Zero enthusiasm among young voters for Liberals’ climate attitude

NSW Liberal Women’s Council vice-president Adelaide Cuneo rightly explains that by walking away from net zero climate commitments, the Liberal Party will lose a generation of voters (“If Libs dump net zero, we’ll lose more than an election. We’ll lose a generation”, November 13). Young voters like me are rejecting the Coalition’s shameful disregard for climate policy in droves: just 21 per cent of millennials backed them at the May election. As Cuneo explains, the majority of Australians in both cities and regions support climate solutions like renewable energy. And why wouldn’t we? Research from Griffith University concludes that renewable energy has kept our power bills 50 per cent lower than they would have been if we still relied solely on coal and gas. If the Coalition abandons net zero and continues without a credible climate plan, Australians will pay the price through rising energy bills, higher insurance premiums and worsening climate change-fuelled disasters. That’s not just bad policy, it’s political suicide. Sarah Brennan, Hawthorn (Vic)

The anti-net zero bloc: Senator Jessica Collins, opposition minister for defence Angus Taylor, Senator Sarah Henderson, member for Canning Andrew Hastie and Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price with other Liberal MPs and senators arrive for their party room showdown on Wednesday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

An interesting perspective from Adelaide Cuneo on the Liberal Party’s climate policy. The early start on renewables in South Australia was made by the Labor Party. As Liberal treasurer Scott Morrison contributed a lump of coal in parliament. And what exactly was the contribution of PMs Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott? That said, I am heartened by the remainder of her article. There seems to be realism in the rank and file of the party. Peter van Roekel, Artarmon

The Liberals and Nationals dumping net zero will further estrange voters who see climate change as a major issue. Trying to argue that net zero is too costly and it’s affecting energy prices isn’t likely to work with voters who have already lowered their energy costs with solar panels, helping the move to net zero. Genny Kang, Glebe

Dumping net zero means that now the Coalition can get down to real business. No more dopey climate policies. Tick. Build nuclear power for $20 billion. Tick. Increase military spending by $50 billion a year. Tick. Reduce tax by $20 billion a year. Tick. Eliminate the deficit ... Sounds like a terrific plan coming together. I can hardly wait for the details. Tony Mitchell, Hillsdale

The Herald has kindly given us a list of all the Liberals who voted against a net zero target. It’s no use saying they can’t see the forest for the trees – under their climate policies there won’t be any trees. At the next election all these members’ seats should be targeted by independents. No exceptions. Isabel Robinson, Alexandria

What a gaggle of geese we see on the front page of The Sydney Morning Herald (“Ley tested as Libs set to dump net zero”, November 13). They are marching into irrelevance. The majority of nations are on another path (“‘Age of electricity’ to take charge”, November 13). What are these people up to? Maybe it is simply as Australian academic Donald Horne said: “There is nothing more dangerous than a third-rate politician with leadership ambitions.” Chris Moe, Bensville

I would hazard a guess that recent Liberal and National Party meetings began with one question. What issue can we use to wedge the Australian electorate to help us defeat Labor? This has been their modus operandi for decades. They would also have considered immigration, cost of living, foreign relations and the environment. Realising they would have trouble gaining traction with these, they have resorted to the old chestnut of climate change. This clearly shows they are prepared to do the Australian public a disservice by denying the scientific and economic realities of renewable energy in a cynical attempt to win back government. Ross Storey, Normanhurst

I’ve never seen a photo of a group of politicians looking so happy about signing their own political death warrant (“These numbers say net zero is doomed – and so is Sussan Ley”, November 13). Brendan Jones, Annandale

The Liberals have just moved the deck chairs on the Titanic. “Affordable energy” will be offset by increased costs of insurance, food, health and housing. Catherine Turner, Cremorne

While the Liberals indulge in semantics over the difference between an aspiration and a target 25 years in the future, one thing is clear: If they dump net zero emissions by 2050, they will certainly be adopting a target of net zero MPs by 2050. Kevin Fell, Cooks Hill

Rising extremism

The best way stop the rise of right-wing extremism (“Why Labor MPs are divided over the best way to tackle far-right extremists”, November 13) is to ensure that everyone in our community has a roof over their heads, can afford to feed themselves and their families, has access to healthcare when they need it – at low or no cost – and high-quality, free public education. Given the increasing extremes of wealth and poverty within Australia (along with the rest of the Western world after 50 years of neoliberalism), is it surprising to see the growth in disenchanted and alienated members of society prepared to support a movement that appeals to their frustration with the politics that has let them down? Miranda Korzy, Clareville

Some of the 60-odd members of the National Socialist Network who rallied outside parliament last weekend.

