ACT Liberals off track

He clearly understands the environmental, social and financial benefits stemming from aligning policy for transport and land use planning in cities – stemming urban sprawl, lessening car-dependence, mitigating against environmental and carbon pollution and promoting healthier lifestyles.

The PM's vision is supported by recent federal funding commitments for major transport infrastructure projects, including $60 million for stage 1 of Canberra's light rail, and $95 million for stage 2 ofthe Gold Coast light rail. Other Liberal state governments also understand the benefits and are accordingly supporting light rail development.

The standout exemplar is the NSW Baird government, which has, on the back of the popularity and success of the Central to Dulwich Hill line, committed to the Circular Quay to Randwick and Kensington line, now under construction. The mooted upcoming budget announcement of a national cities' policy is awaited with much expectation.

So why do the Canberra Liberals continue to object to the Canberra stage 1 light rail in the face of the views of their federal and state colleagues?

This is evidence of policy hypocrisy to wedge themselves into power at the October territory election.

Merlin Baker, Wright

We recently had the pleasure of visiting your wonderful city, and we were greatly impressed with our nation's capital. We love the way the city is laid out and, despite getting lost once or twice, getting around is not bad.

One day we set off from Curtin to visit Parliament House and finished up at the Red Hill lookout. At this point, while looking over the suburbs and surrounding countryside, it became abundantly clear what was missing. A light rail service!

One day our hosts took us for adrive to Gungahlin, and once again it became apparent that a tram ride would have been much easier, straight through town and out to Gungahlin.

I think the benefits of a light rail service far outweigh any of the disadvantages being bandied about by some groups.

David Apps, Perth, WA

It was with amazement that Ilearnt of the imminent transfer of the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre from its current Northbourne Avenue location toRegatta Point.

It will be interesting to learn how many caravan-towing tourists happen across the information centre in its new location. Perhaps they might catch a tram from the current location to Regatta Point?

Last year in Stockholm, after searching for some time, I found the tourist information centre on the second floor of a department store. There was not one caravan, and few tourists, to be seen. If our local government plans to close the information office because of lack of patronage, it could do worse thanadopt the Swedish model.

Stuart Yorston, Macgregor

I am flabbergasted that of all your correspondents, H. Ronald (Letters, April 20) should charge others with "intolerance and bigotry towards anyone who does not share their view".

Is this a masterpiece of irony or a tragic lack of self-awareness?

I disagree with almost everything H. Ronald has written, but no matter how repugnant I find his/her views, Ido not deny his/her right to express them.

Could I suggest to H. Ronald that describing people with insulting terms such as "intellectually fragile feminists" and their views as "infantile nonsense" does nothing topromote the "robust exchange ofideas" he/she claimsto desire.

D.J. Taylor, Kambah

Amin Saikal ("Bernie Sanders dares to challenge Israel", Times2, April 20, p5) exposes his true perspective on Israel, and it's not pretty. He claims that Benjamin Netanyahu's tactics toprevent peace include "continuously treating Hamas asa 'terrorist organisation'."

Hamas is a terrorist organisation, and is recognised as such by the US, Europe, our government and even various Arab countries. It is committed to violently destroying Israel and killing or driving out the Jewish people, and continually conducts and encourages murderous attacks on civilians.

Apparently that's not enough for Saikal to consider it a terrorist group, hopefully not because of who its targets are.

He also talks about Palestinians resorting to "individual acts of resistance". These acts are actually attacks on random Israelis, often civilians, using knives, guns and cars, and have killed more than 30 people and injured hundreds more. But according to Saikal, when Israeli forces stop the attacks by killing the perpetrators, that's the"atrocity".

While Sanders is critical of aspects of Israeli policy, I doubt he would share Saikal's disturbing perspective.

Alan Shroot, Forrest

Professor Amin Saikal has highlighted Australia's growing isolation as an uncritical supporter of all manner of Israeli policies and actions that have both entrenched Palestinian plight and desperation, and simultaneously benefited the Jewish state in terms of illegal settlement expansions.

Indeed, as Saikal notes, there are but a mere few countries in the world that are as blithely one-eyed as Australia has been towards such a grave and persistent two-sided issue.

We can expect a sharp response from the pro-Israel lobby, of course, despite the fact that Australian Jews hold a range of ideological positions onhow the pro-Israel position should be operationalised within the Australian context.

