Without China, India, our net-zero folly will make no difference

“A top government official warns that Australia’s 2035 emissions reduction target will have little impact on global warming if other nations do not pull their weight” (“Bowen on power trip to China, India”, 13/10).

I’m so glad that the top dollar we pay to our senior public servants is not wasted. Who would have thought that Australia can’t go it alone?

One of those officials may yet tell the government (if it will listen) that China’s increase in annual emissions is considerably greater than Australia’s total annual emissions.

Mind you, for a large chunk of the population, some of these warnings have been bandied about for a decade or two at least, but we shouldn’t take note of the ignorant masses, even if they’re right. Let’s always wait until a top official works it out.

David Morrison, Springwood, NSW

It’s a positive that Australia is encouraging China and India to continue growing their clean-energy credentials.

All Australians stand to benefit from the shift to clean energy. Experts believe that by 2050, Australians could pay less than half of what we do today for our energy needs – thanks to all-electric homes and vehicles powered by renewable energy.

Clean, cheap, healthy energy offers a pathway to tackle cost-of-living pressures while driving our country forward.

Sarah Brennan, Hawthorn, Vic

As Adam Creighton points out in his article (“For wealthy climate alarmists, it’s ‘do as we say not do as we do’ ”, 13/10), many of the wealthy people propagating net zero clearly don’t believe their own forecasts of climate disaster.

He notes that if immigration continues at the current rate, by 2035 it will generate an extra 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. He also suggests, correctly in my opinion, that excessive actions aimed at moderating climate change are a luxury pastime of the wealthy.

The falsity of Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions targets is exposed when one considers its offshore emissions – those produced when our coal and gas are burnt in China and India instead of supplying Australians with a cheap and reliable energy from updated low-emission coal-fired power stations and plentiful gas.

Marian Hinwood, Elsternwick, Vic

Aged-care dilemma

The mired, dysfunctional aged-care system seems to be at a tipping point, beyond which a calamity will inevitably unfold, given the demographics (“Bed bloc: hospital fight unites states”, 13/10).

If the federal Aged Care and Health ministers were to examine the sources of the problems now dragging the aged-care and health sectors into an abyss for all but the rich, they would understand that community-based solutions, which could eliminate the need for very expensive, kneejerk responses in a crisis, could deliver a cost-effective outcome.

For example, in our small rural community in southeast Queensland, locals trying to help seniors cope in the absence of any local transitional care supports are often told to “just call triple-0” by exhausted, despairing health professionals. So seniors (many of whom are waiting for their long-promised home care package to be assigned and therefore without any care/support) are taken in an ambulance, then admitted to a hospital bed, which may be “blocked” to someone with more acute care needs, and then they either wait in an expensive hospital bed unnecessarily or they are returned to the community without supports in place – where the cycle is inevitably repeated.

We know that treating problems at the source makes good sense and can save a lot of money. Why do ministers persist in being reactive, not proactive?

Rosie Fitzgerald, Kilkivan, Qld

Vale, Diane Keaton

In a world that is becoming increasingly devoid of humour, Diane Keaton will be much missed (“An enigma and icon – like Garbo, Hepburn”, 13/10).

Thank you for all the mirth you gave us for so many years and also for reminding us to laugh at ourselves as well as at others.

Nick Palethorpe, Turramurra, NSW

Principled leadership

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, in her excellent and succinct article (“Principled policy will help Liberals win battle of ideas”, 11-12/10), once again demonstrates her principles and leadership qualities. It would be far too heavy a “price” to pay if the Liberals, and Australia, at the next election ignored her. Hers is a much-needed powerful voice for Australia now.

Tom Breen, Mosman, NSW

Poor policy premium

Perhaps insurance companies should start a “poor government policy premium” for states/territories where governments fail to address crime and other risk issues (“Allan’s crime Utopia thrives on twisted sense of justice”, 13/10).

Paul Malcolm, Maylands, WA