While a railway employee has been stood down pending investigations into his role in the recent anti-Jewish protest outside Parliament House, my concern lies not with the average commuter (“Sydney Trains employee stood down after attending neo-Nazi rally”, November 13). Rather, given the Herald’s revelation that he “joined a Jewish community group on social media about six months ago”, I’m wondering how I might reassure my mother, herself the daughter of Holocaust survivors, that her Jewish children and grandchildren are safe in this country that we once (naively, stupidly, hopefully) assumed was immune from the disease of hating others. Joanna Auerbach, Kensington

Regarding the flock of sheep gathering outside parliament, I wonder how many of them and their supporters have ancestors who fought against or gave their lives to defeat the same ideology that they and the other neo-Nazis are now seeking to promote? How do they reconcile that conflict with their conscience and their families? Perhaps they just don’t think. Martin Lewis, Baulkham Hills

A Nazi group held a legal peaceful protest outside Parliament House. I do not agree with nor condone their beliefs – they are hateful. I also find some radical Christian, Jewish and Muslim beliefs to be hateful. If you are going to print the names, pictures and profession of one group that protests, then you should treat all groups the same way. In a democracy, we have the right to protest and express our views within the limits of the law. Roslyn McDonald, Nowra

Any chance of deporting the immigrant Nazi who’s not exactly fitting in to the country that took him in just three years ago? Surely we could replace him with a more civil engineer? Rob Mills, Riverview

Embrace the technology

As the Liberals follow the Nationals in dumping or dumbing down the net zero target, Nick O’Malley cites a report that covers China’s efforts to lower emissions (“‘Age of electricity’ to take charge”, November 13). O’Malley quotes energy analyst Tim Buckley as saying “China is leading the world in the transition to renewables, driven by a push towards energy independence.” Reducing oil and gas imports and cleaning up the atmosphere for future generations has become China’s aspirational goal. It is time that we in Australia change the conversation and embrace new 21st-century technologies that will give us independence from overseas cartels and create a better future for all of us, even if it will cost dollars in the short term. Robert Antill, Lake Conjola

A massive solar and wind farm near Weifang, China.Credit: AP

A short walk from home opens a solar farm vista. It appears bluish grey, almost like an inland sea. When completed, it will provide emissions-free power for 300,000 homes and a substantial financial benefit for some landholders, the local community and broader regional economy. It will have a substantial battery and is located directly under an existing electricity transmission line. Rather than taking over good agricultural land to the exclusion of farming, sheep graze between the solar panels. Indeed, experience shows that sheep production has increased on solar farms, with livestock benefiting from shade and improved pasture among the panels. Paradoxically, this is happening in the heart of the electorate of a federal MP who is a fierce renewables opponent. Roger Epps, Armidale

Just act, now

So the state government now wants consultation on auction price guides to “get the balance right between consumer protection and practical implementation for industry” (“9000 readers told us about underquoting. Now, the government has acted”, November 13). This means another long delay before anything happens, and the eventual result will be so watered down it will provide little relief. Price guides should be based on comparable sales and should be available to prospective buyers. Most importantly, it must be disclosed if the reserve price is above the price guide. No more delays. Matthew Boylan, Leichhardt

Questions on treaties

As an Australian Indonesianist and Indonesian interpreter and translator who lived in Indonesia during the reign of disgraced dictator Suharto, I abhor the hospitality being shown to current president Prabowo, Suharto’s former son-in-law (“Australia, Indonesia strike surprise security treaty”, November 13). While commander of the special forces, Prabowo was implicated in the killing of numerous university students during Suharto’s downfall in 1998. This treaty shames our nation. Ian Usman Lewis, Armidale

