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Environment
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek aims to halt all species extinctions in Australia by 2030. She will urge all nations to protect 30 per cent of their land and seas by the same date, whatever that means (“Plibersek in global battle to halt extinction”, Sunday Age, 11/12).

The greatest contributors to environmental degradation are an increasing human population, the burning of fossil fuels and meat/fish consumption. Yet Australia still allows the destruction of our forests, the opening of ever more gas and coal projects with government subsidies and the promotion of our beef industry.

Our climate and species protection credentials are weak by international standards and dodgy “offsets” will effectively undermine the little that we purport to be doing. Perhaps Plibersek can avoid capture by smooth-talking commercial operators. Sadly, the signs are not good.
Peter Barry, Marysville

Opportunity to protect our future
Why is it so often implied that Tanya Plibersek was demoted when handed the environment portfolio rather than continuing with education (“If PM wanted to lower Plibersek’s profile with the environment, it hasn’t worked”, 11/12)? After a decade of Liberal antipathy towards the environment, including climate change denial and blocking renewable energy, Plibersek has been given the opportunity to create one of the greatest political legacies in Australian history.

It appears she is grabbing that opportunity with both hands, something for which we all should be relieved and grateful. Our environment is our life support system and its protection is the key to our future.
Helen Moss, Croydon

Broader picture overlooked
While Tanya Plibersek’s enthusiasm is engaging, some of her statements are confusing. On the one hand she says Australia’s environment has been “declining for decades” and “we are the extinction capital of the world”. On the other, she resists the UNESCO ruling, saying it’s “in Australia’s best interests that the Great Barrier Reef is not listed as endangered”.

Clearly, the reef is endangered and risks extinction. A study by UNSW published in Nature Review in October reports that oceans are absorbing the force of global warming and that ocean warming and sea level rise are on a fast track. Surely, it’s in “Australia’s best interests” to accept the reef is in danger and tackle its main threat, climate change, with urgency and science.

Opening new coal and gas projects is doing the opposite. Perhaps, away from home on the world stage in Montreal this week, Plibersek will see that, logically, the 18 fossil fuel projects she is reviewing cannot proceed if extinction is to stop.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn

Nature in need
Tanya Plibersek’s announcement of an ambitious overhaul of environmental laws – including a new EPA and a three-traffic-light system of development – and being a mother of three children may well earn her the imprimatur of “Mother Nature”. As the extinction capital of the world, Australia and the world need her to succeed in Montreal this week at the UN COP15 Biodiversity Conference.
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris

Subsidies locked in
If a government in Australia tried to remove subsidies to fossil fuel industries so as to repurpose the money to help create the new carbon-neutral economy that we need for our future survival, there would be all hell to pay (Letters, 10/12).

Whether it be negative gearing, franking credits or any of the other welfare-for-the-well-off arrangements that we have in place, recent history would seem to show us that in Australia, removing a snout from a trough, especially when it has got very used to being there, is almost impossible.
Kim Bessant, Footscray

THE FORUM

‘Quota girls’ have last laugh
With women in the majority it’s a no-brainer that three very capable individuals: Penny Wong, Tanya Plibersek and Clare O’Neil might hold such senior positions in the Labor government. As Peter Hartcher wrote (“Labor women shine on policy”, 10/12), some Liberals have sneered at the Labor women and called them “quota girls”. The “girls” are having the last laugh.

With only nine women (down by four) in the House of Representatives, the Liberal Party can hardly boast it accurately represents the Australian population. As Hartcher says “so much for representative democracy”.
Kate McCaig, Surrey Hills

Power positive
Peter Hartcher highlights three examples of the positive effect that clever, articulate women have when in positions of influence and power. The world has long been a poorer place for the lack of women in leadership roles.

Who thinks Russia would have invaded Ukraine if the president of Russia was female?
David Brophy, Beaumaris

Action afoot
Anyone who doubts what the current government is doing should read Peter Hartcher on the work that three federal ministers are focusing on here and on the world stage. Compare this to the last nine years of Coalition government inactivity, and I’m personally filled with hope that Australia will become a better place for their efforts.
Jae Sconce, Moonee Ponds

Open your heart
Will McMahon captures the idea behind giving perfectly (“Give and you will receive. Or maybe not”, Sunday Age, 11/12) because to give and expect a reciprocal response is not giving at all. Giving has to come from an open heart – especially at this time of year – but can also be extended into giving compliments, giving praise and celebrating another’s success.

