Serving idealistic pursuits at expense of essential services

I recently had to access the two hospitals for both my wife and myself. Staff were unwavering in their good humor and competence, but under ridiculous pressure. The lack of foresight by these "leaders" in a growing Canberra is mind-boggling. Health is our first and highest priority. Sure, they have plans but these are so far behind the need it is dangerous for all. Stick to the needs of those who put you in charge and not what you think we deserve.

Thank you all at Calvary and Canberra hospitals. It is a great credit to you that you can serve so well under such pressure of space and resources.

Matthias Cormann is engaging in hypocrisy when he exhorts school children to go to school rather than demonstrate for action ("Cormann's warning to public servants", September 20, p4).

It is, after all, their future on this planet which they are seeking to protect against the climate denying and sceptical politicians who have had ample opportunity to take effective action. The government's actions have been spectacularly unsuccessful. Indeed, sadly, it may already be too late.

Cormann should contemplate the fact that many of these youngsters will be voting at the next election. The result will be that many of our out of touch politicians will be voted out. Beware Cormann, it is likely that you will be among them.

Does love of one's planet spill over into love of each other or vice versa? I have been to many demonstrations but I cannot remember one where the interpersonal atmosphere was as palpably civilised as at the school strike gathering in Canberra this week.

One student with a beautiful poster of our planet worded "Respect your mother" was encouraged by her boyfriend to hold it for up for my photo because she had "painted it herself" and a group of students was standing at Glebe Park gate to bid us goodbye and to thank us for having come, in a very genuinely friendly way. I like the thought that affection for the whole can generate harmony between its parts and this on its own, I would propose, makes the school strike movement a powerful new development, well worth a day out of school.

Ian Hone's letter (September 20) suggesting that death rates will/should reduce with global warming ("the warmer the temperature the lower the death rate") is surely tongue in cheek.

Lest someone takes it at face value, the seasonality of death report he referenced states: "Deaths peak in August and trough in February, varying by 30 per cent or more between low and high months. This pattern is quite regular, despite factors such as Australia's comparatively mild climate and year-to-year variations in temperature."

And further: "Some researchers believe that rising global temperatures and climate change will lead to a continuing decline in excess winter deaths, and a resurgence in infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and Ross River fever, as well as other harmful health effects through disruption to ecological systems (McMichael 2001)".

The full AIHW report can be found here: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/e4e2219d-1745-4cd9-a221-eb7ac1a1e476/bulletin03.pdf.aspx?inline=true

Correlation is clearly not causation and trite comments on anthropogenic global warming (such as appear regularly in these Letters pages) that ignore the clear and well-documented detrimental effects only serve to muddy the waters, particularly for those unwilling to read what climate scientists and models really say.

There is plenty of readily-accessible information available on the possible effects of a warming planet on health, agriculture etc for anyone with some time and an open mind.

Climate science predicts that increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will lead to more severe cyclones. It's about time we recognised the success of recent Coalition governments in forestalling action on emission reduction and thereby contributing to the amplification of cyclone intensity.

A fitting way to honour this contribution would be to name our most severe cyclones after Coalition prime ministers. Cyclone Tony and Cyclone ScoMo spring to mind as suitable names. Perhaps while we are at it, we could name major bushfires, floods, and droughts after other Coalition cabinet ministers to give them due credit as well for their lack of action.

Unlike John McKerral (Letters, September 21), I have great faith in Professor Ken Baldwin and his team at the Energy Institute at ANU.

Their proposal to send electricity from massive solar and wind farms in Australia's northwest to Indonesia by High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables has been developing for sometime and appears to be perfectly viable. We already have three long distance HVDC inter-connectors in Australia: between Victoria and Tasmania; between South Australia and Victoria; and between NSW and Queensland. The distance between the Northern Territory and the Bali-Java grid is certainly longer but there is little electricity wastage with DC, unlike AC.

Despite the large costs, it will lower the wholesale cost of electricity in Indonesia. If connected to the Australian grid in the south, it will allow us to have 100 per cent renewable electricity before 2050 and comply with the Paris Accords.

