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Scott Morrison, the man who, in December, told us there was nothing to see here and even if there were, there was nothing he could do about it, now wants increased powers to call a national emergency (''Morrison wants power to declare national emergency in disasters'', January 29). What for, PM? So you can start procrastinating without delay? Or so you can run around looking like Action Man calling emergencies at the drop of a match? - Richard Mason, Newtown
The PM’s failures over summer have nothing to do with his constitutional authority but stem more from his lack of empathy, cooperation, leadership and a cohesive government to set the agenda. I do not want this PM to have any more power given the current instances of abuse of power demonstrated by his government. - Tony Heathwood, Kiama Downs
PM, you don’t need more commonwealth powers to exercise the courage of leadership everyone expects of you in a crisis. - Peter Skinner, Beecroft
The PM wants us to believe that the federal government would have acted sooner, had it been able, to address the problems caused by the bushfires. More power is useless if there is no political will to act. Instead, Morrison chose to ignore years of warnings about climate change and the more recent advice from experienced fire commissioners. Flimsy excuses do not make up for a lack of substantive policy. - Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls
It’s nice that the PM intends to step up disaster powers, he still doesn’t get that climate change is the root cause of these accelerating extreme weather events. Until he does something about climate change, his solutions are only Band-Aid remedies. - Margaret Grove, Abbotsford
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Given that he is persistently and aggressively undermining efforts to contain the emergency that is climate change, I doubt he has the necessary credentials for more power to declare national emergencies. - Peter Hull, Hat Head
Aside from the fact that Australia has a clear separation of powers of state, it makes more economic sense to implement strategies to prevent the number and severity of natural disasters than to deal with the aftermath. The PM’s strategy shuts the gate after the horse has bolted. - Meg Pickup, Ballina
Special emergency powers have always worked so well for past leaders around the world. - Dan Howe, Crows Nest
Memo to all the troops from the Morrison bunker: push the "we need more powers”, ''fuel load'' and “resilience” lines. Do not mention the “e'' word (that’s emissions for you, Craig and George). Shape up squad: we are back from holidays and in the business of staying here for another term. People will forget and there’s always ''fear" and the "hip pocket'' to fall back on. - Deb McPherson, Gerringong
The answer, to a drop in popularity for a politician, is always to seek more power. With more power they can be seen to be more powerful. It’s a bit like breast augmentation. - Keith Russell, Mayfield West
I hope technology holds up. It would be difficult for the PM to declare a national state of emergency from Hawaii without comms. - Warren Thomas, Merimbula
How low can the ministerial bar go?
Senator Bridget McKenzie seems prepared to tough it out indefinitely to keep her job (''Sports Australia warned Mckenzie was compromising sports grant program'', January 29).
The Prime Minister’s reluctance to dismiss her from her ministerial position makes one wonder how much he and others were implicated in the sports rorts affair. There is, however, another option for getting rid of her. The Governor-General has the power to dismiss an individual minister - and in fact has the power to dismiss the whole incumbent government on the ground that it was a rigged election. - Clive Williams, Forrest ACT
One thing apparent from this messy rort is the glib slogan repeated many times by the Prime Minister during the election campaign - if you have a go, you will get a go - was nothing more than prime ministerial hot air. Hundreds of sporting clubs had a go and had zero chance of getting a go unbeknown to them. Little wonder people are angry. - Paul Totman, Mittagong
How apt that Tony Wright refers to “the adventures of Bridget McKenzie” (''The gun club was suffering lead poisoning, until Bridget arrived'', January 29). Bridget’s colour coding of the applications certainly contains strong elements of one of Barry’s technicolour yawns. Yet, let’s not forget, it was a shared adventure. How dinky di were the rest of the team? - Geoffrey Dyer, Bundanoon
With the continuing sports rorts scandal, it would appear that ministerial standards are too low and that these standards need to increase to that expected in ''voters’ world”. In this world, ethics, honesty, transparency and a willingness to treat all sporting bodies as deserving are upheld, with no consideration given of which electorate they are in. The fact that McKenzie is still there means that the PM is still living in the Canberra bubble and just doesn’t get it. - Andrew Sciberras, Kogarah
The current Sports Minister wants assurances about the source of leaked documents relating to the sports rorts affair. As usual, pursue the messenger not the message. The public would like assurances that the investigation into the previous minister's behaviour will be fair, unbiased and above board, and that the report will be released in full without the need for any documents to be leaked. - Stephanie Edwards, Roseville
Another day, an extra dollar (“Senator gave $1 to round up cash grant”, January 29). - Geoffrey Williamson, Woollahra
Does McKenzie not have a family she wants to spend more time with? - Malcolm McCallum, Dulwich Hill
Renewables make sense, and dollars
Ross Garnaut’s eminently sensible suggestions to make Australia a world leader in renewable energy and combating climate change requires a government that is bold, creative, far-sighted, prepared to take on vested interests and believes there is a climate emergency (“Our climate superpower”, January 29). Thus, there is absolutely no possibility of the present government implementing any of the proposals outlined. - Alan Morris, Eastlakes
Reading Ross Gittins on Garnaut reminded me of how gloomy things looked in his home town of Newcastle when BHP pulled up stumps. But lo and behold, things are better than ever. With the right mindset, retraining, forward thinking and the marketing of Newcastle to previously unconsidered industries, it is now the economic powerhouse it deserves to be. Come on PM, consider the amazing possibilities available to Australia and get on with it. - David Stibbard, Singleton
Court, of public opinion
