The green-left would sabotage any attempt to debate nuclear power

If anybody thinks a rational debate can be had about the viability of nuclear power generation in this country, think again. The Labor left, the Greens and every alarmist group would mount such a strident, disinformation campaign. Emotion, fearmongering and the perennial “what if” would be the order of the day.

Nuclear power has been in use since the 1950s and there is a mountain of information, but that would be ignored because it doesn’t fit the left’s view. Moreover, the ABC would play scenes of Chernobyl and Fukushima.

Don Spence, Ashmore, Qld

Don Higson is right on the money, as usual (Letters, 28/2). His assertion that a hydrogen economy is a long way off — as is carbon capture and storage — is correct.

Nuclear is a mature technology used in 33 countries with an additional 16 countries building reactors at present, while 59 such reactors are under construction. As a South Australian, I suggest that when we have nuclear bipartisanship between the Coalition and the Labor Party (forget the Greens) we hasten to get the nuclear industry up and running.

With the world’s biggest uranium deposits and the world’s best high-level nuclear waste site, the state is the obvious place to introduce nuclear technology into Australia’s industrial scene.

Terry Krieg, Port Lincoln, SA

Prostheses prices down

It is unfortunate that Australia’s largest health insurer has misinterpreted figures relating to prostheses performance, in order to explain its half yearly results (“Private patients pay more, get shoddy knees’ ”, 22/2).

Medibank CEO Craig Drummond is not correct with respect to comments about the comparative performance of hip and knee prostheses in Australia’s public and private hospital systems. His comments undermine patient confidence in the use of prostheses and the regulatory system that ensures their safety and efficacious use.

The existing price regulatory system has stabilised prices for many years, and has enabled the federal government to negotiate significant cost reductions, including further reductions this month. Over the past two premium years, private health insurers have not paid extra for prostheses, and prices for hips and knees on the national prostheses list have decreased three times since 2017.

Andrew Ellis, president, Australian Orthopaedic Association, Sydney, NSW

Conscience salving

Some pontificating celebrities are paid obscene amounts of money for the noble pursuit of entertaining the plebs, while advancing violence as a legitimate form of entertainment (The Mocker, 27/2). Yes, the same individuals who belong to an industry that’s historically been quite unregulated, hence the #MeToo movement. The more successful celebs love to step out of their glossy bubbles to lecture the plebs, possibly out of a sense of guilt that they’ve not made a meaningful contribution to this world while accumulating wealth. There’s nothing quite like finger wagging at lesser mortals to salve the conscience.

Ellie Savory, Mt Hawthorn, WA

‘Gagging’ of Wallabies

Perhaps the most unsurprising news this week has been the revelation of the supposed “gag” on supporters of Israel Folau (“Wallabies ‘gagged’ by Folau saga”, 26/2). Rugby Australia’s “inclusiveness” has been blown to smithereens. RA singled out Folau for exclusion but gagged his supporters within the team — all in the name of diversity.

Folau has been criticised as not being a team player. But what does it say about Sekope Kepu and Samu Kerevi? Were they team players when they obediently toed the RA line?

Joe Dowse, Mosman, NSW