Michael McCarthy (Letters, January 3) writes "it is time to achieve Aboriginal equality".
Whatever that generality means, when it comes to equality in job availability I know of no jobs where being an Aborigine per se precludes an applicant from employment. However, there are numerous positions advertised as reserved on an "only Aborigines need apply" basis or where the listed qualifications make it obvious that being of Aboriginal heritage would be to an applicant's advantage.
Being of the opinion that a little racism on occasion doesn't go amiss, I have no argument with this.
However, I'm surprised our Racial Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane, whose acute sensitivities have led him to apparently invent something called "casual racism", has made no complaint about it.
Bill Deane, Chapman
New Order emerging
There has been much written and said by both critics and apologists on the blatant, aggressive interference by the organs of the Chinese government in the domestic affairs of countries such as Australia.
This essential debate does not, and should not, demonise the ordinary people of China, or the majority of the diaspora, or those who visit our country with benign intent. Recently, professor Hugh White nailed the new reality.
An assertive China is on the march; a dissolute US is on the wane. A New Order is fast emerging, and it will not embrace the principles of liberal democracy, the rule of law, or the rights of the individual — which all of us in Western countries have taken for granted since the order of things was dictated by us when Britain ruled the waves and after the US was handed the baton.
Australia is a middling power, our natural resources sought-after by conventional means, but there to be taken from us if necessary. Our existence in the longer term as an independent sovereign state is precarious.
Soviet foreign minister Lavrov reportedly recently referred to Australia dismissively as "not a real country". He will not be alone in this view.
A. Whiddett, Forrest
Citizens to bear costs
I was amused to read how Kevin Cox (January 2) would ensure that investors in light rail get a positive return on money invested in light rail even though he doesn't argue that the business as a whole will make a huge loss.
He says that benefit/cost issues have nothing to do with financing but they certainly relate to profitability. He makes the point that the current investors in light rail will get their money back plus a return on their money, not from the business but from the government and suggests that we, the community, step in to replace the investors and so cream off the "handsome returns", to use his phrase, that would otherwise go to them.
That leaves hanging the question of where the government will get the money, not just to cover the losses from the tram but to pay these handsome returns. The answer is clear. Ultimately, the citizens of Canberra have to cover these costs through increased taxes and charges.
As for his suggestion that the community should have a "robust discussion" about what infrastructure we will build. I agree. Had that been done, or had Gallagher and Corbel been interested in the best value for money for transport to Gungahlin instead of doing deals with the Greens to get the ALP back into government in 2012 no matter what the cost, we would probably be on the way to at least a partial solution to the Gungahlin public transport issue without wasting the money involved in the tram.
Stan Marks, Hawker
Cane growers at risk
Some estimates indicate sugar-induced diabetes, dialysis, obesity, cardiovascular problems etc could in the medium-term cost governments as much as our current total health budget.
The financial implications will force federal and state treasurers and governments eventually to ignore the pressure from the large retailers and the Beverages Council, hopefully sooner rather than later.
But let's not forget the cane growers in Queensland and northern NSW have the most to lose ... and they constitute a small but powerful sector of the Nationals' support, sufficient to delay a sugar tax.
They have a strong case for assistance from the government to ease the transition to growing food crops other than sugarcane.
The context is the unemployment situation in Queensland highlighted by the Adani mine controversy and threats to tourism on the Barrier Reef ... with One Nation hoping to capitalise on the situation.
We must cut down Australia's sugar consumption, but the federal and state governments should avoid confrontation and involve the sugar growers in innovative and co-operative measures to make the inevitable transition with a minimum dislocation to the families, towns and regions involved.
John Brummell, Duffy
Bullies missing target
Sanctions in the past on apartheid South Africa and pre-invasion Iraq were inhumane and so are sanctions on North Korea. Sanctions don't get governments to change policy but restrictions on basic goods necessary to sustain life, like oil, coal, food and medicines only harm ordinary citizens.
