What does Australia hope to achieve by taking a seat on the United Nations Security Council (“PM takes AI fight to UN as Australia launches bid for Security Council”, September 21)?
asserted
Australia → hope → Council
Is there something Australia can do to achieve world peace that can’t be done by another middle power, or is it just window-dressing to enhance our international image?
asserted
it → do → image
In July, Australia failed to support a resolution of the UN Economic and Social Council regarding the living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories.
asserted
Australia → fail → Gaza
Supporting that resolution would have been a good start to justifying our right to be on the Security Council.
asserted
Supporting → support → Council
Anthony Albanese’s call for the UN to place restrictions on the US-China race for dominance in artificial intelligence could not come at a more opportune time.
uncertain
UN → place → time
But even more urgent, as AI shows signs of being able to rapidly spiral out of control, placing AI under a rule-based order akin to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is a top priority.
asserted
placing → show → Treaty
The treaty can act as a blueprint for the UN to bring AI under some form of control.
asserted
UN → act → control
Hearing Albanese yet again say AI must not be allowed to control humans had me thinking more ironically.
asserted
me → hear → humans
Assuming AI can seek out the best knowledge, facts, data, science and information, free from religious and other dogma and ideologies, and free from corrupt media, political and financial influence, then it should start to address all the failings of our politicians and keep at bay all malignant vested interests.
asserted
it → assume → interests
We may yet counter the environmental apocalypse we currently face and start making the best decisions for the sake of humanity, all other life species and the planet.
uncertain
we → counter → humanity
But then I remembered it’s those same politicians and billionaires/trillionaires who will do/regulate the programming.
asserted
who → remember → programming
Howard Charles, Annandale
Nuanced numbers
Oh, that it was as simple as just setting the total number of immigrants (“Labor must remain above the chaos, or be consumed by it”, September 21).
asserted
Labor → set → it
The Coalition says it will cut the number of immigrants by a certain amount.
asserted
it → say → amount
One Nation targets another number.
asserted
Nation → target → number
And, in setting that number, each has an eye to the availability of housing and the needs of business, agriculture and universities.
asserted
each → set → business
But as Sean Kelly explains, and as Tony Burke indicated in his speech last week, it is much more nuanced than that.
asserted
it → explain → that
There are the economic impacts, both globally, in the regions, and the particular businesses where immigrant workers are needed.
asserted
workers → be → regions
Focusing on a single total number is not taking this issue seriously.
asserted
Focusing → focus → issue
David Rush, Lawson
Sean Kelly highlights the policy mendacity of an opposition desperate to stave off One Nation.
asserted
Kelly → highlight → Nation
A rampant, ignorant One Nation peddles the policies of fabulists and conspiracists.
asserted
Nation → peddle → fabulists
A government “seeking to ground the overarching political narrative in a sense of seriousness” struggles against the purveyors of snake oil .
asserted
government → seek → oil
Across the globe we see those permitting ignorance are empowering it; can we avoid the same fate?
asserted
we → see → fate
Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield
Dispel this fog of war
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert’s criticism of Israel’s refusal to prosecute Zomi Frankcom’s killers (“Ex-PM blasts Israel’s failure to act on Frankcom killing”, September 21) creates an opportunity to dispel the fog of war that shrouds this brutal incident.
asserted
that → dispel → incident
Many share Penny Wong’s outrage at Israel’s decision “not to pursue criminal charges against those responsible”.
asserted
Many → share → those
If Israel is convinced of its soldiers’ innocence it has nothing to fear from an independent investigation.
asserted
it → convince → investigation
What it does fear, as evidenced by its long-standing ban on international journalists reporting from Gaza, is scrutiny of its crimes against humanity there.
asserted
fear → fear → humanity
Olmert’s call for accountability could achieve two welcome outcomes.
uncertain
call → achieve → outcomes
American counties have one advantage over Australian communities regarding data centres (“Data centre capital counts cost of golden goose”, September 21).
asserted
capital → have → goose
They collect local taxes that can be ploughed back into the community.
asserted
that → collect → community
Australia sees only a perceived glow from the international spotlight as we hand over precious resources and devastate communities.
asserted
we → see → communities
There is no compensation for the huge social, environmental and financial costs that are shouldered when data centres come to town.
asserted
centres → be → town
The government can’t even find adequate resources to accurately monitor their emissions, analyse their wastewater and protect our communities and rivers.
asserted
government → find → communities
Elizabeth Darton, Lane Cove West
Three into one doesn’t go
There are still people in the NSW public service with a sense of humour (“Schofields flagged as key metro hub”, September 21).
asserted
Schofields → go → hub
Extending Sydney and Western Sydney Airport metros to Schofields brings together at one station Sydney’s three incompatible commuter railway systems.
asserted
Extending → extend → systems
Before 2011, we had technology upgrade paths that resulted in compatibility.
asserted
that → have → compatibility
Business cases, reviews by federal public servants and state-commonwealth city deals led to expensive, poor-value projects.
asserted
cases → lead → projects
In the 19th century, with parliamentary committees leading the development of transport networks, we got a network development strategy closely tied to economic objectives, and a 74per cent reduction in the cost per mile of railways.
asserted
we → lead → railways
We can’t address unaffordable housing, stagnant productivity, migration, the environment and economy without access strategies for all of Australia.
asserted
We → address → Australia
Peter Egan, Adelaide (SA)
Metro extensions sound worthy as housing development in the outer suburbs spreads.
asserted
development → sound → suburbs
Simultaneously high-rise development is being fast-tracked around existing Metro stations.
asserted
development → track → stations
…and 47 more, not listed.
The Aporia
