Letters to the editor: Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Scott Morrison implores them not to take what they're learning too seriously, just relax and enjoy your childhood, kiddos.

Yet at the same time his federal government, through its own Great Barrier Reef Authority Outlook Report 2019, states categorically, "overwhelmingly climate change is the primary factor affecting the reef, and both the magnitude and rate of change exceed the extent of natural variation over the last millennium and over glacial - interglacial time scales". And also: "At current rates of warming, global mean temperature will have a very high risk of approaching 2degC by 2065, which would result in a completely new climate regime under which many ecosystems would undergo irreversible change". To read further is no less sobering.

This federal government agency is freely telling anyone interested enough in the future of our planet to read, that we have an urgent need to take early and effective global and national action on climate change, exactly what the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is saying.

The first serious action we take, inevitably, will be to re-establish a price on carbon pollution (the elephant in the room) that we have been tiptoeing around for years, decades even. We now don't even see the elephant in the room. But our children see it. And don't you dare lie back in your hammock and tell them they mustn't wake him up.

Colin Davy, Merewether

THE DEBATE IS DONE

WITH all the scientific evidence concerning global warming we should not continue to refer to arguments on the matter as a "debate". Certainly actions designed to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gases (GHG) can be debated, yet the actual issue and the cause, man-made global warming (AGW) is substantiated beyond reasonable doubt.

Our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, stood before the United Nations and rejected any criticism of his refusal to attend the UN Climate Action day. He rejects that Australian greenhouse gas emissions are increasing, and rejects that we are doing little to reduce our emissions. He stands alone with one fair-weather friend, Donald Trump, as his sole ally, and argues that "Australia is doing our bit on climate change and we reject any suggestion to the contrary."

Government policy to address increasing emissions is mainly the renewable energy target, Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. These were established by the Rudd/Gillard governments, and Abbott tried to abolish these as he did with the Climate Change Authority. The only effort made by the Morrison government has been to add $2.5 billion to the Abbott plan to plant trees and carbonise farmlands.

Our energy grid is equally under threat due to the unstructured, unplanned mess that is our electricity generation and transmission system. The Australian Energy Market Operator has reported that we face supply interruptions (black-outs) because our grid has not been adapted to meet the load or demands.

In sum, I believe Mr Morrison is being disingenuous at best and dishonest at least.

Scott Bell-Ellercamp, Clarence Town

WORDS CAN RING HOLLOW

LAKE Macquarie City Council's Living Smart Festival was held last weekend, but does the council walk the walk when it comes to respecting our local environment?

Earlier this year the council approved the $77 million BlackRock Motor Park (Herald 2/5), substantial parts of which are classified under E2 Environmental Protection zoning.

The Lake Mac 2050 Strategy outlines the importance of the area's Green Network, linking land clearance to a decline in biodiversity and threats to vulnerable wildlife.

However, I believe the development will inhibit a roosting site of a threatened microbat species, ignore many aspects of the council's policy to protect vulnerable plant Tetratheca juncea and falls short on protecting squirrel glider den trees despite the council's assessment to the contrary. All of this, on top of increasing emissions.

Alan Packer, Wakefield

SCIENCE IS NOT SPIN

FOR four decades now, Phil Payne (Letters, 26/09), climate scientists have been producing best and worst scenarios, detailing what actions are necessary to avoid a climate, and urging action. Despite their predictions proving disturbingly accurate, action to date has been well below their recommendations.

All climate change activists are doing is trying to promote the implementation of a science-based action plan while there is still time to avoid the worst case. Surely that's nothing to be ashamed of. Any shame lies with those in positions of power who for decades now have relied on spin and misinformation instead of real action because they find, as Al Gore said in 2006, the science is "an inconvenient truth".

Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi

TRUANCY HAS CONSEQUENCES

PAT Conroy, you tell us that for the last six years you have been dealing with the climate change issue in different ways and proudly involved in forming the policies on climate change to take to the last election (Letters, 26/9). How did that go for you? Labor was trounced in an un-loseable election.

I just believe that adults shouldn't be encouraging school students to strike because it's a slippery slope. What's stopping them striking over other issues they are passionate about, like a teacher or principal they don't like, or maybe to change the dress code or any rules for that matter? Would you support Wallsend High going on strike over uniforms? If students really, really care about climate change, then rally in your own time. Maybe even give up all of your electronic devices to save the world. Sure, I'm probably carrying on a bit now, but can we just leave the students to get on with their education, pretty please?

Gregory Grey, Maryland

WE'RE NOT ON THAT LEVEL

BEING Donald Trump's mate has emboldened Mr Morrison, and he chose in the USA to make highly contentious remarks about China. If Mr Morrison thinks he can hide behind his new buddy when dishing out criticism, he is in the wrong ballpark.

What arrogance, to suggest China is not a developing country and to make that suggestion while in America. We can't play games of one-upsmanship with a giant like China. Mr Morrison needs to get home, go to Hillsong and pray that he can keep his mouth closed.

John Butler, Windella Downs

SHARE YOUR OPINION

Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.

Short Takes

ONCE again our Prime Minister's bravado comes to the fore. His comment at the UN Assembly that Australia generates 1.3 per cent of world pollution is correct. However, if he relates this figure to Australia's population as a percentage of the world's, our country is the biggest polluter relative to population at a factor of 3.88. This surpasses the USA, Canada, Russia and South Korea and far surpasses China and India. In addition, our 7.8 per cent of world coal production (90 per cent exported) contributes to two of the four major overall world polluters in China and India.

Warren Hayter, Georgetown

GIVEN all the doom and gloom and political correctness around us, I ask the Newcastle Herald to generate a page called "Our Castle" or "it could only happen in Newy". Our children are never too young to learn and our oldies are never too old to laugh. You could send in your stories and memories of your years growing up in our Newcastle. I reckon there will be some cracking stories. Imagine our beloved elderly people sitting back in their homes and retirement villages laughing, reading your memories and rekindling their own. Remember driving home from the Skyline drive-in with the speaker still attached to your car window? The Vienna coffee lounge, Shindig village, Pinocchio's, Pink Flamingo ... come on, share your stories and make us laugh again.

Graeme Kime, Cameron Park

NO doubt Adam Walton thinks his "Festival of Naysayers" idea (Letters, 21/9) is clever and sophisticated humour. I suggest it's adolescent and silly. Why is it that letter writers who criticise and brand others names like whingers never seem to be able to produce cogent arguments to reinforce their facile name-calling? It's one of the reasons that Newcastle is on the receiving end of so many flawed and fifth-rate ideas under spin like "revitalisation".

Keith Parsons, Newcastle

WE recently had an medical emergency when our daughter had a bleed after a tonsillectomy. It was very stressful, but we have nothing but praise for the amazing nurses at John Hunter Hospital. From the beautiful nurses at triage to the nurse we had in emergency to the staff in ward H3, we can't thank you enough. You were all so caring and supportive.

Kerrie Hicks, Adamstown

AS far as I'm concerned, any laws brought in on the hush so the people don't have a say are null and void.

Craig Budden, Hamilton

MESSAGEBOARD

FROM an almost blank slate less than two years ago, semi-retired landscape designer Gordon Rowland has created an oasis with more than 40 plant species that occur naturally in the Hunter Region. Gordon is opening his garden this weekend to raise awareness of under-valued flora and highlight the importance of providing a haven for our vanishing songbirds. The garden is open on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday October 6, at 42 Young Street Carrington from 9.30am to 4pm both days. Entry by gold coin donation and sorry but there is no disabled access.