Illustration: Michael Leunig.
Having just returned from participating in ArtCOP21, the cultural response to the Paris Climate Conference, I have several observations about the conference itself. First, there was no debate about the science. All 195 attending nations accept that climate change science is robust, and agree with the need for significant, speedy action to avoid the worst impacts of global warming. Second, businesses in all sectors recognise the need for action, both within their enterprises and throughout society. Third, businesses agree that a carbon price is an essential mechanism to promote a global transition to a clean renewable energy future. Fourth, the age of fossil fuels is over.
Any person, business, institution or government who continues to invest in or support fossil fuel exploration, extraction or combustion will not only be acting against their own financial interests, but also in direct opposition to the goals and targets agreed to by every country in Paris. Australia is ranked 56th out of 58 countries for our climate policies, ahead only of Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan. However, if we harness the sense of shared purpose, determination and optimism that characterised the Paris talks, we can begin to secure the prosperity, security and social and environmental wellbeing that will be to our enduring benefit.
Guy Abrahams, Art + Environment, Richmond
Concerted action will make a difference
There are mixed reactions world-wide to the Paris accord. Joy Mettam (Letters, 17/12) made excellent points, and in effect points out we need to treat this as a start, not an end. Every one of us can, and must, do something. It may be letting your politicians know it matters to your vote. Or using public transport more, or making your current car your last fossil-fuel car, or signing up to Environment Victoria emails to see how you can contribute to campaigns, or donating a small amount to an environmental group, or a hundred more things. You can help.
Michael Staindl, Hawthorn
Mixing wind and water
The government is relaxing laws related to wind farms and innovative renewable energy, and surely Port Phillip Bay should be seriously considered on both counts. "Offshore" wind farms could be established in the middle of the bay, which has an average depth of eight metres. It could be achieved with the willingness of state and federal governments and without interfering with shipping channels and visual aesthetics.
Jeffrey Moran, Avenel
A new approach to the desal plant
With Melbourne due to suffer two successive record years of low rainfall, it would be appropriate that we started a conversation about the now-idle desalination plant. While Melbourne is coping because of reduced consumption, this cannot go on forever. We will have to start it up at some time. However if, as is likely, it will be powered by brown coal then we will just be continuing the cycle of carbon emissions leading to lower Victorian rainfall, requiring yet more burning of brown coal. Unlike the aluminium smelter, the desal plant does not need a continuous supply of power and close at hand there are ample sources of renewable energy from solar, wind, wave and tidal flows associated with Western Port and Port Phillip to meet its requirements. Our government should be addressing this now before it becomes urgent and we find ourselves at the mercy of the overseas owners of our brown coal generators, as we are now apparently at the mercy of Alcoa.
Kyle Matheson, Mont Albert
Real fear in bushfires
The front page of Thursday's Age features two risks to our safety, terrorism and bushfires. Terrorism has caused relatively little harm here yet huge resources are used to identify and apprehend potential or actual terrorists. Grannies are searched at airports, billions are spent on ASIO and now a fence is to be built around the MCG. The Australian Institute of Criminology says half the bushfires in Australia are lit deliberately or caused by reckless behaviour. Loss of life and property caused by these fires is enormous. Before every hot windy day, arsonists are reminded in the media that a wonderful opportunity awaits them.
I live in the Macedon Ranges and I have very little fear of terrorism, even when I travel. However, every summer I live in fear of arsonists. I would love to see some of the money spent on terrorism used to identify, apprehend and incarcerate arsonists. Less media attention to hot windy days would be good too.
Tom Hart, Gisborne
Health ups and downs
The Turnbull Government has not grasped the basic balances of Australia's high-quality, cost-effective health system. An important part is agreed reasonable rates of payment for clinical, pathology and imaging services. Yet once again Australians face co-payments for required services just as destructive to the universal Medicare system as the failed GP co-payment.
The planned destruction of our health system must be ideologically driven as the Health Minister, Treasurer and Prime Minister did not even await evidence from their reviews of cost-effective practice. This amounts to a continuous drive to "let the market rip" in health and will deliver Australia a US system where the direction of price is up and the direction of health down.
Anne Hartley, North Balwyn
Who will feel the pain?
It's somewhat disturbing that the medical "professionals" are so vocal in their opposition to the proposed removal of expensive subsidies paid to pathology/imaging providers, using emotional references to cancer diagnoses and treatments. These matters form only a part of the use made of affected services. There is no evidence to assume that bulk billing will be impacted. Is it possible that some of the "incentives" currently available to doctors may be impacted first?
Phil Alexander, Research
History backs science
Julie Szego (Comment, 17/12) outlined in convincing detail the scientific argument for vaccination. To that I can add a family history. My mother grew up in Melbourne in the 1920s and '30s with her four siblings. Between them they caught TB, diphtheria and polio during the regular epidemics that racked the city. Her elder sister died of TB and she endured weeks in hospital terrified of the same fate. Needless to say, she had my sisters and me at the head of every vaccination queue. Some seem to have forgotten the relatively recent history of epidemics in Australia and how every family was affected by death or permanent disability. I suggest the anti-vaccination advocates talk to their grandparents.
Janine Duthie, Box Hill North
Quick thinking needed
Living next to the notorious amber light right turn on Cemetery Road West and Royal Parade, I have been fined twice. My solution is to avoid the turn altogether. But first, I timed the amber light – and found it sometimes varies from two seconds to one before changing to red. Not much chance to stop (and sometimes you can't even see the light with high vehicles ahead).
