Victorian government must be expecting something in return

Chinese infiltration has reached a dangerous level.

Why would Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews do a secret deal with China where the inevitable result can only be foreign ownership of state assets?

My only plausible explanation is that Andrews must believe that somehow or other China will rescue the Victorian economy from the incompetence of his government. For example, almost every day Victoria is bludging electricity from other states because of the energy policy incompetence of the state government.

While pandering to the shrill green call for renewables that are intermittent and unreliable, Andrews is closing reliable base-load generators that are the lifeblood of the economy.

Bruce Williams, Merewether, NSW

It is now obvious that China has infiltrated Australian society to a level that is dangerous. The view from Beijing is that all overseas Chinese communities are a “magic weapon” in its goal of hegemony. In Beijing’s eyes, all Chinese belong to the emperor and must “tremblingly obey” when he commands. Refusal is not an option because the emperor knows where their families live in China. By no means all overseas Chinese are pawns in China’s game, but many are.

Jim Wilson, Beaumont, SA

Cricket has amped up

The review into Australian cricket makes a host of worthwhile recommendations, but it fails to mention the responsibility of television.

The tone and manner of TV commentaries has changed. Today’s commentators appear to be on steroids. Compared with the laconic and informative days of Richie Benaud, they are amped up.

How does this affect the culture of Australian cricket? First, our cricketers listen to these commentaries and then play the game knowing they will receive an over-the-top response from the commentators. This means they can get caught-up in the attitude of winning at all costs. The public becomes embroiled in the hype and push our players using social media to win at all costs. With a few exceptions, other media ramp up the pressure on players.

T. J. Hopkins, Moss Vale, NSW

Glorious NBN news

At last, I bring a good news story about the National Broadband Network. After a delay of only 12 months, a cost of only $12,000 for a new compatible phone system for my office of six staff, and a mere four phone conversations with non-English speaking customer support staff in the Philippines, the NBN has finally been connected to my business premises.

Having heard so many horror stories about this new technology, I am relieved and delighted to report that our NBN internet speeds are only slightly slower than the system it replaced which had been powered by a hamster in a treadmill.

Former Labor communications minister Stephen Conroy and former prime minister Kevin Rudd should long be remembered for their foresight in saddling the country with a debt of only $50 billion for this technological marvel.

John McCaffrey, Coonabarabran, NSW

Renewable wastage

G. M. Derrick (Letters, 8/11) has nailed it succinctly with his four-point plan. Scrap the RET and renewables subsidies, exit Paris, build a couple of coal-fired power stations and get serious about developing the new generation nuclear power plants that can deliver all of our energy needs.

Australia is on track to repeat the disaster suffered by many northern hemisphere countries that spent $2.3 trillion on subsidies for renewables, generated a paltry 2.8 per cent of their electricity from that and abated zero greenhouse emissions.

Unless Angus Taylor initiates a change in our policy, Australia will spend waste $4bn a year on renewables subsidies every year until 2031.

Terry Krieg, Port Lincoln, SA