Morrison finds himself sandwiched between the reality of climate change and his Coalition’s intractable hard right. His solution? Float a royal commission that considers climate change while simultaneously reassuring his intransigent colleagues that more ambitious emissions targets will not be on the table. Such inquiries are expensive and pointless given the LNP’s inclination to predetermine the findings and shelve reports if the recommendations don’t suit its agenda. - James Buckman, Enmore Morrison will respond to the climate change emergency by cutting emissions. He will do this without a carbon tax, without putting up electricity prices and without upsetting the coal industry. It would be interesting to meet some of the ‘quiet Australians’ targeted by this message. Oh, and I have a harbour bridge for sale. - John Vigours, Neutral Bay Wow! A royal commission. I feel so relieved. More taxpayers' money being used to ignore the experts. - Maria Rose, Jamberoo Firies deserve every tribute A big thank you to whoever had the wonderful idea to put that stunning tribute to firies on the Opera House sails. It was a welcome lift to all our spirits. Not to underplay in any way the loss of people, homes and businesses, but when the full extent of the damage to our wildlife and their habitat is known, the whole country will go into mourning. I hope that schools and business are starting to think about how they can help their pupils and employees deal with this. - Carole Molyneux-Richards, Bellevue Hill

Let's not waste this crisis Debbie Andrew (Letters, January 13) is on the right track. The immediate aftermath of the fires will intensify the struggle for limited resources between feral and native animals. It will also increase the vulnerability of native species to predation by the feral animals that have survived. Measures to remove feral species from national parks should be part of the suite of measures undertaken to protect native species. - Peter Olive, Marrickville Donations mystery Why on earth is everyone donating huge sums of money to help us, from all over the world? We are a first-world, wealthy country (with even a hint of a budget surplus). Vast numbers of third-world countries are facing rising sea levels, droughts, earthquakes, famines and fires. It is flattering that the world is being so generous towards us but it is unnecessary, inappropriate and embarrassing. That is our government’s role. - Sally Shepard, Nelson Bay In looking for answers to the predicament with our environment, let us take a lead from Dr Devra Davis ("Australia could lead world on renewables," January 13). Looking at what can be achieved, Dr Davis points out that although China is still importing coal itself, it "has more of a commitment to renewables than Australia does" and they are "putting a price on carbon. And, of course, ultimately that's what has to be done". It's time then to stop wasting valuable time with deniers . Part of the solution is surely to act on well-researched evidence and advice from top scientists such as Dr Davis. - Harry Polley, Dural

Sustainable super Like veteran pollster John Utting, I too hope these fires provide a seminal moment in the climate debate ("A 'seminal moment' in the slow burn of change", January 13). For those, like the Prime Minister, who still don’t believe that renewables can improve the economy, I offer up the following: two years ago, after almost forensic research, I switched superannuation funds. I chose the fund's ethical, sustainable investment option. I was prepared to take a financial hit, and was delighted to find that the ethical option outperformed every other option. Super funds have more than $2 trillion invested on our behalf. If they can make sustainability pay, so can the rest of us. - Jackie Blackledge, Artarmon Constructing a crisis Clearly nothing has changed in building quality inspection and certification of high-rise apartments despite the continuous flow of life-shattering stories we keep hearing from Sydney apartment owners ("Tower cracks trigger fear of high rises", January 13). As a former construction engineer, I watched with intrigue over the past six months as what is effectively a four-level apartment block kit home was assembled at Bondi Beach. The covers came off just before Christmas and there is already rust oozing from every visible wall, floor and balcony as a result of poorly-prepared and poured concrete. This concrete cancer is turbocharged by the aggressive marine environment, and it will be months, not years, before this impacts upon structural integrity. Nevertheless, all good for the developer – the painters are hard at it, covering up the sins long enough to flog the apartments to unsuspecting buyers. - Tim Murray, Bondi Beach Sydneysiders’ fear of structural safety in new tower blocks and a certifier engaged by the developer of a defective tower suggest it is time for the Building Commissioner to tell us what he is actually proposing to do to fix the problems. One thing would be to require developers of tower blocks over three storeys (which do not require home warranty insurance) to satisfy a “fitness” test (including financial security). That way “Dodgy Brothers” will be driven out of the space. - Fred Jansohn, Rose Bay

