An increasingly uncomfortable world: Loss of skiing a minor issue in the climate change context

Loss of snow cover is further proof, if any were needed, that our climate is changing – and not for the better (“Which of Australia’s favourite ski fields will survive by 2080?”, June 5). Perhaps a majority of Australians will not mourn the loss of skiing as a sport, but future generations will certainly mourn the other impacts of climate change – more floods, fires, droughts and storms, and a hotter, increasingly uncomfortable world. Yet, still, we go on acting like nothing is wrong, feeding the fossil fuel addictions of friend and foe. It’s still not too late to save the snowfields and everything else we hold dear on this planet, but not without a concerted about-turn. Ken Enderby, Concord

Credit: Matt Golding

The article regarding the future viability of Australian ski fields includes mention of four crucial issues. These are the future survival of Australia’s alpine ecosystems, water supply for irrigation in our nation’s major food bowl, hydroelectric generation capacity, and the contraction in the length of ski seasons. The relentless increase in global temperatures, due to growing carbon emissions, provides an unquestionable indication of the consequences for our alpine areas. However, both this and the trend towards more extreme weather events, and the difficulty confronting the meteorologist’s capacity to predict them, will further compound greater uncertainties, not just in the alpine regions, but across our global ecosystem. Roger Epps, Armidale

The prediction that only Charlotte Pass and Mt Hotham will remain by 2080 is wrong. They also won’t be viable. The effects of global warming will be far wider as spring run-off will fail to support numerous rural industries and towns along the Murray River and in the Riverina. But what will the Coalition climate change deniers care? They’ll have their parliamentary pensions and post politics cushy jobs to see them off handsomely. As for their grandchildren, they can turn to water sports basking in the coral bleached waters of Queensland and right down the east coast as the ocean broils. Howard Charles, Annandale

The brilliant article on how our snowfields could be saved if the world cuts emissions, makes clear what the direct benefits are from action on climate change. But the chilling future if emissions are not cut, is also clear. If the Snowy hydro loses the snowmelt that provides its water power, Australia loses a major component of the stabilisation of our power grid for renewable supplies. Then there’s the destruction of the ecology of the entire high country of Victoria and NSW. Unthinkable. We need focused, wartime-like political action to get climate change under control now. How will that happen while our media-fearing parliaments just do business as usual? Barry Laing, Castle Cove

Your report is grim reading, and a warning. Researchers at the Australian National University have found winter snow cover to be at a 2000-year low. Furthermore, the last 12 months have been the hottest on record. For example, Delhi, India’s capital, has just suffered a series of record-high temperatures, culminating in an all-time high of 52.9 degrees Celsius on May 29 (late spring). The snow situation can only worsen unless, as the report states, the world rapidly cuts “climate pollution”, by carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)

Many of us have happy memories of visiting the Snowy Mountains ski fields in winter, or viewing the unique alpine scenery when hiking in summer. But our children and grandchildren may not be so lucky. Unfortunately, the snow-line is receding and with it the opportunity to enjoy our winter playground. Some ski resorts may even be forced to close down in future. The uniquely beautiful natural environment has also been impacted, with native species endemic to the high country under threat. Our formerly resilient snow-gums have already been decimated by dieback related to warming temperatures. The Snowy Mountains are the aptly named “canary in the coal mine″⁣ of climate change, as regards alpine tourism. We owe it to future generations, to do all we can to lessen the effects of global warming. Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)

Voters don’t do enough to sort through the fake news

Ross Gittins has tapped into the confused messaging on the economy and immigration confronting voters (“Caught in a political spin cycle”, June 5). The political bias and lack of integrity in some media outlets and social media make it virtually impossible for the average punter to become adequately informed. Unfortunately, most voters don’t do enough of their own research to differentiate between fact and falsehood. Commentators like Gittins do their best, but only a small percentage of voters read the Herald or seek out other reliable sources. We know that voters do sometimes get it wrong out of ignorance, though the pollies peddle the falsehood that voters always get it right. Sadly, the confusion is likely to increase, not diminish. Hopefully, we never end up with a Donald Trump and the disastrous situation now facing the US. However, it could happen here if we don’t remain vigilant. Graham Lum, North Rocks

