Every last one of these obstructionist politicians has missed a very salient point: businesses exist to do the things that make money; governments exist to do the things that cost money. It's that simple. Politicians (of all stripes) who cannot, or will not, grasp this simple truth should get out of the game.

Mark Raymond, Manton, NSW

As an ex-Federal Treasury officer, I heartily agree with ex-ACT Treasury officer David Hughes (''Light rail logic is flawed'', Times2, October 15, p5) that a proper cost/benefit analysis of the tramway project should not credit higher population density in the area, increased land values, increases in parking fees in Civic, or employment on the project (instead of elsewhere), to the tramway - and that with ''time-saving'' the only significant benefit left in the exercise, the project is very much ''flawed''.

Indeed, I would go further than Hughes, and also question whatever figures have been put into the cost/benefit analysis to measure ''time-saving''. In reality, the value of saving time varies tremendously from person to person. Whatever figure has been assumed must be rubbery.

In fact, in my view undertaking a benefit/cost analysis, and talking of a ''business case'' for the tramway, is laughable. Like all public transport projects throughout the world, the tramway would have to be continuously subsidised by government (taxpayers), just like the ACTION bus service. The only arithmetic that needs to be done is to compare the capital and operating costs of a tramway with those of an extended bus service. And obviously such a comparison would favour the latter.

R.S. Gilbert, Braddon

It's time to get a few facts straight about Lake Burley Griffin (''Menzies earned namesake lake'', Times2, October 15, p1). Firstly, every entry in the 1912 design competition for Australia's new national capital had a lake. A lake was a competition requirement and is not an idea unique to Griffin's design.

Secondly, Walter Burley Griffin did use his middle name. For example, he often signed his drawings: ''Walter Burley Griffin, Architect''. In announcing the winner of the design competition for Australia's new national capital, King O'Malley read out the name of the winner as: ''Mr Walter Burley Griffin, architect and landscape artist, 1200 Steinway-hall, Chicago, Illinois''.

Two excellent books on Canberra and the Griffins, Canberra 1912 by John Reps and Grand Obsessions by Alasdair McGregor, verify the above facts.

Furthermore, the president of the Walter Burley Griffin Society of America is Peter Burley Griffin, a grand-nephew of Griffin. The society includes Walter's middle name. You might think they would know about such things. Consequently, it is a nonsense to say that Griffin never used his middle name.

Although the lake we built is only an approximation of Griffin's grander design, the fact that it was the determination of Prime Minister Menzies to get the lake built is not disputed. If Bob Menzies wanted the lake named ''Lake Burley Griffin'', please do the great man a courtesy and just let it be.

Penleigh Boyd, Reid

I see Jack Waterford (''Menzies earned namesake lake'', Times2, October 15, p1) is continuing his late-in-life embrace of past authority figures by smooging the way for the renaming of Lake Burley Griffin to Lake Menzies. Oh to think that the man who once held a Vietcong flag over the head of an outraged attorney-general is now outdoing Sir Robert's own relatives in reverence to the late conservative prime minister.

Surely Wardenship of the Cinque Ports was the supreme maritime accolade for the Anglophile Menzies, and to bestow his name on our decorative little bathtub would dishonour his memory! Waterford ascends to pedantry by pointing out that Griffin never used his middle name of Burley. But it's the seemingly illogical weirdness of the name Lake Burley Griffin that makes it distinctive, and more of a genuine place name than so many in this contrived and careful city.

Paul Feldman, Macquarie

Ian Warden is on to a winning idea by inviting our senators to bathe in the ''cyanobacteria-buggered'' Lake Burley Griffin (''Dalgety failed to make a splash'', Gang-gang, October 15, p12). I suggest that among the opening ceremonies each year for the Federal Parliament and ACT Legislative Assembly, that the citizenry enjoy the spectacle of our politicians swimming across the lake.

No doubt this ritual would focus the minds of our political leaders on better management of our waterways. If nothing else, several hundred of Australia's finest political minds thrashing about in the Lake may be more effective than the mechanical mixers that are currently installed.

Dr Jamie Pittock (a.k.a. ''famous miserablist''), O'Connor

I find it strange that ''Team Australia'' will not be sending medical teams to Africa, due to health safety. However, we are in Iraq to give humanitarian aid and promote the welfare of mankind, with the latest state of the art war planes. Is this United States Of Australia logic.?

Richard Ryan, Summerland Point, NSW

Many older readers will have been encouraged to read about standing to increase longevity (''Movement matters to the desk-bound'', October 15, p7). The probability of death, often reported as being 100 per cent and equivalent to that of being subject to taxation, can, it is reported, be reduced by 5 per cent by standings for one hour.

