Chris Danckwerts (Letters, March 16) asks why we need an energy market at all. Answer? We don't – unless a market can be designed that achieves some public good. Which, given the utter shambles of federal-state relations plus the clear market failure in South Australia, appears to be something we haven't figured out yet. And we're slow learners. New Zealand did this sort of thing 30 years ago with similar results. A country knee-deep in cheap hydro-power fell for the market ideology hucksters and corporatised the power system. Outcome? Strings of "brownouts", with business and industry crippled. Why? The new power corporations maximised profits by decreasing previous water storage reserves. Dry weather and bingo! Power companies doing well. NZ going down the drain. But at least the Kiwis learned something and rejigged market design. Railways went down the same path. Privatised imbroglio necessitated a rescue through (costly) re-nationalisation. Silver lining? Here's a study tour opportunity for our travel-happy pollies.
Brian Haisman Winmalee
According to Thursday's front page ("Turnbull's plan for Snowy Hydro 2.0", March 15) the government is trumpeting the Snowy Mountains pumped storage proposals as providing an increased capacity, powering extra homes. I urge all journalists and commentators to ignore the deliberately misleading words of the government spokespersons, and tell it how it is. On the basis of the sketchy details available it does not increase the overall capacity of the scheme. You need more rain to do that. It uses power produced by (surprise, surprise) coal-powered power stations and wind generators at periods of low demand, such as at night and releases water to generate electricity in periods of peak demand. The peak generation increases but the average does not. In fact pumped storage is a net user of electricity, due to inefficiencies in the pumping and generating systems. It seems a good idea, subject to economic analysis, to improve the system but don't feed us a load of codswallop.
Roger Mail Wahroonga
Is Malcolm Turnbull so bereft of political judgment that he doesn't realise when he is on a winner? On the same day as announcing a welcome expansion of the Snowy River scheme that is almost certain to shore up the reliability of renewable power in the energy mix, he undermines his own credibility with an unsustainable attack on the Victorian government, claiming it is locking up "enormous" reserves of onshore gas. Will he now follow the lead of black-coal Morrison and wave around a bottle of water in the chamber to try to get the debate re-focused on his Snowy water initiative?
Phyllis Vespucci Reservoir (VIC)
Someone is still being given a snow job. A surface return water line would serve as well. With no tunnelling, savings in both costs and construction time would be achieved.
Harold Roper Woollahra
At last, a real infrastructure initiative by this government, I thought when I picked up the paper. But when such a scheme is announced without even talking to the principal stakeholders, i.e. the states, well, it's just another in a long line of thought bubbles. The principal benefit is to take the wind out of South Australia's real scheme's sails. Petty politics again.
Peter Leonard Tweed Heads South
I have just a couple of questions about these new tunnels in the mountains. Didn't the water dry up during a recent drought, just like in Tasmania recently? And didn't one of the owners try to privatise it and almost succeed? And for $2 billion couldn't you buy a lot of blades, panels and batteries and create employment in Cessnock and Lithgow where those abandoned coal mines are? This is like a lot of infrastructure projects under NSW Labor. Looks good. Until you ask a couple of simple questions.
David Neilson Invergowrie
Snowy Hydro (1949 to 1974) employed about 100,000 people from more than 30 countries. Perhaps Snowy Hydro 2.0, which also may become known as TTAPS, (Turnbull's Tunnels and Power Stations) could employ on contract some of those languishing in offshore detention, with residency being granted upon completion of their contracts. How about it Prime Minister. Everyone could be a winner here. The beginning of the end of offshore detention?
Geoffrey Williamson Woollahra
The Snowy Hydro plan will have the potential to power 5000,000 homes. The $2 billion would be better spent on rebates for rooftop solar panels and storage batteries for homes. There is more certainty in the sun shining than waiting for more snow and rain in the Snowy Mountains.
Robyn Lewis Raglan
Mine support reveals irresponsibility of politicians
Geoff Cousins, the current president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, is providing precisely the kind of environmental leadership this country needs ("Delegation to confront Adani over Galilee coal 'disaster'", March 16). The full text of the letter which Mr. Cousins and three others will deliver to the Indian business tycoon Gautam Adani may be seen in the online version of this story, and it supplies three key reasons why the mine should not go ahead. Significantly, the third reason states that "this mine proposal does not have wide public support in Australia". The Australian public are now well aware that "coal is a killer". The fact that our government supports the Adani mine – a looming "public health disaster" and contributor to global warming – is a sad indictment of the irresponsibility of Australia's politicians. They are well aware that they do not have majority support; they may also be aware that the primary duty of every government, state or federal, is to protect its citizens; but to hell with that, both the "Queensland and federal governments are bending over backwards to fast-track this mine".
