It’s time to make fossil fuel polluters pay for their damage

Coal and gas corporations in Australia pay little tax compared to other countries (“It’s time for big miners to pay for the privilege and clean up their act”, January 31). An example is the oil and gas company Santos, which has paid little or no income tax for the past decade. At the moment, ordinary Australians are paying dearly for the damage caused by the effects of global warming. Climate change is costing some people their livelihoods. Only recently, we have seen Australian communities evacuated and hundreds left homeless after the Victorian bushfires. That is not to mention the devastation to agriculture and wildlife. For many of us not directly affected, home insurance is rapidly becoming unaffordable. It’s patently unfair that ordinary Australians are bearing the brunt of these disasters. Coal and gas producers should be the ones footing the bill. Bring it on. Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT)

At a time when intense heatwaves and bushfire smoke are taking their toll on Australian lungs, Millie Muroi’s opinion piece comes as a breath of fresh air. Drawing on work done by Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims’ Superpower Institute, she mounts a concise, lucid and compelling case for a “polluter pays levy” allied with a “fair share levy” on gas exports. The proposal rights the wrong of coal, oil and gas miners profiting from resources belonging to the whole nation, sending those profits overseas and disproportionately exacerbating Australia’s carbon emissions. Better still, the revenue could be used to compensate households, fund basic services, make our green industries competitive, and significantly lower our carbon emissions. No doubt the government will face a ferocious industry campaign if it dares to consider the measure, but as Muroi points out it “has a decent amount of public support”. And so it should. Tom Knowles, Parkville (Vic)

Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims will need to overcome history and powerful forces to make polluters pay. Fifteen years ago, attempts by the Rudd and Gillard governments to tax mining super-profits were gutted under intense industry and political pressure. And while Australia briefly had one of the most effective climate policies in the world, the Carbon Pricing Mechanism under Gillard, it too was killed off with the three-word slogan “great big tax”. But times have changed with a decade of deficits in the pipeline, a population grappling with a high cost of living and many suffering from climate-fuelled floods and heatwaves. If ever the time is right, it’s now – the Albanese government has a record majority, and the opposition is in disarray. The Greens would back it. The Superpower Institute’s report has provided the pathway; it needs only political courage and vision to implement it. Australians are paying the costs; polluters should pay the bill. Ray Peck, Hawthorn (Vic)

The fossil fuel companies in this country have been ripping us off for years. In 2022, the gas industry exported $90 billion of LNG and made a gross profit of $65 billion, yet paid only $2.6 billion in royalties. Imagine if ordinary taxpayers were able to pull off a heist like that, someone on an income of $200,000 would pay just $8,000 in tax. There would be an outcry. Now contrast that with the situation in Norway, where oil and gas exports are taxed at 79 per cent, and where this revenue is paid into a sovereign wealth fund and used to finance the nation’s transition to renewable energy. Why can’t we do that here? Ken Enderby, Concord

With the Liberals and Nationals in disarray, isn’t it time for the government to establish a sensible resources levy? Instead of subsidising polluters, we should make them pay for their environmental damage. This is the way to repair the budget. Mark Allerton, Huntleys Cove

Stop stressing reef

Our iconic coral reefs have a special place in my heart. Like many, I have seen first-hand how warming waters and repeated bleaching events are reshaping ecosystems that once felt timeless. The federal government is right to invest in protecting the Great Barrier Reef, and the funding committed deserves recognition (“Australia defends reef protection plan to UN”, January 31), but it is difficult to take these efforts seriously while approvals and expansions continue for fossil fuel projects and industries that directly drive the reef’s decline. We cannot keep giving with one hand while taking with the other. Each new coal, oil or gas project reinforces the reality that the government is making an each-way bet: funding reef resilience while enabling the climate impacts that undermine it. Bianca Sands, Urangan (Qld)

Conservative chaos

Act in Hastie, repent at Ley-sure (“Hastie quits Lib leadership race”, January 31). Alicia Dawson, Balmain

Angus Taylor lost to Sussan Ley after the May 2025 election. What noteworthy work has he performed since to make him the better candidate now? Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield

Scrambled centres

Forget about forming a new centre right party or, heaven forbid, reforming the Coalition with the Nationals (“Centre of Power”, January 31). The Nationals are toxic in the city, the inner and middle suburbs. The Nationals have 14 seats, which is more than they will ever have again as the regions are declining in population and the cities and their suburbs are increasing. The Liberal Party should review its policies and emulate those of the teals but challenge the Nationals in the country and outer suburbs with bread and butter policies. Rodney Crute, Hunters Hill

It’s interesting that there is movement to start a new centre right party from the remnants of the Liberal Party. The conservative side of politics has had a number of name changes since 1901, such as Protectionist Party, Free Trade Party, Revenue Tariff Party and Fusion Liberal Party. Even Labor, largely unchanged since its inception, had a change in 1955 when breakaway members started the Democratic Labor Party. Always a search for the middle ground. Arthur Hennessy, Gymea Bay

Herzog is welcome

It is a sad sign of the times when a visit by the president of a long-standing ally is treated as controversial (“PM, Minns urge respect for Herzog’s ’solemn visit‴⁣⁣ , January 31). President Herzog’s trip is not meant to provoke anyone. It is a show of support for a grieving community and a sign of friendship between two democratic nations. The president’s role is largely ceremonial and not political. The two countries work together on defence technology, cybersecurity, medical research, water and farming in dry climates and other advanced industries. This co-operation creates investment, skills and jobs in Australia. With the war in Gaza largely over, it would be sensible to ban the chant “globalise the intifada”, as recommended by a NSW parliamentary inquiry, and for protest groups to lower the temperature around this visit. John Kempler, Rose Bay

