Could we please stop falling for the term "clean coal" ("Black is the new green under Turnbull's plan", February 2)? Whether its origin is casual ignorance or calculated propaganda, fossil fuels will always be the dirty alternative.
What we are seeing is a government in thrall to the miners and determined to assist in the extraction of every last dollar from their holdings before new technology renders them worthless. The sad joke is (if the deliberately obtuse answers coming from the government are a guide) that we are about to offer them further subsidies in the attempt.
Coal is a Stone-Age technology. As the saying goes, the Stone Age did not end for want of stones.
Gary Stowe Springwood
Surely, to maintain some consistency as he diverts clean-energy funding to coal, far-sighted Malcolm Turnbull should allocate significant national park funding to land clearing and plough some investment into carburettor production and party-line phone systems.
David Baird Burradoo
Malcolm Turnbull supports clean coal technology as "non-ideological". However, there is no clean coal technology in the world that works at the rates we need it to. Most of it is incredibly expensive to install and to use, adding massive costs for consumers. It also continues to emit greenhouse gases. Carbon capture and storage has major leakage and transportation issues, leading to further costs of making sure it does not leak.Even Turnbull admits that the massive investment by the Australian government in clean coal has not produced anything useful. So why should we continue to throw money away?Supporting coal simply increases the costs of dealing with climate change, and takes us away from a developing labour-intensive renewable industry into the past. However, supporting fossil fuel companies with taxpayers' money is an important Liberal and National ideology, and there the plan succeeds brilliantly.
Jon Marshall Lilyfield
Malcolm Turnbull promised an "ideology free" energy policy, but he didn't say anything about religion, which is what his belief in coal has become. Now Josh Frydenberg, the current Minister for Heatwaves and other high priests of the black stuff will be sent out to sell us tripe like "clean coal" and how unaffordable renewable energy is.
Alan Watterson Koala Beach
The letters on Thursday reflect the assumption that the only choice in the generation of electricity is either high cost or global warming but, as France, India and China realised long ago and England is now re-learning, nuclear power provides reliable supplies of electricity at low cost with minimal greenhouse gas emissions, pollution or other environmental damage.
Even after the Fukushima accident in Japan, radiation outside the nuclear plant site did not reach levels that are known to be harmful. Japan is now slowly returning to nuclear power.
Don Higson Paddington
It is pointless saying that "we" must accept higher electricity prices – to safeguard the planet – to poor Australians who cannot afford to safeguard themselves against winter cold or summer heat (Letters, February 2). There is a bitter irony that many of the people who railed against a $5 Medicare co-payment because of its potential health effects upon the poor are prepared to stand by blithely and watch them suffer under exorbitant electricity prices.
Peter Fleming Ryde
I see that Malcolm Turnbull's speech writers have re-booted the random political phrase generator. Phrases like "state of the art" and "clean coal-fired technology " belong with "fake news" and particularly with "alternative facts". These words, and attacks on Labor, have no place in a competent government's vision for Australia.
Don Smith Ashfield
Renewable energy sources (other than geothermal) are dependent on the sun, which will be around for another 5 billion years. The world's coal reserves will be exhausted in just a few hundred years, whether Malcolm Turnbull likes it or not. Which option offers better energy security?
Dan Howe North Sydney
Until I saw Malcolm's plan for the future I was under the impression La La Land was a movie.
Zuzu Burford Heathcote
Clean coal – the alchemy of the 21st century.
John Truman St Leonards
Next time, PM, play the Pine Gap card
If the Prime Minister has to endure another call to or from President Trump, he should remind the former TV star of the small matter of whether the US wants to continue Pine Gap ("'The worst call by far': Donald Trump badgers, brags in Malcolm Turnbull call", smh.com.au, February 2). If Malcolm Turnbull cannot get civility he should at least try for respect.
Joe Weller Lewisham
Malcolm Turnbull, it's time to cut your political losses. Stop pretending. Admit you left your US refugee deal too late and rashly assumed Hillary Clinton would win. Admit the Trumpster isn't going to accept several hundred Iranians, Iraqis, Sudanese and Somalians. Bite your lip and admit you screwed up. If you can muster even a skerrick of humanity, cancel the deal, end the cruelty, bring the refugees to Australia, and close the bloody camps.
Steve Cornelius Brookvale
So, The Donald is going to "study this dumb deal." I only hope that they used really, really little words when they scribbled it out.
Ian McDonald Chatswood
Following the debacle over the so-called "refugee swap" with the US, surely it is now time for the Coalition to tender its resignation as our federal government for sheer incompetence alone.
Michael Slocum Ascot Vale
Who'd have thought Australia's unquestioning sycophancy to US foreign policy would lead to this. This shows how quickly Donald Trump will dump us when push comes to shove.
Anthony van den Broek Erskineville
NSW government steals from its residents
So the Tories still want to give a clear $2 billion profit – rightfully the property of the people of NSW – to their crony capitalist mates ("Billions at stake in sale of land titles registry", February 2). And to compensate, they want to give us another coliseum at Parramatta. Our brand new Premier might want to fill Mike Baird's shoes, but why does she want to fill Emperor Titus' shoes? Of course the Tory patricians will still short-change the Parramatta plebians – I'll wager they will not get 100 days of games.
