Government has many questions to answer as energy costs mount

As concerns about the viability and negative economic impact of Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s green fantasy approach to managing energy security continue to escalate, only one thing is certain: the impracticality is indisputable (“In energy debacle, our biggest power failure is Bowen”, 24/1).

Given ongoing wars, acts of terror and major political differences worldwide, the historical failure of the human race to co-operate to achieve anything as complex, costly and challenging as global net zero is indisputable. The evidence is in and continues to rack up relentlessly.

Jim Taylor, Brisbane

Just one slight amendment, if I may, to the fine analysis by Saul Kavonic (“In energy debacle, our biggest power failure is Chris Bowen”, 24/1).

He writes: “The government has lost control, despite assuming ever-expanding market powers.” I would amend this to: “By assuming ever-expanding market powers, the government has lost control.” Because, as we know, in trying to pick winners governments mostly pick losers.

And when a government with almost no business experience does so, the loss to taxpayers is substantial.

Ramesh Thakur, Ocean Shores, NSW

The Trump example

Donald Trump’s exit from the Paris Agreement is further evidence of growing international rejection of emissions targets and the associated commitment to renewables technology. China, India and Indonesia don’t observe emissions targets, while major international investors are reassessing their attitudes to net-zero programs.

In Australia, even in the early phases of transition, we are seeing the fruits of transition: higher power prices, irregular supply resulting in threats of blackouts and burnouts, the degradation of our beautiful landscape following inundation of thousands upon thousands of kilometres of green technology with a replacement life of just 25 years.

Now is the time to reset our emissions policy, particularly as our efforts will have no impact on global temperatures. We need to face up to the real costs in the transition to our global competitiveness, jobs and manufacturing industries. We have to ask, will our emissions policy simply result in our becoming a less wealthy and less strong country?

Martin Newington, Aspendale, Vic

Donald Trump’s refusal to believe the climate science does not mean Australia should give up working towards climate change mitigation and net zero. In fact, Chris Bowen is right to double down on renewables, not despite Trump’s policies but because of them (“Minister clings to 1.5C dream despite Trump’s wake-up call”, 24/1).

I commend Peter Dutton, who says he would not leave Paris, but he offers little detail on how he would fight the obvious climate crisis in his first term.

Nuclear power may be clean, but it will make no difference to bushfires, droughts or stronger storms for decades. The growing damage to property, power networks and food production by extreme weather will hit our economy and people far more than climate action.

Whether or not Bowen is successful in keeping to Paris commitments (whatever they turn out to be), his policies remain better than any alternative following Trump’s dangerous rhetoric.

John Hughes, Mentone, Vic

Our power network cannot be sourced solely from solar and wind power generation (“Emergency diesel backstop to prop up grid”, 24/1)

Renewable energy sources, wind and solar, can provide only intermittent energy and not the continuous baseload power that domestic and industrial users need and require.

Until all governments, federal and state, acknowledge and accept that the electricity network requires a mix of generation sources, electricity users across Australia will face increasing occurrences of blackouts, imposed power restrictions and exorbitant charges for the foreseeable future. It is time for a large dose of reality rather than the continued pursuit of an idealistic dream.

Ian Macgowan, Ceduna, SA

Call it terrorism

Calling the recent attacks antiSemitism can be taken as an attempt at apology for not responding to the terrorism to date against the Jewish members of Australian society, but make no mistake – the verbally violent protests and the physical attacks against property are attacks on the fabric of our society and against all Australians.

Finally, the state and federal governments are now responding to the violent attacks on Jewish centres through an anti-Semitism taskforce. However, this is terrorist activity and should be called out as such in media and by government, and met with an anti-terrorism response, including how the acts are punished.

Bryce Vissel, Darlinghurst, NSW