As for hydrogen, one way of transporting it is to first convert to ammonia and then back to hydrogen when needed. There is now a metal membrane that filters out pure hydrogen gas from ammonia, which can then be dispensed into fuel cell cars, buses and trucks.

Such initiatives are not only exciting but may be the only thing that saves us from dangerous climate change.

Ebony Bennett perpetuates a misleading error by saying "Parliament House will soon by powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity" ("Coalition falls behind on climate", Forum, September 21). Parliament House, like everything else in Canberra, will continue to be powered from the grid which is generated by a range of resources, including fossil fuels. Ms Bennett correctly praises the ACT government's apparently imminent achievement of its 100 per cent renewables target. Let's be clear what this means: electricity produced by renewables and sent to the grid under the ownership or control of the ACT government will equal the amount the ACT takes from the grid. In that sense, the ACT is making a reasonable claim to be carbon neutral with electricity.

I am reading Ben Wilson's book Empire of the Deep, a (brilliant) study of the rise and fall of the British navy. The Chief Minister might like to know that, between September 2 and 5, 1807 - in order to prevent the Danish navy being captured by Napoleon - the British navy bombarded Copenhagen with artillery and rockets. To quote the author:

"The city was devastated and the Danes capitulated, surrendering the entire Danish-Norwegian fleet to the British. The verb to 'Copenhagenise' entered the military lexicon to denote a pre-emptive strike against an enemy navy in port."

Is this truly what the Chief Minister wants for Canberra? Glad I live in Jerra.....

User rates for legal drugs - such as alcohol - can be as high as 90 per cent, whereas these figures drop to 1 to 17 per cent for illegal drugs. Clearly, prohibition keeps usage down and with something like weed, this is good. However, if the ACT legalises it, then an increase of smokers is all but assured, with a good number of these on the roads. I shudder to think of the toll this will take.

I assume Mark Thompson, principal of LJ Hooker Commercial, is a youngish fellow, or perhaps he is just applying real estate marketing spin when he suggests 15 London Circuit was constructed about 20 years ago (Commercial supplement, September 21).

I remember moving in to this first class building before Christmas, in 1972! The Lakeside Hotel was still under construction and there was nothing in between.

Titanium - strong but lightweight ("Trump lauds Australia's 'man of titanium' ", September 22).

Finding a soul mate in climate wrecking, Morrison brown-noses by pledging to "go to war" on behalf of chauvinist, racist, warmongering US President ("Morrison to pledge support for America", September 21, p9). Morrison's following erstwhile examples of "All the way with LBJ" and "To our last man and last shilling".

What a great humiliation it is to see the US sycophant, Scott Morrison, grovelling to the irrational and arrogant leader of the one country capable in the long term of not only bringing this world to an end but in the short term being responsible for the deaths of Australians and the end of our critically important trade with China. Therefore the death of our economy. The price for the Morrison ego trip will be paid by this country, one way or another. You can count on it.

Ahh, yes, the US and Oz "pulling out all stops" in ingratiating themselves with each other. What else are two pariah nations to do, left without any respect from the civilized world over so many issues of probity and decency, but look deeply into each other's eyes? How privileged we are.

I wonder how many students and their teachers would have protested in their own time, on a Saturday?

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack reckons kids should be in class where they will learn, rather than on the streets protesting. But it didn't work for him!

Millions marched worldwide last Friday to show their concern about the climate catastrophe facing our earth. Best buddies Donald and Scott ignore these protests from young and old about saving our planet and smirk their way through announcements about spending billions to travel to the Moon and Mars.

John Mason of Latham (Letters, September 20), I would happily catch buses, as I used to, except the ACT government cancelled my bus to Belconnen. As a disabled person, I am unable to cycle, so what do you suggest?

Transport Canberra is "improving our bus network" by less services (April), less often (September). "Canberra is better connected". One bus every two hours. Are they kidding?

I cannot believe the stupidly of the ACT government legalising another dangerous drug (cannabis) into the Canberra community. There is clear objective evidence that constant use of this drug can lead to psychosis and potentially schizophrenia.

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