If the UN, and the larger bullying nations, are serious about sanctions they should place them on wealthy arms manufacturing nations that promote so much death and misery worldwide, particularity on the poorer nations of Africa, Middle East and Asia.
However, the bullying nations are the major arms manufacturers.
Arms manufacturers are greedy and racists and are happy to see their weapons tested on poor people in war often caused by the bullying nations.
Governments that promote arms sales to poor countries are human rights criminals.
Australian governments have been an ally of a bullying nation, the US post-WWII, on a number of occasions which have achieved nothing militarily and only made the situation worse.
The pointless UN Security Council should be dissolved.
Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic
Impasse between North and South Korea cannot continue indefinitely
Your editorial (January 4, p.12) explaining why rapprochement between North and South Korea is necessary was very welcome.
The alternative, the present impasse, cannot continue indefinitely.
If normal relations between the north and the south of what was once a single nation is seen as driving a wedge, then there must be something wrong with the present analysis.
Donald Trump's tweet that his nuclear button is bigger than Kim Jong-un's is factually correct, as is his assertion that his button works. The implication, that Kim's button does not work, is probably also correct. The essential guidance system for nuclear weapons requires an expensive system of satellites.
A quick internet check reveals that the US GPS system costs $US400million per year in maintenance alone. The Russian system GLONASS consumed a third of the Russian defence budget in 2010.
In China, the BeiDou navigation satellite system is currently partially deployed: when the full system is in place, it will be even more accurate than the US GPS. Why this expensive triplication of GPS systems?
It seems probable that the system can be denied to unauthorised users, and any nation with the ambition to destroy the world with its ICBMs must undertake the launching of at least 24 patrolling satellites to guide their bombs to the target.
If this is the case, North Korea's bombs can only be sent in roughly the chosen direction, and any kind of accuracy is impossible, with any retaliation precise and devastating.
Can anyone confirm that this supposition is correct?
Harry Davis, Campbell
A quick guide to coal
Geoff Davidson (Letters, January 4) wonders why, if coal energy is a good investment, private entities aren't building new coal-fired power stations? Geoff, try reading the federal government's "The Renewable Energy Target: a quick guide", found on the internet. You will see that the RET forces the use of renewables on the electricity grid. They have first priority on the grid, leaving the coal-fired generators unable to sell their product for some of the time, operating inefficiently.
Any grid managers that don't meet their RET quota have to pay a fine of $65 per MWh of shortfall to the government (sounds like a hidden tax to me).
This cost is, of course, paid for by the electricity user.
Considering that a coal-fired power plant can, given a chance to operate efficiently, produce electricity at about $40 per MWH, you can see that is a very large fine. That forces the use of renewables to the detriment of fossil-fuelled generators, which, of course, is the real aim of the RET.
Coal-fired power plants operate efficiently if run at close to 100per cent output all of the time (base load), excluding maintenance shutdowns; and very inefficiently the way the RET forces them to operate.
As long as the RET is in effect, coal-fired power plants are uneconomical, not a good investment, and no private organisation will consider building such. After all they exist to cover their costs and make a profit.
Now, Geoff, you know.
John McKerral, Batemans Bay
Solar panels a win win
I agree wholeheartedly with the letter written by Don Stephon regarding his rooftop solar panels. (Letters, December27). Our rooftop panels were not installed to make money but merely to reduce our bills also. However, another advantage being the reduction of carbon emissions. In the past seven days we have reduced carbon emissions by 81.30kg, according to the inverter, which is connected to our computer.
This is the figure from 14 panels which were installed seven days ago. We do not have a figure for the other 12 panels which were installed two years ago.
A win win for not only our bills but also the environment.
Solar panels should be mandatory for every new home being built, even if it means building a slightly smaller home.
Solar hot water should also be mandatory for new homes, and anyone replacing their hot water service.
Having had solar hot water for nine years, we have enjoyed free hot water without another added expense.
The cost of installation is well worth the money spent.
Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW
Deserving of protection
The fact that refugees have travelled through or over other countries to get to Australia does not make them any less deserving of protection than those who came from Indonesia or New Guinea who are our only close neighbours.
