Age binnacle

If the pollution from the fires takes a day off the life expectancy of everybody in Sydney, that’s the equivalent in terms of years of life lost to about 290 people dropping dead in the street. That’s a minimum figure – London’s five-day great smog in 1952 is estimated to have killed about 6,000. It’s becoming clear what Australia’s part is going to be in the great war on global warming; we’re the horrible example designed to scare other nations straight.  Good to see we’re still punching above our weight.