There needs to be balance andfreedom in the press, and Professor Saikal bravely plays his part, as always. He is to be thanked.

Ross Kelly, Monash

Your editorial, "Rattenbury does Greens proud?" (Times2, April 19, p2) mentions three ACT Greens who served in the Legislative Assembly from 2008 to 2012, but omits to mention the Greens' leader, Meredith Hunter.

Leon Arundell, Downer

Further to Peter Comensoli's comments about euthanasia ("Growing euthanasia statistics should be a warning", Times2, April 20, p5), the Catholic Church has always been happy to keep people poor and suffering, so the downtrodden run to it for comfort. To watch loved one after loved one waste away from a genetic disease at close quarters or die slowly from the treatment for cancer is a real world you don't occupy. We are sensible enough to be able to study existing systems and to be aware of the pitfalls. Many have the motive and means to die with dignity now, and they do, but at great stress to their families because of the illegality. When life is just suffering, it has no meaning and no sacredness.

Jesus was not a big fan of suffering, for himself or others. Your church taught me that. Medicine keeps many alive beyond what is reasonable. Have pity, priest. Please.

Roseanne Byrne, St Georges Basin, NSW

Professor Fitzgerald ("Minority rules on euthanasia", Times2, April 18, p4) is right in his robust criticism of our secular and clerical leaders, for being so out of touch with modern thought when it comes to thisvery important issue.

Like so many of us who have had to see the suffering that our loved ones have had to bear at the end, I say the time has come to demand that our leaders get on board and enact laws to decriminalise euthanasia. Like capital punishment and suicide, it takes a groundswell of public opinion to move the legislature to pass laws that are existentially, humanistically and inherently right.

This is especially so when the clergy demand preservation of the status quo. It is time to make erstwhile the horror shows we all witness. Go ahead, leaders, lead.

Michael O'Brien, Newtown, NSW

"Diplomats' unpaid fines: $5000,000" (April 19, p1) incorrectly stated that Indonesian diplomats owed $90,801 of outstanding fines. On cross-checking with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the ACT government, we found that the outstanding fines total $1731 and that $236 of it has been paid by a staff member.

It is long-standing policy at the Indonesian embassy to require staff to obey Australian laws, including traffic regulation, and to pay fines forany traffic infringements committed by staff members. Your failure to cross-check data has damaged the reputation of Indonesian diplomats in Australia and that of the embassy in general.

Ernawati, Consular section co-ordinator, Indonesian embassy, Yarralumla

"Diplomat's unpaid fines: $500,000" (April 19, p1) stated the Saudi Arabian embassy has $140,000 in unpaid parking fines. A study of UN diplomats and parking fines in 2007 showed that Saudi Arabian diplomats were racking up 34.2parking violations per diplomat in New York City.

To combat this failure to pay traffic violations, the US Department of State gave New York City the power to remove the official diplomatic plates of vehicles with three or more outstanding unpaid violations. The effect of the threat of removal of the diplomatic plates was that the Saudi Arabian violations went from 34.2 to 0.52 violations per diplomat in the next three years. The result for other diplomatic missions in New York was the same.

I think that if we have countries flouting our laws under the guise of diplomatic immunity, we have the right to remove their diplomatic plates until the fines are paid and the behaviour changes. There is proof that this is an effective deterrent to poor behaviour.

Michael Callan, Lyons

Trevor Willis' solution (Letters, April 19) to the high rates of Aboriginal incarceration is simplistic. Considering the history of dispossession, marginalisation, blatant discrimination and attempted extermination of the Aboriginal population, it would not be surprising if Aboriginal people did not feel part of mainstream Australian society or beholden to our legal system which, for most of the last 200 years, controlled their most minute actions on missions and reserves, removed their children without parental consent, sent them to work as domestics and labourers, and withheld their wages.

Addressing alienation, poverty and disadvantage through carefully targeted justice reinvestment programs would be a far more productive approach than that advocated by Trevor Willis.

Patricia Saunders, Chapman

C.L. Johnston (Letters, April 19) remarks that "much is being made about the number of Aboriginals being incarcerated for criminal offences". I disagree.

Last week marked the 25thanniversary of the groundbreaking report into Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Despite the promise of this report, a majority of the royal commission's recommendations have never been implemented, and research indicates that Indigenous incarceration and police custody rates have increased, from 14 per cent of the prison population in 1991 to 27 per cent today. This is 14.8 times higher than the rate for non-Indigenous people.

