Australia's carbon emissions jumped in the first quarter of 2017, almost entirely driven by the electricity sector. As the dust settles on the Finkel report, many observers describe it as a political compromise, but one capable of breaking a damaging, irresponsible policy impasse. It recognises that public opinion has overtaken the dinosaurs in Coalition ranks and given Mr Turnbull some cover for action in line with his previously stated beliefs. Mr Shorten seems prepared to compromise, spooked by fears of attacks about electricity bills.
We should be thankful for any coherent policy and action. Hopefully, the Greens won't repeat their appalling error in helping to scuttle the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in 2009. For all that, both major parties frequently assert that they respect the intelligence and judgment of voters. If they are fair dinkum, it's time they accepted that wreckers such as Tony Abbott have little public credibility and can be safely ignored – and that most voters, if addressed intelligently as responsible adults, might be persuaded that there are not always cost-free solutions to problems of our collective making.
Norman Huon, Port Melbourne
Missed chances in Finkel report
Still paying the price of toxic politics from the Abbott era, the Finkel report is glaring for its disappointment and missed opportunity of rising to the energy challenges of the day. The deniers club of coal supporters will have an extension of their period of blissful ignorance but this report fails to provide a roadmap and transition plan to what is inevitable. The presence of some coal in the ground continues to grossly distort the thinking of some away from the bigger picture in contravention of their broader fiduciary duties to the people of the world and the planet. Immediately upon its release, it is already time for Finkel 2.0, this time without undue political influence.
Robert Brown, Camberwell
Look at the service charges
Australia's electricity price comparisons with other countries reported in The Age looked at the usage cost (price per kWh). Additional to this is the service cost. Having travelled in Europe last year, I found that the service charges in other countries were a third or a quarter of Australia's. Households here are paying $200 to $300 more than other countries before they start to use any electricity. The current fossil fuel suppliers and distributors should reduce their profit margins.
Tom Maher, Aspendale
Mining the mine for truth
The article "Mine Craft" (Good Weekend, 10/6) describes the dubious nature of the figures of jobs and financial returns used by the Queensland Premier and federal ministers in attempts to justify their support for the Adani coal mine.
It is clear that any jobs created will be significantly fewer than the many at risk from the reduced tourism caused by further degradation of the Great Barrier Reef. Furthermore, any financial gains will be greatly out-weighed by the costs of protecting or relocating infrastructure threatened by sea rise and increased storm damage due to increased global warming.
Stuart Kelly, Ballarat
The predictable Mr Abbott
So predictable. Tony Abbott, who operates from a set of irrational, unfounded and quasi-delusional beliefs, and other equally ill-informed pundits, come out against the considered authoritative Finkel Report.
Murray Barson, Hurstbridge
THE FORUM
Survey just a start
It is reassuring that Tony Fitzgerald, who lifted the lid on malpractice in the Bjelke-Petersen government in Queensland, is turning his gaze on to questionable attitudes and practices of federal politicians ("Corruption fighter keen to clean up Canberra", 12/6). However, the voluntary nature of giving answers means that any canny, secretive politician could give innocuous answers that simply evade the issue. Fitzgerald's survey is only a start; there needs to be a process that is more investigative, rather than relying on the politician's version of the issues.
Phyllis Vespucci, Reservoir
Roll on, fast bus
When people envision a new train line from the city to Doncaster I suspect that, like me, they have in mind a station at the Westfield shopping centre. But if the train runs along the Eastern Freeway median strip, as Tony Morton (Letters, 12/6) suggests, I doubt this could ever happen. The simple arithmetic of ruling gradients for trains and compensation for curvature means a train couldn't get you up the Doncaster Road hill.
After being deposited in the no man's land of the park and ride with its tiny car park, you would still need a bus to get you up to Doncaster proper and everywhere beyond. Why not have a modern, fast bus on a dedicated lane take you all the way?
Peter Lynch, Kew
Concrete green wedges
The Supreme Court has overturned a VCAT decision and approved a large place of worship in the Green Wedge at Carrum Downs. The case turned on whether the development qualified as a place of worship.
The Defenders of the South East Green Wedge objected to this proposal because its scale and bulk would be completely out of place in the open countryside. It consisted of a double-storey hall to accommodate up to 3500 people, two double-storey buildings, a large two-storey guesthouse with a lift, a caretaker's dwelling and a big barn, all on a 26.3 hectare site.
There are four outstanding applications for places of worship in the South East Green Wedge, including one with towers as tall as a seven-storey building. If this trend is allowed to continue, our delightful green wedges will soon be transferred into an urban-type landscape dominated by large buildings.
Barry Ross, Hampton
We get out what's put in
Dylan Voller's compelling story regarding his triumph over personal adversity and egregious maltreatment at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre is irrefutable evidence of the need to reform the juvenile justice system across jurisdictions.
Dylan's story could be that of any number of other traumatised young person's. Now that the public have heard his story of survival, spoken in his own "voice", they will be better able to understand the barriers impeding the life pathway of these traumatised young people. And the message of redemption that Dylan Voller proffers is crystal clear. What you put into young people is what the community will ultimately receive back from them – good, bad or the ugly.
Jelena Rosic, Mornington
Risible claims continue
Hardly a day goes past when claims by some in the Liberal Party that today's One Nation is "more sophisticated" than in the 1990s are not exposed as risible.
On the ABC's AM, One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts stated that "[humans] can't even affect the level of CO2 [carbon dioxide] in the atmosphere", only to contradict himself by criticising the lack of policy focus on "all of the CO2 that is produced from cars, planes and ships".
Geoffrey Feren, St Kilda East
Put all facts out there
Andrew Robb says there is "no conflict between his previous role as trade minister and his brief as a consultant to the Chinese company Landbridge. However, he neglects to say the company for whom he now consults at a salary well over $800,000 is heavily into trade, having recently paid $500 million to lease the Port of Darwin for 99 years.
