Bill Shorten

Crikey readers were divided on the topic of federal Labor’s planned carbon emissions policy (which Bernard Keane wrote yesterday was a “retreat from past bravery”). While some were disappointed, others thought that a starting point — any starting point — was necessary after the climate inaction of the past several years. Meanwhile, readers weighed in on the issue of the stranded families of Australian ISIS fighters. 

On Labor’s emissions target

John Kotsopoulos writes: The LNP will bag it as going too far and the opportunists on the far left will bag it for doing too little. Memo to the latter. You can’t legislate for anything from opposition.

Adrian Jackson writes: Decades ago the Hawke government had the Button plan and spent billions of taxpayer dollars propping up the car industry only to see the big US car companies take the money and withdraw from Australia. Now there is talk about 50% of cars in Australia by 2030 being electric; what rubbish. Electric cars and the infrastructure needed, like charging stations, have progressed very slowly in other places like the USA and Europe. What is the market research to justify the spending of taxes on this platform? How many MPs drive an electric car? My guess is none.

Janet McCalman writes: Labor needs to win the election. What is the immediate attack from the Coalition on? A supposed carbon tax. Of course the Greens will have a “better policy” but they won’t get elected.

Robert Edgerton writes: When we’ve had executives of a number of major fossil fuel companies including BHP requesting a carbon tax, I suggest Labor are running unnecessarily scared on the issue. Certainly looks like a majority of the population is over the absolute chaos of LNP climate policy and now realise that the only time Australia was reducing emissions and gaining credibility on the world stage was during Julia’s “sorta carbon tax”. To my way of thinking it’s far better to have those companies pay a tax here than buy a credit from an overseas corporate.

Betina Goldsmith writes: After the terrible climate policy wars of the last decade, we have to start somewhere.

Robert Smith writes: Don’t forget we voted out the government that gave us a sensible carbon policy. Why would Labor go back there? We had our chance and blew it.

On the orphans of Australia’s ISIS fighters

Richard Shortt writes: Leaving this diaspora out there simply allows for the next iteration of the Syrian tragedy to unfold to all our shame.

R. Ambrose Raven writes: Indeed they should be brought back, notwithstanding the appalling failings of child protection services in Australia.

Apology to Eric Abetz MP

Regarding the piece by Kishor Napier-Raman on 27 March 2019 “How blaming the Greens went from far-right talking point to mainstream debate”: Senator Abetz has contacted Crikey to say that he has never promoted anti-Semitic views or myths nor mentioned the antecedents or background of Mr George Soros and he considers the reference to his comments about Mr Soros’ involvement in promoting the left to be a misrepresentation of those. Crikey unreservedly apologises for this misrepresentation.

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