And how much will this fourth (by my count) review of water and sewerage prices in the ACT cost? There's the ICRC determination of June 2013, the ACT auditor-general's report of April 2014 and the industry panel review you announced in April this year, which is yet to table its report.

We're told that the ACT budget is under enormous pressure, so how can the ACT government defend its constant spend of tax and ratepayers money on "reviews into reviews" such as these?

It is clear to all that in the last 10 years there has been effectively a 400per cent rise in people's water bills compared with the CPI increase of 28.2per cent.

Is it because, like the last ICRC determination, the ACT government is not getting justification for further increases? Or is there another undisclosed agenda – like getting the publicly owned water utility ready for sale?

How many more millions of taxpayers' money are going to be spent to get the answer the government really wants? It is high time the government explained its actions and expenditure to the voters of the ACT.

Suzanne Vidler, O'Malley

Juliet Ramsay suggests that the ACT Land Development Authority has a grand plan to relocate all rowing infrastructure to Grevillea Park ("Lake Burley Griffin mess needs government action" Canberra Times, November 26, p5). She perceives a conspiracy to free up Yarralumla Bay to allow the next "LDA high-rise development".

There is no evidence any of the 10 rowing boathouses on the western end of Lake Burley Griffin are moving anywhere soon. The last unoccupied boathouse sites in Yarralumla were recently bought by one of the schools that row, thus further entrenching the sport in that bay.

The majority of clubs prefer to be close to our racing venue at Yarramundi Reach, where the water is more sheltered from prevailing winds.

The case for locating Capital Lakes Rowing Club at Grevillea Park is based on that club's association with the Kingston Harbour. CLRC is the last of a long line of rowing clubs that have been based at the eastern end of the lake.

Walter Burley Griffin originally expected rowing to be based on that end of the lake, hence Regatta Point. The Boathouse Restaurant was originally a rowing boathouse.

This proposal for CLRC to be based on Grevillea Park allows the ACT to complete the Kingston foreshore development. It fulfils the ACT government's undertaking to continue rowing's presence on the eastern end of the lake, where it started with the first sporting event on the lake in April 1964.

David Bagnall, president, Rowing ACT

I refer to Thursday's article concerning the Sydney Institute. Most comments concern the auditors' annual internal letter to the board and management. This was reviewed by the board, discussed with management and appropriate actions taken.

To be clear: salaries and conditions for all staff are set by the remuneration committee of the board and Gerard Henderson is not a board member; leave entitlement is 20 days a year and unused leave may be carried forward up to a maximum accrued entitlement of 40 days; the improvements in accounting and process procedures suggested were adopted.

The board is satisfied the Sydney Institute complies with all laws, regulations and tax obligations. An unqualified audit was received for the reporting year 2013, just as in all years since inception in 1989.

Nicholas Johnson, chairman, The Sydney Institute

Mark Sproat (Letters, November 26) states that carbon dioxide is "essential to our very existence". Perhaps he would agree with the view, recently put by Patrick Moore (formerly of Greenpeace) in the Murdoch press, that we need more CO2, not less, and that 1500ppm – or 0.15per cent rather than the present 0.04 (not 0.004) per cent – would be ideal for (food) plant growth.

Of course CO2 is essential for plant growth and, therefore, for the survival of the habitats that support us, but like so many substances, oxygen included, too much of that "good thing" can be dangerous.

As any physicist or chemist will tell you, carbon dioxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, and too much more than the present 400ppm will make the earth for we human beings an unpleasant, dangerous, or impossible planet on which to live.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Congratulations on an excellent editorial ("Time Australia looked to industries beyond coal", November25). We do indeed, otherwise we fry the planet.

Perhaps it was the push by Ian Dunlop to get on the board of BHP Billiton that finally prompted the chief executive Andrew Mackenzie to accept that there might be life beyond coal. Whatever the reason, it is a good thing and even more so if the federal government heeds its advice.

Why, however, have the warnings of scientists such as Professor Will Steffen, of the Climate Council, or the late, great Tony McMichael not been taken seriously by the government directly? Has it no respect for the scientific community or, indeed, any understanding of science at all?

