Bandt’s fire, flood comments typical of Canberra hot air

It is disingenuous of Adam Bandt to draw a direct line between current fires and floods in Australia and the opening of new coal and gas mines (“Renewable energy opponents are putting lives at risk, says Bandt”, 6/2).

The key fact is that the changes in climate are global, and we no more have direct control over the climate in Queensland than we do in Canberra where, incidentally, there is often an unwanted excess of man-made hot air generated.

Carmen Heathcote, Carina, Qld

Thirty-one years ago, we installed a domestic power plant, panels and a battery bank on our farm for about $30,000 (not off grid, no grid).

After 30 years and on our third battery set, we replaced the solar panels and installed modern controls with a back-up diesel generator for the periods in winter when the sun does not shine, sometimes for several days.

Not cheap, another $30,000, and some management, probably not for the average urbanite. Easy to dispose of used batteries, but not the panels. We left them on the shed roof – their removal is likely to cause leaks.

Elsewhere, many other solar panels will be producing less electricity and looking for disposal. Plan B?

Suzanne Blumer, Wembley, WA

An excellent commentary on climate change by Peta Credlin, explaining the futility of our government policy in pursuing a renewable energy project at enormous expense, with little or no effect on the pantomime called climate change (“Energy fiasco could doom Albanese to poll defeat”, 6/2).

Just two points that may have made her argument even stronger. First, both China and India are planning significant increases in the number and size in their projected coal-fired power stations, with coal being exported from Australia. Second, a significant number of major countries have announced their withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that our government’s policy on climate change is not only extremely costly but is out of step with the policies of the majority of our trading partners.

Simon Gamble, Noosa Heads Qld

Mateship in peril

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe writes: “When our neighbours are in need, we do our best to come to their aid” (“We all must reach out to defeat the scourge of hate”, 5/2).

Essentially, this is mateship, that distinctive Australian attribute that is our version of the gospel imperative to love our neighbour as ourselves. This quintessentially Australian value is not religious, but communal, a way of caring for others regardless of creed or colour. It is the best of us.

I fear that mateship, once such a valiant and indomitable part of the national character, is being dismantled by ideological warfare and incitement to hate. We are in danger of losing something special that has been defining of us in the past, something that stands hand in glove with the egalitarianism we all take for granted. Today, these two standard-bearers of the Australian way of life are threatened with extinction.

Ann Rennie, Surrey Hills, Vic

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe sets out very clearly what has been happening in our society.

As a Catholic, I am ashamed that I have attended many Catholic masses where the celebrant has prayed for the people of Ukraine and the people of Gaza but not for the people of Israel.

As he is the president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, I hope he is able to exert some influence on our clergy.

Rosemary Flannery, Wollstonecraft, NSW

Equity in tax law

It is surprising and unfortunate that the debate over tax-deductible lunches for small business has been hijacked into debating the cost.

This issue is nothing to do with cost. It is about equity in tax law. It is surprising the government is saying it is OK for big business to have tax-deductible lunches but no such concession should apply to small business.

If a corporate can write off the boardroom lunch where business is done against tax, small business should be able to write off a couple of quarter pounders at Macca’s where business is done.

Geoff Ellis, Smithfield, Qld