The Leader office was flooded with emails responding to Ian Ryan's letter of last week. Here are a few opinions from our readers.
Ian Ryan's letter (January 22) underpins the blinkered fervour and ignorance that put MPs like Craig Kelly in our Federal Parliament and gave him a platform to spread uninformed fake news. The populous deserves a lot better.
Freedom of speech? There is a legislated right for freedom of speech, but we should also maintain a right to honesty and integrity. (In)actions based upon lies are not 'In the Public Interest' bit are usually driven by vested or pecuniary interests.
'Shoving your ideology down the throats of sensible people', contrary to Ian's opinion, is exactly Mr Kelly's platform. Despite being uneducated in the science of Climate Change, or indeed any science, Mr Kelly proffers the stance that climate change is crap, and that fossil fuels and human activity have nothing to account for in terms of 'the world's problems'. This, in spite of the overwhelming weight of scientific fact. It's not just an opinion; it's a fact. Carbon dioxide is a principal greenhouse gas in the world's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the principal reason we have a habitable climate and the reason, through human impact, that we can make it uninhabitable.
When I was born in 1961, CO2 levels were about 320ppm. Now they're at 415ppm and rising. And don't 'it's only ppm' me. Try that with medication or poison. It's not about percentages. It's about impact.
'Arsonist's' and 'Fuel Loads' are, and long have been, contributors to fires and fire risks. However, Climate Change causing extended drier and hotter conditions means
1. Hazard reduction opportunities are diminished and
2. Fire intensities and probability is increased.
So, in spite of the NP&W and RFS doing all they could to manage fuel loads, we had excess dry fuel and unprecedented conditions.
So what do the LNP Right like Mr Kelly do? Shift the blame. Ignore the true cause and blame the symptoms. Fuel load, dry forest floors and canopies? Parched earth, catastrophic fire risk? These are not the cause of the fires; these are the results of climate change.
The current 'resilience & adaptation' non-policy of the LNP government (and others) is of itself a recognition that times are and have changed. It's also saying 'harden up or perish'. Tell that to the forest, flora and fauna.
They are not addressing the real need, mitigation. We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We need to address our failures.
I talk to my mum about Climate Change when I was studying environmental science at university. It was a concern then.
My mum died 30 years ago this month.
We should have done a lot more; our policymakers should have done a lot more, to make the planet a better place for her grandchildren then and my grandchildren now.
Following or giving a platform to the uninformed or misinformed deniers is not a means to a better future. It's a pathway to no viable future.
Steve McEvoy, Kirrawee
The first world leader to warn about climate change was none other than Margaret Thatcher, presumably a person respected by Messrs Ryan and Kelly. Mrs Thatcher had a brain and used it to get a degree first in chemistry then law -both at Oxford. She understood the science and called a meeting of world leaders to tackle the problem but who would not agree to join a concerted approach to tackle the problem. So she turned her mind to other matters.
Sure, better land management could have avoided the worst of the recent fires and knowing the poor land management, the government should have listened to the climate council last year which clearly warned of the imminent disaster.
I detested Mrs Thatcher's economic and social policies, but I cannot deny that she had a good comprehension of atmospheric science and were she here today I imagine she would be giving Mr Kelly one of her withering looks and sighing 'poor boy, lacks any understanding of science'.
Bob Head, Caringbah
Ian, a right to free speech, does not give Craig Kelly a right to spread misinformation. Like hate speech, misinformation can have dire consequences for any of us.
The science on a changing climate is settled. If politicians want to squabble about the causes they will be thrown out by voters: witness the demise of Tony Abbott. Next election we will be looking for more candidates such as Zali Steggall who reflect our concerns.
Following the fires, former NSW Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins urged our politicians to act on climate change. The drought increased the risks with mega-fires that just can't be put out. He said blame-shifting on to so-called 'greenies' for the fires was foolish nonsense.
Ian, you champion free speech, but you are not shy in vilifying those who do not share your own opinions. You and your hero Craig Kelly may have an axe to grind, but you ignore the reality of scientific evidence as you service your ideology.
Mike Robertson, Kirrawee
Unlike your correspondent, Ian Ryan, and his hero, Craig Kelly, I have had over 70 years to grow a brain. Indeed at the last election, when offered a Liberal How to Vote card featuring the usual photo of Mr Kelly, I snarled 'Do I look like an idiot, I used to be a scientist!
Tony Musgrove, Engadine
Your correspondent Ian Ryan is very happy with Craig Kelly. That's wonderful for him as had the preselection process been allowed to follow its proper course Craig Kelly would not have been his representative in Parliament. But leaving politics out of it it appears that Mr Ryan and Mr Kelly share the same scientific knowledge: nil. Just spare a moment Ian to take on some simple logic: if global warming (x) causes bushfires (y) then all other concomitant happenings ( strong winds, droughts, abnormal dry fuel etc.) are not direct causes of fires by themselves but are also RESULTS of global warming. Even allowing for arson which clearly is not a result of global warming, yet global warming has created an ecological environment perfectly suited for the arsonist.
Why mention Zali Steggall? Not surprisingly, you haven't heard much from her. The last time I looked, she was representing Warringah, but I'd welcome her to try her luck in Hughes.
I too value people who speak their mind provided what they say is based on knowledge, not crass ignorance. Unfortunately, our local member is all fired up with unsubstantiated nonsense. The dinosaurs died out millions of years ago, but Craig Kelly lives on.
Trevor Somerville, Illawong
I read Ian Ryan's submission on Craig Kelly (January 22) with dismay. Mr Kelly is far from a supporter of freedom of speech (not that any such right exists in Australia). He consistently deletes any posts on his Facebook page that challenge his highly questionable practice of cherry-picking information to support the case for coal. He blocks those who disagree with him. He has been accused of using bots to make it seem he has more supporters than he actually does. It only takes a minute to read his posts and recognise the misinformation being spread by Kelly. Ian's reference to 168 people who started [the fires] has been repeatedly disputed by police and fire authorities, which I'm sure would be better placed to comment with authority on the matter than Mr Kelly. Whilst I did not and would not vote for Mr Kelly, he is my federal representative. As a constituent, I need to see Mr Kelly working for Hughes, not repeatedly engaging in an endless debate on climate change. A good start would be listening and responding to ALL his constituents, and not just those who agree with him. I have contacted his office several times seeking information, only to be ignored. Apart from appearing on Sky News and refuting experts in the scientific field, I'm confused as to what Mr Kelly actually does for Hughes. I am still waiting for his office to enlighten me. Linda Ryan - Bonnet Bay (no relation to Ian)
To Mr Ryan, definition: Opinion is an Unproven belief, Fact is Verified information.
People who believe politicians and media who offer opinions which are often based on either donation by the Mining Council and or Business council or snippets taken out of context from factual reports are fools. There is no factual evidence to show that the current fires were caused by poor land management and uncleared fuel on the ground as stated by My Ryan. However, now we have the experts like Kelly, Morrison, Barilaro, and Fitzgibbon being followed blindly in their opinions by the Mr Ryan's. Even the views of Professors expert in the field, or Fire Commissioners with years of experience, are brushed aside so these opinionated experts can get their way into turning the country into one giant coal mine. Warren Bell, Sutherland
Write to the editor at craig.thomson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
