Listening to the UK's incoming prime minister, Keir Starmer, outlining UK Labour's future aims, I was struck by the similarities to that of our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, in May 2022.
In both instances, the leaders spoke about a need to heal political divides to make life better for all, a process dependent upon the Parliament and the community coming together in a spirit of common cause to redress past failings.
The Starmer Labour government's clear mandate enables the UK reparative processes to proceed unhindered. The Albanese government, despite having a similar mandate, since taking office has been denied in the Senate some of its reformative change. Sadly, for the nation, our Senate has within it a significant number of senators who are always anti-Labor irrespective of the merits of the legislation in front of them. This "ham-fisted" clique of naysayers include the National Liberals, the ever-opportunistic Greens, and the racist Hansonites.
Clear proof we are not "the cleverest of countries".
Barry Swan, Balgownie
Lemmings at the cliff
'Business as usual' by Tony Lonergan (Opinion, NH 6/7) was not so much a revelation of some new threat, but a condemnation of successive governments ongoing practices that must surely injure us all.
What manner of stupidity does it take to declare that turning the Hunter Valley into a moonscape is in the best interest of the community, which is the official wording given when approving yet another coalmine. As of 2023 we had 116 new fossil fuel projects in the planning stage all presumably prepared in the belief that they would get approved by a government who can't say no. Yet if they all go ahead it would produce 1.4 billion tonnes of emissions, albeit in another country because almost all of the products are for export.
Lonergan pointed out that the media seems to have lost interest in climate change, which is the elephant in the room that will amplify the extreme climate event we can see happening daily. To put this threat into perspective, the world's heat balance has become distorted by human activities resulting in less heat being radiated from earth creating an excess of 1.33 watts per square metre. That might not sound much, but it's the equivalent of almost a million Hiroshima-sized bombs being detonated every day.
Most of this heat is absorbed by the oceans, providing the energy source for the weather events that will dominate all aspects of our future lives.
Don Owers, Dudley
Public not on protesters' side
Ian McKenzie ("Big picture goes beyond protest inconvenience", Letters, 6/7), I want to address a number of issues you have raised.
First, you argue the protesters are not criminals. This is clearly wrong. They are committing criminal acts that contribute to human-induced climate change through increased road traffic as a result of their actions. They are just as criminal as any other person that breaks and enters into a property or vandalises property.
Furthermore, while the individual protesters are getting arrested - they are clearly being organised by others - so the organisers should also be brought to justice.
You suggest they are doing good on behalf of the public. But they do not act on behalf of the public. They haven't sought permission from the general public, and their actions are unpopular. It is the exact opposite - they act contrary to the public's wishes and they do their own thing, despite the public saying they are against their actions. You are begging forgiveness for their actions and nobody is forgiving them.
As far as doing something for the general public, their actions have never made a difference to politicians taking action on climate change. They are wasting everyone's time. They should seek permission from the general public before they can claim to be acting for them. While they ignore the need to get the general public onside, politicians will never want to associate themselves with such a radical, unpopular group of criminals.
Glen Wilson, Cardiff
Time to stop immigration
The government and most citizens keep agonising over the impossible combination of immigration, housing, inflation and climate change.
We are still suffering from several years of enforced changes to our lives. All of these difficulties can be overcome quite simply by a willing and committed government.
The basic cure is to stop immigration. No more millions of people to find accommodation for, no more bush land and flora and fauna to be destroyed, no urgent need to build roads, hospitals, or school, no need for nuclear power stations or submarines.
The population of Australia may decrease little because the birthrate is fewer than two children per Australian. So what? The nation can start to bring our services and systems back under rational control while our clever government generates incentives for our baby builders to get to work. Observant people will notice that overseas electors have thrown out their previous governments, whether they were Left or Right, in most cases driven by excessive immigration.
George Paris, Rathmines
SHORT TAKES
Focus on mines, not lines
It was interesting to read Ian McKenzie's letter ("Big picture goes beyond protest inconvenience", Letters, 6/7) regarding Blockade Australia protesters. My question is why are they blocking the rail line? Surely they must realise the coal is out of the ground and on its way? Why don't they go to the mines and stop the coal being mined if they were really serious? Just an idea.
Maria Pye, New Lambton
Actions put lives at risk
Ian McKenzie ("Big picture goes beyond protest inconvenience", Letters, 6/7), you say Blockade Australia protesters are not criminals. I beg to differ. They are illegally entering live rail lines and putting lives at risk and prosecuted under the Safe Work laws they have no regard for.
Ken Stead, Lambton
Pay packet cuts both ways
My wife recently received the tax cuts in her pay packet. She's really happy. Me, not so much. Being on a disability pension, I had my payment cut by $30, pretty much what she got in the tax cut so it's really not going to help us too much.
Wayne Borrow, Raymond Terrace
Surprised or cynical?
Is it just that I'm a political cynic, or do others find it incredulous that supporters of Senator Payman were "spontaneously" present to welcome her home to Perth, or had they been advised of her travel arrangements?
Ian De Landelles, Murrays Beach
Reason for demise still stands
Thank you Marvyn Smith ("Harsh shipbuilding words rued", Letters, 8/7) and John Ure ("Don't labour political bent", Letters, 8/7), I stand corrected over the author of that infamous statement about the submarine corporation's abilities. However, I think you would agree that the demise in our manufacturing industries was the result of a joint effort by both parties to, as they put it, "stick to what we are good at", meaning becoming the world's quarry. We are now greatly hampered in providing clean energy, defence, and infrastructure.