Political spin.Credit: Andrew Dyson

Whenever a younger person complains about newspaper bias, and how social media has more honest reporting, I suggest they read Gittins, whose impartial and thorough understanding of all things financial (and more) leaves us informed, sometimes very annoyed with those in control, but never angry. Donald Hawes, Peel

It will disappoint the many who say that net overseas migration is too high to learn that the current visa rules don’t control the number of arrivals. Any foreign applicant who fits one of Australia’s visa categories gets in, as there are no limits on how many are accepted. This disconnect with voters is buried by misleading political rhetoric. The truth is that federal Treasury boffins, and the self-interested business lobby want unlimited immigration. It is the states who pay for the needed infrastructure. It is ordinary citizens who suffer the congestion, queues and building frenzy. It is the natural world that is being destroyed. Our population is a central feature in Australian life today, and a major factor in our future. For the government to exercise little control over it or, worse still, let it balloon uncontrollably, is a gross abdication of their duty to this country. Ian Penrose, Kew (Vic)

It seems to be common practice at press conferences and interviews for ministers to be asked questions on subjects outside their portfolio. If they don’t know the answer, they should say so. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill

Both major parties like to tell voters they live in a democracy, but Gittins opinion exposes
deliberately misleading political statements. A democracy is only democratic if voters are informed but it isn’t if voters are deliberately mislead. John Macintosh, Merewether

History lesson can’t be ignored

It’s a concern that the first recourse of some is the banning of texts or other material because they might go against the grain of one individual’s beliefs and attitudes, particularly in schools (“School’s choice of Indigenous protest song raises concern”, June 5). It is a tendency towards intolerance. How is a student able to understand the complexities of history regarding the violence caused to Indigenous communities, the actions of governments and the many atrocities conducted throughout the path of Western civilisation, if they have been shielded from truths in their primary years? One voice should not have the power to cancel the representation of truth, as it suppresses the quality of empathising with all groups of people in the community, which is the real lesson to be learnt. Vanessa Tennent, Oatley

Prue Car states, “Anything that creates any sort of division, we can’t have in our schools.” Minister, are you talking about the song choice or our public and private school system? Kate van de Wall, Collaroy Plateau

While I understand the urge to demonise Captain Cook, I’d be pointing the finger at those who gave him his orders – the British monarchy. And yet, I see we’re about to celebrate the King’s birthday. Strange. Jeff Apter, Keiraville

Unis fail test

Let’s cut to the chase. Universities have spent the past 25 years milking international students, under the guise of being an export industry, so as to prop up their research agenda (“Unis fear job cuts, $500m budget hole”, June 5). This has led to layers of management and excessive salaries, some exceeding $1 million. They have lost sight of their primary goal to provide all students with knowledge, skills and critical thinking to contribute and improve society for all. Their report card is in: Fail. Michael Blissenden, Dural

The anticipated cuts in overseas student numbers may seem somewhat extreme, but the previous laissez-faire policy obviously has resulted in problems such as dodgy colleges which provided little or no teaching. Furthermore, the universities have arguably concentrated on quantity rather than quality of students, which has no doubt resulted in a drop in academic standards. The control of student numbers provides the opportunity to clean up the entire sector and increase standards which make the qualifications obtained more prestigious. University research may well suffer from lower income, but if the government and opposition truly believe this should be a clever country, there should be far greater government sponsorship of research. As for the anticipated loss of jobs, there is a sector – high school education, which is desperately in need of highly qualified teachers.
Geoff Harding, Chatswood

