Like most, I was deeply saddened but unfortunately not surprised by the devastating reality of the 'poor' and 'deteriorating' state of our environment ("Action on the environment is essential", Illawarra Mercury, July 20). We Australians are justified in our outrage at relative governmental and corporate inaction on climate and the environment. But, if we are to create a sustainable future we can be proud of, despair is not an option.
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We must instead choose optimism and, above all, action. As many policy experts like Saul Griffith, and groups like Deloitte Access Economics now report, the technology is available and the economics of decarbonisation is finally stacking up. This is the moment to reverse the trend of environmental decline. Each of us can play our part by engaging with the plethora of solutions available to us.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Keep our options open
Sir, Mr Pryor 's letter on nuclear electricity as baseload power makes a lot of sense. France gets 70 per cent of its power from nuclear energy, yet when was the last time they had a Chernobyl meltdown or even a Three Mile Island scare? Small modular reactors are being produced by six companies, and could be installed at the legacy coal fired plants to avoid costs of new transmission lines.
Poland is installing small nuclear reactors by 2026, with the aid of South Korea and the US. Yet we in Australia can't even discuss this option, it's just a taboo topic. Also Germany, having abandoned nuclear power after Fukushima, may have second thoughts with high energy prices, a shortage of gas, and winter looming. Mr Pryor has some good points - let's keep our options open.
Walter Komarnicki, Wollongong
Stop hiding the truth
The stench of corruption permeating from within the offices of the most senior NSW government ministers is overwhelming! Every trick in the book is being applied by them to frustrate the inquiry into why John Barilaro was gifted a plum New York posting, a posting already awarded to another person. They have delayed supplying documents to the inquiry and those they have, were sufficiently redacted as to be useless in determining the reasons for Barilaro's appointment.
The NSW government is now declaring some documents off-limits to the Inquiry due to "national security!" What next? Some senior official's dog ate the evidence! If it were not for the seriousness of the issue involved, the Barilaro boondoggle would make a good script for a comedy show.
If ever there is to be a reason for establishing a National Integrity Authority with retrospective powers, the Barilaro NY boondoggle is it! Clearly, Dominic Perrottet and his cabinet have no respect for their employers, the people of NSW or for the concept of good governance.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
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