We can’t return to chaotic times
ANTHONY Albanese spoke in the final leaders’ debate about “real workers”.
Are they the ones adjusted for inflation?
Our typical unionist these days, being mostly in the public sector, malingers and wants to be paid for doing nothing.
Now we have Albanese pushing for wage rises in excess of inflation.
This is a recipe for Whitlamesque hyperinflation.
Remember 18 per cent per annum inflation in 1975? Such conditions see wage and salary earners chasing their tails in ever increasing circles of economic lunacy.
Most mature-age Australians remember the “Goof Years” from 1972 to 1975 when we had 36 months of chaos and dysfunctional maladministration.
That’s why true-blue Aussies will reject Albo’s Mob on May 21. David Hurburgh
Opossum Bay
IT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE
ZERO emissions — jumping on the bandwagon. You cannot have it both ways.
On the one hand the Tasmanian government claims to have reached emissions through prevented logging, and on the other hand continues to clear-fell the carbon sinks leading to zero emissions victories.
If only it was as simple as planting a tree, as our incumbent Prime Minister and others would have us believe.
Apart from the confusing accounting, there are a few separate concepts that have been unhelpfully interlinked.
Our native forests, endemic and regrown (already harvested), have value unto themselves and should not be made into toilet paper; forests pull carbon out of the atmosphere and we need that right now, so leave them alone to do a fundamentally necessary job; and the way trees store carbon is complex and on different timescales to how we instantaneously release emissions.
As the Climate Council states: “Vegetation lives, dies and seeds new generations over time.
“As it grows, it draws carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
“But when the vegetation dies and rots, most of this carbon dioxide is re-released back into the atmosphere.
“Natural, permanent storage of carbon dioxide through vegetation takes millions of years.”
Jumping on the zero emissions bandwagon with forestry as a highly uncertain greenhouse reporting base (as stated by the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report) will only ensure the wheels of the wagon fall off.
As the United Nations Secretary General recently declared, climate change is a code for humanity with a limited window of opportunity to keep our planet within thresholds we can adapt to. Our primary focus must be on reducing fossil fuel emissions. Alison Johnson South Hobart
ABOVE AND BEYOND
AS a member of Glenorchy Library for decades, I’ve always experienced excellent customer service, everything from helping track down an elusive title to sorting out an iPad query.
This week I’m especially grateful to the staff member who tracked down some missing books previously ordered, and then in her own time personally delivered them to me.
This was a marvellous help to someone with restricted mobility. Can’t thank her enough.
Jan Bullen Glenorchy
BELIEF TAKES A HIT
TOOTLING along in Taroona, oops, roadworks, dutifully drop the speed.
Wait a minute, nothing’s happening, at great length!
Next day, tootling along in Taroona, oops, better slow down for roadworks.
Hang on, where are the workers? Next day, should I risk it? Do I have to slow down for no reason?
Next week, and week after, bugger-all happening.
The locals have given up being responsible citizens, and may occasionally be seen zooming up to a wild 50km/h. Mad, impetuous fools.
Herein lies the danger of leaving out those 40 signs, just to trick us. Like the boy who cried wolf, we just don’t believe it anymore.
Jean Nicholls
Taroona
SHAMEFUL DISPLAY
WHAT a shame so many people, young and old, had to witness the Sydney Kings’ coach display of anger at the umpire’s call.
The coach slammed his shoe into the advertising wall, causing a hole which will be very expensive to fix. He was very lucky to remain in the stadium as other coaches who lose their temper are usually asked to leave the playing arena.
How can a person in a controlling situation such as a coach be allowed to get away with such behaviour in front of a crowd of about 5000 fans of all ages?
What a shame, rules for some and rules for others.
Di Manser Austins Ferry
CONVERSATIONAL HOPES
TEAL: the name of a species of duck found here and in Europe.
“Teal” lends its name to some independent candidates in the forthcoming election and indicates conservative blue tinged with climate action green.
The Observers Book of British Birds states that its call is “a clear whistle and other conversational notes”. Let us hope that the independents’ conversation with recalcitrant Liberal and National Party politicians is fruitful.
Rob Hill Howrah
MUNCHKINS APLENTY
RON Murray (Mercury, May 13) was spot-on with his metaphor, likening our government to the land of Oz. He pointed out that we need a wizard or two. Unfortunately, all we end up with is munchkins. Peter Joseph
Glenorchy