Coles must checkout what people want I strongly urge Coles head of commercial and express Greg Davies to read the comments section under the article announcing Coles intention to go fully automated and remove checkouts from stores within 10 years ("Checkout-free push for Coles'; supermarkets", January 13). There is not one positive response. Not one. People want jobs and they want interaction with humans. It's not complicated. Please don't assume that because people use self checkout that it is because we want it, it's often because the average Coles has very few manned checkouts open. - Dianne Hamilton, Jannali Coles and other large companies have a moral obligation to employ people. If they choose to walk away from that obligation in the pursuit of profits they are failing in their duty. So what happens to all the employees that become redundant? The likelihood of future employment is slim. These fabulous people then become welfare dependent. What a great outcome (I don’t think)! - David Gardiner, Orange Leading executives at supermarkets talk about high-falutin, high-tech checkout-free supermarket ideas, but they’re almost mute about the here-and-now issues bugging their customers. For crying out loud, why don’t they have a trial period for an “if you touch it, you must buy it” protocol for avocados? - Col Shephard, Yamba Packer's casino an eyesore

As James Packer’s new casino building continues to thrust upwards, looking like an inverted apostrophe, the Dubai-ification of Sydney appears to have commenced. It is a structure that is aesthetically isolated and disconnected from the city skyline and an imposing blight on the harbour. Where is the leadership in public architecture that gave us the Sydney Opera House? Oops, I forgot, regular citizens of NSW will not be welcome in the new casino building – just mostly foreign “high rollers”. What next – private beaches? - Dale Bailey, Five Dock Tanks for nothing Took a trip to Bunnings to buy a 'Tank Water In Use' sign. None to be seen. However, many 'Recycled Grey Water In Use' signs dangled haplessly on their hook, looking for a fence post or two. - Megan Brock, Summer Hill Barely a week goes by without a significant development in a major issue facing our communities. Fire, water, air quality and climate change top the current list. There are never scientific, economic or policy articles about how high population growth makes it easier to solve any of these existential problems. Any discourse is overwhelmed by a blind acceptance of this deliberate population policy choice. In the case of water the solutions are expensive desalination, expensive cartage, expensive buybacks, expensive pipelines, expensive dams (that will somehow get regularly filled), expensive repairs and expensive grey-water systems. These are on top of the necessary expensive expansion to cater to the ongoing growing population. Common sense says this trajectory can't be maintained. - Ray Johnson, Bondi Beach Be careful what we wished for

You're correct Sue Jay (Letters, January 13) there have been no street marches, demanding all the things you name (surplus, tax cuts, ABC cuts etc). The majority of Australians did, however, vote for them in March and May last year.

Diane Wilder, Waitara Kings Cross now deader than Rookwood As a Potts Point local with a successful history in the arts as a festival and event producer, it is with a sigh of indignation and frustration I mark the retention of the lockout laws in Kings Cross. The area, once the celebration of Sydney and the envy of Australia, is now quieter than Rookwood. Gentrification has come with the cost of less diversity and vitality. - Warren Fahey, Potts Point At last – Sydney can join the great cities of the world and I can get drunk after 3am. - Richard Lynch, Belbora Let's not follow Trump

As if Morrison hasn't enough disasters to cope with in Australia, he sends a warship to the volatile Middle East, risking getting involved in a conflict and possible war with Iran. Tony Walker summed it all up brilliantly today ("Fast-track to nuclear stand-off", January 13). We've had troops on Iraq for 17 years, costing the nation hundreds of millions of dollars, and just to please the Americans. Now we're joining a Trump-led dangerous adventure in the Strait of Hormuz – an adventure intended to shift the focus off Trump's impeachment news. Our PM should put Australia first – even if the Americans don't like it. - Vincent Matthews, Warriewood Democracy flawed, but favourable to the alternative The benevolent dictatorship Richard Fry calls for to deal with the aftermath of the fires (Letters, January 13) is an oxymoron because ever since the time of Plato, all such attempts have ended in tyranny. Democracy, for all it faults, is infinitely preferable. - Andrew Macintosh, Cromer What's in London's still? It's a verifiable fact that London tap water may have passed through seven kidneys before quenching the next thirst. I presume Australian objectors drink out of plastic bottles (Letters, January 13). - Laurie Le Claire, Epping

Tweet and sour Since the introduction of Twitter into our lives in 2007, none of the five Australian prime ministers has served a full term. A coincidence or a cause? - Ken Helm, Murrumbateman Travellers railroaded Sydney must be the only major city in the world where a tax, and a hefty one at that, is imposed to actively discourage travellers and others from using its international airport by public transport (“Airport rail take rises to $110m”, January 13). But then, of course, this is NSW. - Harvey Sanders, Paddington Royal family on (thin) ice