Given what science has stated about climate change and the need to leave coal in the ground, this was a chance for Morrison to make a decision for the good of Australia. But, as usual, we have been given mere self-serving politics, not any genuine leadership in the interests of Australia's future. - Gary Mulley, Collaroy Plateau Price has caved in to pressure to approve the ground water management plan for the Adani mine because it "met scientific requirements". Indeed the plan could be perfect, but Adani's track record in violating environmental standards once it begins operation is well-established. Add to this the impact of this massive mine on the problem of climate change and it is clear that this mine should have no future. - Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove The decision to approve a coal mine, just before an election, has the potential to cause irreparable damage. Are a few votes and the desire to stay in power so much more important than our country for future generations? Claiming that it was done based on the best environmental science is just marketing. Decisions like this should be bipartisan – our country's future depends on it. - Russell Meacham, Blackheath In the cynical electoral promotion game that both the LNP and Labor are playing over permission for the Adani mine to go ahead, we are in danger of forgetting that this is an enormous ecological disaster for both Australia and the world. It is a sad and damning comment on our politicians that they have turned such an important decision for the environment into a political football. - Nedra Orme, Neutral Bay Why has the current government allowed this project to proceed when the effect is likely to be the transfer of billions of dollars (tax free and risk free) out of Australia? This would be a tax dodge on a massive scale. Was the exaggerated promise of 10,000 jobs, combined with the effect of Adani's donations, just too tempting for the Liberal Party? - George Rosier, Carlingford

Electric car scare tactics running on empty tank Like many I welcome the introduction of electric cars, and to those who complain about the extra cost to their household budgets for charging the batteries, I ask them to take a deep breath, sit down and calculate the benefit of not filling their cars with petrol a couple of times a week ("Scare campaign absurd and shameless", April 10). Not to mention the benefits to the rest of the population. - Llieda Wild, Eastwood With the Australian Automobile Association, NRMA and Toyota supporting the introduction of electric cars, I suggest our PM pays attention to this, stops the scare campaign and gets off his high horse, and buggy ("Toyota contradicts Coalition's claims on future of electric cars", April 10). - Helen Matthews, Greenwich If these Liberals had been in power in the 1920s, they would have been fear-mongering about Labor coming to take our horse and cart because of the increasing availability of motor cars. - Cath Henshall, Bungonia Electric cars are coming, like it or not. One consequence will be that less petrol and diesel will be sold leaving the gas guzzlers to pay for the supply. On the bright side, there will be shorter queues at the bowsers and there will be fewer servos. Of course, reduced demand for liquid fuels should lead to lower prices, but I doubt it. If you are the last internal combustion vehicle in the country you will be paying for the whole refinery and distribution service.- Michael Harrington, Bonnet Bay

Why the hysteria? Petroleum and gas companies do not want electric vehicles. - Robyn Cupitt, Cordeaux Heights The absurdity of the Coalition's "arguments" increases in direct proportion to the strength of the opposing facts. Unfortunately for them, facts are a bit like the gears in a car. Your argument won't go anywhere without them. - Michael Hinchey, New Lambton The argument about electric cars is ridiculous.The nonsense about utes was insulting to voters who want information. We are intelligent, with commonsense. We want ideas, reasoned debate and policies to consider before voting. - Bea Hodgson, Gerringong If Scott Morrison or Michaelia Cash had spent more than a few minutes in Gosford, they would have realised that most of us are not tradies with threatened utes, but people from all walks of life who live here because it is a beautiful place to be. Many of us travel to Sydney in an electric vehicle – the train. The staffer who thought up the sound bite should be sacked. - Chris Moe, Bensville Electric cars will fade the curtains. Don't ask how, they just will. - Geoff Teys, Chippendale

New chapter in culture of reading It's heartening to note that improvements in reading are being made in some high schools through fostering a culture of reading for enjoyment and the employment of a writer-in-residence such as described at Canterbury Boys High School (''Naplan test scores tansformed by a culture of reading'', April 10). These are rich and meaningful approaches to the development of knowledge, skills, understanding and appreciation for and of reading and its sister craft, writing. I am one of the "chorus of naysayers" about NAPLAN's impact and troubling emphasis in the secondary setting, because the teaching of literacy, in particular writing, is too often made confusing and obfuscating once the data is analysed. Improvement strategies repeatedly break writing into its mechanical 'parts' and the responsibility of all teachers, many of whom are not language or linguistic experts. NAPLAN needs de-emphasising in high schools to enable the cultures for reading and writing to flourish well. - Jenny Holland, Ashbury A key element in encouraging the culture of reading for pleasure is the school library. Here, students are able to exercise choice and explore different genres and authors guided by a trained literacy and information specialist. Whatever the effect on NAPLAN results, reading is of value for its own sake in developing much-needed qualities, such as imagination, empathy and understanding. - Philip Cooney, Warrimoo