Jenny Goldie, Michelago

It is right the proposed judicial commission should have the power to look at allegations of judges "not paying proper attention to matters". It would make sense also if the commission was able to test the competence of potential judges, rather than the community and the legal system having to suffer from judges learning on the job.

David Stephens, Bruce

"Fluffy buyback set to hit budget" (Canberra Times, November25) is an affront to all ACT taxpayers. It is scandalous that the Commonwealth should see fit to dump a loan of breathtaking size on a minuscule tax base when the costs of every single other one of its many asbestos liabilities are spread across all Australian taxpayers.

Doubly so, seeing as the Commonwealth was both landlord and standard setter when the Mr Fluffy events occurred in the 1970s and '80s and its '90s clean-up spectacularly failed. Thus, the federal government continues its war against the people, with Canberrans firmly in its sights.

The Mr Fluffy episode is another example (of many) where the Commonwealth has washed its hands of responsibility for the ACT. No provisions were made to fund pre-1989 liabilities at the time of self-government or since. Case-by-case approaches leave the field open to the blatant, bellowing Dr No's in the finance department who are, no doubt, celebrating yet another victory over the hapless ACT government while reporting to their political masters and mistresses that they have saved the budget from a tremendous hit.

The ACT government should do its homework and reopen negotiations immediately.

Sarah Brasch, Weston

I refer to the letter from Patrick Robertson of November26 regarding traffic-management measures on Streeton Drive in Rivett.

Concerns about the speed of vehicles and traffic safety on Streeton Drive have been raised with Roads ACT over a number of years and this road has ranked highly in the warrant system used to identify the need for traffic-management measures.

In 2012/13, a detailed assessment was made of these concerns and involved an extensive public consultation and technical assessment of the safety of the road. A public information session was held at Chapman Primary School and discussions were held with the local community council.

The higher-priority measures identified from this assessment were implemented in July this year and consisted of a narrowing of the road by line markings, the provision of refuge islands to assist people safely cross the road and some measures to improve traffic safety in the vicinity of the netball courts, including the reinforcement of parking restrictions that have been in place for many years.

Providing and maintaining safe roads for the ACT community is important and the measures that have been implemented on Streeton Drive have been developed in consultation with the local community in response to safety concerns they have raised with Roads ACT.

The technical effectiveness of the measures will be reviewed in early 2015, at which time feedback will also be sought from the local community on their views of the measures implemented.

Tony Gill, director, Roads ACT

Last Sunday, we were breathlessly told Richmond in the west of Sydney had broken a heat record. The temperature had reached 45.3degrees, well above the previous maximum of 42.5degrees.

What was left unsaid was that record was from one station that only recorded maximum temperatures between 1965 and 1975. Two close-by stations recorded temperatures of 46.4 on January18, 2013, and 47.8 on January14, 1939.

Facts have never been the strong suit of global warmists.

Brian Hatch, Red Hill

"Springfield Monorail" (To The Point, November 26)? I am more attracted to "The Titfield Thunderbolt" of the 1953 Ealing Comedy movie of that name, with Stanley Holloway, John Gregson and Sid James. But the Thunderbolt burnt coal.

John Partridge, Charnwood

The proposed make-up of the upcoming judicial council (CT page 1, November 26) is top-heavy with lawyers, more lawyers overseeing lawyers, a waste of time and money. It will be just as bad as the public service exoneration process of public servants.

Michael Buggy, Torrens

No Mark Sproat, you are wrong. Excessive carbon dioxide is indeed a chronic environmental hazard, and present levels are around 0.04percent of the atmosphere, 10 times greater than you suggest, and 50percent greater than 150 years ago.

Matthew Bennett, Queanbeyan

When I reflect on the last seven years of political turmoil in this country and the now resultant farce of a government, I suggest it is the Parliament itself that I wouldn't trust to either make, let alone paddle, a canoe.

Ken Stokes, Wanniassa

The latest in high-tech defence hardware for the navy: submersible canoes.

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove

Medibank, like the Commonwealth Bank, shouldn't have been privatised, since these government institutions acted as a disciplinary brake on private, market-based competitors, and emphasised the interests of customers.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield

Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attached file. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.

Keep your letter to 250 words or less. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).