So, George Brandis is now comparing himself to Voltaire in his defence of free speech ("Climate change proponents using 'mediaeval' tactics: George Brandis", April 18). Free speech for racist bigots, free speech for climate denialists. Where will it end? Free speech for the tobacco industry to deny smoking causes cancer? There is a value in free speech to promote reasoned discussion and deliberation. And then there is obdurate and at times wilful ignorance. Smoking does cause cancer, there are no superior races and human-induced climate change is as certain as it is scientifically possible to demonstrate.
Denial is not driven by some otherwise ignored piece of scientific insight but by the massive vested interests of the fossil fuel industry. Its combined economic resources dwarf those of many nations and it has no hesitation is using those resources for its own short-term benefit, even if it means destroying the planet in the process.
Attorney-General Senator George Brandis has stood by his comments that Australians have the right to be bigoted. Credit: Andrew Meares
Neil Ormerod Professor of Theology, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield
I assume that my application to be a High Court judge will be given equal weight by George Brandis despite my complete lack of a legal education?
Illustration: michaelmucci.com
Mark Tierney West Pennant Hills
The public has received another revelation of George Brandis’s philosophy on life. Last month he was saying everyone has the right to be a bigot. Now he has switched focus to climate change. Senator Brandis seems to be bemoaning the fact that decades of work by scientists, backed by the authority of CSIRO, the Royal Society and the US National Academy of Sciences, is being used to trump denialist mining billionaires and politicians.
Fiona Ryan Edge Hill (Qld)
Senator Brandis has deplored the sidelining of climate change sceptics in the climate change debate. I echo his concerns with regard to the round v flat earth debate. While 97 per cent of geographers may claim that the "science is already settled", we should respect the views of those sceptics who have a different view. The models of the Earth that one sees everywhere, known as maps, are flat. Globes of the world constructed according to the ideas of the sphericalists are hardly ever seen these days. This would seem to indicate that the flat Earth model of the world is increasingly gaining ground among the public, and is only prevented from attaining complete acceptance by the authoritarian orthodoxy of leftists and scientists bent on suppressing the free discussion of ideas. Round Earth sceptics must be given equal space in the press to have their fair say in this debate. I urge Senator Brandis to extend his support to those who are sick of having their flat earth views delegitimised.
Geoff Gordon Cronulla
By George, Senator Brandis has really got his knickers in a knot by claiming that people who say the science is settled on climate change are ‘‘ignorant and medieval’’, and furthermore says that though he believes humans were causing global warming he was ‘‘really shocked by the sheer authoritarianism of those who would exclude from the debate the point of view of people who were climate change deniers’’. Senator Brandis also opined that people who believed in climate change would accept the science without "intellectually" engaging with deniers.
Gee whiz, Senator Brandis, all this moralising about what you say is about your fight against the "cultural tyranny of political correctness" makes me think that having apparently lost the battle public opinion-wise to repeal section sections of the Racial Discrimination Act, you are now well and truly engaged in another losing battle.
Eric Palm Canada Bay
Hooray for George Brandis. How can people shut down the debate on climate change simply because the science overwhelmingly supports the issue? Senator Brandis is rightly protecting the rights of bigoted Australians to question the value of leeches in medicine, our flat Earth policy and burning the occasional witch (especially those in the Labor Party).
Chris Andrew Turramurra
Average family cannot tighten belt any further
Statistics can be very boring; however, looking at some basic statistics from my area of Deeragun in Townsville, which also takes in Jensen, Mt Low, Bushland Beach and parts of Burdell, it does not take a great deal of imagination to see that the average household is doing it pretty tough.
With average household income last year of $1732 per week, less tax, based upon most of the residents being employees and actually paying income tax, this brings the net income down to approximately $1385 per household per week. When a further $500 per week for a mortgage repayment or $351 per week for rent is deducted, we soon see that feeding, clothing and educating two children plus the weekly grocery bill, ever-rising electricity bills and miscellaneous expenses leave very little for the average family to save.
It has never been easy for working families and it is progressively getting tougher under both state and federal LNP governments. I watched Joe Hockey on television the other day saying that everyone must share the load of getting the nation out of debt. Sadly, I have not yet heard how he wants those in our nation who are very well off, the multi-millionaires and billionaires to contribute. It is obvious from the ABS statistics that average working people in my area simply are unable to pay any more than they already do.
Shaun Newman Townsville (Qld)
Barry O'Farrell's resignation will encourage voters to turn to minor parties
Former premier Barry O’Farrell has done a great deal of damage to both his own party and the image of politicians generally. His welcome departure may well see the ALP opposition returned to the front benches sooner rather than later.
It will also almost certainly see a further drift of primary votes to minor political parties and independents such is the growing disenchantment of voters with the leadership and performance of the major political parties.
Michael Gamble Belmont (Vic)
Malala is Christ-like
Anne Summers’ piece on the young Taliban victim, Malala Yousafzai (‘‘Malala may succeed in a changing world’’, April 19) was inspirational, especially coming at Easter where, mercifully free on Good Friday from the new religion of shopping, one could find time to ponder civilised life’s moral imperatives as exemplified in Christ’s selfless life. Malala’s concern for others, preparedness to stare down evil, great personal courage and sense of mission are Christ-like.
Ron Sinclair Bathurst
How is that ethical?
Jacqueline Maley reports in “Losing your bottle and failing the pub test” (April 19) that the executive director of the St James Ethics Centre says the thing ensnaring political powerbrokers is an inability to move into a “different mode” when they make the switch from party to government. “Once they reach the point of governing they move into a different mode, where they must act in the public interest only.”
