Gas exploration bans will contribute to more blackouts in the future

Blackouts in Victoria are the result of implementing renewables.

The blackouts in Victoria were predictable and preventable, but we do not have the willpower to rectify the problem (“200,000 homes go dark as heat rises”, 26/1). This is an example of poor engineering, implementing renewables without addressing its intermittent behaviour and closing coal-fired power stations without a reliable substitute.

An interesting statistic was that during this shortage 82 per cent of South Australia’s electricity was supplied by gas generators.

This natural gas was a consequence of exploration efforts that occurred 10-20 years ago. The gas bans and moratoriums in Victoria and NSW mean that in the future gas supply cannot be relied on.

Don McMillan, Paddington, Qld

Greens leader Richard Di Natale’s blaming our over-reliance on coal as the reason for the power outages in Victoria was idiotic, only surpassed by then advising people not to use their dishwashers.

When are our politicians going to grow a spine and stop treating us like fools? It is past the time for nuclear generation. Come on leaders, do your job and lead us.

I would like to hear Di Natale’s advice for the millions of Chinese and Indians who will want a dishwasher and other electrical appliances we take for granted.

Simon Mountford, Greenslopes, Qld

I see Richard Di Natale has the temerity to stick his head up above the parapet and blame coal when it was pressure from his ideological supporters who were responsible for the closure and non-replacement of coal or gas generation capacity. Thanks to the Greens and Labor, about 200,000 homes enjoyed their own private Earth hour.

But the real problem for the people who suffered this avoidable catastrophe is that no one is responsible. Who at the National Energy Market will he held responsible? Which politicians in Canberra or Melbourne will lose their jobs?

When state governments were responsible for building generators and supplying electricity to the public, a disaster of your headline’s proportions would have ended a ministerial career. Not any more. Di Natale’s appearance is the opposite of responsible. He is just ensuring that the same thing happens again next year.

David Long, St Lucia, Qld

Low defence investment

The reason why the West is at risk is not that the US has lost its edge, although that is a contributing factor (“West at risk as US loses military edge”, 26/1). The failure of other Western alliance members, to play their part through defence investment as a percentage of national wealth and people is the cause.

The US cannot sustain more than 3 per cent of GDP in defence spending and large standing forces when its partners offer less than 2 per cent. The global financial crisis and Brexit have provided convenient but invalid excuses for the British to run down their naval and military strength to its lowest ebb.

Although Australian defence personnel numbers have increased, as has population, the relative punch of deterrent capabilities has not, particularly in the army. This will require investment above 2 per cent of GDP.

Christopher Chayko,
Port Macquarie, NSW

How to pay for that wall?

Greg Sheridan goes too easy on Donald Trump (“Trump stands to lose the shutdown power play”, 26/1). Trump’s two core platform planks were to build a wall paid for by Mexico, and “we will make America great again”. Sheridan seems to have forgotten Trump’s promise that Mexico would pay.

I have voted Democrat and Republican; this President is too dangerous for the US and the world.

Peter Cary, Gold Coast, Qld