Chris Burgess Port Melbourne
What they're against
When Donald Trump became president, One Nation re-entered parliament and Britain Brexited, we seemed to have arrived at an historic juncture.
While many commentators saw these events as the beginnings of a new movement, I was not so sure. Recent events, such as Emmanuel Macron's election in France and Britain's repudiation of Theresa May, may have actually mobilised a new social movement – one characterised by disparate sociopolitical groups including feminists, LGBTIQ youth (and young people more generally), environmentalists and farming communities concerned about climate change.
While these groups appear to have little in common, many have been mobilised by what they are against. This does not imply an "anti-establishment" movement, but rather a movement of diverse people acknowledging that populist politicians cannot tackle complex social problems.
Donna Wyatt, Wyndham Vale
Snap up this song
Our national anthem really is rubbish. But a highly moving piece of music is now available that neatly captures the growing political mood both here and abroad. Fortunately, it's out of copyright, so we should snap up The Internationale before another mob does.
Peter McCarthy, Mentone
Speaking to the future
If the British election teaches us anything, it should be that when a centre-left party refuses to simply ape a conservative party in a race to the bottom on social policies but forges an ethical humanist agenda, it generates a momentum that speaks to the future. I hope the ALP takes this lesson to heart and opposes the facile blandishments of Peter Dutton's values test and the need to demonstrate integration into Australian society as requirements for citizenship. Neither does an iota to improve us as a society but everything to diminish our tolerance and diversity.
Ramesh Rajan, Camberwell
Terrorist beginnings
We should rightly deplore recent terrorist events in Australia, but can we please keep these in perspective. This country's foundation and development were based on acts of terrorism. In order to remove the Indigenous inhabitants from desired areas of land, numerous massacres and other atrocities were committed – including poisoning waterholes and giving Aborigines smallpox-infested blankets.
The last officially sanctioned massacre was around Coniston in the Northern Territory, where more than 60 men, women and children were slaughtered in 1928. The rationale for the Coniston massacre and similar events was "to teach the blacks a lesson". Is this so different from the repulsive ideology espoused by modern terrorists?
Mike Puleston, Brunswick
Picture this
I agree with the editorial (The Age, 12/6) that the Queen's Birthday honours list contains too many well-known names, yet The Age has featured the high-profile Cate Blanchett on the front page. While her achievements are impressive, I believe that in an egalitarian society, some of the battlers all over the country deserve a voice, too, in recognition of their largely unheralded service.
Helen Scheller, Benalla
My friend, the writer
I have read The Age since I was a little tacker peering over my father's armchair. Now a subscriber in my own right, I find there are many columnists whom I regard as good friends to catch up with. This is especially true of Martin Flanagan, who has left me with many wistful, thoughtful and sometimes challenging ideas over the years, but most often a smile and warmth from his reflections. Martin, you will be very missed.
Kathy Law, Camberwell
Coverage wasted
Your story (The Age, 11/6) on the serious famine in east Africa will hopefully increase donations to aid organisations in these countries. If all media outlets had devoted less coverage to Donald Trump's every silly utterance and more to informing the public of the misery in East Africa in the past six months, more than 32 per cent of Australians would know about this crisis.
I know about it as until recently I donated monthly to UNHCR, Medicines Sans Frontieres, Oxfam and, intermittently, to UNICEF. My humanitarian support is motivated by Peter Singer's belief that we could eliminate global poverty if those who could afford it donated 10 per cent of their income. I have a roof over my head, food to eat and clothes to wear but can the 23 million starving Africans say the same?
Diana Yallop, Surrey Hills
A fine balance
After skimming the usual litany of conflict, struggle and hubris that tend to constitute news, what a pleasure it was to come across Cameron Woodhead's review of the Melbourne Theatre Company's production of Macbeth. The role of the reviewer is fraught due to the anxious expectations of directors and theatre companies. Woodhead's beautiful form of words, without a hint of concession to interested parties, constitutes fine journalism.
Chris Marshall, Ascot Vale
AND ANOTHER THING ...
The UK election
Boris Johnson is off to a head start in the race to be the next British PM. He has got the hairstyle down pat.
Peter McNicol, Sandringham
Theresa May not
Alan Inchley, Frankston
Rudd, Gillard, Rudd, Abbott, Turnbull. May just may have trumped them all.
Kate Roberts, Montmorency
Honours
Alan Joyce's international grounding of Qantas doesn't deserve a medal.
Malcolm McDonald, Burwood
Dame Cate Blanchett and Sir Alan Joyce? If only Tony would have had his way. Arise Sir Tony.
Myra Fisher, Brighton East
I doubt Queen Elizabeth would be impressed with our honours list. She probably thinks little has changed in Australia for women since she became Queen in 1952.
Christina Foo, North Wahroonga
Other matters
Thankfully, Ian Cunliffe (12/6), a great deal of intelligence is acted upon. If that irks civil libertarians, consider it a bonus.
Barbara Abell, Ringwood North
"Be afraid, be very afraid" (Letters, 12/6) may be more an exercise in pragmatic risk management. I don't expect anything less from those we trust with our security.
Matt McRobbie, Mont Albert
Is Alan Finkel's report a climate fix or a political fix?
Susan Munday, Bentleigh East
"Low emissions target": low emissions or low target?
Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell
After a weekend of thrilling matches we await the outcome of Abbott v Finkel.
Joan Segrave, Healesville
Abbott promotes knights, dames and coal. Ideas fit for the 19th century.
Jenny Smithers, Ashburton
Australia was a caring, compassionate country. Along came Peter Dutton and it no longer cares.
Perry Becker, Leopold