I have stood for one hour today and on that reasonable basis, assuming I can still stand tomorrow, I shall stand for an hour each day for the next three weeks. Around 20 days multiplied by 5 per cent should produce an interesting outcome.

Frank Ingwersen, Higgins

Steve Ellis (Letters, October 14) says, in contrast to the aims of the National Curriculum Review, the role of education is to teach kids to think. In contrast, I think that getting them thinking is a secondary objective: one to be pursued after they've acquired basic skills, like those necessary to comprehend the complex relationships and trends they're to think about. That is, first I'd prefer them taught to read and comprehend well, to communicate conclusions clearly and effectively and to come to grips with important quantitative systems.

But NAPLAN results, together with personal exposure to kids who've ''completed'' their education, reveals such readin', writin' and 'rithmetic skills remain sadly deficient. Perhaps ''teaching them to think'' masks deficient teaching?

Understanding when data/tools are inadequate to draw conclusions is way more important. Them thinking, based on fundamental ignorance and incompetence, produces rubbish conclusions. Perhaps postpone it.

Veronica Giles, Chifley

There are two sides to the story of the wearing of hijab. I believe that women should be able to wear whatever they like. However, my experience of living in a Muslim country was similar to what hijab-wearing women are currently experiencing in Australia. I initially chose not to wear the hijab as I saw it as a symbol of religious faith, of which I have none.

I was spat at, leered at, jeered at, pushed, poked, groped and mugged. Nobody came to my defence when these things were happening to me. Ultimately I decided that it was much safer, and much more comfortable to follow the rules of when in Rome, do as the Romans do. While the world is full of ignorant bigots it may be better not to make yourself a target. Faith is in the mind, not in what you wear.

Pauline May, Lyneham

The ACT government, which spends lots of money on Canberra Hospital, should spend a bit more to make its surrounds cheerier. Anyone walking from the multi-level car park down the sloping footpath to the new cancer treatment building, or past to the older part of the hospital, is greeted with a bleak outlook.

The concrete retaining walls either side and the weeds on the high side are most impressive. It wouldn't take much money to put decent -sized planter boxes full of bright flowers to transform a depressing approach into a bright, cheerful one. The last thing cancer patients coming in for treatment need is to be greeted by a depressing approach. .

Eric Traise, Bonython

Minister Eric Abetz is simply wrong when he asserts that the proposed changes to the public service workers' compensation scheme ''would bring Comcare into line'' with other compensation schemes (''Compo reform harsh, unjust'', October 16, p1).

The exclusion for ''wilful misconduct'' unless it causes death or serious and permanent impairment has been a feature of the Commonwealth workers compensation since the first such act [S4(2)(b) Commonwealth Workmen's Compensation Act 1912].

Identical provisions are to be found in the current workers compensation acts of all states and territories.

Recess claims are a feature of all state and territory workers compensation acts except South Australia. Either the Minister is ''mean-spirited'' or he is badly advised.

Bill Redpath, Blumers Lawyers, Canberra City

The excellent article by David Hughes (‘‘Light rail logic is flawed’’, Times2, October 15, p5), demolishing point by point the government’s cost-benefit analysis for the proposed Gungahlin Light Rail, vindicates what every thinking Canberran knew instinctively. The project is complete folly.

Geoff Nickols, Griffith

If we still don’t have synchronised traffic lights down Northbourne Avenue, how can the government manage light rail as well?

Kurt Luthi, Belconnen

I approve of Tony Abbott’s vow to ‘‘shirt-front’’ Vladimir Putin at the G20. But why stop there? Why not ‘‘pants’’ him as well, leading into a bout of Greco-Roman wrestling for the title of Iron Tsar of the Pacific?

Michael Barry, Torrens

Jack Waterford’s periodically repeated suggestion that Lake Burley Griffin be renamed after Sir Robert Menzies (‘‘Menzies earned namesake lake’’, Times2, October 15, p1) should be heeded. In time it might even be known as Ming’s Marsh. (Menzies is pronounced ‘‘ming-iz’’ by Scots.)

Gary J.Wilson, MacGregor

Jack Waterford has got it wrong. Bob Menzies (‘‘Rename the lake ... Burley trail leads critics in bid to turf Walter’s middle moniker’’, October 15, p1) wrote ‘‘I want to have the lake called Lake Burley Griffin’’ and more importantly he did not want it named for himself. We should leave it the way it is.

Neil Horn, Yarralumla

It’s murky, slimy, same on both sides, spouts off most days and is shallow – though you can’t quite get to the bottom of it. How about ‘‘Lake Pollie’’.

Linus Cole, Palmerston