Coalition MPs very quickly seem to be nuclear NIMBYs

What a principle-free zone is the federal opposition. Happy to support the latest rant from their leaders,party members shrink away into the shadows when asked to support the implementation of such stupidity on home turf (“Coalition MPs go cold on nuclear”,March 25). When asked to accept the construction of one of these modular reactors or large-scale reactors (difficult to keep up with what is the current ideology),such pallid excuses as,“that three criteria had to be satisfied before a nuclear site was selected:technical feasibility,financial feasibility and acceptance from the community” should apply everywhere,including in his electorate,and that,“There are[currently] no coal-fired power stations,certainly in my electorate and not at all in Western Sydney” are trotted out as these stalwarts of democratic leadership renege on their statements. Meanwhile,the representative from my own electorate announces,blithely,that he will support such a construction in his electorate,not seemingly concerned with the fuss that would erupt should this stupidity seriously be suggested.Ian Usman Lewis,Kentucky

You really couldn’t make this up. The Coalition are gung-ho for nuclear reactors but when it comes to the crunch they all seem to think the reactors wouldn’t be appropriate for their particular electorate. The Coalition was able to identify locations for station carparks but stuffed up building them,and yet they want us to believe they could manage building nuclear reactors when they can’t even agree on where to build them.Ross Hudson,Mount Martha (Vic)

Peter Dutton’s latest obsession,nuclear power,is causing a bit of strife in the Coalition. Where to put the wretched things? NIMBY it seems. If nuclear power stations are so harmless and more efficient than sun power,why is there no rush to make Coalition electorates the lucky recipients? Clean and green? What could go wrong? Who wants to find out?Nola Tucker,Kiama

It seems that most of the supporters of nuclear power can be easily identified as originally the ones who were climate deniers. Then they recognised climate problems but said burning fossil fuels wasn’t causing them. Then they realised our pollution was causing problems but only offered nuclear power to eventually reduce electricity generation emissions. Possibly,the appeal of nuclear to them is that we can continue to pollute far longer with coal than if we went 100 per cent down the renewables road.Dennis O’Hara,Wanniassa

How do you debate the merits of a technology that doesn’t exist yet? The question of why you would do so inevitably leads to a realisation that there is a desire to maintain the status quo.Andrew Brown,Bowling Alley Point

Interesting,isn’t it? Peter Dutton wants Australia to go nuclear,but investors apparently have other ideas (“Investors put nuclear at bottom of list,solar and wind at the top,” March 25),They prefer solar and wind,which they see as “delivering the best long-term returns for their beneficiaries”. So where does that leave the Coalition? Either ditching the policy because they can’t find investors willing to stump up the cash,or forcing taxpayers to foot the bill,as happens in Canada,France and China. Either way,it’s further evidence that nuclear power is not viable in this country.Ken Enderby,Concord

Smart design can end 10-year toilet backlog

Sydney City Council presses on with its own 10-year quest for a toilet block in Erskineville (“The constipated story of a public toilet in Erskineville”,March 25). While there is the concern expressed about such places being used for “wrong purposes”,the bottom line is that we all need to “go” at some time,and can often be caught out away from home. Good open and naturally airy designs,rather than the dingy holes often encountered,discourage those who want to loiter with intent. Our local council rearranged one in a city park and drove the undesirables away. At least,in Australia our loos are mainly free and people don’t have to use the streets in desperation.Donald Hawes,Peel

The news that construction of a public toilet in Erskineville,which is still not completed,has so far taken ten years,follows the story of the North Sydney Pool,closed for a rebuild in late 2021,and instead of being finished in late 2022,is now projected to be completed in 2025. It just goes to show how laughable is the federal opposition’s claim that a nuclear reactor could be up and running in ten years. (And we have construction firms with experience in building public toilets and swimming pools.)Alan Marel,North Curl Curl

Michael Koziol holds up Erskineville as an example of poor governance over the humble public toilet. However,Australia-wide,the public toilet situation leaves much to be desired. If they can be found,they are often unclean,smelly,lacking paper,washing facilities or just lacking operation. Visit countries like Japan to see well signed public facilities,always clean,operational,and “smart” operations encompassed. In Australia,we are often expected to be grateful for a hole in the ground.Janice Creenaune,Austinmer

Around 30 years ago,when there was a tender called for a map of public toilet facilities around Australia,I,as a consulting engineer,thought it was a bit of joke - not the kind of job for my team. Roll my life and body on those 30 years and how my perception has changed. Fortunately,our handy devices with search and mapping facilities can now help us find a facility to relieve our desperation. I hope the good burghers of Erskineville,too,can find public relief soon.Peter Thornton,Killara