How often are we embarrassed when given something freely? It is also humbling, yet every giver needs a receiver who also receives with an open heart.
Julie Ottobre, Sorrento

Wave of gratitude
A waved “thank you” in traffic isn’t about owing anybody anything: it’s a small, common courtesy. As it is to thank shop assistants for their help or lollipop people who direct children and adults safely across roads.

Personal relationships are a different matter. I, for one, appreciate the wave.
Anne Sgro, Coburg North

True joys of Christmas
I risk joining inflation at the Christmas grinch table, but to me it’s a good thing that prices are up and we’re buying less this Christmas (“Cherries and seafood are up, turkeys down as inflation robs us like Bad Santa”, Sunday Age, 11/12). Over the festive period, Australians generate 30 per cent more food waste and 2.5 million tonnes worth ends up in landfill.

This overindulgence is contributing to climate change and the global hunger crisis. Fortunately, gluttony is not a requirement for joy and celebration. This Christmas, instead of creating unnecessary waste, let’s focus on having fun and making joyous memories with our loved ones.
Amy Hiller, Kew

Just another day
For weeks now people have been talking and advertising Christmas. Up on the farm it was just another day – we’d take a break for lunch and refreshments – and then go back to work, which has been my ethos ever since. Bah humbug!
Peter Drum, Coburg

Laws are selective
Human rights groups should not be applauding Penny Wong’s unleashing of Australia’s American-inspired Magnitsky laws (“Wong unleashes sanctions targeting Iran and Russia”, 10/12). These laws undermine democracy because they give the foreign minister the power to punish people without going to court. The alleged culprits are given no chance to provide a defence before being found guilty and sentenced. The laws are also discriminatory, selective and unfair in the way they are applied. Iranian officials have been sanctioned for alleged abuses of human rights but no US officials have been sanctioned.

Wong’s approach undermines her credibility and decreases Australian influence throughout the world. These laws have no place in any liberal democracy.
Peter Martina, Warrnambool

Suppressing protest
Most people would endorse minister Penny Wong’s strong current efforts to combat the rise of authoritarianism and repression in other countries in our sphere of influence. However, there are disturbing signs that, as a recent development, Australia is not practising what it preaches. Deanna “Violet” Coco has just been sentenced to 15 months in prison with a non-parole period of eight months for blocking a single lane of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge to highlight the climate crisis. Bail pending an appeal was also refused. Adding insult to injury, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet described this outcome as “pleasing to see”.

But draconian anti-protest laws are not confined to NSW; all four eastern state governments have recently gone down this path in an effort to stifle non-violent dissent. For its part, Victorian anti-protest legislation relating to logging areas is draconian, with fines up to $21,000 and 12 months’ jail.

Despite inconvenience to governments and society, large-scale non-violent protest may well represent humanity’s best chance of stopping environmental vandalism and avoiding climate catastrophe and extinction.
Ian Bayly, Upwey

Act on human rights
In six short months the Albanese Labor government has an outstanding list of achievements. I hope that one of the items on the government’s agenda in 2023 might be an Australian Human Rights Act.
The ACT is the only jurisdiction in our country with a Human Rights Act. This is simply not good enough.

Australia has a plethora of acts that prohibit discrimination. However, there are still many human rights not covered by these acts, such as the right to freedom from slavery, the right to freedom of speech, the right to protest, the right to work, the right to an education and so on. Some of these rights have proved to exist as implied rights under the constitution.

The recent jailing of Violet Coco because of draconian NSW legislation demonstrates the fragility of our human rights in Australia and the urgent need for reform.
Jane Timbrell, Reid, ACT

Time to move on
All the hype about desecrating the baggy green and raising the game of Test cricket to the status of a sporting icon and demanding that any players who have offended should remain pariahs has become a little wearing.

