Opposition to change will cost us dearly
For weeks the news has carried reports of record heatwaves in the northern hemisphere that are expected to continue throughout August (鈥淪corched by burning questions鈥, July 24). Wildfires are raging in Greece and California at the same time as torrential rain and flash flooding have caused havoc and destruction in South Korea, Colorado, India and Italy. Extreme weather events are occurring worldwide exactly as predicted by climate scientists decades ago. It is particularly galling to know that we are a decade behind in our climate mitigation action due to climate deniers and obstructors within the previous Coalition governments, who deliberately blocked action to transition from fossil-fuelled energy to renewables by casting doubt on the science and highlighting the cost of doing so. As Sean Kelly points out, the same negative tactics are now being used against the Voice. 鈥淚f it ain鈥檛 broke don鈥檛 fix it鈥, and 鈥渋f you don鈥檛 know, vote no鈥 are conservative mantras designed to prevent progressive action that is well overdue. Whether this opposition to change is genuine or politically based, it is costing future generations dearly and will be judged harshly by them.Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
Thanks, Sean Kelly for your well-articulated warning to Australia; your headline says it all and we must act, now, or be damned. The climate change impacts we are already suffering can鈥檛 be denied or ignored any longer by our inactive 鈥渓eaders鈥.
Barry Laing, Castle Cove
The climate crisis we鈥檙e facing is a collective crime – the world has long ignored the need for urgent action and we鈥檙e paying the price. The Voice is our moment and as Australians, we own this opportunity to make a positive change, it鈥檚 a request so simple that it shouldn鈥檛 need asking. Yes to engagement, Yes to commencing reparations long overdue. It鈥檚 the first step. Should No be our response, we will walk alone with the weight of that decision.