I must disagree with correspondent Michael Kennedy’s defence of Margaret Court (Letters, January 29). Years ago Christian churches said your disability was caused by your sin, but we know that is not correct and no longer acceptable. Years ago Christian churches said it was acceptable to have slaves, but we no longer view this as acceptable. We also know that being gay is not a lifestyle choice. LGBTIQ people are as they are and have been throughout history. Unfortunately many Christians continue to persist with these ideas because it suits their argument for oppression and discrimination. It is time to stop defending these opinions. - Jason Masters, North Ryde
Glad to note Tennis Australia had a stern word with John McEnroe and Martina. Reminding the two the naming of tennis courts in Australia is ours and not any of their business (''McEnroe, Navratilova cop whack from TA'', January 29). - Richard Stewart, Pearl Beach
Trump's moment of truth
From what has come out in the public domain it's not hard to see why Trump is so bent on blocking former national security chief John Bolton from testifying in his impeachment trial (“‘Hypocrisy’ blast at Trump trial”, January 29). He knows Bolton will spill the beans on his abuse of power. Will the American people allow a rogue president to debase their democracy? Time will tell. - Rajend Naidu, Glenfield
Trump will survive the impeachment trial, Trump will be re-elected and there's little the Democrats, you or I can do about it. And, despite his multiple failings Trump is still better than anything the Democrats can offer. - David Ingram, Randwick
Eureka moment
Eureka! Again our brilliant scientists have cut through to replicate the coronavirus at laboratory level (''Australian scientists first to grow Wuhan coronavirus outside China'', smh.com.au, January 29). Forget the International Scholastic League Tables – this is the evidence of true scholarship, openness to discovery and sheer dedication of effort. This is the underpinning and outcome of education at every level in Australia. This is what we should continue to celebrate and encourage as Australians. - Anne Garvan, Chatswood West
Water torture
Emma Johnson poses someone important challenges about planning our water future (''Desalination plants part of our future'', January 29). But I have not heard this government or the National Bushfire Recovery Agency asking how viable it will to rebuild regional areas given water predictions. I have not heard discussion about Australia’s migration numbers given the stress on water resources (let alone the recent push to get migrants to settle in regional areas). Hard issues to address for a government continuing to deny climate change. - Susan Tregeagle, Yarralumla
Forrest's vision
It gave me hope to read Andrew Forrest’s opinion piece (“We must find unity through the smoke”, January 27). It is pleasing that a person with his power, contacts and resources is committed to finding solutions to the devastating impact of bushfires in a future (and current) Australia adversely affected by climate change.
I particularly liked the idea of large drones to extinguish remote fires as soon as they start, before they become too large to deal with. This would require federal funding to purchase the drones and to access satellite data to identify fire outbreak. Perhaps a national action group could be formed that included Andrew Forrest, and experts in the field like former Fire Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins to look at ways to mitigate the risk of bushfires in the future. - Jeff Macpherson, Kincumber
Sober warning
Another sobering open letter to our politicians (''Dire outlook: researchers call for urgent Australian climate action'', smh.com.au, January 29). Can't wait to read the open letter from Australian Minerals Council, Australian Forestry Association, News Corp and other ''authorative'' sources. - Tim Hand, Balmain
Logging or looting?
The NSW National Party leader John Barilaro and the timber industry obviously don’t care that our native forests and associated flora and fauna have been severely impacted by the worst wildfires on record, to the point where many species may become extinct. Nor do they care that Australia already has one of the highest species extinction rates in the world (Letters, January 29).
To the contrary, Barilaro and his timber industry cohorts see this national tragedy as an opportunity to loot the public protected area estate, our national parks by so-called salvage logging and, once again, will attempt to do so regardless of the science that shows post-fire logging not only increases future fire risk but also severely impacts on natural recovery processes. - Ross Constable, Dalmeny
Dropping like flies
What I find a very scary is where I live there are no longer any flying insects, no moths, no flies, no bees, no cicadas, no bugs, no crickets, no beetles, no grasshoppers, no wasps, no ladybirds. I also detect many ground insects gone as well. I live in the bush in the Blue Mountains and on these hot humid summer evenings no insects in the air whatsoever. Gone is the insect repellent, the mosquito coils and those burning essences under one's feet. It doesn’t feel like Australia anymore. - Tony Lewis, Mount Victoria
Fertile debate
Has it ever occurred to Tony Abbott that middle-class men might be a major contributing factor on middle-class women's lower fertility rates (''Abbott calls for middle class women to have more children'', smh.com.au, January 28)? - Samantha Chung, Newtown
Farewell to France-bound Folau
Bon chance, Israel Folau. His move to play rugby league in southern France is their gain (''Israel Folau signs with Super League club Catalans Dragons'', January 29). What a pity Australian sport was not big enough or civilised enough to uphold Folau's right to freedom of belief. - Elizabeth Vickers, Maroubra
The French may well say bienvenue, Issy, but most Australians will no doubt counter with these simple words: good riddance. - Donna Wiemann, Balmain
Work in progress
Nick Kyrgios will win a major when winning means more to him than being the centre of attention (''Victory in defeat - was this the turning point for Kyrgios?'', January 29) - Jim Moloney, Coorparoo
Not so nice - and dull
I agree with your correspondent in discouraging people to wish other “a nice day” (Letters, January 29). A “nice” day sounds pretty ordinary and insipid. Why not wish each other an exciting, rewarding, stimulating, unique, joyful, healthy or serendipitous day? Let’s use our wonderful language to express the wider spectrum of human experience. - Robert Hickey, Green Point
Ava Goodwin. - Kin Wong, Chatswood
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