It’s in BHP’s best interests to keep the coal fires burning

Janet Albrechtsen (“Here is the speech Mr BHP should have delivered”, 31/7) hit the hammer on the anvil with her ringing endorsement of the system that made BHP great, but which has apparently been abandoned by the inheritors of a company forged against all odds.

Production of iron and steel has been the essential ingredient of prosperity enjoyed by so many. Coal is in lock-step with that production, and market forces have resulted in enormous increases in productivity. The earliest iron furnaces required eight tonnes of coal or coke to make one tonne of pig iron. Today this has been reduced to about half a tonne of coal per tonne of iron — all without the assistance or impediment of a minister for emissions reduction.

Fossil fuel resources are unlimited to human understanding, and have been derived from a trace gas in thin air. Puny coal-fired power stations return a relatively tiny amount of this plant food to the atmosphere to help green a planet that has a climate controlled by solar and cosmic cycles. BHP must keep the coal fires burning.

John McRobert, Indooroopilly, Qld

Proud of professor

The University of NSW is proud of the research undertaken by Xue Jingling (“Aussie professor’s Chinese generals”, 31/7). It’s consistent with our mission to join with the world’s best and brightest minds to tackle our most complex challenges.

There is nothing secretive about Xue’s work. He has made an outstanding contribution to generations of students. Critics of his globally acclaimed research seek to portray his work as operating in the shadows. This is simply untrue. Xue has co-authored scores of papers in peer-reviewed journals accessible for all on the internet. International collaboration is part of a common goal at UNSW, and many other universities, to pass on information widely about initiatives so they can be continuously improved. This is the foundation of the modern research system.

Since arriving at UNSW in 1999, nearly 60 per cent of his 200-plus papers have not involved partners from China. Of the Chinese collaborations, 36 have been with the National University of Defence Technology, and 20 with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Since 2008, eight of his 40 PhD students have been from NUDT.

UNSW has full confidence in the checks and balances it applies to ensure it complies with Australian law.

Nicholas Fisk, deputy vice-chancellor for research, UNSW, Sydney

Voice’s reality check

The reality check provided by Maurice Newman (“This voice has echoes of its miserably failed forebear”, 1/8) was timely. It details tellingly the past and present deficiencies in measures taken, however well intentioned. The matters raised by Newman must be heeded if Australia is to resolve the disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal people in remote areas. Otherwise, any measures towards indigenous reconciliation, including the proposed constitutional change, will be otiose.

Ian Dunlop, Hawks Nest, NSW

Green-left antics

I see the puritanical Left is alive and well in Mitcham Council in Adelaide, trying to scrap Christmas carols on the grounds of “social inclusion”. We shouldn’t be surprised by the antics of green leftists. Perhaps if they had an understanding of history, they would celebrate the fact that it is Western Christian nations that have repeatedly opened their doors to multi-faith migrants.

Local government grandstanders should also celebrate the Christian faith for its message of love, forgiveness and charity. It’s also worth noting that of the 30 countries where same-sex marriage is legal, nearly all are nations built on a long tradition of Christianity.

Glenn Marchant, Pascoe Vale, Vic