The Coalition is prioritising cheaper energy over reducing carbon emissions (“Poll warns Libs face peril on net zero”, November 17). I’m not sure what type of planet they want their grandchildren to live on but for me, given that my generation is largely responsible for global warming, I am happy to pay a bit more for my electricity if my grandchildren can have a lifestyle rather than an existence. Tom Duley, Bronte
With the polls clearly indicating a mountain of pain electorally for the Coalition because of its position on net zero, one has to wonder what is driving its suicide mission. Sadly, I believe it is purely to disagree with the government. Sussan Ley and David Littleproud state their new energy policy would be “technologically agnostic and focused on affordability”. In that case, I trust they’ll ditch their technological comcars and return to the more affordable Shanks’ pony to get from point A to point B. Bill Young, Killcare Heights
Credit: Cathy Wilcox
Now that the Coalition has given us notice it intends to drag its boots on action to reduce climate change, will it now feel any compunction to welcome our South Pacific neighbours who will be displaced by rising sea waters? Neil Quinn, Vincentia
Unfortunately, what wasn’t widely reported from the joint party-room meeting was the total agreement on the issue that the Earth is, in fact, flat. One member later withdrew his nomination for crew member in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race after becoming aware of the danger of straying off course in the dark and falling of the edge. Bob Cameron, Coffs Harbour
Congratulations to the Coalition for breaking the long-standing bipartisan agreement with the government for net zero by 2050. Now we can be absolutely certain that power prices would be higher under a Coalition government. This was clearly outlined by Penny Wong and others over the weekend. Potential investors would be put off by the instability. Littleproud and his merry followers seem to think they are right, and groups like the energy council, the business council, the scientific community and most thinking people are wrong. The Coalition’s energy policy, as outlined at this stage on the back of an envelope, will be fascinating to see. Brian Parker, Terrigal
The Liberal Party seems to have forgotten that MPs are elected to represent their constituents’ views, not to tell the constituents what to think. Maybe an opinion poll should have been taken first, and its climate policy built around the results? Helen Howes, Collaroy
Power down (not up)
Those who have ditched net zero have habitually claimed that it, and a focus on renewables, has led to higher power prices in the past and that they will do so in the future (“Energy giants back net zero as Coalition reignites climate war”, November 17). This is against all evidence to the contrary. Renewables may have been more expensive in the distant past but in recent times, their costs have reduced considerably. And they’re not as aesthetically displeasing as some imagine (certainly not when compared with a coal mine and a smoke-belching power plant). It has also been shown that they coexist with agricultural land and the natural environment. Meanwhile, fossil fuel generation has become old and unreliable, while nuclear generation (in whatever form) is grossly expensive (even if it could be quickly built). Never mind the issue that there’s no point having lower power prices if we don’t have a planet that needs powering.
And now Australia’s biggest energy companies have “insisted that shifting to a mostly renewable grid was the best way to keep bills as low as possible”. Never let inconvenient things like facts distract you from your ideology. David Rush, Lawson
The public knows
The opposition’s decision about greenhouse gas emissions shows that it cares only about leadership battles (“Cut net zero? It will cost the Earth”, November 17). The public knows this. The public knows that renewable energy is the safest, quickest and cheapest energy to deal with climate change. We know our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren should live in a world that uses scientific evidence and actions to abate climate disasters. We know we need all parties in government to work together to achieve this for all. We know pettiness and selfishness does nothing. Bea Hodgson, Gerringong
Credit: Matt Golding
Alison Reeve writes “there is an economic impact from reducing emissions”. That sentence points to me why the Coalition is lost. It appears it hasn’t yet recognised that most voters know the costs, economic and moral, of reducing emissions are less than the costs of retaining fossil fuels. Peter Butler, Wyongah
Maybe Bogart was lying when he said, “We’ll always have Paris”? Rosemary O’Brien, Ashfield
Clear the way
The Coalition has now decided what hill it’s going to die on (“Why Labor may rue Coalition chaos”, November 17). However, it’s in Labor’s best interests to stop calling it a “clown show” et cetera and be clear, consistent and concise about its climate and energy policy. Nothing beats forceful, and well-expressed, facts to counter a waffling Barnaby Joyce and an unconvincing Sussan Ley and the zealots in her party.
Let the young Labor representatives go on the front foot in this debate. Nothing says understanding the moral cowardice of the old fogeys of the Coalition like their being done over by a Millennial. Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill
Anything to fix?
The old saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is as relevant today as in the past (“Overgoverned, overtaxed: How Australia was set up to fail”, November 17).
Federation has worked well and it may need some tinkering but any review needs to be careful suggesting changes. We may be overtaxed and overgoverned but any changes must clearly convince us that they “show the way to a better future”. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach
Federation, was it really such a good idea?Credit: nna\sswain
The insightful analysis by Shane Wright and Millie Muroi, in conjunction with your editorial (“Crises abound: Maybe it’s time to fix federalism”, November 17) regarding Australia’s Federation, raises many valid and important points that should be taken seriously. One area that needs to be called out is the implication that Australia is overtaxed. Total taxation revenue in Australia in 2023-24 was 30 per cent of GDP.