The way we fund higher education is broken. Reliance on overseas students is the lazy way. The chief of Universities Australia claims it is one of our largest exports and will be damaged if we cut their numbers. The commodification of a university degree started in the 1990s, thus saving the federal government from having to pay for what is a service to all of us. The value of having a highly educated populace is an asset to a nation, not a cost. As Oscar Wilde said, we “know the price of everything but the value of nothing”. Chris Moe, Bensville

Prioritise housing

With our perfect storm of housing and transport woes, created by decades of government and industry incompetence, it’s time to get creative (Letters, June 5). Shut down all racing tracks and re-develop them for housing, but keep a couple of paddocks (aka green space) and stables. Jump on a horse and you’ve got sustainable transport recharged with hay, plus a ready supply of horse crap to feed a community garden. Marie Healy, Hurlstone Park

There was a clear pronoun problem in the letters about Rosehill Racecourse. Conflating our “public good” with what is clearly their “private property”. Glenn Wood, Bardon (Qld)

Your correspondent suggests building over railway stations and infrastructure as a part solution to housing shortage. Seems to me a racecourse would be perfect location for new homes to be built over existing infrastructure, such as the Rosehill and Randwick tracks. Angel Ioannou, Dulwich Hill

Instead of Rosehill being sold off for housing, perhaps we should look at Canterbury or Warwick Farm. Both tracks are underutilised. Perhaps we should also look at removing Luna Park and increasing density in Milsons Point and the lower north shore. Peter Haggarty, Cranebrook

NDIS fix

When the NDIS was designed by the Labor government, experts warned of the probable cost blowouts and opportunities for fraud (“NDIS money spent on illegal drugs”, June 5). The Liberals, despite their concerns, were wedged to support the legislation lest they be seen to be uncaring. When the Abbott government took over, attempts were made to bring the NDIS under control, but every proposed change was opposed by Labor – and specifically by Bill Shorten – as being too cruel to NDIS participants. It is fitting that he is now in the seat to fix the problems that he helped create, both in the flawed design of the scheme and lack of support for reforming the NDIS. Michael Castles, Grose Vale

Learning new ways

This constant promotion by older teachers of the “tried and true” methods of teaching and learning (Letters, May 5) ignores decades of educational research and development that incorporate different learning styles and the varying abilities of children. Children sitting in rows reciting their times tables and eliminating “games and fun activities” is archaic. Demographic change from the 1960s means we have a far more diverse group of children moving through our schools, needing varying approaches to teaching and learning. Don’t insult our current colleagues who seek to provide the best education they can on a day-to-day basis. Indeed, explicit instruction is a part of the pedagogy required, but it does not sit alone in the complex task of modern teaching. Scott Warnes, Suffolk Park

Farage’s milkshake moment lightens up the UK election trail

Perhaps the assailant could have given Nigel Farage his just desserts, whipping up a Banana Blancmange from the local Sainsbury’s (“On first day of campaign, bystander throws milkshake over Farage”, smh.com.au, June 5). Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook

I really wasn’t expecting Farage’s campaign to be so vanilla. Jeremy Brender, West Richmond (SA)

Pilates plasterer

Thank goodness, my pilates teacher has agreed to re-roof my house (Letters, June 5). Norris Smith, Davidson

Matt GoldingCredit:

No connection

What’s with the headline (“Hugh Jackman’s judge brother roasts corporate regulator”, June 5)? My sister’s brother-in -law’s uncle says the article has got nothing to do with Hugh Jackman. Diane Dennis, Epping

Moot argument

It is disappointing to read correspondents’ bickering about when a European notion of winter might start in NSW (Letters, June 5). With 60,000 years of experience along our coast and foothills, Dharawal know that Marraigang in April-June is wet becoming cool, Burrugin in June-July is cold and frosty, and Wiritjiribin in July-August is cold and windy. Warmth comes back with the flying foxes in Ngoonungi, the first of the three warmer seasons. Alex Byrne, Glebe

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