Credit: Illustration: Badiucao
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published.
DUTTON’S GAMBIT
Peter Dutton’s nuclear fantasy seems to rely on a lot of assumptions. Australia will use less, not more, electricity in the future. Coal-fired power stations will reliably produce electricity for another 30 years. Nuclear power stations can be built without a hiccup or a cost blowout, and the list goes on.
The biggest assumption, however, is that the LNP can win majority government in its own right, and control the Senate. Then it will have to coerce the states to go down its rabbit hole.
The long-awaited announcement had about as much detail as a sixth-grade assignment on the history of the universe and the meaning of life which would be marked by a teacher with “has a vivid imagination, a flippant attitude and must try harder”. Thanks for wasting our time, Pete. Quite the distraction.
Philip West, Jan Juc
Solar panels, electric car keep energy costs low
The headline “Millions fewer Australians to drive electric cars or have rooftop solar under Dutton’s vision” (14/12), seems to have missed the words “lack of” before “vision”.
I am in the fortunate position of having ample solar panels on my roof (thanks to government subsidies) and an electric car to take advantage of the sunshine, giving me electricity bills and fuel costs close to zero.
My electricity could not really get any cheaper, and I never have to buy petrol. Instead of pipe dreams of nuclear power, governments should be investing in more rooftop panels and community battery storage at a local level.
Keith Fletcher, Glenlyon
LNP not a patch on party of Menzies and McEwen
Peter Dutton’s announcement of a nuclear future for Australia follows a familiar path of Coalition economic wrecking. First, it was the Abbott government’s brutal withdrawal of support for the auto manufacturing industry which resulted not only in its collapse, but also of large swaths of the broader manufacturing sector.
Next, it was the Morrison government’s belligerent stance towards the Chinese government which resulted in the near total collapse of trade with our largest trading partner, and terminal economic pain for countless businesses around the nation.
Now, we have the Dutton opposition threatening to destroy the underlying basis of countless investment decisions made by the energy sector, which run into tens of billions of dollars, with its plan to construct economically unviable nuclear generators around the country.
This Liberal National Party coalition is certainly not that of Robert Menzies and John McEwen, made up as it was of astute and successful business leaders who knew what they were doing.
Michael O’Brien, Northcote
Lack of knowledge of power generation, distribution
Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan is very debatable on many grounds, but I can see why he might think his plan might provide cheaper electricity.
Planning for only 60 per cent of the Electricity Marketing Authority’s expected requirements could do that.
Expecting coal-fired power stations to continue working well beyond their design life and similarly not upgrading old power lines that are prone to blowing over, could seem to be smart cost-cutting.
For Frontier Economics to accept those assumptions, they demonstrate a lack of knowledge of power generation and distribution required for this report. By definition, the CSIRO is more likely to provide more reliable results.
John Groom, Bentleigh
Maximum of minimums
Criticism of the LNP’s delays in releasing its nuclear policy is undeserving. We can now see that it has maximised the number of incorrect assumptions and conclusions.
Tim Butler, Alphington
Trust no one
Peter Dutton asks us to not believe advice from government bodies such as CSIRO and AEMO in relation to the feasibility of nuclear power and our future needs for electricity generation in Australia.
He also asks us to not believe those private energy companies that conservative governments were instrumental in handing over electricity generation to, when the companies say that coal-powered generation is expensive and on the way out. What sort of government will he lead when he has no trust in either government institutions or the private sector?
Howard Duncan, Ocean Grove
Dutton no leader
You hear politicians talk about innovation and a competitive future, so why is Peter Dutton clinging to outdated, costly fossil fuels and nuclear energy? Australia subsidises fossil fuels by $11.6 billion annually, delaying the transition to clean, affordable energy. How can an industry like this receive such handouts while others must adapt or fail?
Because Dutton’s nuclear energy plan is another fossil fuel subsidy – a costly distraction to delay climate action and protect profits for an industry past its use-by date. Dutton is no leader – he’s compromised; captured by vested interests, and lacking vision to lead us to a better future.