Is he really saying that an action that would be clearly unethical when taken by a parliamentarian could be quite acceptable when that same person is acting only as a member of a political party?
If so, then let’s rid ourselves of political parties, or ethics centres, or both.
Glen Coulton Marmong Point
Christians take time to re-evaluate
I would not take issue with Anthony van den Broek (Letters, April 19) on the value of teaching secular ethics in schools, but his prejudice against Christianity shows through. For him it seems that only the secular approach to ethics produces moral humans. Apparently Christians are incapable of having an open mind, weighing evidence, and listening to other views. This is patent nonsense. His further assertion about punishments and rewards consequent upon adherence to Christian rules shows a very shallow understanding of Christian belief, if not a worrying tendency to create false dichotomies.
The differences between secular and Christian moralities lie more in their values rather than in the process of making ethical decisions.
Bob Hinchcliffe Wahroonga
Anthony van den Broek says that in secular ethics, the making of moral decisions does not rely on dogma, rules, appeals to authority or choosing a position based on a threat or the promise of a reward. The lessons of history does not agree with this assessment. Over the last 100 years, authoritarian governments of both the left and right have presented very strong scientific arguments for their particular ‘‘ethical’’ views, which were taught in schools and embedded in their respective legal systems. A Christian, following the guide of the New Testament, is never quite sure if they are OK in God’s view and constantly re-evaluates their own thoughts and desires, irrespective of the views of a particular government, media or for that matter, church leadership. This produces a strong, independent citizen, a situation which many in power don't like.
Roger Cedergreen Allawah
Holiday, not holy day
Allan Gibson’s reply to the April 18 editorial calling on “Christians to refocus the mission and purpose that are central to their faith” shares a page with the Readers’ Panel displaying that Easter celebrations will have no religious component for 73 per cent of respondents. Calling on a conservative traditionalist institution to change and reinvent itself is antithetic to its reason for existing. Its role is integral to maintaining the status quo of power structures and control over the masses. If nothing changes, nothing changes. But it’s insulting that the moral minority assume to still be the majority, and have no idea how valuable “just a long weekend” is to all those fed up with the tiresome, predictable hypocrisy of countless “honourable” religious and political so-called “leaders” seen aplenty of late.
Those of us wanting to enjoy a peaceful long weekend without deferring to the church could also do without absurd and facile calls to its “renewal”.
Robyn Dalziell Castle Hill
Keep uni system as is
The article about establishing American-style undergraduate-only ‘‘colleges’’ (‘‘Uni funding change could be devastating’’, April 19) is very worrying. When we came to Australia in 1977 from the US to begin the Italian studies program at the University of Wollongong we were astonished to find that the universities in Australia were all of similar quality. In the US the situation is quite different. Of course, everyone knows that Harvard and Columbia, for example, are at the top but what most Australians do not know is that a degree from many of these ‘‘colleges’’ is not worth the paper it is written on, and if you obtain such a degree it is all but useless. All academics and most recruitment agencies are very well aware of the rankings, and if they are unsure they check it out. This is not a system that we want to imitate here.
Vincent Joseph Cincotta, Madeleine Strong Cincotta Figtree
Memo to Sydney Water
Would you please indicate henceforth at the foot of each household Sydney Water bill what component of the bill is for donations to the Liberal Party courtesy of Australian Water Holdings.
Frank Cahill Bondi Junction
Left to languish
I read (‘‘Man falsely accused still in Villawood’’, April 18) about Sayed Abdellatif’s innocence, but despite a continuous flow of documentation of proof he has been left to languish in Villawood. There is a need for fast processing of refugees who are, after all, human beings and are no affront to Australians or the Immigration Department.
Elfy Suchet St Ives
Chance for a right royal cover up missed
It seems that the Duchess of Cambridge’s style team (''First outing for design duo's dress gets the royal treatment'', April 19), along with her husband and son’s, overlooked the need to protect the royal scones from harmful sunlight. Sadly, a right royal opportunity to promote the message to cover up was missed.
Col Shephard Yamba
My O'Farrell moment
I feel indebted to Barry O’Farrell, because when I forget something my wife says I’m having an O'Farrell moment. Which is much nicer than her saying I’m having a senior moment.
Richard White Woolwich
I partially sympathise with the former premier, however I get into more trouble for remembering things that did not happen.
Alan Slade Dover Heights
Political double-speak
Do politicians lie so often that they believe they are telling the truth? (''Job offer after wine gift'', April 19).
Roger Commins Rouse Hill
Please explain
I don’t understand why right-wing political commentators are anxious to eliminate section 18 C of the Racial Discrimination Act on the grounds of free speech, but on the other hand want to censor ICAC.
Could someone please explain?
Tony Brownlow Cronulla
Money making money
Is the Age Of Entitlement about to start for private colleges? (''Uni funding change could be 'devastating' '', April 19).
Graeme Finn St Peters
A bridge too far?
Not only is the proposed shared bridge (bicycles and pedestrians) joining two parts of Moore Park over the Anzac Parade (''Public land at threat from bridge too many'', April 18) a land gobbling monstrosity but a danger for both pedestrians and bike riders. At only 12 metres wide, the bridge pathway with its ramps, inclines and sweeping curves is a recipe for accidents waiting to happen. Pedestrians and cyclists do not mix in such confined spaces.
It also is a waste of scarce parkland and money (estimated cost $25 million) in these straitened times.
The first decision of Premier Mike Baird should be to scrap it.
Don Beresford Surry Hills