Dear Editor,

Peter Hartcher is on the right track, however he blunts the critical message with inferences to luck ("The luck stops here: PM's time almost up", November 19). As important as the outcome on Saturday is, more important is to understand the reason and to shout it to the world. Identification of that reason is easy – simply imagine the past year without the constant backdrop of climate change. Sure, there may be concern over WorkChoices, but you wouldn't have everyday people wobble-boarding on the streets, or candidates the calibre of Maxine McKew haranguing the PM, or groups like GetUp raising public money for prime-time anti-government advertising, or a massive 17% Green vote in Wentworth.

It's safer not to believe in luck. Look at key announcements that have recently hurt the Government, not just on climate change, but on interest rates, pork-barrelling in 2004 and that Sydney University report on WorkChoices. Behind the scenes, real people consciously or unconsciously control the release dates for maximum effect. Look at the expressions of ridicule on the faces of the three Korean women as they listen to John Howard ("Howard losing the Koreans and Chinese", facing page), a real photographer worked for that shot and a real editor selected it for publication. It's because the smart money "gets" the danger of climate change that Kevin Rudd is a safe bet. Luck? If candidates in the Unites States next year are foolish enough to think so, they will go down in flames. Indeed, judging by the latest IPCC report, we all might.

Regards,
Carl Sparre
Eastwood


The Prime Minister at the Sae Soon Presbyterian Church yesterday.

Photo: Glen Mccurtayne