As Nick O’Malley (″The very big assumption Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan makes″, 13/12) highlighted, Dutton’s assumptions willfully ignore global trends towards ″electrifying everything″. Contrast this with independents like Zoe Daniel, who helped legislate the 43 per cent emissions reduction target as a floor, not a ceiling by 2030. She and other independents offer a vision of Australia as a leading renewable energy economy – a country powered by clean energy, innovation, and sustainability. That’s the future we should aspire to.
Sue Barrett, Caulfield South
ALP hysterical nonsense
Labor’s scare campaign has started against the Coalition’s plans for a balanced, reliable and lower cost pathway to net zero by 2050.
One claim is that millions of rooftop solar panels will have to be turned off. That is hysterical nonsense. It is more likely solar panels will have to be turned off under Labor’s renewables-only plan. There will be a huge surplus of solar power trying to enter the grid between 11am and 4pm each day. This will cause system instability and frequency problems that could likely cause blackouts, or require emergency action to prevent residential solar systems from exporting to the grid. In the case of grid blackouts, this will automatically disable rooftop solar systems.
Labor should stop this scare campaign and engage with the Coalition on a sensible discussion of the merits of each party’s energy plans.
Allan Tapley, Mentone
Abundant nature
Peter Dutton and Ted O’Brien repeatedly assert that other G20 countries, such as the US and the EU, recognise nuclear power is essential for achieving net zero, while Australia stands alone in its absence (″Dutton plan relies on heroic assumptions″, 14/12).
Have they read the research showing Australia leads the world with the potential to generate 256 times its projected 2050 electricity demand solely through solar energy? This exceeds the US and EU by factors of 16 and 37 respectively. Adding wind increases this potential significantly. Could it be these countries need nuclear while we don’t?
Ironically, the Liberals’ plan forecasts lower 2050 electricity demand than the AEMO’s projection. Despite this uncertainty, they propose locking us into generating 38 per cent of our power using nuclear for 60 years. Many of us currently enjoy low electricity bills due to solar energy. But that vast amount of unwarranted ″baseload″ power risks many being told ″no more solar on your rooftop″.
Jon Pearce, Flinders
Plan takes too long
I am perplexed that the conservatives in Australia are hell-bent on building nuclear power stations. Firstly, it will take too long, and secondly, they will be expensive to build and run. For many years, they have been preaching about how we should have a small government, and now they want to build these power stations that will be built by our taxes and run by the government. If householders had sufficient solar panels and a battery they would be mostly independent of the grid. Now, that is small business.
Michael Nolan, Capel Sound
Single-issue voting
I voted for a serious focus on renewable energy at the last election, as did many other voters. Together, we returned around 61 per cent of members to the House of Representatives who we trusted to get on with this critical task. I will still be voting on that basis at this coming election.
Robin Lohrey, Howrah, Tas
THE FORUM
Salmon politics
So it seems the PM has once again gone wobbly kneed while visiting a Tasmanian fish farming enterprise, and promised salmon for all. Meanwhile, our environment minister is trying to decide the fate of the Maugean skate, whose ancient existence will be snuffed out at the smell of an oily fish rag for political expedience and the possibility of an election victory.
I pity Tanya Plibersek and her decision, which Albanese can brush aside in an instant just as he did a week ago after her negotiations with the Greens on the environment.
It seems Albanese thinks he might be a bit of Bob Hawke, who had both business and workers in his hands but it seems he is more in awe of the ″big end of town″.
Looks like a farmed Atlantic salmon is worth more than a native skate which will suffocate in the detritus of a relocatable fish farm.
Kim Kaye, Surrey Hills
Extend tree canopies
Re ″Our sweatiest suburbs that put vulnerable people at risk during heatwaves″ (15/12). I agree there is a need for greater state government commitment to cooling our suburbs. Councils should be assisted to grow their tree canopy and protect their existing canopy trees.
The state government’s pilot activity centre program which will see a change in land use over large swaths of Melbourne and will see significant height and setback changes, is a significant threat. Measures such as dramatically increasing the number of penalty units to disincentive illegal tree removals, reducing pruning around powerlines and developing minimum canopy cover measures on new private residential and commercial property developments, have been suggested by experts and need to be seriously considered. The state government needs to consider how to accommodate a growing population while ensuring it is not creating a environment devoid of trees and open space.
