Anthony Albanese has already linked climate change to the current cyclone disaster (“More ‘intense’ events: PM makes climate change a key election issue”, March 8). Higher temperatures allow more moisture to be held in the air (7 per cent more for every degree of heating – simple science) leading to higher rainfall intensity. Higher ocean temperatures at increasingly high latitudes allow cyclones to move further south at greater strength. Peter Dutton therefore has a problem with an electorate starkly reminded of the economic and social cost of climate change. His energy and climate policies explicitly aim to slow the rate of emission reduction; no doubt Labor will be reminding the electorate of his climate denial/policy vacuum through to election day. Garry White, Lindfield
If Anthony Albanese plans to make climate change a major issue in the election battle, he may well be making a rod for his own back. While Dutton’s nuclear policy is seen as just an attempt to put off any serious attempt to address the issue for the next 15 years, our government believes it can get away with ignoring the fact that on land we have already passed 1.5C of warming. Tanya Plibersek has delayed her decision on Woodside’s application for a 50-year extension to its North West Shelf project which, according to its own figures, will create an annual release of 90 million tonnes of emissions – the equivalent of 12 average size coal-based power stations. While the government is doing many good things to reduce our emissions, it is failing to curb the emissions of gas exploration companies such as Woodside, which exports 90 per cent of its gas and is largely royalty-free. Peter Nash, Fairlight
Albanese and Chalmers as Odysseus and mate facing Scylla and Charybdis in treacherous seas. Charybdis, the giant whirlpool is labelled “climate change”.Credit: Matt Davidson
Despite Tony Abbott’s and the Coalition’s protestations that “climate change is crap”, Alfred, the most southerly (now ex) cyclone to hit land, reminds us we’re in the midst of it. In these unpredictable times, we must congratulate Labor on EMO’s assessment that they’ll meet their 43 per cent emission reduction targets by 2030, and reiterate, loudly, no new oil and gas. As for the Coalition’s kicking of climate targets across wind turbines to 2050, while distracting with the much-delayed promise of a nuclear fantasy? Climate change is now – our actions to ensure a safe world for our children must be too. Karen Campbell, Geelong (Vic)
It is encouraging to see climate change being elevated as an election issue. Without doubt, the national transition to renewables has stalled considerably, due to the prospect of a nuclear-powered Coalition win. However, election outcomes aside, politicians must acknowledge that climate change is a global problem. Australia continues to develop fossil fuel production for export, leading to increased levels of greenhouse gases. With worsening circumstances, greater attention is required to be directed at accommodating climate extremes and sea-level change. Roger Epps, Armidale
I read that prime minister Albanese believes the many hundreds of climate scientists who are saying pollution is causing more extreme weather events. Albanese calls on world leaders to take decisive action to address global warming. In that case, a common-sense action Australia could take is to stop coal and gas exports soon. All those exports will eventually spew millions of tonnes of pollution into the atmosphere. To end these exports is a no-brainer. Dennis O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)
The prime minister (and pro-growth economists) needs to realise our rapidly growing population is making the impacts of climate change worse, and not only from increased greenhouse emissions. More than 4 million people are living in ex-tropical cyclone Alfred’s impact zone – probably millions more than the last time a cyclone threatened the area 50 years ago. Unless our population growth is reduced significantly, the human cost of these disasters will continue to increase. Karen Joynes, Bermagui
How much more of this can we take?Credit: Getty Images
I share your correspondent’s fury (Letters, March 8) and ask myself the same questions. How long can our politicians continue pay lip service to action on climate change as we endure one disaster after another? The science on this has been well known for 150 years but they continue to largely ignore it, to our detriment. They must stop all mining of fossil fuels and providing subsidies to those selling it. We must address the cause of the problem, not just mop up afterwards. It is obvious, and they are failing us by their inaction. I am just waiting for one of them to say it is not the time to address the question of climate change. It absolutely is. Jim Bland, Engadine
How long can the Coalition continue to argue that the cost to Australia of taking action to mitigate climate change is prohibitive? Unwelcome as it surely is, the answer is “for the foreseeable future”, for there is nothing within Australia’s control that will stop (or even significantly reduce) net global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and its adverse consequences for us. Taking action to reduce Australia’s emissions may make some feel good, but that is its only benefit, admittedly not one at which to be sneezed. Your correspondent, as a subscriber to the belief that any action taken is worthwhile, can take comfort knowing that by cajoling voters by her letter she has at least done her bit, even though fires, floods, etc will continue unabated. Ross Drynan, Lindfield
Empathetic reactions
It is shocking but not surprising that Julia Baird feels impelled to try to defend empathy against Musk and even some evangelical churches (“Elon, to spurn empathy is to spur evil”, March 8). The last time those ideas gained traction was with Stalin and Hitler, and they didn’t have the social media megaphone. Gary Barnes, Mosman
Thank you, Julia Baird, for exposing the hypocrisy of so-called Christians who decry empathy and compassion. Jesus’ whole ministry was full of these attributes: witness the good samaritan, the prodigal son and the woman taken in adultery, to mention a few. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer
What would Jesus do? Is empathy the way to go?Credit: Marco Ugarte/AP
“Empathy is like the universal solvent. Any problem immersed in empathy becomes soluble. It is the most valuable resource in our world”: Simon Baron-Cohen, British clinical psychologist. Josephine Piper, Miranda
Thank you to Julia Baird for quoting the Bible to highlight the hypocrisy that is rampant in evangelical Christianity. I think that there are a couple of other fundamental verses that point to the ills of the modern world and the evils of Trumpism, namely “the heart of man is desperately wicked” and “the love of money is the root of all evil”. Phil Peak, Dubbo
