A major contributing factor is illegal parking on footpaths, nature strips and median strips in Canberra's suburbs.

This is treated with disdain by the government agency responsible. I can understand the need for residents to park partly on footpaths in poorly designed newer suburbs where the streets are so narrow. However, there is no excuse to do so in wide streets.

Even worse is the apparent failure to have any laws against the siting of huge skips and shipping containers in front or back yards for indefinite periods. There has been one sitting in the front yard of a property on a major thoroughfare in Weetangera for years, along with a collection of scrap building material.

It is high time that the laws banning parking on public spaces like nature and median strips were enforced and bylaws introduced to prohibit residents using their properties as if they were garbage tips.

Colin Lyons, Weetangera

Can the TrainLink travel time on the existing railway between Canberra and Sydney be reduced by half to one hour, at what moderate cost, wonders Paul E. Bowler (Letters, March 11).

The answer is yes at acceptable cost.

The fastest present service takes 4hr 5min, but almost 22 years ago, in May 1995, the then CountryLink was providing two services each way per day with three taking just 3hr 25min, and the fourth, 3hr 28min. That is 40min quicker than today, admittedly with better "riding" carriages.

Almost three-quarters of an hour quicker using the existing infrastructure is proven doable. A few tweaks here and there to the infrastructure, and to train speed and ride capabilities, should make up the saving to onehour.

Is it too much to hope that Trainlink will lose its seeming apathy and get CountryLink's mojo back?

Roger Shelton, Spence

Good to read some first home buyers are currently fighting back against investors by buying as an investment and not as their homes. Not ideal, though.

The spivs are talking up changes to negative gearing/capital gains provisions (not before time) in the coming federal budget. London to a brick there is a significant jump in investment before May as people panic before the changes take effect.

Meanwhile, the ACT government/ACTPLA happily approve a glut of units/apartments in Canberra.

Not a day passes without further multistorey approvals. Anybody else noticing the frenzy by developers to get these big projects done ASAP?

First in to sell, best dressed. The lacklustre interest by smaller builders in the Mr Fluffy blocks may be a portent of what's coming. Guess who pays overall for these disappointing sales results?

If I were a first home buyer, (fortunately not), I would be holding off buying for the moment. As they say at Coles, prices might be going down, down, down!

John Mungoven, Stirling

Lack of water certainly is affecting development in Bungendore ("Lack of water delaying growth in Bungendore", camberratimes.com.au, March 11), though the growth is unwanted by many residents concerned about the effect on the character of the town.

It's a little deceptive to say that the Bungendore East rezoning proposal was "approved by the former Palerang Shire Council" – the council endorsed it and the Bungendore North (or Elmslea 2) proposals only for their first step in the long journey towards rezoning. To my knowledge, neither has yet been through its mandatory public consultation period.

It's praiseworthy Administrator has held back on progressing these proposals until the water issue is resolved. Hopefully this will mean the final decision is made by an elected council, not an appointed Administrator.

However, it's a little disingenuous given that in January he approved the first step to rezone light industrial land in Bungendore to 24 residential lots, and in February approved 40 medium-density units (Bungendore's first medium-density housing), without regard to either's impact on the water supply issue.

Peter Marshall, Captains Flat

If Canberra wishes to retain the most successful rugby union franchise in Australia, Canberrans had better start rolling up to home matches in far greater numbers than of late. Match schedulers need to sort things out. It is nonsensical to have a Brumbies match at GIO Stadium at the same time the AFL GWS Giants are playing at Manuka.

No wonder crowds are down.

N. Bailey, Nicholls

Belated congrats to the ACT government on the new bus service between the airport and the city. Given it used to be a remote posting for service personnel some 40 years ago, as there was little in the way of public transport back then to the airport, it is good to see the catch-up begin.

Now perhaps we might also see provision of cheap secure parking at Kingston railway station, and a decent bus service there too.

Please, not another 40 years (wait) though.

Russ Morison, Theodore

Is Barrie Cassidy serious?

When referring to Insiders, "the last thing you want is group think". It would be difficult to find a better example of group think than Insiders. Challenging points of view are rare.

Owen Reid, Dunlop

We have seen a reduction in roo numbers. The mobs are long gone, and on many trips past their former grazing areas none are seen at all.

And yet, distressingly, the numbers seen dead at the roadsides seem way out of keeping with their post-shootout population. Not only dead, but too often isolated, disoriented individuals are seen standing beside roads, crossing bridges along footpaths, or very small ones alone on the wrong side of a fence.

I wonder if, in our statistically modelled territory of careerism, bureaucracy and development, where science is the poorest substitute for wisdom and morality, some have failed to understand the behavioural implications of their culling algorithm?

It does seem to be the case that, absent the influence of natural mob aggregations, depleted roo populations splinter into aimless, inexperienced and spectacularly shortlived misadventures.

There is likely a publication or two, some research funding, a conference speaking engagement, and a PhD in all of this. I knew there'd be an upside.

Ross Kelly, Monash

It should be no surprise to readers of The Canberra Times that the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, made "a number of surprising omissions" when releasing, without detail, changes to the Land Development Agency ("Barr's LDA details give little detail", canberratimes.com.au, March 10).

Two bureaucratic government agencies instead of one will allow for a doubling of the ability to spend millions of dollars in taxpayer funds without transparency, accountability and rigour; to manipulate documents and make unusual arrangements with consulting firms and to continue "pricing many Canberrans out of the market".