The fact that on Nauru 87per cent of those we trafficked there illegally are refugees means they were refugees before we traded them to overseas prisons and we could have saved about $5billion by just doing their claims here.
In fact, it will be higher than 87per cent because those who apply to our own High Court for legal appeals all win their appeals. On Manus, 71per cent of those we illegally traded to the illegal prison are refugees, which means they were refugees before we broke the law and trafficked them to the illegal prison.
Why the hell do letters editors continue to peddle the line that it's OK to traffic and torture people and illegally jail them in other nations because they didn't come straight here? After all, we have claimants from all over the world who fly here over many nations and we never say the same about them and we import refugees from all over the world. Honest to goodness, enough!
Marilyn Shepherd, Angaston
Sudanese youths
The latest disenfranchised group in the news: Sudanese youths in Victoria.
Let's hope the government learns from their 200 years of failure with Aboriginal communities and actually works with African communities to come up with sustainable solutions.
We've heard the punitive language of "intervention" before, and we know that simply "locking 'em up" doesn't solve problems.
C.Shipp, Tuggeranong
Cover-up on gangs
Police now come out and say we do have a crime gang problem in Melbourne. Why has it been denied for so long and why didn't Daniel Andrews make the announcement?
The community has been seriously let down and no doubt a lot have suffered physical and psychological injury as a result of the massive cover-up. Not good enough.
Bill Dobell, Sebastopol, Vic
Light rail realisation
Over the holiday break, a Sydney bus driver rang into 2CC to inform listeners that the city's light rail would be "out for a month".
Realisation dawns, yes?
Light rail, heavy expense, not-so-regular service?
I hope our Chief Minister enjoyed his Spanish trip.
The trains from Spain may yet cause lots of pain.
Christina Faulk, Swinger Hill
TO THE POINT
HOW TO SAVE $100M
Malcolm Turnbull has raised the possibility of having a plebiscite or postal vote to determine if Australia should become a republic after Queen Elizabeth's reign. The recent same-sex postal vote cost taxpayers over $100 million and the cost of a plebiscite/postal vote would most probably be the same if not higher. However, with a general election due later this year why not hold a plebiscite at the same time.
Jack Wiles, Gilmore
SMALL MERCIES FROM US
So, former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer reckons that the US has insulted Australia by not appointing an ambassador.
Why can't we be grateful for small mercies?
John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2018
On May 5, 2018, the world will celebrate 200 years since the birth of Karl Marx and on November 11, 2018, the world will celebrate 100 years since the end of World War I, The Great War.
Will religion and ethics have a place in the world economy, in the world news, in 2018?
Jane Wallace,Riverwood, NSW
NO CONTRADICTION
Douglas Mackenzie (Letters, January 1, "Hoisted with own petard" [or "Hoist" – originally the past participle of "hoise"] points to the apparent contradiction of a couple comprising two husbands (male spouses) or two wives (female spouses). But that is what a same-sex couple is.
Michael McCarthy, Deakin
RAIL TO THE NODE
I have recently learned that the new light rail network is being built to connect to the node rather than the premises. What sort of antediluvian cost-saving is going on here? I don't want my speed slowed by having to walk to the nearest interchange each time I want to use high-speed transit. The next thing they will be telling us is that the service speed will be shaped during peak periods. What ajoke.
Simon Cobcroft, Lyneham
MT AINSLIE TOO DRY
At Mt Ainslie's summit today, Tuesday, the water station and tap were waterless. It was an extremely hot day with many locals, tourists and dogs walking to the top. Not only is this another example of the neglect of basic services by our City Council, it reflects badly on Canberra and is a health risk in hot weather.
Felicity Chivas, Scullin
SLAVE LABOUR LAWS
Slave labour laws, unless framed to encompass all Australian businesses, including franchises, will be akin to employers being flogged with a warm lettuce (apologies to Keating). Pervasively workers are cowed into contributing unpaid labour and receive cash-in-hand, sub-minium wages.
Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW
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