Meat is not murder For vegan activists and professional ethicists to assert that it is morally wrong for me to eat meat is simply hogwash ("Vegans – inconvenient but morally right", April 10) . The concept is no different to the disavowed contention that left-handedness is a sign of moral degeneracy. Evolution has given my body a digestive system to allow me to eat meat as part of a broad diet. Humans are part of the biological fabric of the earth. I might choose for social reasons to be vegetarian or vegan, but I have no moral or ethical right to tell someone else not to do something that is natural. Continue to promote the humane treatment of farmed animals, but do not lecture me on the immorality of enjoying my chicken schnitzel tonight. - Stephen Kirk, Blackbutt If we could have a rational debate about meat consumption, vegans would win hands down: Meat production contributes more greenhouse gas than transport, is responsible for 92 per cent of land clearing, uses 75 per cent of agricultural water and is driving wild animals to extinction. The typical meat based Australian diet contributes to our top killers; heart disease, cancer and obesity. And, most modern farming is cruel. A plant based diet is better, and will save our planet. - Anne Matheson, Gordon

Power to the people Congratulations to Mike Cannon-Brookes and the Atlassian team for aiming high in switching to 100 per cent renewables. ("Atlassian plans 'ambitious' shift to 100pc renewables by 2025", April 10). It is a breath of fresh air to hear the next generation of business leaders embracing environmental, social governance and running with it. Tomorrow I will join the ranks of renewable energy producers with the installation of a battery for my solar panels. I mightn't be totally off grid, but I will be producing and storing the bulk of my own energy for my dwelling. Happy days. - Danielle Ecuyer, Bondi Junction Dollars don't make sense I hate to disagree with Ross Gittins but I think he's missed the point about the hollowness of the Treasurer's much-trumpeted budget tax cuts ("The truth about tax cuts", April 10). It's not about who they will benefit but that the government thinks giving people $20 a week is the stuff of national leadership – $20 a week is less than one coffee a day. The Prime Minister and Treasurer declared this as the centrepiece of their election budget, their clarion call to the nation. Do they genuinely believe that out of all the options available to them thanks to their huge rise in revenue, this is how they can lead our country into the future? What about a major policy, a reform? More than a few extra dollars, Australians want their leaders to lead, inspire them about creating a better society. Twenty a week is just housekeeping; anyone can manage that. - Michael Visontay, Castlecrag

Uneven playing field Money talks goes the old saying. No it doesn't; money shouts ("Ex-Liberal Party director to Huang citizenship controversy", April 10). I am so angry to read of the ways and means to get what you want if you have the network. This government refused a visa for my Afghan writer friend to have surgery to reconstruct his congenitally deformed face. Problem was my friend had an Afghan passport, although he was born and lived always in Pakistan with his refugee family. Maybe I needed $10,000 to ensure my friend's entry. - Julia Osborne, Nambucca I wouldn't sit down to lunch with Peter Dutton if you paid me a billion dollars. - Gayle Davies, North Sydney

Say no to anti-vaxxers Your correspondent says that freedom of choice and belief systems which may limit vaccination for some families is an important tenet we must tolerate (Letters, April 9) . While I agree that freedom of speech and belief are clearly important, this does not extend to speech and belief that can cause severe danger and even death to other people. Some babies, too young to be vaccinated, have died in this country from whooping cough. That disease should have been eradicated in Australia long ago through vaccination programs. That has not happened because of the scientifically ridiculous campaign by anti-vaccinationists. I think that when the lives of little children are at stake we can and should limit the freedom to advocate policies that can, and has, led to their deaths. - David Fraser, Ballina In 1966, aged 7, I got mumps. One week later, the disease had killed one of my auditory nerves, leaving me completely and permanently deaf in my right ear. Along with sterility, it was a common complication of a condition that my parents couldn't choose to safeguard me from. Anti-vaxxers inflicting their idiocy on the children they should be protecting ... words fail me. - Graeme Page, Bayview

That's hard on the Bard Much ado about nothing ("Why Married at First Sight is like Shakespeare", April 10)? - Bruce Hulbert, Lilyfield There goes 40 years of teaching HSC English. If Married at First Sight is no different from Shakespeare, then what self-respecting year 12 student wants to study Macbeth when they can have reality TV? - Arthur Cooper, Alstonville Many great works of literature, including Shakespeare, portray people lying, cheating and being violent. But what makes them great is the mode of expression and the depth of human feeling – far different from the crass, shallow and poorly-scripted narcissism presented in MAFS and other reality shows. - Rob Phillips, North Epping I find it very difficult to engage with MAFS. Is it the general vulgarity, the manufactured drama or the apparent mental instability of some of the participants? Or could it be because they're not actually married, so why all the angst? It's a plot line even Shakespeare wouldn't have run with. - Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga

I was going to say how shallow and meaningless MAFS is but then it occurred to me that I had spent 90 minutes watching a soccer match.- Mustafa Erem,Terrigal To submit a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald, email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters.​