Louise Adler misrepresents the Jewish community’s views when she claims we want to silence all criticism of Israel and outlaw protest. No Jewish leader has said or implied that. The concern is when the criticisms or protests descend into the type of demonisation and hatred that lead directly to antisemitism and violence. For example, labelling all Zionists as terrorists justifies violence against us. Danny Samuels, Malvern (Vic)

NSW Premier Chris Minns and others describing the Bondi shooting as “the worst terrorism event the country has ever seen” need to acknowledge what was done to Indigenous Australians during European colonisation and reconsider their rhetoric. Hugh Thomson, Echunga (SA)

Time for a flag that can unite

It is beyond timely that we change our flag to represent our nation (Letters, January 31). The Aboriginal flag is hard to beat. It was designed by Harold Thomas and it represents the land rights movement as a symbol of unity and identity for all Australians. It is easily identified and deeply symbolic of our land. The Union Jack no longer represents who we are. It’s time we moved on. Vicky Marquis, Glebe

Is it too much to ask for a practical choice on our new flag? Our colours are green and gold and our universally recognisable symbol is the kangaroo. Let’s be rid of all the endless chatter about principles, politics, people and places etc: the ’roo will be around when today’s slogans are long forgotten. John Court, Denistone

The official colours for Australia at sporting events are green and gold. I agree with the use of wattle as the emblem on the Australian flag. There is significance for using the Genus Acacia, as there are more than 900 native species, growing in every state and territory in Australia. The Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is Australia’s national floral emblem. It is a unifying emblem for all citizens of Australia. Jan Wilson, Glebe

The flag, the one adopted when we became a country, the same flag we Australians have served under and many died under and proudly celebrated under, has tenure and a long, proud history. Give up please, on the petty and trivial suggestions and honour what we have proudly lived under and regain the respect it not only has but deserves. Richard Stewart, Pearl Beach

I recall Roy Slaven and HG Nelson suggesting many years ago that we do away with a national flag entirely. That way, no matter where we are in the world, when we see an empty flag pole we can be proud to be Australian. Derek Elmes, Faulconbridge

The commuter’s life

Commuting on V-set trains (“It’s terminus time for the veteran V-set intercity train”, January 31); same train, same carriage, same seat, unless some interloper who, through ignorance, got on earlier and upset the order. Always the same on the way home. On at Central, down the stairs, grab a two-seater. Check the other regulars. The older gentleman who always politely ushered his wife into her seat. The single traveller who selected the small seat next to the stairs – great for sleeping until someone from an intra-urban station clumps up the stairs to leave. The gang of five apprentice tradies who quietly (generally) played euchre and drank beer. The blind man and his companion playing cribbage with braille marked cards. The young lady who sat next to the public servant. Quiet talk and banter in the carriage until the train left the urban area when, by mutual understanding, the chatter reduced to the necessity and those that need or want sleep could nap for half an hour or so. We all knew, yet didn’t know, each other. That young lady who sat next to me became my wife. Peter Butler, Wyongah

Immortal words

George Kemp’s piece (“A lesson I’ll never forget”, January 31) on his English teacher opening his eyes to literature brings back instant memories of my latter school days, specifically those lazy, languid few weeks where the exams are all over and teachers and pupils alike are looking for inspiration while waiting for holidays. After trudging through Return of the Native, our teacher threw his hands in the air and suggested we all bring in a paperback from home and he would bring in a pile. I ended up with Fahrenheit 451. The scales fell from my eyes and I’ve been an avid reader ever since. As this is the start of another school year, it’s worthwhile recalling the quote from Henry Adams: “A teacher belongs to eternity, for they never know where their influence ends.” Ross MacPherson, Seaforth

Time to tune out

Ali Walker (“How to … stop overthinking”, January 31) has made it clear: we are inundated with “infobesity” these days, having too much information thrust at us, trying to assimilate it all and unsuccessfully wondering how it relates to us. This overload usually hits us when we are trying to relax into sleep. Ms Walker gives helpful steps for being kinder to ourselves. Marjie Williamson, Blaxland

Advantage, squash

Squash (like tennis) (Letters, January 31) also used to allow you to serve a fault, until that rule was abolished many decades ago. Far be it from me (a squash player) to suggest that squash is the smarter game, but we’ve also had a roof for nearly two centuries, there’s no grunting, and scoring uses the “radical” approach of 1,2,3 … rather than 15, 30, 40 … And what is that about? It’s like they decided to count in 15s, worked out that was senseless, so up by 10s, then just gave up. Just saying. Nick Westerink, Weetangera (ACT)

Your correspondent suggests limiting tennis players to one serve because in no other sport is a mistake rewarded with another go. After all, golfers don’t get a second try if their putt misses by millimetres. A good idea well argued, but what about Aussie Rules, when a successful kick at goal is rewarded with six points, but a miss still gets one point? Ian Morris, Strathfield

When did it become compulsory for tennis players to form a fist after every successful shot or result? Why do they only thank “you guys” for your support? Surely there are some women in the crowd? Jim Croke, Stanmore

Borat-free zone

Now, when we hear the name Kazakhstan, we can think of Elena Rybakina instead of Borat (“Rybakina claims maiden Australian Open title”, smh.com.au, February 1). Bruce Johnson, Lakewood

Zemblanity is real

Thanks to Janice Creenaune (Letters, January 31), my search for a word that succinctly captures what’s unfolding in Donald Trump’s US has now come to an end. Stephen Foster, Glebe

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