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at Admiralty House on Wednesday.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong

While Anthony Albanese sets his shoulder to the wheel enhancing our national security through strategic agreements with Papua New Guinea and now Indonesia, a stalled Sussan Ley is stuck looking back over hers. Greg Bugden, Armidale

Australia has now forged a treaty with Indonesia. Earlier there was one with PNG and an attempted one with the Solomons. And it has a “vuvale” (family) partnership with Fiji. But there is no treaty with the First Nations people in Australia. Is that because of a colonial hangover? Rajend Naidu, Glenfield

Credit: Cathy Wilcox

Fix compo mess

The fact that only 54 workers out of more than 11,000 claims qualified for long-term medical support under the proposed workers’ compensation reforms is an obvious sign of how restrictive the scheme has become (“The number of injured workers covered under changes to controversial scheme” November 12). Adjusting the percentage threshold from 31 to 29 per cent to get the legislation through shows these are cost-driven targets, not evidence-based measures of functional impairment. Arbitrary benchmarks to limit claims and payments won’t improve recovery outcomes; they’ll just push injured workers, particularly those with serious psychological injuries, onto other systems such as Centrelink. The workers’ comp system was built around physical injury and has never been adequately adapted for psychological conditions, which require a fundamentally different approach to rehabilitation and recovery. Real reform must focus on fixing the systemic flaws that prolong claims and worsen psychological distress. Dr Katrina Norris, Brisbane

Track plastic clothing

Fast fashion is primarily synthetic (plastic) fashion. Big oil/plastic wants to keep it this way (“Pacific neighbours are drowning in fast fashion, and we’re to blame”, November 13). We can’t tackle plastic pollution unless we drastically reduce plastic production. Legislation is necessary to phase out the use of fossil fuel-based synthetic fibres and toxic chemicals in the manufacture of clothes. Ban the export of unusable clothes, and track the routes, destination and fate of used clothes and provide full transparency. Only then will we, and the Solomon Islands, have a healthy and sustainable fashion industry. Jill Robinson, Randwick

Shoppers at a “bargain bale” sale at a second-hand clothing store in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Let’s import tradies

There has been a lot of discussion over whether to increase the number of immigrants accepted into Australia. But consider this: according to the Masters Building Association, adding one qualified tradesperson per year would add 2.4 houses per year (“300,000 workers needed for vital projects”, November 13). Extending that out 10 years means that a single tradesperson would add 24 houses per decade. This is a powerful argument for increasing the number of tradespeople via immigration. With our ageing population, we need to bolster our workforce to support our younger generation of workers more than ever before if the housing crisis is to be alleviated. Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge

No digital delay

I (almost) jumped for joy when I read Emily Cowell’s story (“Inside the Sydney academy that trains kids to have a super memory”, November 13). After 50 or more years of secretly counting on my fingers, it has now become more than just respectable, with the academy teaching “speed maths using 10 fingers to count at a rapid pace”. Ted Richards, Batemans Bay

Resonant tribute

Maybe I’m just having a bad week, but Brian McKeown’s letter about the death of his “beloved girl” made me sit down and cry my eyes out (Letters, November 13). The loss of a beautiful person in a world that needs more beauty and goodness and kindness is a loss to us all. Jenni Stapleton, Kiama

Don’t wait too long by the phone, Brian McKeown. Your beautiful public tribute to your late wife is much more meaningful than any state funeral could ever be. Kath Maher, Lidcombe

Paper over cracks

Memo to all shoppers: the supermarkets provide brown paper bags for loose mushrooms, which are also suitable for many fruit and veg. If we all start using them instead of the plastic bags provided, head office mandarins might get the message.
John Grinter, Katoomba

Readers have reported seeing fewer bees than usual this year.Credit: Shutterstock

Virulent varroa

In Thursday’s edition, three correspondents commented on the lack of bees in their yards (Letters, November 13). I’m sure I read an earlier letter or article that suggested it was almost certainly due to the presence of varroa mite in untended hives. I understand there are about 1000 feral hives in our bushland – all prime targets for varroa mite. Lee Cook, Orange

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