Piper, Miranda
Online terrors
The report on the rapid online radicalisation of teenagers, and subsequent terror threats, is extremely worrying (“Five Eyes nations sound unprecedented alarm on ‘shocking’ teenage terror threat”, December 6). It adds to the list of ways in which the internet, and particularly social media, have been damaging our society. There’s the loss of local jobs, and the payment of little local tax; information loss from fewer local journalists; damage to social cohesion when social media realises it could sell more ads by training algorithms to foster distrust and anger; harm to children’s and adolescents’ mental health; scam ads the media companies are reluctant to take down; and misinformation and disinformation for which the sites provide a platform. It is perhaps the last which will be judged most damaging because it is an assault on truth, on which democracy depends. That is playing out around the world.
Gary Barnes, Mosman
Protests tear fabric of society
This morning a synagogue in Melbourne had its windows smashed and was fire-bombed (“Witness fled pre-dawn synagogue attack to raise alarm, police hunt two masked suspects”, December 6). Recently, an anti-Israel rally was held outside another synagogue in Caulfield, where former Israeli ministers had been invited to address the congregation. A couple of days ago people attending the Great Synagogue in Sydney were prevented from leaving when vocal and intimidating anti-Israel protesters gathered outside. The event inside the synagogue had nothing to do with current events in the Middle East. These recent events are examples of blatant antisemitism that is infecting our society. If these intimidating protests had taken place outside a mosque or church there would have been an enormous outcry. When will our government take meaningful action against these perpetrators, not just with weak and ineffectual words? And when will mainstream media properly expose this antisemitism so that all Australians are made aware of the current destructiveness affecting the fabric of our society.
Kathy Sharp, Neutral Bay
The arson and explosives squad is investigating the firebombing.Credit: Arsineh Houspian
Opposition’s free ride
Regular reports of Anthony Albanese’s decline and Peter Dutton’s electability and the free ride given to the latter by the political punditry, are reminiscent of the recent US election (Letters, December 6). Trump cruised to victory on the shoulders of a widespread refusal of the US media to adequately report on his stupidity, lies and outrageous behaviour. On the other hand, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris copped it unrelentingly and without due recognition of their significant achievements, not least with the economy. Let’s hope we are not similarly cruising to a Dutton victory here as a result of a failure to really examine what he is on (or not on) about, and poor coverage of the government’s achievements.
James Mahoney, McKellar (ACT)
If any of your letter writers would care to watch question time while parliament is sitting they would witness Anthony Albanese wiping the floor with the Coalition. Albanese’s performances are first class. I think the stage 3 tax cuts and his decision to go head-to-head with the Greens when more than 30 pieces of legislation were passed in the last day of parliament in November, counters the “afraid to make decisions” and “take action on almost any issue” descriptions.
Peter Nelson, Moss Vale
Niki Savva argues that one answer to the government’s woes is for the prime minister to promote Tanya Plibersek to an enlarged, meaningful portfolio. This ignores the fact that it was Albanese who sidelined Plibersek into her present role lest she threaten his position. But with the ALP at best facing minority government in 2025, the leadership will then be open to contest. Ironically, being forced out of the limelight enables Plibersek to present a fresh face, distancing herself from Labor’s sinking fortunes. Bookmakers have already installed her as second favourite behind Jim Chalmers. As to Anthony Albanese? There’s a sun lounge waiting for him at Copacabana. Bruce Watson, Kirribilli
When Dutton accuses Labor of betraying Israel he’s attempting to keep his profile in the media. But there’s something else going on. He’s signalling to the many Christians who support him, who have have an odd and un-biblical belief about Israel in end-time prophecy. They believe that Israel will be restored and all the Jewish people will become Christians. There are lots of these folk in Queensland and they will support Israel come what may. It works for politicians in the US where this silly belief came from. I also suspect that others who support Dutton are negative towards Islam and so his little tirades about betraying Israel probably work with them as well. What Dutton actually believes I don’t know. Does anybody?
David Ashton, Katoomba
Mardi Gras loses its edge
Peter Stahel’s reference to the heroic struggles of Trotskyists in Europe in the 1930s against fascism and Stalinism is ironic given the essential role that Trotskyists, anarchists, communists and lesbian feminists played in the first Mardi Gras parades from 1978-2021 (“The secret reason behind Mardi Gras move to ban NSW police”, December 6). Many of us have continued to engage for almost five decades. As one of the organisers of those first parades, I continue to oppose the presence of an official police contingent and I believe that big business sponsors can be rewarded in ways other than having large advertising floats. I hope the democracy and edginess of Mardi Gras can be maintained. Across the world, many Pride parades have decided to remove official police groups due to institutional racism and heterosexism. Individual queer workers should be welcome in the parades in union or workers groups, not simply promoting their employers. Ken Davis, Stanwell Park
The proposed Sydney Mardi Gras NSW Police ban is part of a broader agenda Credit: Jenny Evans/Getty Images
Formula for success
Congratulations to Nicola and Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation on their investment in the Future Generation Women fund (“Nicola and Andrew Forrest to bankroll superstar team at all-female fund”, December 5). An analysis of major corporations listed in New York during and after the Global Financial Crisis demonstrated that those which were led by women, or had a largely female board, emerged in a better financial situation than the others. A successful formula which will now be tested in Australia.
Glenda Gartrell, Newtown
Heretical histories
From 1560 until 1966 the Vatican published the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, the index of prohibited books (Letters, December 6). In 1783, the Vatican added Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire to the list. Hopefully, no Catholic school or tertiary institution’s library has copies of it on their shelves. I think Archbishop Fisher and co should investigate all Catholic-related libraries to make sure that the heretical histories are purged so as to keep Catholic students safe from learning the truth.
Neil Purcell, Hermit Park (Qld)
A few topics have caught the eye of our letter writers this week. The social media ban for under 16s and US President Joe Biden’s pardoning of his son Hunter triggered a flurry of missives.
Brian Haisman said the social media ban meant “Australia is about to repeat the US’s Prohibition experiment. Virtual speakeasies are already being devised, illicit avatar stills concocted, black markets set up. Can’t wait!”
The Biden pardon attracted mixed reviews. Peter Rayner said: “Donald Trump will weaponise this pardoning process to protect his children. They can break a US law and their father will pardon them.”
Irene Nemes demurred: “What 82-year-old father leaving public office with the power to do this wouldn’t do the same? Even presidents share human frailties with ordinary people.”
But the topic of the week was undoubtably the turbulent political situation in Sydney’s north shore electorate of Bradfield. When I arrived at work on Monday morning, a blizzard of angry letters about Liberal MP Paul Fletcher poured down over the Letters cabana – and didn’t stop for three days.
In a preview of a speech to the Sydney Institute, Fletcher was quoted as saying that the teal independents were a “giant green con job” who managed to dupe traditional Liberal voters (“Coalition frontbencher says voters conned into backing independents”, December 2).
Elisabeth Goodsall responded, saying she had voted for teal candidate Nicolette Boele last time “not because Paul Fletcher was part of one of the worst governments ever inflicted upon this country, but apparently because I am such a stupid woman I had no idea what I was doing. And I can’t learn from my mistakes because I’ll be doing it again.”
Dawn Hope wrote in on Friday. “I want to cheer on all those letter writers who responded to [Fletcher] so quickly and excoriatingly. I’d like to particularly congratulate Elizabeth Goodsall. Can I nominate it for Letter of the Year?” Yes, you can, Dawn, and so can all the letters correspondents. And (apart from Tim Parker, who won last year), you can even nominate yourselves.
Margot Saville, letters editor
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