So, one question begs Bill, how does one charge flat batteries without the use of a ‘nasty and toxic’ electricity - jumper leads attached to the family vehicle?

Fair dinkum, this stupidity has the hallmarks of becoming a combination of the Pink Batts and schools halls programs.

D J Preece, North Wollongong

Leading into the forthcoming election Federal Labor is clearly trying to present a new image to Australian voters.

In an attempt to escape from its long-standing image of the government of failed economies, it wants to carry on with the image that the Rudd-Gillard governments began to present – the government of gimmicks.

Remember the NBN that will be outdated before its roll-out is complete, green loans, pink bats, computers for all school children, inappropriate school halls and outdoor learning areas, etc etc?

Now we have Bill Shorten telling us Labor will continue to waste more money on subsidising gimmicks.

The newest appears to be costly solar back-up batteries that have limited life, supplied from China, with the propensity to become an environmental nightmare.

OMG.

What other money-wasting schemes has Labor got in its grab bag of gimmicks?

Richard Burnett, Wollongong

The Senate Enquiry into why the private charity known as the Great Barrier Reef Foundation was given $500 Million by the Morrison Federal Government without even having had to apply for it, is now providing some answers.

It transpires that mining giant BHP was involved in the approval process and that the Foundation's governing body is made up of leading executives from the mining and banking sectors.

Their concern for the reef will clearly be in conflict with their own commercial interests.

The fact that their environmental concerns are largely expressed at an annual "Save the Reef" get-together at a luxury resort on Hamilton Island, speaks for itself.

Nice work if you can get it.

Meanwhile, legitimate public bodies such as The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the CSIRO are being short-changed in their genuine efforts to save the reef.

They must be wondering what they've done wrong.

Perhaps Prime Minister Morrison will provide some answers.

It all seems a bit fishy, no pun intended.

John Martin Woonona

The reason for the present power price rip offs is privatisation.

If this had not happened there would be no problem as it is greed has become a political policy and as long as the pander to the demands of their rich mates there will always be a problem for the rest of Australians for whom they have scant regard and the other mob are as just as corrupt.

B. R.George, Berkeley