Has anyone else noticed that since the onset of anti-social media,the backs of public toilet doors have cleaned up enormously? It gives an indication of the sort who troll people like Kate.Peter Fleming,Northmead

Bus shortage arrived in time

Flying in the face of government policy,60 diesel buses are being manufactured in China to carry passengers during the year-long Bankstown line closure (“Chinese factory to build stand-in buses”,March 25). According to the transport minister,there isn’t the local capacity “to punch out 60 buses in a short period of time”. Probably not,but what “short period of time” is this? Transport authorities have known for many years that this was coming.Doug Walker,Baulkham Hills

So the squealing from so many city-centrics regarding diesel and petrol-powered vehicles apparently only applies to private citizens. When all NSW regional train services and connecting coaches are electric,and when sufficient charging stations are installed,only then I would consider purchasing an electric vehicle. The hypocrisy of the government is so two faced when it comes to their own decisions regarding the impact of climate change.Bruce Clydsdale,Bathurst

Whatever happened to the plan to provide 8000 electric buses to replace the highly polluting diesel version we cop now? Another pipe dream from our politicians. Providing electric powered buses on the Bankstown route would have been a great way to get this started. Instead,we get more short-term thinking. When will they ever learn?Ian Ferrier,Long Jetty

Sinking pollies

The new ferry for the Parramatta River just sailed from Hobart to a Sydney (“First of new ferry fleet arrives for harbour service”,March 25),apparently safely but now needs “sea trials” before going into service - on a river? And why are the three politicians wearing life jackets? Was the ferry in danger of sinking? Another case of “hi viz” gone mad,as over the last decades every time a police politician turns up to plant a tree or point at a site they have to be decked out in colourful protective gear.Tony Sullivan,Adamstown Heights

The photograph shows the premier,the Parramatta MP and the transport minister on the new ferry,Frances Bodkin. All are wearing life jackets. Should this concern us?Michael Payne,West Pymble

Unpredictable elections

In Tasmania,Labor conceded defeat and left the field to the Tassie Libs to form a government (“Libs see only red. For Labor,it’s green”,March 25). It is a strategic move and pushing holier than thou Tassie Libs to make all sorts of deals with cross benches including the possibility with the Greens that they have hated for decades. This is a test for Premier Jeremy Rockliff to demonstrate his leadership and negotiating skills. It has to be noted that Liberals can’t have any satisfaction that saw almost 12 per cent swing against them. With changing demographics around Australia,all future elections will be unpredictable,and no party can afford to take voters for granted. This is the best outcome for a robust democracy.Mukul Desai,Hunters Hill

Objection agreement

I agree with your correspondent who declares,“Long live conscientious objection” (Letters,March 25). My caveat though,is “You can have any objections you like,until the exercise of your freedoms impinge upon on the exercise of my freedoms”. That’s what democracy is supposed to be about – faith or no faith.Eric Hunter,Cook (ACT)

HELP fix

Before suggesting solutions to HELP you need to understand what the problem is that needs fixing (“Why the HELP debt system needs to be modernised”,March 25). If the problem is that the debt is still growing despite repayments being made,then adopting the lower of two inflation rates won’t fix the problem. It just means that the debt won’t grow as fast. If you want the debt to be repaid,then the repayment has to be greater than the rate of indexation. Which defeats the whole purpose of HELP where repayment is deferred until your income reaches a certain threshold,during which time the debt is indexed. The problems seem to be that courses cost so much more than they used to (so the starting debt is much more noticeable),and that we’ve got used to negligible inflation,but this is suddenly now more than the repayments. Fix those problems.David Rush,Lawson

Plan foretelling

The federal environment minister,Tanya Plibersek,will soon decide on plans to convert migratory bird habitat into luxury apartments in Toondah Harbour near Brisbane. The harbour has provided safety and sustenance for migrating birds for thousands of years. It is now an international Ramsar site,created to protect this crucial habitat. This is what will happen if the minister approves the plan. Hungry and exhausted,a female eastern curlew will approach Toondah at the end of her perilous,thousand-kilometres flight fleeing the Arctic winter. She has done this trip several times but this time her summer home looks different. The life-giving wetlands have gone,replaced by a construction site. Confused,she lands on a bulldozer. All around her,she sees the feathered bodies of other migrants;soon she will join them.Bruce Gall,Nicholls (ACT)

Parental instinct

Your correspondent asks why “pretty good” isn’t good enough for our children (Letters,March 25). Instinct drives most parents to strive for the best for their children and that won’t change. You might as well tell the bird in my backyard not to attack me when I get near her nest. Nature is nature,whether it be in a miner bird or a human being. And the world is not going to be a better place if we send our children out with instructions to “Go forth and be ordinary”.Randi Svensen,Wyong