The Greens’ real aim is to indulge in the warm inner glow

I note that many recent letter writers have make the mistake of assuming the Greens are actually trying to save the world from climate change driven by carbon dioxide emissions.

What they are really doing is engaging in the post-pubescent politics of the warm inner glow, or virtue-signalling as it’s now known.

Mind you, the eco-warriors are not without some value. They are superb contrarian indicators. If you are having trouble deciding what public policy course of action to support, do the opposite of whatever the Greens say. If so, you will encourage decisions that will benefit the majority.

L. J. O’Donoghue, South Yarra, Vic

Blowtorch required

While Pauline Hanson and Clive Palmer are constantly under scrutiny, it is time the media blowtorch was held to the Greens and GetUp to whom Bill Shorten is beholden. These groups seem to want almost everything subsidised or free while seeking to ban coal exports (a considerable source of national income and jobs), while almost everything they wear, drive and use is made overseas with the help of coal-fired electricity.

They should return to basket weaving for a living and wear planet-friendly fig leaves.

Brian Whybrow, Wanniassa, ACT

Inspiration needed

Greg Sheridan is right; the election campaign would benefit from a clear long-term vision from both sides of politics (“Dispiriting campaign can’t show us the way forward”, 2/5). We need an outline of aspirational aims, backed by tangible indications on how to get there.

Both parties have the seeds of that in their policies. But they need to develop them further to inspire voters.

There is still time. The Coalition, in particular, should be more adventurous in painting a compelling picture of the future. There is much to be done and they have the mindset to do it. But they must articulate it.

Michael Schilling, Millswood, SA

Education overlooked

It is unfortunate that public education has not surfaced as a significant issue in this election campaign. Barry Maley’s article (“Public education fiasco can be fixed by restoring power to parents”, 2/5) is timely. The disastrous situation he outlines is an accurate description of Australia’s future — bleak and ignorant.

The villains who have conspired to reduce this county’s public school system to little better than developing world status are the educators — the administrators, the teacher trainers and the teachers’ union.

Prising their grip off the Gramscian “commanding heights” of education will not be easy. No ruling class departs the stage of world history willingly, and these people think they are leading us to a leftist utopia. For them, education is not the search for truth: they already know the truth, and that is what they are indoctrinating our children with. You don’t need to know how to read and write or do your sums when you know the truth.

You can’t run a smart country with dumb people. In world terms, our kids are being taught to be dumb.

Jim Wilson, Beaumont, SA

No rugby winners

As the battlelines harden in the Israel Folau affair with his insistence on his right to express his religious beliefs, supported by others of Polynesian backgrounds while other team-mates are equally emphatic in their refusal to play with him again, it’s looking more and more likely that this will be a battle without winners.

There’s also the growing suspicion that Rugby Australia’s position is informed not so much by its commitment to inclusiveness but more by concerns that an important sponsor will walk away from RA if Folau pulls on a Wallaby jersey again.

John McHarg, Maylands, WA