This week, letter writers talk about the Ben Roberts-Smith situation, our kangaroo population, welcome to country and nuclear power.

Time to ask questions about BRS

I wonder why Bill Stefaniak thinks it is “totally premature” to start talking about cancelling Ben Roberts-Smith’s VC (CW 8 June 2023). Why shouldn’t we start asking questions about it?  We also now have the revelations about Roberts-Smith being the person mentioned in the Brereton report as allegedly involved in the murder of an Afghani.

At the very least, discussion about how service medals for bravery are decided and by whom is a very valid subject, including any other ethical issues that may have impact. Indeed, military ethical standards themselves should certainly be open for debate. We can’t just keep on kicking these cans down the road on the flimsy excuse that “now isn’t the right time”.

I’d also like to know why Mr Stefaniak is given additional space in the letters page, when he has a full column each week in the Weekly where he can, hopefully, present a fully considered view. He could, for example, outline the CSIRO’s independent assessment of the very significant economic and time-frame problems of us embarking on the large-scale nuclear energy program we would require (even without considering nuclear waste disposal).  It could sit there in balance with the over-optimistic view that Mr Stefaniak seemingly has taken straight from the nuclear industry’s playbook (including very questionable assertions about small modular reactors). Bill is right in one sense though; nuclear power is very safe. That is, until it isn’t.

• Eric Hunter, Cook ACT

Kangaroo count lacks credibility

The ACT Government’s counting of kangaroos lacks credibility and the “program” requires transparency.

My daughter has only just turned three and loves to go up the hill to see kangaroos, but after last year’s cull they are much more difficult to find.

It’s extremely concerning the seriously flawed method of counting used and continuous fertility control will mean they no longer exist on the reserves in the ACT in a few years or less. This year on Red Hill, they are about to kill 500 kangaroos plus the joeys that die as a result of having their little heads bashed with something, plus the babies that die from the cold or stress escaping after their mum got shot. The method of counting used is WTL which is simply inaccurate. Flawed science and inaccurate counting methods are a serious concern to Canberra residents.

The rubbery numbers is more than enough reason to immediately stop the cull until an independent review of the kangaroo management program and its impacts on ACT’s native flora and fauna, including the accurate kangaroo population, has been conducted.

• Alex Kucharska, Griffith ACT

Non-Indigenous belong

Re David Smith MPs article (CW 8 June 2023).

Like many Australians, including a lot of Aboriginals I might add, we are getting tired of every meeting you go to, every presentation, and now at the start of an article, having the welcome to country forced down our throats. It was started in 1976 by Ernie Dingo and Richard Walley OAM. So, it is not something that has always been around for general use other than for Aboriginals. Australia is now home to more than the Aboriginals and has been for over 200 years, so it is our land as well and we do not need to be welcomed to it. David claimed that “At its heart, Reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples for the benefit of all Australians”. If this is the case, stop treating the non-Indigenous as though we do not belong and stop giving us the Welcome to Country all the time.

• Vi Evans, Macgregor ACT

Downsides of nuclear power

Thank you to Bill Stefaniak who sets out his three arguments in favour of nuclear power: safe, cheap and ethical.

Safety: The long list of deaths from nuclear accidents makes for grim reading. While the number of deaths recorded at the time of these accidents may be relatively low, there are many more illnesses and deaths from exposure to radiation. Nevertheless, when compared with coal, solar, wind and nuclear are all much safer. But if things go wrong with nuclear, it is potentially disastrous. Recall the massive search in WA in January this year, when a tiny radioactive capsule was lost in the outback; the capsule posed a “significant health risk”. A small fraction of the waste remains radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years. Storage remains a huge, unsolved problem.

Cost: As renewables are adopted more widely, their manufacturing and energy output costs goes down. Former Chief scientist Alan Finkel says Australia’s “privileged position” of abundant renewable sources makes nuclear far less competitive. Many other energy experts, including the CSIRO, say the economics of nuclear power just don’t stack up. The “existing infrastructure” needs a huge overhaul, no matter what the electricity source. This is one of the big projects now being tackled to ensure our renewables have the grid required to support the transition.

Ethics: Child and forced labour, exploitation of workers and slave conditions in the mining of raw materials for the renewable industry should not be ignored, nor should it be for the many other products we consume. Australia needs to develop its internal supply chains and manufacturing capabilities to ensure best practices. And when materials are sourced from overseas, strict codes should be enforced.

• Fiona Colin, Malvern East VIC

The Invisible Man

Before David Smith (CW 8 June 2023) talks about making things better for Aboriginal people, he could start by actually doing something constructive in Tuggeranong where he is virtually unseen and unknown. After all, that is what we are paying him for.

• Ian Pilsner, Weston

Indigenous voice

I’m noticing a common thread among No Vote supporters, from Mr Dutton down. They’re simply all complaints and no ideas how to solve the problems.

– Doug Steley, Heyfield VIC

Want to share your opinion?

Email [email protected] with ‘To the editor’ in the subject field; include your full name, phone number, street address (NFP) and suburb. Keep letters to 250 words maximum. Note, letters may be shortened if space restrictions dictate.