Green hydrogen is a part of our delusion of energy revolution

Judith Sloan’s commentary that green hydrogen is as dead as John Cleese’s dead parrot in the Monty Python skit is a gentle plea for Energy Minister Chris Bowen to recover a modicum of sanity (“Green hydrogen’s gone the way of the Norwegian Blue”, 11/2).

The analysis adds to the mountain of evidence on the ­futility of the renewables revolution, which is still endorsed by the Labor government.

Are they all, like Bowen, just “stubborn”, as Sloan says, or dangerously delusional for the nation, especially in their lack of vision on the inevitability of nuclear energy for future Australia?

Elon Musk isn’t as polite as Sloan. He described hydrogen fuel cells as “mind-bogglingly stupid” in terms of energy efficiency, practicality, production, storage and transportation.

The dead green hydrogen parrot sums up blind and deaf ­government ideology on our renewables electricity boondoggle. Other previously deluded woke countries such as Germany and the US have seen the light and are backing out.

Shamefully, insisting on the delusion is unique to Australia.

While hydrogen energy problems may be overcome in the future, in the here and now, Bowen, the Labor government and the AEMO must abandon the climate and energy models that have let them down.

Betty Cockman, Dongara, WA

Judith Sloan nails the absurdity of governments subsidising our aluminium smelters on the one hand and slapping them with the equivalent of a carbon tax on the other (“Government’s pride in ‘carbon tax’ is proof it’s out of its depth”, 12/2).

Indeed, the government is “out of its depth in a birdbath”.

Peter Clarke, Corinda, Qld

The primary driver for the development and control of artificial intelligence is inexpensive, reliable energy and lots of it.

This puts Australia out of the running from the get-go, as we barely have enough now for current consumption. China is building coal, gas and nuclear power plants the fastest, with India not far behind.

Under mew management, the US is also ramping up with their new plants. I hope the winners will be friendly.

James Hein, Hackney, SA

China at the doorstep

Australia and NZ have been blindsided by the Cook Islands entering into a “security agreement” with China, right on our doorstep (“ Pacific paradox leaves the door open to China”, 11/2).

Maybe it’s time for Donald Trump to offer a compact of free association with Taiwan, subject to their democratic consent. That would secure their chip industry, which Trump claims was stolen from the US.

Palau has a similar association, which works.

John Greenshields, Millswood, SA

Tea with teals

A cup of tea at the Lodge for independent politicians should do no harm, so long as those elected as independents remain independent (“Lodge cocktail hour for the teals”, 12/2).

Having seen putative independents become government supporters in the past, as in 2010, when the major parties failed to gain a majority in the house, it must make some voters wonder whether it’s worth voting for politicians who might trade in their independent status in favour of power and privilege.

Perhaps all genuine independents should make it clear if they ever help a minority to become a majority, they will guarantee only confidence and supply. Otherwise, it hardly seems honest to stand as an independent.

David Morrison, Springwood, NSW

We need a Trump

Janet Albrechtsen gives us a forensic analysis of institutional ­capture and what “draining the swamp” entails (“No quarter in MAGA’s war on captured institutions”, 12/2).

She also gives us a mirror to hold up to the problems served up by the march through the institutions in Australia. There certainly is a coherence in Donald Trump’s executive orders against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at home and membership of international bodies which have become inimical to democratic society, while parading the corruption of USAID funds can only grow the support of the American people for his crusade.

As Albrechtsen points out, Australia’s initial blunder in signing Australia up to the International Criminal Court, which has become a captured institution, underlines our government’s support of its animosity towards our ally in Israel.

The abuse of power by those in Australia who capture institutions and use them for their own ends does not stop with the ABC, but pervades education, health services and notably our whole energy system. A more clear-sighted Coalition government might withdraw from the ICC or even the World Health Organisation, but the clean-up would require a leader like Trump.

John Morrissey, Hawthorn, Vic