How do you motivate Australia’s ruling class to take climate action seriously? Crikey readers had a go at addressing the problem, and the solutions posed by Doug Hendrie yesterday. Their answer? Stuff the ruling class, we’ll will just tackle it without them. Elsewhere, readers discussed the transparency crusade of Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick.

On Australia’s climate motivation

Richard Shortt writes: Federal government in Australia has rendered itself, with some voter help, irrelevant in the climate debate. So, that leaves individuals (clearly many onboard and moving forward), businesses (driving change), local government (check out the “off grid ready” communities springing up) and state/territory governments (continue to watch SA and ACT; QLD heading in the right direction but still dogged by coal). Once investors see the value of green exports they will start funding and pushing change and away they will go. Meanwhile, a group of older, change resistant politicians will continue to bicker and brandish silly props at each other as they attempt to maintain the belief that they actually contribute and control something.

Alex Joseph writes: We need to do something drastic about climate change. The reason? That unless an enormously rich country like Australia makes sacrifices, and is perceived as making sacrifices by the billions of much poorer people living in countries like China, India, Indonesia et al, we have no moral authority to keep bleating that “bigger polluters” make any sacrifices. And if the big carbon emitters don’t make sacrifices, and the planet gets cooked, we can expect potentially hundreds of millions or more climate change refugees. We should make sacrifices, not because our own emissions matter, but to encourage the really big emitters to reduce theirs.

On Rex Patrick

Denise Alstergren writes: It sounds as if a live wire has got into the Senate. Sounds good.

Send your comments, corrections, clarifications and cock-ups to boss@crikey.com.au. We reserve the right to edit comments for length and clarity. Please include your full name if you would like to be considered for publication