THERE are a number of ways to slow the advance of climate change: solar, wind power, hydrogen, electric cars and planting trees, to name a few. All are important and can make a significant difference, but even if all were operating at once the problems associated with climate change will continue to grow as long as fossil fuels are included in the energy mix. I am confident that net zero greenhouse emissions can be reached by 2050. The human race has almost 28 years to achieve this desired result, but it can never be forgotten that at some stage, within that 28 years, the use of fossil fuels to produce energy will have to be terminated. This is the knock-out punch necessary to stop the advance of climate change.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
Driving power shift at wrong end
THE NRMA, with assistance from governments, is planning to expand its network of electric car fast charging stations throughout the country, powered by renewable energy.
I believe this is like building water troughs in a desert waiting for rain because until a dramatic increase in base load power is available, for the 16 hours a day when solar and wind energy is unproductive, these charging stations will be a lost cause.
At present and in the foreseeable future, I can't see any number of solar and wind energy sources able to produce a 24-hour supply of base load power during an average of eight hours a day by using batteries.
Even the Eraring power station, the largest power station in NSW, would never be able to place in battery storage for eight hours a day the same power it would normally supply during 16 hours a day. It's beyond imagination to me, yet some still believe. I find it hard to understand why a company as large as the NRMA would invest in a product with no guarantee of supply that relies on favourable weather. Surely they know how to count or are they a step ahead being prepared for green nuclear energy in the very near future?
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Help homes join climate battle
I JUST received notification in the mail indicating that my electricity bills will increase by around $300 per year. This is after they have cut the solar buy back prices per kilowatt. The reason behind many installing solar panels was to help ease the burden on the grid during times of high power usage, and most importantly to reduce quarterly bills and fossil fuel carbon emissions. If this government wishes to stay in power they need to be serious about their policies regarding global warming. Solar panels should be installed free on every new build and subsidised for existing abodes to help alleviate power unavailability.
It should be paid for by this government to make good their policy promises, as well as fitments of solar panels to new builds. Water storage tanks should also be installed free of charge as well. This year is going to be horrendous as far as the cost of living, inflation and wage restraints. They need to help us to help them.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Nothing easy in economic fight
HIGHER interest rates affect everyone who needs to borrow money to spend. When we factor in the increased interest rate bill, we will borrow and spend less, assuming someone will lend us the money.
The federal government is also faced with needing to restrain its expenditure. It will have to pay an extra $13 billion to meet its increased interest bill this year. This will mean that all government expenditure, estimated to be $570 billion in the October budget, will need to be trimmed to reduce the budget deficit and eventually get the budget 'back into the black'.
One item of expenditure which the Labor government has now recognised that it must not cut is the $750/week COVID subsidy to employees who have no money or sick leave. If the government had cut this item, then the COVID pandemic would have gone gangbusters and we would have more gaps on our supermarket shelves, more supply hold-ups and more inflation.
Why doesn't the Reserve Bank just step in and buy government debt ("quantitative easing"), as it did when the COVID recession first started? Surely this would release money to be spent where it is needed?
Economic circumstances within Australia are now entirely different. Two years ago, 'quantitative easing', or the judicious use of modern monetary theory, was acceptable in the view of economists and world markets. It was even touted as a new 'automatic stabiliser'. It was a method of releasing and employing real resources, when there was under-full employment. What did it matter if the RBA buys government debt, and the government wrote off or ignored debt to itself? Now, with 3.5 per cent unemployment, if the RBA buys government debt, this would be third world government stuff. It would not free up resources. It would only give the government licence to spend up big, crowd out private demand and add to inflation. Furthermore, internationally it would reduce the Aussie dollar's value, damage Australia's terms of trade, and cause Australia to import more inflation.
With judicious budgetary restraint, Australia will continue to enjoy a good Moody's credit rating and control its low national debt/GDP ratio. Australian companies and the Australian government will continue to be able to borrow money at reasonable rates internationally.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Players should pay the price
THE Knights notch up another loss, with another bunch of excuses by the coaching staff. We need to look at the options.
Consider the wages these players get a week. Go back to the days of winning bonuses, I am sure they won't stop moving at the thought of losing money every week. This is supposed to be a team sport, so I say pay them as a team. If you win, you get paid.
Take this as an example. You have a player on $200,000 for a 25-round regular season. That equals about $8000 per game. Make their base rate $4000 per game (a lot more than ordinary supporter). For a win they get $8000, losses by less than 10 they get $6000 and blow-outs it's just $4000.
Personally I'd like to see what the difference in attitude would be.
Robert Baxter, Toronto
Flag tells tale of only invasion
SEVERAL respondents have expressed alarm at my letter about our flag in which I noted that our flag is not a legitimate symbol of resistance to invasion of Australia. While it is commonly thought that a Japanese invasion of Australia was thwarted in WWII, this was simply not the case. The Japanese sought to disable Australian facilities used to support US forces. At no time did the Japanese invade, nor did they ever have any plan to take territory in Australia.
Our troops fought valiantly in New Guinea, Darwin and elsewhere. Their sacrifice represented a very significant contribution to the war effort which should always be acknowledged and remembered. But we need a more balanced approach to history.
The British flag actually represents the only real invasion of Australia, by the British, and it is deeply insulting to Indigenous Australians in particular, that we keep it on our national flag.
Rick Frost, Mallabula
SHORT TAKES
HALF a million Australians will lose their jobs if foot and mouth disease infects our livestock. Surely the government needs to enforce disinfectant foot baths and perhaps quarantine for travellers from infected nations. The Capitol Hill riots will look like a kid's birthday party if meat workers and everyone else employed in the industry lose their jobs. Whole towns will go under.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
GEORGE Paris, vaccines are at their weakest against viruses, (Short Take, 18/7). The vaccines were rated in the range of about 70 to the low 90 per cent, effectiveness. There could never be "prevention". "Milder" flu requires a new vaccine each season. There are thousands more vaccinated, who have been desperately ill with COVID. The bug has changed its colours, keeping us on the back foot. Everyone, please be careful.
Graeme Tychsen, Toronto
I AM no expert in the finer points of rugby league, however I recognise a club in crisis.
Derek Thompson, Newcastle West
CONTINUAL replacement of sand is useless on Stockton Beach. Why not install two or three short rock sea walls, called groynes, at 90 degrees to the shoreline? These control beach erosion permanently.
John Donohue, Fern Bay
JUST noticed the NBN Big Dog segment has been altered; deleted him saying his prayers beside his bed. Is this a result of wokeism infiltrating this innocent clip, a result of a complaint from some upset viewer, or an edit from Nine in Sydney? Surely it would not pollute the minds of the littlies, God knows they will have enough indoctrination soon enough, from the Woke Brigade at school.
Ray Cross, Morpeth
WHY can't employers take responsibility for their employees' health and provide paid COVID leave for their employees? After all, they are the ones who are complaining that they can't get or keep employees.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
GIVEN Geoff Black's belief there is lack of competition in the banking sector I guess he will have a view on Suncorp's sale to the ANZ, ("RBA's erroneous advice added to hardship", Letters, 18/7). Oh, and by the way, even before Monday's announcement there were over 80 APRA Approved Deposit Taking Institutions (ADIs), admittedly not all banks, however, I would think evidence that competition and consumer choice is robust.
Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook
MARGARET Farrell (Short Takes, 15/7) I wouldn't bother trying to convince any ABC critics that it's ever balanced; they're already convinced that it's completely biased towards the left. Strangely, though, I've never seen a single one of these critics aim any accusations of bias towards Sky News.
