Energy white paper

John Richardson writes: Re. “Marn’s minimalist white paper goes the market way” (Friday). So, Bernard Keane thinks that Martin Ferguson’s white paper is “the best sort of white paper — one that sees the role of government as getting markets working as efficiently as possible & only intervening where markets fail”.

Based on my reading, Marn’s white paper has only one redeeming quality and that would be in the nearest bathroom. Apart from spruiking the value of smart meters (the next generation of poker machines) and putting the boot into state governments (entirely deserved mind you), good ol’ ‘Marn’ had little else to say ….

Certainly no acknowledgement of the legalised extortion of billions of dollars, bilked from long-suffering household consumers over the past five years by governments of all persuasions. No mention of the unnecessary ‘gold plating’ of electricity infrastructure to optimise investment returns.

No mention of the significant pricing subsidies being provided to government and business by unwitting and helpless consumers. No mention of the bloated organisations now a feature of electricity providers, nor the obscene wages and benefits enjoyed by ‘workers’ in these union-controlled workplaces.

No mention of any significant investment in the sector that might burst the bubble of rampant greed, such as developing a viable energy storage device to drive consumer investment in solar energy, thus freeing-up the capacity of the existing infrastructure to meet the needs of government and business.

And, of course, in keeping with the all-too-familiar refrain coming out of Canberra, not a sign of any genuine reform; just the usual useless political platitudes, devoid of any value or integrity.

Alan Jones

Martyn Smith writes: Re. (Richard Farmer’s chunky bits, Friday). As he says the game is getting very rough indeed and like many I’d say the delay button was deliberately ‘forgotten’. I’m indebted to Richard Farmer for publishing it as I’d not listen to Jones if he was the last broadcaster on earth.

Catholic Church

Adrian Jackson writes: Why are governments so hesitant in not attacking the huge problem of p-edophilia in clerical businesses like the Roman Catholic church? The only conclusion that can be drawn is that they are part of the problem or they fear losing the Catholic vote.

What they need to realise is that Catholics are looking for leadership from governments as they are not getting it from their church. P-edophilia is not confined to the Catholic church but it is by far the most notorious and prolific in this vile crime.

King Henry VIII had a practical approach to the Roman Catholic church by confiscating church property so our governments need to hit them were it hurts too by at least charging religious businesses council rates and at most confiscating church property were p-edophilia has occurred in recent times.

My advice to church goers is don’t go and become part of the large ‘no religion’ group on the census data base.

BBC scandal

Mike Crook writes: The confected outrage by the Conservative government over the transgressions of the BBC have very unfortunate similarities to the way in which the ABC was attacked and, effectively, demolished as a credible unbiased current affairs organisation by the Howard Government. Chris Patten, fixer extraordinaire is the equivalent of the Alston/Shier hit team. Dark days ahead.