Guy Rundle’s reflections on the media reporting of the murders in Margaret River provoked a number of different responses from Crikey readers yesterday. Is it useful to critique the “good guy” narrative, and link the crime to the larger epidemic of domestic violence? Or do we not have any place dissecting these stories at all? Plus: thoughts on Australia’s slow uptake on energy storage.

 

On the media’s “simplification” of Margaret River

Draco Housten writes: The “good bloke” thing seems a bit cliche, like when they interview neighbours and hear that they were very quiet and kept to themselves. Probably not very enlightening, but neither is charging in to give a hot take on the reasons it happened before the bodies go cold. I hope that the family and friends of the victims get some answers.

Brendan Wynter writes: Thoughtful. As the surviving son of a “family annihilator”, these narratives just leave me cold. The amount of stupid in this world is hurting people.

Andrea writes: I understand the shades of grey in crime and every social issue, but this murderer took innocent human lives, four children and two women, and I do see the link with a domestic violence scenario where the man ultimately sees his wife, children and grandchildren as his property rather than people in their own right. What is killing in this instance if not the greatest harm to be inflicted? Who cares what his motives were? They are dead in any case.

 

On the long wait for Australia’s battery revolution

Graybul writes: Another small nugget of wisdom Chris. Interesting linkage of electric cars available as a mobile battery backup to household solar; but doesn’t it make one weep, if not rage, at the vested interests of LNP politicians ongoing obstruction. Holding back of national aspirations is nothing short of treason or at least a calculated attack upon young Australians?

BeenAround writes: Thank you Chis for a very good article. The points you make, along with the real-life success of the project at Woking in Surrey demonstrate that household consumers do not need a “grid”. Woking went off the UK “grid” in 2008. Therefore, what consumers need is local shared generation and shared power, like Woking.

That brings energy down to local control and largely disconnects us from corporate incompetence and greed. Historically, the logic of the grid, which has only really been developed since the early 1960s, was to interconnect big industrial users so that they could be sold cheap power subsidised by individuals.

The new and emerging technologies are destroying the logic and the economics of a massive and expensive grid in which over 50% of the electricity generated is simply lost through transmission. But I have no expectations that the neo-liberal dolts in the LNP can even understand this obvious benefit for society. Under neo-liberalism only business “competition” and outrageous rent-seeking can benefit society. The world is indeed MAD.

AR writes: Big grids, like big government, may have the “power” to give what you want but also, intrinsically and systemically, have the “power” to take everything you have. Small is beautiful — the more one does for oneself the less need for the megacorps. All that is needed is an intelligent, altruistic and dependable populace happy to be responsible for its own actions.

 

On Turnbull’s protection of Israel

Luckyduck writes: Some sections of the media are at last reporting and questioning Israel’s action in Palestine. Malcolm Turnbull ranted and raved about Chinese influence in Australia. Why does Israel have so much more influence? Why is nothing being done about this? When is there going to be a fair resolution to the Palestine Israel conflict.

Steve writes: When the Republicans are in power in the US, and the Coalition in power here, Australia’s foreign policy posture is one of unconditional support for the actions, policies and positions of the US. The USs foreign policy position under the Republicans is unconditional support for the actions, policies and positions of Israel, so that is therefore Australia’s position. Australia will stand tall, often with Guam, the Marshall Islands and other US client states, to support our imperial masters.

 

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