Yvonne Bowyer, Surrey Hills
Selective school results
It is frustrating that when the VCE results are released each year, the media continue to publish lists of the “top government schools” without explicitly highlighting how the institutions at the top every year are almost always select-entry schools who can literally handpick their students. Most of the top-performing schools on such lists should have an asterisk next to their names, or be removed from the list entirely.
By all means, celebrate success but let’s be honest when the scales are tipped so heavily. Instead of continually front-loading yearly coverage of select entry and heavily funded private school with high ATARs, perhaps start by foregrounding the public schools that educate everyone in their area, regardless of means or ability, and achieving equally high (and sometimes better) results.
Jay Peters, Brunswick East
Antisemitism spike
Your correspondent is correct. Criticising Israel is not the same as criticising Jewish people (Letters, 14/12). However, it’s also true that tragically people take their dislike of Israel out on the local Jewish community.
There is a real spike in antisemitism every time Israel is involved in a conflict, and that spike has been huge this time. The unfair demonisation of Israel that we have been seeing since October 7, 2023 including from our government, no doubt contributes to this. It is not divisive to say this, but divisive in its ugly nature.
Stephen Lazar, Elwood
Captive audience
With reference to Jayson Gillham’s recent MSO concert, your correspondent (Letters, 14/12) is concerned that his creative expression would be similarly hijacked for political purposes. This “hijacking” actually occurred in reverse – with a captive, unsuspecting audience subjected to a non-contested political speech when they paid to hear a piano recital.
Leon Fink, Kew
Surgeons behaving badly
When there are so many demands on the public purse, the homeless, victims of domestic violence and so on, it’s truly distressing to find that surgeons, the highest-paid profession in Australia, are participating in corrupt practices at taxpayer expense (″Surgeons in corruption probe″, 15/12).
This is not the first time that The Age has identified medical practitioners milking the system. It is essential the full force of the law is brought down and culprits publicly identified and shamed.
Barry Lizmore, Ocean Grove
It’s in the stars
Sometimes, I agree with Cameron Woodhead’s reviews and sometimes I don’t. This time he got it wrong (″Christmas turkey roasted on stage″, 13/12). As a musical comedy tragic, and like many of my friends, a fan of the movie, I found it well-written, very funny and with plenty of laughs for a good, fun musical experience. Highly recommended.
Mary Gill, Preston
AND ANOTHER THING
Nuclear power
Surely, it will be twice the cost and twice as long as promised as this would be consistent with most government projects, no matter which side of politics is involved.
Keith Hallett, Gisborne
Will Dutton be parading a lump of yellowcake in parliament à la Scott Morrison, declaring “Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared, it won’t hurt you. It’s radioactive.“?
Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills
It seems that the Coalition nuclear energy plan is based on two main propositions. One is to ignore the science and economics. The other is that the majority of the voters are idiots. This is stupidity.
Greg Cyster, Bairnsdale
Let’s be clear, Peter Dutton’s nuclear policy will require limiting people’s access to energy from their own domestic solar panels and constrain further installations, so power will cost more.
Graeme Martin, Alphington
Here’s an idea. The Coalition could combine its nuclear power stations with its car parks. Think of all the savings.
Les Aisen, Elsternwick
Furthermore
Sam Groth needs to be reminded that he achieved a much higher ranking as a doubles player than as a singles player.
Mark Hulls, Sandringham
How about replacing the Union Jack with the Indigenous flag and leaving the Commonwealth star and the Southern Cross installation?
Jane Desailly, Brunswick
Does anyone know what the Hawaiians think of the Union Jack on their state flag? Strange to keep it there at all considering the outcome of the War of Independence and the defeat of the British.
Greg Bardin, Altona North
Finally
Whatever the gloom and bad news permeating the pages of The Age, there has always been the delight of CBD to lighten the emotional load. Thank you, gentlemen, for a delightful year of musings and murmurings.
Brian Kidd, Mount Waverley
The opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.