Having recently seen from our coach windows the dire and distressing poverty of the townships on the outskirts of Cape Town, I wondered at the possibility that Elon Musk might share some of his stupendous wealth with the people of his country of birth. Julia Baird’s article has dashed any hope of such generosity as she quotes Musk as saying “the fundamental weakness of Western civilisation is empathy”. No wonder he left South Africa to its fate. Lance Dover, Pretty Beach
Bloody brilliant, Julia Baird. I liked the last paragraph and especially the last sentence, “evil, I think, is the absence of empathy”. Arthur Hennessy, Gymea Bay
Bury powerlines to keep lights on
Surely it is time that the security of the electricity grid was strengthened by putting the major infrastructure underground (“Thousands of residents ordered to evacuate as Alfred bears down”, March 8). The costs of regularly rebuilding it must be significant. An upgraded NBN doesn’t function without electricity, and neither do water and sewerage systems. David Brown, Robertson
Extreme weather happens. And it will continue to happen. With this in mind, we know we need to put our power lines underground. Hundreds and thousands of homes are without power every time we get unusually strong winds like the conditions in northern NSW and Queensland. Surely everyone can see not only the need to ensure households’ power supply, but also the way to do so. Put the lines underground. Start with new developments. Glenda Gartrell, Newtown
A huge shout-out of thanks to fellow letters contributors, many of whom I have never met, for their supportive emails in relation to that uninvited visitor Alfred. More strength to the letters fraternity. Col Shephard, Yamba
Much praise and thanks have been given, correctly, during the various press conferences held by state leaders, to the organisations, paid and voluntary, that have contributed to efforts to mitigate the effects of (now ex) Cyclone Alfred. One more group is deserving of equal thanks and praise. They are the Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN) interpreters, who have performed brilliant simultaneous translations of all being said, by various luminaries and the press. As a translator and interpreter who understands the strain of endeavouring to render a valid, accurate and current rendition of what is being said, may I add my thanks and praise for the sterling job these AUSLAN interpreters perform? Ian Usman Lewis, Armidale
Scott Morrison didn’t hold a hose and Peter Dutton doesn’t fill sandbags. Helen Howes, Collaroy
Vote of thanks
A big thanks to Joseph Ting (Letters, March 8), and his fellow workers, emergency services, volunteers et cetera, as this awful ex-cyclone continues, an all too familiar scenario these days. And also a very big “thinking of you” to all those experiencing yet another unpredictable natural disaster disrupting their lives: stay safe. Kath Mahe, Lidcombe
Cost on top of cost
I think we have it upside down (“Money matters: ’Cash isn’t free – but society thinks cash is free‴, March 8). Fifty years ago, nobody charged for cash. The cost of managing cash was the cost of doing business. Along came credit cards. Retailers and banks charged for using them. Since there was already a built-in cost to using cash, why did we have to pay for the built-in cost of using credit cards? Neville Turbit, Russell Lea
Old but effectiveCredit: Aresna Villanueva
While I agree with Clancy Yeates’ views on the cost of cash, I believe he has ignored the largest cost that the use of cash imposes: its role in crime. We see this in police footage of a drug raid. We see guns and other weapons, drugs of course but, most importantly, hundreds of thousands of dollars cash, but of course not an EFTPOS machine in sight. Without cash, drugs and stolen goods would not change hands and, as we have seen, repeatedly casinos struggle when they are not used as a facility to turn black money into usable currency. Cash also plays a significant and costly role in tax avoidance. Who isn’t tempted by a lower price offered by a tradie for a cash job? Barry Harrod, Fig Tree Pocket (Qld)
Resourceful Gough
Gough Whitlam did his best for the countryCredit: Belinda Pratten
Gary Newman in his latest article (“Labor can’t manage the economy, right? The claim by Dutton and co doesn’t stand up”, smh.com.au, March 9) reminds us that Gough Whitlam attempted to get a loan to buy back all our resources. Considering the multi-billions of dollars heading offshore or parked in the bank accounts of a tiny few as is the current situation, his plan to use Australian resources for the benefit of all Australians could have made this country a happier and wealthier place. Wealth and power put a stop to Whitlam, and all Australians were the losers. Graeme Finn, Earlwood
Nuclear hot air
Yes, nuclear releases zero CO2 (“Alfred and other electoral storms”, March 8), but it is far from having a zero effect on the climate. All greenhouse emissions lead ultimately to more heat in the environment as ex-cyclone Alfred is showing us. Nuclear plants, as well as coal plants, produce huge amounts of waste heat that needs to be dissipated into the environment, mostly the oceans, which are the same oceans that supercharged Alfred as it approached and crossed the coast. In fact, only one-third of the heat from nuclear reactors, and burning coal, drives the turbines to produce electricity, while two-thirds is waste heat that needs to be dissipated. Nuclear isn’t so clean after all. Peter Kamenyitzky, Castle Hill
Language lessons
US President Donald Trump may have declared English to be the language of America (Letters, March 9) but in My Fair Lady, writers Lerner and Loewe say that, “In America, they haven’t spoken it for years.” Coral Button, North Epping
Trump changing English to American? No harm in that, after all, Winston Churchill did once observe that Britain and America were two nations divided by a common language. Frank McGrath, Bulli
Hidden meanings
I loved Richard Glover’s phrases that say one thing but mean the opposite (“Compliment that needs returning” March 8). My favourite is “May I help you, sir?” Translation: “Just what do you think you are doing, Sonny Jim?” Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba
Richard Glover’s mention of the questionable use of “with respect” is reminiscent of these euphemisms attributed to some lawyers in response to judges’ interjections. ‴With respect, your Honour’, meaning being ‘I disagree’. ‘With great respect, your Honour’ – you are wrong, and ‘With the greatest respect, your Honour’ – send in the men in white coats.” Edward Loong, Milsons Point
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