Bernie Joyce, Parkville
Price of reading
As the literary agent for many internationally successful Australian writers, it always amuses me when academics call themselves "book authors". Although they may well have written books – we know they need to keep their place in the academic hierarchy – we can be fairly sure they exist on salaries with excellent benefits, benefits no writer earning a living in Australia enjoys. If the ban on parallel imports were lifted, those who would benefit are multinational publishers and booksellers. Creative writers would not benefit; neither would the public. There is clear evidence from New Zealand that such a change would have little impact on book prices.
Finally, have these professors never heard of public libraries where everyone can read, for no cost, to their heart's content? Lots of us who are part of Australia's intellectual and cultural life grew up in libraries.
Jenny Darling, Southbank
Deceived about TAFE
The Andrews Labor state government swung unexpectedly to power a year ago with a promise to restore publicly funded TAFE training and to restore TAFEs as the appropriate supplier of trade and post secondary education, particularly in their Labor heartlands. Yet clearly that promise was merely lip service.
What is most shocking is that Kangan Institute is the only supplier of vital tertiary education in the disadvantaged northern suburbs of Melbourne, yet it is effectively being defunded and allowed to wither and die by direct government action. The programs and courses closed at Kangan Institute over the past few years because of funding cuts is staggering. It doesn't bode well for the employment prospects of the young and the many disadvantaged people living in the area. Victorians should be very angry for being deceived.
David Kemp, Lancefield
Road rage
It is easy for folk, including your correspondent (Ian Foote, Letters, 16/12) to suggest improvements to public transport as the answer to road congestion. Mr Foote lives in an inner suburb where public transport is easy. Yesterday I spent 30 minutes travelling one kilometre on the Bulleen Road to connect with Eastlink – at 3pm. My time isn't important, but clearly those in charge of infrastructure think no one's time is important. What is this costing the state in terms of productivity? I often read that the Doncaster line will cure all that ails our transport network, but it won't help those who don't live in Melbourne – unless, of course, we all travel to Doncaster and catch a train.
Helen Goddard, San Remo
The way to go
The declaration by former Speaker of the House of Representatives Anna Burke that she is quitting politics because "I want to go before I resent doing a job I love and no longer cherish every moment in my electorate" is sage advice for other less insightful MPs (former leaders included), who just can't learn to let go. Not to mention the second former female Speaker of the House, who infamously demonstrated a penchant for expensive helicopter rides. Adieu, Anna Burke. You served the People's House with grace and integrity.
Jelena Rosic, Mornington
Results no surprise
Principal Roger Page of Nossal High, a select-entry government school, says students at his school will achieve excellent results (The Age, 17/12). Considering that only students of exceptional academic abilities are accepted, if they didn't achieve, Mr Page should resign. Other government schools accept all students, irrespective of abilities, with many achieving results of which they are proud because it's their best effort.
Jean Tansey, Berwick
Schooled in detail
In your report (17/12) on a drug surveillance operation by Victoria Police, you mention that one man who is the subject of allegations is a former Melbourne Grammar student. And in a recent matter involving the killing of a homeless man, you repeatedly told us the accused was a former student of Melbourne Grammar.
While I applaud your attention to detail and historical accuracy, I find your approach puzzlingly inconsistent. The edition of 17/12 also contains news of a man who attempted to kill a corpse, and details of 11 members of the Finks bikie gang appearing before court. In neither report is there any mention of the school these men attended.
Does somebody there have an obsession with private schools generally, or Melbourne Grammar in particular? Or will the schools attended by the Finks bikie gang be published after a subsequent court appearance?
Frank Smith, Kew
Islam and the West
I read with interest the articles by Waleed Aly (Comment, 11/12) and Paul Monk (Comment, 15/12) on the subject of political Islam. Neither emphasised a well-known element in the situation: Western interventionism. The destabilising effects of this are very clear. The West alone cannot be blamed for violence in the Middle East (the West's own disastrous wars owed little to outside intervention), but no discussion of political Islam can ignore the catastrophic effect of decisions made elsewhere, intensifying latent or actual hostilities.
Colin Ryan, Coburg
AND ANOTHER THING
The economy
Surely the PM can afford to buy Scott Morrison a satellite navigation device to help him get the budget to its destination.
Nick Neary, Armadale
Hey, Scott, if it looks like a co-payment, costs like a co-payment, then it is a co-payment.
Bob Graham, Yarragon
Is the government really going to slam vulnerable patients for such a piddling reduction of the deficit?
Hans Paas, Castlemaine
Be jolly! The Maltony Turnbott government delivered a pre-Christmas bundle of joy.
Jerry Koliha, South Melbourne
Just another "Abbott" mini budget, illuminating more clearly the conservative agenda.
Lawry Mahon, Port Fairy
Politics
Sad to see Anna Burke declare she will leave the Federal Parliament. She was one of the few keeping it from being a bizarre joke.
Conrad Corry, Heidelberg
Bronwyn Bishop in a delegation to the West Bank. Was this research on Israeli helicopter gunships or does she never get enough of travelling when other people pay the bills?
Les Anderson, Woodend
Furthermore
That lone bearded seal on the melting Arctic ice (The Age, 16/15) helps symbolise the world's crying need for tough reduction of carbon emissions.
Barbara Fraser, Burwood
Nearly $3 million for a few minutes of fireworks. What a waste.
Lance Cranage, Mount Waverley
To add much-needed excitement to the next tournament, can we use golf balls the size of hail?
David Clemson, Glen Iris
If I follow John Heywood's thinking correctly (Letters, 15/12): if I shoplift in Coles, I should be given credit to the value of my fine to spend at Coles. So where is the penalty?
Dave Torr, Hoppers Crossing
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