climate change drought

Crikey readers had a great deal to say about the shadow cast by a new report predicting the extinction of much of the world’s biodiversity. As Bernard Keane and Benjamin Millar pointed out, it puts the comparative irrelevance of the 2019 election into stark relief. On closer fronts, readers discussed the erosion of Labor’s working class base, and threw their support behind novelist Di Morrissey’s community newspaper ambitions. 

On the extinction report

Roger Clifton writes: It is grotesque that we should quibble over the cost of cutting emissions when our descendants must suffer destitution from our neglect.

Mary Wood writes: I just hope that all those young voters who enrolled before the marriage equality referendum can see our politics for the terrible short-term thinking that it is. Even on ABC TV news tonight this was well down in reporting — after Morrison being egged, a royal baby and some other crap. Although Labor’s policies on climate change are much less than needed at least they have some. Without a large majority they will have their hands tied with a hostile senate. I can’t see any other hope. Probably the rest of the MSM have not even reported on this at all.

On Labor and the working class

Malcolm Burr writes: I remember years ago talking to my union organiser, who suggested the union movement had achieved virtually everything that could be achieved. He listed four weeks leave, holiday loading, long service leave, 10 days sick leave a year, compassionate leave for things like funerals, regular wage rises and other improvements in working conditions. His point was that when he approached new employees to join the union a number of them would say that there was no need to join a union as the conditions had all been achieved. His worry was that employers would always be ready to turn back the clock if the unions were not vigilant. We saw with Work Choices that this is very true. The main reason for the low union membership now is the need has gone for a big rise in working conditions. If the workers are not careful they will pay the price.

On novelist and newspaper proprietor Di Morrisey 

Mungo MacCallum writes: Di Morrisey was, of course, a regular reader of the Byron Shire Echo, the fiercely independent weekly in the region where she lived for many years. As a result, I am happy to send her my own political column for publication when she wants it in future. Watch this space.

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