The punishment meted out to those who conceded the “sandpaper” incident, David Warner in particular, and the call for it to continue indefinitely seems extreme.

Over the years other national Test side players have been observed and admitted ball tampering, their punishments were negligible and the game moved on. All the “sandpaper” parties have expressed remorse and have served years of being deprived of various positions in competitive cricket.

Even those convicted in the criminal courts are given the chance to apply for early release, particularly when genuine remorse has been expressed. As important and iconic as it may be, it is, after all, a game.
Bill Pimm, Mentone

Reserve judgment
Saturday’s Domain report on auctions said a “five-bedroom Edwardian home at 106 Kerferd Road had been listed with a price guide of $5 million to $5.5 million”. Yet, the agent reported the reserve on the property, which passed in, was $5.7 million. A price of $5.7 million is not within the $5 million-$5.5 million range.

Let’s not have the “vendor makes the final decision on the reserve” excuse.
Wendy Hinson, Wantirna

Will lost
I’m afraid that there is almost nothing that would entice me to see a Will Smith movie these days. Jake Wilson says Emancipation is in some ways a bad movie, but first and foremost it has Will Smith in it and after that egregious assault at the Oscars, in this case I cannot suspend disbelief enough to separate man from character.

Perhaps he should have thought about this when he slapped the host in front of millions of people, back in February.
Frank Flynn, Cape Paterson

Six to remember
Your article on Paulie Stewart states that his brother Tony was “one of the five journalists murdered in 1975”. Six journalists were murdered by the Indonesian military in 1975; the initial five in Balibo (now known as the Balibo Five, and which included Tony Stewart) and Australian Roger East, approximately six weeks later. They should all be remembered.
Charmaine Alford, Clifton Springs

Waste of time, money
For the sake of those in need of a GP appointment or more time with their GP, I hope that the overhaul of the Medicare funding model also includes the possibility of referrals to specialists by qualified health professionals, other than GPs.

After a broken shoulder, my physiotherapist sent me for X-rays and wanted me to see an orthopaedic surgeon before starting treatment. This referral can only be made by a GP. My appointment lasted seven minutes, but blocked a slot.

Two weeks later and after an appointment with an audiologist for a chronic condition, I found out that I need another GP appointment to get a referral to an ENT specialist. Another option wasted for someone else to see a GP.

And each time Medicare is charged with the fee for a standard appointment.
What a waste of money, resources and time.
Angelika von Sanden, Port Melbourne

And another thing

Royal family fallout
Nomination for misnomer of the year: “working royal” (“Harry’s Netflix attacks ‘put royal family’s safety at risk’”, 11/12).
Tony Haydon, Springvale

I guess the Netflix show starring Harry and Meghan was made with the outraged in mind, so they could watch it and become more outraged. Meanwhile “H” and “M” laugh all the way to the bank.
John Rawson, Mernda

Harry and Meghan’s titles should be changed to the Duke and Duchess of Gripes.
Dennis Walker, North Melbourne

Federal politics
“It is welcome that someone of Plibersek’s stature and capability is now in charge of the environment portfolio”, (Editorial, 11/12). Hear, hear!
Brian Marshall, Ashburton

Anthony Albanese’s new energy pricing policy – smoke and mirrors!
David Cayzer, Clifton Hill

Furthermore
The 2023 AFL “draw” should only be called a fixture, since any resemblance of who plays who being drawn out of a hat is a myth. The fixture is exactly that – fixed in place.
Alan Inchley, Frankston

Scott Boland … batter out.
Tony Lenten, Glen Waverley

Your correspondent (Letters, 11/12) laments it is foxes that are “imported vermin that carry viruses, parasites and smell and consume wildlife”. She has, clearly, never encountered a feral cat. Both are imported vermin. Both require controls.
Michelle Goldsmith, Eaglehawk

Another beautiful Faith column by Warwick McFadyen (Sunday Age, 11/12). It offers hope, every reader should read it.
Glenise Michaelson, Montmorency

Three cheers for Monash Council for tackling gaming venue sponsorship of sport clubs that use council sporting grounds and facilities. People participating in community sporting activities should be able to do that without gambling propaganda.
Russell Brims, Bentleigh East

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