Roger Cameron Marrickville
They just don't get it. The state government needs to rethink the potential impact of the continued sale of assets to fund only construction projects in Sydney. This time the proposal is to sell an asset owned by all constituents of NSW and have the money spent on revamping the Parramatta and ANZ stadiums. Thank you, Gladys Berejiklian, for considering rural and regional areas. Bring on the next state election.
Bruce Clydsdale Bathurst
The expressions of interest paper seen by Fairfax Media unmasks the NSW Coalition government as acting contrary to free enterprise and competition. The quoted language of the paper is deeply cynical describing the Land and Property Information as a "single source of truth" and providing "essential monopoly services". The LPI is at the very core of the role of government in regulating the allocation of land. NSW can be proud of having one of the best systems in the world, relatively free of legal contest and any need for title insurance. If this can be privatised then nothing is sacred, including the Parliament and the courts.
John Terrey Lane Cove
Pros and cons needed on council mergers
Before we rush into plebiscites Gladys Berejiklian should consider releasing all the information, both for and against, on council mergers that the Baird government used to make its original decision to pursue the mergers ("Backflip looms on council mergers", February 2).
Peter Fuller Narrabeen
I'm not sure what form of plebiscite is envisaged to measure ratepayers' opinion but surely there is no need for expensive polling days. A survey issued with the next rate notice and a reply-paid envelope should be sufficient. That's how we changed our garbage collection arrangements here in the Blue Mountains. If that's still too costly, perhaps Malcolm Turnbull could be pressed to cover the cost for his NSW Liberal colleagues.
Philip Cooney Wentworth Falls
Court system failing
The jailing of Man Haron Monis' girlfriend, Amirah Droudis, for the murder of his ex-wife is another sad reminder of the failure of government to meet its prime responsibility of keeping its people safe ("Gunman's partner jailed for murder", February 2).
When Monis went on his murderous rampage in December 2014, he was on bail on charges laid in November 2013 of being an accessory to the alleged murder of his ex-wife and also facing multiple charges of sexual assault laid earlier in 2014.
How can justice be served when it takes so long for someone charged with serious crimes to be put on trial? A timely trial for Monis could have prevented the Lindt Cafe siege.
Maurice Critchley Kenthurst
Media must continue to challenge Trump
Paul Miles (Letters, February 2) claims that journalists are "death-riding" the Trump administration with negative stories, and that the election result renders this superfluous.
Questioning of elected officials by the media is a fundamental pillar of democracy. During the primaries, while the media asked Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders detailed policy questions, the Republicans were asked probing questions such as "what is your favourite movie?" and "what is your favourite Bible verse?".
Although far too late to abrogate their culpability, the media has a duty to question the consequences of Donald Trump's policies.
Gary Powell Killara
The Washington Post has reported "US intelligence agencies determined that the Russian government actively interfered" in the US elections. With this information in mind, Paul Miles, can you say Donald Trump was democratically elected? As for giving him a fair go, Hillary certainly didn't get one.
Victoria Harrington Thirroul
If I promise to punch you in the face and then I punch you in the face, then in Paul Miles book I should be lauded as being true to my word. On the contrary, I should be castigated as the bastard who punched you in the face.
Simon Hoyle Mosman
NZ leads the sway
Margaret Beavis' valuable article needs a small correction ("US bases need a rethink after Trump", February 2). She states, "New Zealand clearly acts in its own interest and remains an ally."
New Zealand ended its involvement in ANZUS in 1984 when it declared itself nuclear-free and prevented nuclear-armed or powered ships entering its ports. During the first George W. Bush presidential term, Colin Powell visited New Zealand and said "New Zealand is not an ally of the United States, but is a very good friend." During the second Bush presidential term, Condoleezza Rice visited New Zealand and confirmed "New Zealand is not an ally of the United States, but is a very, very good friend."
There may well be advantages in being a "very, very good friend" rather than an ally.
David Swain Beecroft
The true cost of buying a government
Prime Minister Turnbull donates $1.75 million to his party to get himself and his government elected ("$1.75 million: PM reveals personal effort to election effort", February 2). He calls it putting his money where his mouth is. I call it buying himself a government.
Surely I am not the only one who sees a conflict of interest. We clearly need real-time disclosure of political donations, with a cap on how much any person or organisation can donate.
Denis Wolff Carlingford
The Prime Minister's $1.75 million donation is nothing to be ashamed of. It is evidence he believes in his cause and is willing to put his money where his mouth is.
Jasper Morrison Baulkham Hills
If I'd spent $1.75 million to become Prime Minister and was still controlled by the conservative right of the party, and with such a tiny majority, I'd be a very angry man. A poor investment and symptomatic of continual bad judgement.
Rod Secomb Petersham
Malcolm Turnbull states he used his wealth to assist the community. Strange, I thought he gave $1.7 million to get himself back into Parliament. Is this an example of "charity begins at home"?
George Whaley Dorroughby
No wonder Malcolm Turnbull was upset on election night, considering the poor return on his $1.75 million investment.
Ian Ogston Chain Valley Bay