On Monday, Parliament reconvened. On Tuesday, the House of Representatives notice paper indicated no government business to be debated. I wonder if this would have been the case if the non-Indigenous prison population was 2.5 times the rate in the United States?

Perhaps, as Trevor Willis (Letters, April 19) notes, this is nothing to do with non-Indigenous Australians. Afterall, "the law does not discriminate on colour".

This is thanks to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, which makes it illegal to be treated unfairly because of your race.

Unfortunately, the Racial Discrimination Act can be overridden, as it was by John Howard's amendments to the Native Title Act, and in the Northern Territory intervention. Additionally, the implementation of laws that appear to be neutral, such as statutes making offensive conduct a criminal offence, is notoriously discriminatory.

Willis may be "sick and tired" of hearing from "the do-gooders". I am sick and tired of attitudes like those of Willis and Johnston.

Harry Hobbs, Zetland, NSW

The two Australian children in Lebanon whom their mother attempted to abduct were in fact abducted by their father from Australia. Their father has consequently committed a crime under Australian law. According to the Wikipedia article Abduction Law in Australia, Australia has an extradition law with Lebanon (though no citation is actually given).

Australia should commence extradition proceedings with Lebanon to get the children and their father back to Australia.

Custody was awarded by an Australian court which presumably made a fair decision: that custody with the father was not good for the children.

Hopefully their mother will not take the law into her own hands in the future. The children must be returned to Australia. Lebanon is a violent country racked by civil war where the children are hardly safe. Australia has taken many refugees from Lebanon and they owe us a favour (such as the release of the mother). Lebanon must also observe the rule of law.

Paul Knobel, Lyneham

Six days ago, the EU Parliament called on the European Commission to restrict the use of the toxic herbicide glyphosate, best known in Monsanto's Roundup formulation.

Glyphosate was last year determined to be "probably carcinogenic" by the World Health Organisation, and the resolution calls for no approval in or close to schools, public parks and playgrounds.

As it was being sprayed yesterday in Canberra's suburbs, one is tempted to ask what actions, if any, the ACT management have in place for removing this dangerous product. A public statement made by someone with some real responsibility and knowledge on the subject is required, now!

Rex Williams, Ainslie

LEAVE EASTMAN ALONE

Two of the murderers of refugee Reza Barati will serve only five years in jail in Papua New Guinea.

But, in Canberra, David Eastman, who has served 19 years after his conviction in the dodgy 1995 trial, faces another legal assault by the same set of AFP and DPP adversaries – all this at ACT taxpayers' expense.

Chris Smith, Kingston

THE DOYEN KNOWS

Jon Stanhope's views on AMC visiting hours (Letters, April 16) must be wrong. Why? The doyen of custodial services – Ray Hadley on Radio 1206 – says he is.

Peter Conway, Braddon

HYPHENS ON LOOSE

What version of the English language was Michael Gordon ("Turnbull heads northside and loses his bearings", April 20, p1) using with such utterances as "10-minute, 74-day, and Governor-General"?

Have we entered the era of the hyphen? Mr Gordon needs to remember the adage, "if you can't speak proper you can't speak clear".

Jim Coats, Fadden

CUSTOMERS WILL BE HIT

As the ASIC money will be raised from a levy on banks ("ASIC to get back its lost $120m", April 20, p4) , you don't suppose there's any likelihood the big banks will pass it on to customers?

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove, Qld

SEXUAL GRATIFICATION

So H. Ronald (Letters, April 20), what you are saying is that you encourage and support the singing of songs that promote the subjugation of females for the sexual gratification of males?

David Grant, Murrumbateman, NSW

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN

Happy birthday, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. When we look around the world and see the dysfunction in so many republics we are so lucky to be a stable constitutional monarchy.

Long live the Queen.

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

NOT GULLIBLE ENOUGH

Did Peter Comensoli ("Growing euthanasia statistics should be a warning", Times2, April 20, p5) honestly think that anyone would be gullible enough to swallow his brainwashed opinion when his article blatantly uses his own previous work as supposedly unbiased references?

Jason Craig, Fadden

THIEVEABLE PROPOSALS

When are we going to be informed of the Coalition's Plan B if the Labor Party should run out of thieveable policy proposals before July 2?

Les Brennan, Sunshine Bay, NSW

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