Letters to the Editor, August 16, 2018

TODAY’S LETTERS: Readers have their say on Senator Fraser Anning’s controversial maiden speech, the Turnbull Government’s National Energy Guarantee push and the daylight saving debate.

Senator Fraser Anning wants to close the door on Muslim immigration. Picture Kym Smith

SENATOR Fraser Anning has revealed the dark side of current political discourse.

His maiden speech in the Senate (C-M, Aug 15) has the hallmarks of narrow-minded racism characteristic of the far right in Australia.

I recall teaching my history classes of Australia’s abandonment of the White Australia policy as a significant progressive milestone in our development as a nation.

For Anning to advocate a return to such a policy displays a complete lack of understanding of how we have progressed as a modern state.

If we value an inclusive and multicultural society, we need to reject Anning’s divisive nonsense and promote the notion that we have been and will continue to be enhanced by immigration.

That a public figure should use the Parliament to peddle his misguided and inflammatory rhetoric should be condemned by all those who have a vision of Australia as a generally cohesive and compassionate society.

Steve Jenkins, Sinnamon Park

SENATOR Fraser Anning’s first Senate speech will only lead to promoting bigotry, racism and division in society.

Is this what we want?

His speech is a worrying sign of misplaced fear, giving extremists exactly what they want. Terrorism is a real danger, but terrorist activities in Australia are rare.

The minority of so-called Muslims who defame Islam for personal or political gains want exactly this – to fill us with fear, hate and anger.

Muslims have been living in Australia since before federation. Southeast Asian Muslims traded with indigenous people as far back as the 1600s.

From then until now, Muslims have contributed to the growth, development and prosperity of Australia.

Without them, we would not be where we are now.

I am an Ahmadi Muslim and my community strongly promotes tolerance, unity and acceptability for people of all faiths and backgrounds.

There is no place for division or hatred in Australia.

It’s time for political leadership to acknowledge any form of hate speech inciting racial discrimination has no place in our society.

B. Nasir, Darling Heights

I AM a fan of Bob Katter.

He is a decent man who speaks his mind and is not constrained by party politics.

He may speak his mind frequently but he doesn’t say hurtful things.

And that is why he must throw Senator Fraser Anning out of the Katter’s Australian Party immediately.

Opportunistic politicians like Anning will say anything to attract the extremist vote.

He claims he was misquoted when he used the words “Final Solution” in his maiden speech in the Senate.

But I believe he deliberately chose his words to invite controversy.

Everyone knows how hurtful those words are to Australians of Jewish ancestry.

And then Anning had the nerve to defend his actions by saying free speech is one of the things Australian Diggers made their sacrifices to defend.

When Allied troops arrived at the gates of the Nazi concentration camps to free their inmates, it showed why Australians took up arms against the Nazis in the first place.

Peter Pak, Rochedale South

I AM disgusted and appalled by Senator Fraser Anning’s race-baiting maiden speech.

His views belong in a shameful past.

While he may be a Queensland senator, he does not represent me.

Paul Rigby, New Farm

FINALLY, a breath of fresh air from one of the honest politicians, Fraser Anning.

What’s that noise I hear? Is that the swamp draining or the rats leaving the sinking Liberal and Labor ships?

Norm Coleman, Slacks Creek

***********

NEG JUST TINKERING

THE National Energy Guarantee has moved through its preliminary phases and the Labor states have given it “in-principle” agreement.

Despite columnist Dennis Atkins (C-M, Aug 15) and his effusive praise of Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, there was never any doubt it would pass the Coalition party room.

It is no longer 2009. The climate change position of Tony Abbott and his supporters is now obsolete.

There is still a long way to go. Labor in Victoria is insisting that future changes to Australia’s emissions reduction target of 26 per cent be made by regulation rather than legislation.

Federal Labor’s Mark Butler objects to Labor’s hands being tied by targets set in stone when it is clear that higher targets in the future are supported by the bulk of industry.

Even if Labor wins the next election, enough climate deniers will remain on the crossbench to prevent further reductions being approved.

With the vast scientific consensus on the dangers of global warming, the NEG is hardly a game-changer, simply an attempt to tinker with the inexorable necessity of having an effective mechanism to lower carbon emissions.

Francis Carroll, Moorooka

THE Federal Government reckons it can guarantee that electric prices will come down under its National Energy Guarantee plan.

That’s absolute rubbish. The Government cannot guarantee anything.

The electricity companies will circumnavigate this plan and do what they do best, rip off the public.

The Government should instead apply the same NEG plan to the fuel industry.

This industry has had free reign over the public for far too long and, what’s worse, is that most of the profits from this industry go overseas.

I believe a similar plan on the fuel industry would expose price gouging and collusion between companies.

The public and businesses have been taken for a ride for a long time.

Action by the Government is needed now, but don’t hold your breath.

Sam Williamson, Bargara

************

PUTTING CLOCKS FORWARD NO HELP IF STUCK IN THE PAST

WATPAC chief executive Martin Monro says Brisbane can’t claim to be a “world city” without addressing daylight saving (C-M, Aug 14).

His statement is beyond comprehension.

Brisbane is at least 25 years behind Melbourne and Sydney as a result of poor State Government and council management.

It is not surprising Brisbane has now slipped to 22 on the Global Liveability Index.

Turning the clock forward an hour in summer will not improve the situation.

Gerard T. O’Neill, Brisbane City

THE debate over daylight saving is a waste of time.

There is no compulsion for anyone or any business to conform to any time zone.

In 1988/89, while working on a far north Queensland island resort, we used daylight saving time because it suited our particular business.

Curtains didn’t fade more, livestock didn’t stop eating and the planes flew on time.

If it suits, use it. The thought police will not come knocking on your door.

Brian Bywater, South Mission Beach

A MAJOR drought is affecting farmers throughout the state but, no, let’s all get our panties in a knot over daylight saving.

This subject is rehashed every year because if you live in the southeast and struggle with maths, you can’t remember when calls to the southern states have to be placed. Oh, the pain of it all. I don’t know how we survive.

Could we instead focus on what’s important and helping our farmers in drought?

Shani Doig, Coorparoo

I AM sick to death of southeast Queensland every year wanting daylight saving.

There is more to Queensland than just the southeast corner. Maybe it’s time to put the issue back on the southern states. If they didn’t have daylight saving, the problem would be solved.

Robyn Willis, Rockyview

***********

Join the conversation. Send your letters to couriermail.com.au/letters or email to [e-mail]