This is 3.9 percentage points lower than the OECD average and 14 percentage points lower than France. While the valid concerns surrounding negative gearing, the capital gains discount and family trusts (not to mention upper-middle-class welfare relating to superannuation subsidies) are all crying out for reform, it is incorrect to conflate the need for reform with the idea of excessive overall taxation. Tony Ramsay, Armidale
I would add two points to the article. Firstly, when Federation occurred, there was distrust between the states and the Commonwealth. The Constitution included conditions that limited the power of the states over the federal government, and vice versa. Some might say the distrust still exists. Secondly, there was no mechanism to address a changing world. It seemed sensible for states to design their own education systems in 1900 but is that still the case today? We have had only 125 years since the system was created. If you want to see how it will look in another century, look at the US today. Neville Turbit, Russell Lea
Purge Nazi scourge as a priority
Rosalind Dixon has provided a simple solution to stop the legal legitimisation of neo-Nazis by preventing them from forming a political party (“How to stop a neo-Nazi political party: This is your cue, PM”, November 17). Combine a tweak of the electoral laws with a more robust approval process and policing of protests and their ability to gather in so-called protest will be curbed. The safeguards Dixon discusses will protect citizens and the community in general from this hate scourge. Geoff Nilon, Mascot
A brilliant article to prevent neo-Nazis coming to power legally. There must be legislation that enforces democratic principles from within, not by chance. White supremacy and antisemitism are inconsistent with Australia’s democracy. We know Hitler came to power legally in Germany but it must not happen here. Anne Eagar, Epping
It is music to my ears as a staunch multiculturalist that Matthew Gruter, a senior member of the National Socialist Network, who with his wife has been in Australia only for three years, could face deportation back to South Africa (“Senior neo-Nazi may be deported over rally”, November 17). Social cohesion in Australia’s multicultural society can be maintained if Gruter and others of his like-minded overseas-born ilk are deported ASAP. Eric Palm, Gympie (Qld)
Tony Burke is right, it’s not about free speech. The Nazi experiment has been tested. In the 1930s and 1940s it led to world war and genocide. The world passed judgment on the speech and actions of its leaders and executed them following the Nuremberg trials. No more damning justification is needed for silencing them again. It’s about stamping out hate speech. Brenton White, Mosman
One home-grown Nazi is one too many. We do not need to import any from South Africa. Victoria Harrington, Thirroul
No one is forcing the neo-Nazis to live in multicultural Australia. They are welcome to leave any time. Might I suggest an uninhabited island for them, where they can live out the rest of their colourless existence unencumbered? However, they might struggle to cope without the essential services provided by people of colour. Graham Lum, North Rocks
Given that there seems to be no clear answer to stopping the NSN, some fundamentals need to be addressed. First, antisemitism is not so much a political ideology as it is a religious phenomenon that has its origins in the Christian New Testament. While the four Gospel narratives do depict the Jews in a somewhat negative light, they are meant to be prototypical of all people, since Jesus came to save both Jew and non-Jew alike. Second, democracy’s most famous founding document, the American Declaration of Independence, is built on the self-evident truth that we are all created equal. As a democracy, we are bound to uphold this truth by rejecting all that would have us believe otherwise. Finally, due to NSN’s grave distortion of these religious and democratic principles, their registration as a political party should likewise be rejected on both moral and political grounds. Rev Vincent Zankin, Rivett (ACT)
Senior neo-Nazi “may be” deported over rallies and public servants who express white supremacist views “could be” sacked. I think the proper words should be “will be” deported and “will be” sacked. Zuzu Burford, Heathcote
The sight of neo-Nazis parading in front of the state parliament is horrific. Worse still is these modern-day fascists getting the media attention they crave. Take a lesson from Jacinda Ardern when she deliberately refused to call the Christchurch Mosque murderer by name. Just call them “a group of misguided young men” if a name has to be given. Peter Lowing, Port Moresby (PNG)
With examples of historic, ongoing and current destructive human social dysfunction and hate far too many to enumerate, if I could wave a wand to exterminate religious, nationalist and political ideology fundamentalists I would do so without a second thought. All our wonderful science, music, literature and art could soon come to nothing because of stupid, selfish, ill-considered beliefs. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell
Childcare overdrive
It is interesting to read about the “glut” of childcare centres (“Childcare deserts ... and areas with too many centres”, November 17), which seems to be happening also in the Pymble-Turramurra-St Ives area. Such centres are springing up like mushrooms in these areas and I assumed there must be government incentives for such schemes, despite the lack of “affordable housing” in the area. Anthony Albanese has said childcare is a government priority, so perhaps that’s why more childcare facilities are opening? I can’t imagine there are too many families in St Ives “languishing on waiting lists”. Megwenya Matthews, North Turramurra
Unmirrored delights
Is this really a good idea?
Granted not everyone’s childhood is idyllic, but whatever is happening to it? The picture of a young girl applying make-up was depressing (“Mecca’s Beauty Loop loyalty program child’s play to join”, November 17). Social media, smartphones and adult TV are all responsible but it seems living in the moment and the joys of discovery, as well as nonchalantly playing and exploring with friends, will never return. Let’s not destroy that which is so precious. Bernard Moylan, Bronte
Race for space
Your correspondent (Letters, November 17) complains about “young, inexperienced drivers in powerful cars ... driving foolishly and getting away with it”. Could I note in particular the annoying practice of drivers, not only the young, driving far too close to the car in front of them? If the leading car has to stop suddenly, a collision is inevitable. Michael Healy, Raworth
Blocked from view
The elephant in the room is the danger posed by oversized cars that block lines of sight (″The lights are green for longer on the other side″, November 17). Ailie Bruins, New Town (Tas)
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