IT'S not too often that I have the chance to congratulate Newcastle council and say thank you, but here it is. An officer at our council took the time to phone me to let me know what was happening at our beloved Map of the World Pool, or known to many as the Canoe Pool or simply the Children's Pool. In my heart it will always be the Map Pool. I have been an agitator for many years and possibly a pest to the council to maintain and dredge that pool and with our baths now closed for renovation it becomes even more important that it is maintained and swimmable all year.
The council officer explained to me in detail why the pool had not been dredged and why there was little water in it. Real communication; and if the council did that more often we would all appreciate their efforts. Yes the pool was dredged and the inlet/outlet gate repaired within days. On 11/12 I visited the pool on a perfect day, weather wise, and the pool probably had close to 200 people in there, mostly children. Waves were breaking over the back, families too were enjoying the freedom of the salt water constantly being replenished. Thank you CoN for giving us back our happy place.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Concerns need to be discussed
SEVERAL recent letters supporting the Voice show clearly that the amazingly courageous Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was correct when she said that for many this was more about relieving their white guilt without actually doing anything, than improving the lives of those in Indigenous communities who do need help.
Those same sanctimonious individuals are happier throwing words like "redneck" and "racist" at those of us with genuine concerns than they are in discussing those concerns.
Those concerns include the very real possibility that the Voice will be used by the likes of the antagonistic Lidia Thorpe to widen the divide between Indigenous and non, at a time when Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is working so hard at both improving the lives of those in remote Indigenous communities and reconciliation.
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
No such thing as free lunch
SUPPLIERS and exporters of gas and coal were always going to squeal about government market intervention which aims to cap domestic energy prices at $12 per gigajoule. They want to be free to charge the world market price to local consumers. If not, they want to be fully compensated for any lost profits in the Australian market. The $1.5b that the Albanese government has put on the table may not do this.
Nearly all fossil fuel exporters are foreign-owned. Recently, on the back of high international energy prices, these companies took their whacking big profits overseas. As a result, after 13 successive current account surpluses, Australia had a $2.3b deficit in the latest September quarter.
Independent senators want a super profit tax or windfall profit tax imposed on energy exporters, and the tax proceeds used to subsidise Australian energy consumers. A windfall profits tax would be politically expedient. It has been imposed in other nations including the UK and Indonesia. But it is likely that, during negotiations with the federal government, the 'big three' of Australia's fossil fuel exports (Origin Energy, AGL and Energy Australia) have put paid to the idea of a super profits tax.
Peter Dutton, and these same energy exporters, argue that any market intervention, and certainly an extra tax, would be a disincentive for companies to invest in energy resources in Australia. Maybe. But I thought Labor was hastening Australia's transition to renewable energy. In which case, new investments in fossil fuel extraction shouldn't be welcome.
Any government market intervention is bound to be messy. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has tried to bamboozle us with detail.
Let's not lose sight of what this all means to the average Australian consumer. Let's see through the political smoke and mirrors here. The average energy consumer is going to pay for the $230 savings on energy bills through the federal budget: in reductions in federal government expenditures, in extra taxes, or in lost tax savings.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Don't plan to fail
BRIAN Measday ('Now is the time for a plan', Letters, 12/12) claimed that burning fossil fuels was the major cause of human-induced climate change. What is the science to prove that? His stated fact that 75 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and 90 per cent of CO2 emissions are caused by the burning of fossil fuels is factually wrong.
The vast bulk of "so-called" greenhouse gases is made up of water vapour moving into and out of the oceans.
It has been estimated that human-induced CO2 emissions account for only 3 per cent of all CO2 additions to the atmosphere. Again, most of the global CO2 comes from the oceans and the natural biosphere. Please note that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere do not "create a blanket around the earth that holds in the heat from the sun". That claim shows a misunderstanding of global atmospheric dynamics. Considerable turbulent activity (weather) continually mixes the atmospheric gases, both vertically and laterally, such that no "blanket" of any gas can form. The energy balance of heat entering and leaving the planet shows that this has not changed over many decades. As far as a plan of action is concerned, perhaps we should get our facts right first otherwise it will be a plan to fail that occurs rather than anything useful.
Peter Devey, Merewether
Pipeline battles
AFTER more than 10 years of protests and legal battles, the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is now gone for good thanks to Joe Biden. According to Anthony Swift, director of the Natural Resources Defence Council Canada project, "The era of building fossil fuel pipelines without scrutiny of their potential impact on climate change and on local communities is over." And that message is gaining some traction in Australia as Environment Minister Plibersek reviews 18 fossil fuel projects. In July, the Environment Council of Central Queensland represented by Environmental Justice Australia launched a legal intervention requesting the minister consider the way these projects would fuel climate change. Sadly, the Narrabri gas project is not on the list and affected farmers now find themselves battling yet another pipeline ('Farmers want gas pipeline for 'bully' axed', Herald, 9/12).
In its report, Net Zero by 2050, the International Energy Agency states that "Beyond projects already committed as of 2021, there are no new oil and gas fields approved for development in our pathway, and no new coal mines or mine extensions are required."
Australia already produces ample gas and exports most of it. Simply diverting some of it to domestic markets will meet our needs. All Australians should support the 215 farmers along the proposed 400km pipeline. The route can be seen on the CSG Free North West website.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn, Vic
SHORT TAKES
IT is more than ironic that back in 2008 Northern NSW Football forced member clubs to give up their voting rights, then handing the voting power to the zones. Now the very people they empowered have turned on them and forced huge changes for the organisation. Sounds a lot like George Orwell's famous novel, Animal Farm. Many others just call it poetic justice.
Shane Tull, Redhead
LOL Bryn Roberts, in defence of the World Game there is a dark side of the force in the shape of the striker and attacking midfielders' club. Membership includes having the ability to defy the laws of physics when their shirts are pulled back and they trip forward with their legs buckled to earn a penalty or free kick just outside the 18 yard box.
Rocco De Grandis, Cameron Park
BRYN Roberts, what you don't get about the 'world game' is its huge size, which other football codes can't compete with and never will. I'm a world citizen first and an Aussie second.
Daryl Frost, Eleebana
BRYN Roberts, where to begin? Mental health is so complex and individual. Your lack of compassion is staggering. Imagine thinking that people who are unfortunately hospitalised due to mental health should be held as a comparison for others. I have witnessed a horrendous amount of mental health in my profession and personal life. Your comment makes me sad.
Alison MacMillan, Tighes Hill
I HAVE a wonderful idea to solve the energy price crisis: let's shovel public money into the pockets of vastly wealthy corporations and their obscenely high paid executives and maybe, just maybe, they will give householders a break. Oh.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
LABOR delivered the drover's dog, now Labor gives us the dog's breakfast. All power to you, Albo. Perhaps you could call on Gough and his mighty aura to power the nation!
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
I FIND it amusing that our right-leaning letter writers make constant use of the word "woke" as though it is the ultimate insult to their target. But many of the lefties amongst us find being called "woke" is actually a compliment.
Lloyd Davies, Stockton
AGNER Sorensen (Short Takes 9/12), AEMO has stated that 100 per cent renewables will be coming "occasionally". That is, for a few hours on some days, occasionally through the year, if we're lucky, renewables may supply 100 per cent of our power. The rest of the time, almost all of the year, we will still rely on burning something to generate electricity.