As Liberal leader, Alistair Coe, states these changes "will not fix the serious integrity issues at the heart of the agency and government". The only true way forward for Canberra is for these "Agencies" to be scrapped altogether and the federal National Capital Authority to take over the responsibility for producing a proper, long-term, master plan for Canberra, drawn up by professional town planners and based on true town planning principles.

The ACT government would then be charged with carrying out the required development to grow the master plan as required.

Murray Upton, Belconnen

I see that the Liberals are exercised about the salary package of the light rail project director, Scott Lyall ("Light rail director's contract questioned", canberratimes.com.au, March 10). If Mr Lyall delivers the light rail project on time, on budget and to specification, the owners of the project and the people paying his salary – we, the ratepayers of the ACT – will likely be unconcerned at his level of remuneration. However, if he doesn't deliver ...

Peter Moran, Watson

An urgent appeal to Prime Minister Turnbull: do not appoint Barnaby Joyce as Minister for Infrastructure.

Barnaby has form as a serial offender when it comes to decisions about deployment of Commonwealth resources. He seems to wilfully disregard the national interest or he arrogantly believes that it's OK for the government of the day to take political advantage of its (temporary) position of authority.

Keith Croker, Kambah

Former chief minister Jon Stanhope provides common sense critique of the current ACT government on more than one front.

One concerns the undersupply of land for detached housing (Letters, March 11).

Another is the suspect business case behind the Gungahlin tram project and how a very expensive expanded tram network will be paid for.

Clearly his ALP successors have gone badly off the rails.

Murray May, Cook

The workmen picking up material in the yard of the recently demolished "Mr Fluffy" house felt the need to wear complete hazard protection clothing, including breathing masks.

And I, in shorts, T-shirt and sandals, am supposed to feel safe as I walk past on the public footpath, not more than three metres from those in hazard gear, with nothing between me and them but an open-mesh temporary fence?

What of the primary school kid walking the other way?

Bruce Wright, Latham

I happened upon Chief Minister Barr's glossy electoral brochure 'Our Canberra' in which there was an announcement the Boundless playground is to receive shade sails.

Good! We know that the sun does serious damage to exposed skin.

One should think that it would be good public health policy that any children's playground should have shade sails included as a matter of good design.

However this is not the case. ACT government primary schools must rely on hours of fundraising if they are to raise the $20,000 required to install such utilitarian luxury.

Secondary schools are in a marginally better position and have the opportunity to apply for a grant from the Cancer Council.

The Education Directorate's advice on protection is limited to advising individuals to wear sunscreen and hats.

Peter Curtis, Waramanga

If MLA Mark Parton is serious about using Strava to fine cyclists going too fast on bike paths ("Liberal Mark Parton suggests Strava data to track speeding cyclists going too fast", canberratimes.com.au, March 9) then perhaps he could set the community an example by attending the nearest police station and volunteering to pay fines for exceeding 50km/h seven times around Lake Tuggeranong on his rides of March 2 and 3, as featured in the article.

However, from my viewing those events happen around bad GPS recordings, so are just errors. Sorry Parto to burst the bubble on your 62.6km/h maximum, but I doubt readers of this paper will be reading the headline "Local politician thrashes pro-peloton in sprint challenge" anytime soon.

Peter Bradbury, Holt

CYCLING DILEMMA

Cyclists aren't welcome on shared paths because they travel too fast. They're not welcome on roads because they don't travel fast enough ('Track troublesome cyclists with Strava: Parton', March 10, p.2). What are they to do if they want to ride fast enough for some exercise or training benefit?

Andina Faragher, Macquarie

GESTATIONAL DEBATE

John Popplewell (letters, March 13) prompts me to state two facts. Before our mothers knew they were pregnant we had started on life's journey and were genetically the same person we are now. A procured abortion is the premeditated termination of the life of the most innocent and defenceless of all human beings.

P. Robinson, Holt

POOR STANDARDS

Lindy Edwards writes "images of western wealth are being beamed into the living rooms of the world's poor through television and the internet" ("Forget Tony Abbott", canberratimes.com.au, March 10). How many of the world's (really) poor have living rooms, TV or the internet?

Michael McCarthy, Deakin

RARE COURAGE

Pauline Hanson isn't my favourite politician, but at least she has the courage to admit her mistakes, apologise, and take responsibility for them. On the other hand, her opposition do nothing but blame others.

Vanessa Lauf, Bungendore, NSW

Pauline Hanson has done two things that, as far as I know, have never been done by any other politician. She asked for an explanation of something she didn't understand, and she admitted she was wrong.

Mike Dallwitz, Giralang

DEPRESSING THOUGHT

What a depressing start to the week for Vince Patulny (Letters, March 13) to suggest CT letters writers won't change the world, instead we are merely boosting our egos. It's even more depressing to think that he might have a point on both counts.

Eric Hunter, Cook

MORIBUND TREASURER

If Mr Turnbull doesn't trust his Treasurer as the Government's chief economic spokesman, does that make him Scott Moribund?

Nigel Thompson, Queanbeyan East, NSW

DUTTON EYES TOP JOB

Malcolm Turnbull should be very wary of pandering to Peter Dutton's ambition, to create a hugely expensive and unnecessary "Homeland" department. Dutton is after Turnbull's job.

Richard Keys, Ainslie

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