David Nash Manly
A moral reason behind opposition to law
What a welcome for the first female secretary of the ACTU, Sally McManus, because she had the temerity to say unjust laws should be opposed ("Sally McManus becomes the first female ACTU secretary", March 16). She has not only had to put up with the predictable assaults by those beacons of political illumination, the democratic duo Cash and Bernardi, but also the timid response of an easily scared Bill Shorten even though he knows she is right. History bulges with examples of unjust laws opposed to the benefit of millions by courageous, principled people. Just contemplate a few: Nelson Mandela's 27-year prison sentence for opposing apartheid's evil laws, Gandhi's jailing for opposing the British-imposed salt tax, the chemical castration in England of the brilliant Alan Turing for being homosexual, the Scopes trial about the law against teaching evolution, the shocking injustices of the Salem witch trials, our own Eureka rebellion, Aung San Suu Kyi, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks and many more. Without condoning clear examples of criminal bastardry by unions and the fostering of extreme union responses by cynical, provocative employers, it is true that there are unjust laws and there is a compelling moral obligation to oppose them at times.
Ron Sinclair Bathurst
Dive site real drama
Nicely put, Hilary Bell ("Letters, March 16). Sensibly, logically reasoned. There is no justification for the proposed dive site outside Sydney Secondary College. Another chest-thumping exercise from a state government on the rocks. I could list many ex-premier Baird's decisions that have galled residents in suburban Sydney. Unfortunately, yours is just another complaint. At the base of all this, if it's analysed, it will come down to money. Money to be made for someone from what Mike Baird was always spruiking as "this great city". It's not about quality of life. Mike Baird cited family health reasons for quitting politics. We all have family health reasons that affect our work and lives; but we get on with them. Like Daniel in the lion's den, Baird saw the writing on the wall and left like a dog with its tail between its legs before the people of NSW threw his government out. Sadly, the new premier inherited a poisoned chalice; but I'm not sorry for her. She didn't have to accept the job. I am sorry for what you and the people of Leichhardt will have to put up with. Trucks. Noise. Pollution. Traffic gridlocks. Maybe it will take a serious accident before the politicians stop and listen. But I doubt it. You are a playwright. Channel all that anger and frustration into your writing. Speak to the people through the power of the word. People listen. Politicians don't. Expose them on the stage.
Peter Skrzynecki Eastwood
Hillary Bell, what you so graphically describe is a tragedy of monumental proportions. But it is not a new or sudden assault on communities from this government. It needs to be remembered that this coalition government has no interest in the welfare or health of communities, as has been regularly demonstrated throughout its incumbency. Developers' and the mining lobby's interests have been demonstrated to be its only priorities, perhaps beginning with the Baird clearances of social housing in Millers Point.
I weep for the Sydney I grew up in, for the ongoing destruction, the gutting of thriving communities, the shrivelling of green spaces and sufficient play areas for children, the rampant removal of trees, and the wilful refusal to give public transport the priority it deserves.
It is to be hoped that your community, and the rest of Sydney, remembers these losses at the next election.
Elizabeth Chandler Napoleon Reef
What on earth is a dive site? It surely cannot be connected to scuba diving – in Leichhardt?
Coral Button North Epping
China efforts vital
Stephen FitzGerald, our first Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, reminds us both of the visionary leadership of the late Gough Whitlam and the foundation stone already set down by both men of "friendship, co-operation and mutual trust" in our relationship with China. ("In today's Chinese world, Australia needs to rethink the way it deals with its allies", March 16)
Mr FitzGerald suggests that "political Australia" is not ready for us to embrace the reality of the new world order.
What does it take for us to face up to the fact that if we don't move to discover our place in this changing brave new world we will be made to do so or, worse, be shunted to the back of the dress circle ending up like a stagnant, somewhat isolated, island bereft of dignity and any influential status in the West Pacific?
We can wish as much as we like that things will work out all right but reality dictates that we are required to make an effort to make it so.
Neville Williams Darlinghurst
Parliamentarian fail
As someone who doesn't drink beer and doesn't read the Bible, and having no problem with civilised debates about marriage equality, my beef is with the two high-profile, supposedly savvy, parliamentarians, too naive – no, too stupid – to not understand the ramifications of the perception of publicly endorsing a commercial product (Letters, March 16).
Max Fischer Scarborough
MP calls out Abbott now, but once giggled at his gaffes
When Tony Abbott was asked what similarities Fiona Scott shared with Jackie Kelly his reply was this: "They're young. Ah, they're, um, feisty. Ah, I think I can say they probably have a bit of sex appeal" (Former Liberal MP Fiona Scott calls on Tony Abbott to quit Parliament", smh.com.au, March 16). Scott, standing alongside the prime minister at the time, giggled away the inappropriateness.
Given that she claims the sex appeal comment damaged her credibility, I suggest she had the opportunity to call Abbott out on it there and then.
Joan Kunze Penrith
Sit up straight
What is it with restaurateurs, chefs et al posing for photographs perched on their work benches, sitting back-to-front on chairs ("One door closes and a Cantonese joint opens", March 16) or in other unorthodox positions?
What type of example are they setting, especially when they put their rear ends on their benches? More to the point, would they find it OK if their customers adopted similar positions in their eateries?
Col Shephard Yamba
Going off the grid
Last year I took our house off the gas grid. So I can say with certainty that there is no gas shortage and rising gas prices are irrelevant. Everyone should take their house off the gas grid. It's easy to do and done properly it saves money.
Victor Bivell Abbotsford