Fertile land is an asset that keeps on giving, if properly managed. Coal gives a once-only payday and leaves the mining site a desert.

The mindset of the Coalition is reminiscent of some makers of horse-drawn coaches, sulkies, drays and other vehicles early in the 20th century, who thought they were winning when business increased.

Unlike their more astute competitors, who moved on, they didn't realise they were getting an increasing share of a decreasing market and collectively "hit the wall".

As other countries move out of coal, Australia will sell more of it, unless or until concerned international authorities place a punitive penalty on our coal exports, or the world doesn't need the product, because it has been replaced with a non-polluting suite of renewable energy products.

Les Brennan, Sunshine Bay, NSW

Sixty million tonnes of coal per annum proposed for Queensland's Carmichael mine production ("Adani brings in hired guns to make case", July4, p7) – that's 1.1million tonnes a week. Quite a heap to be shifted, but cape-size bulk carriers could do the job: one of them, each loaded with 200,000 tonnes exiting the port of Abbot Point every day. At a service speed of 14 knots, such a ship could clear Torres Strait in two and a half days.

It's quite a visionary concept: daily, a couple of bulk carriers going north, while the same number head south along the Great Barrier Reef.

We live in hope that only a small fraction of this conga line wriggling its way around the coral goes south in the manner of cruise liner Costa Concordia on Italy's rocks – and it a mere 110,000 tonnes.

But, whatever the outcome, it will be a grand boost to GDP, the worshipful god of our ponzi-style economics.

Colin Samundsett, Farrer

When the Chief Justice of the High Court, the Productivity Commission, the Medical Journal of Australia and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry all adjudge the Trans-Pacific Partnership a clear and present danger to Australian sovereignty ("TPP secret to the last minute", Times2, June30, p4), but Andrew Robb and Tony Abbott desperately want it, one has to ask cui bono?

In February this year, leaked emails exposed that the Liberal Party's honorary treasurer Philip Higginson was travelling to the US – with the Prime Minister's knowledge – to seek election funding from unknown corporate sources ("Trouble in Abbott's camp", February24, p1). A few days later in the Canberra Times letters pages, Rob King trenchantly asked what could possibly motivate American donors to donate to the electoral coffers of the Liberals? Four months later, I think we have our answer.

Chris Williams, Griffith

The case of health contractor Luxottica Retail Australia sending defence data to China ("Contractor sent military data to China", July8, p5) is an example of the risks of outsourcing that the federal government should have foreseen.

Outsourcing of any government data should be strictly to Australian-based facilities, or, better yet, no outsourcing at all.

Government data should be kept by government.

Given the obsessive chase for saving a dollar, I'm not holding my breath to find out some day soon that our entire government data, from all departments – confidential, restricted or not – is ending up in China.

M. Pietersen, Kambah

Didn't the figures in the story "Burying the city's toxic past" (July7, p1) strike anyone else as rather odd? "The Asbestos Taskforce estimates that each home will be reduced to 10 cubic metres of rubble, filling about 17 trucks of contaminated material to be dumped ..." !

Now, I could be wrong, but by my calculations, a 20-foot shipping container has a volume of 34.56 cubic metres, so it would seem inexplicable that it would require 17 trucks to transport less than one-third of a shipping container of rubble?

Is this what happens when a committee, sorry, "taskforce", of bureaucrats makes an estimate, or is it that Canberrans will happily swallow any numbers that are thrown at them?

Peter White, Downer

Tuck Meng Soo (Letters, July9) is incorrect in his view that Anglo/Celtic migrants were not subject to racist comments and told to go back where they came from.

As a migrant from UK, I was often told to do that, among many other things. However, my response was usually "it is my duty to stay in Australia and thereby increase the IQ of the population". It usually got a laugh and the conversation went on, with neither side wanting resort to violence.

I feel that the whole racist tag is used too freely and to have an opinion is the right of all in a democracy. Everyone also has the right to disagree.

Ian Henry, Holt

The recent criticism of Nick Kyrgios is justified. Perhaps if he was a professional wrestler, where being a bad sport is part of the game, then his temperament would not affect his popularity. Unfortunately, he is not, but then Rod Laver, Jack Nicklaus and the host of other professional sportsmen have given us expectations.

It has been said Kyrgios' age excuses him. I would say it does not. If you're representing your country, bad behaviour reflects on your country. Basically, the criticism is a way of telling him that behaving like a spoilt child is not on.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Thank-you for publishing the transcript of Occam's Razor ("Canberra is the perfect canvas for the future of public transport", The Public Sector Informant, July7, p16). It highlights how there are options for Canberra beyond bus or tram.

Tel Aviv is building an experimental Skytran system, which should be up and running by the end of the year. Other cities are watching with interest. Let's join them. Watch with interest and, if successful, invest in a transport system far faster, cheaper and more flexible than bus or tram.

David Wade, Holt

Please republish the excellent article on the back page of Tuesday's PS Informant. The capabilities and amazing low cost of the Skytran urban rapid transit solution demonstrates an opportunity that Canberra should seize with both hands. The entire 12-kilometre light-rail system could be installed without loss of trees, amenity and at a cost of $75million.

Not everyone who reads the Canberra Times also reads the PS Informant and this article is too important to escape the attention of Shane Rattenbury.

Check out skytran.us for a great exposition of rapid transit issues.

George Beaton, Greenway

I think the ACT government should take a lesson from the Greeks. Before they plunge all Canberra's ratepayers into economic Armageddon with a light-rail system we can't afford, and most people do not want, they should call for a referendum on the subject before any further money is spent.

I am sure if the Greek government can organise a referendum on short notice, the ACT government can do the same.

At least that will stop all the arguments for or against the system, and the government should carry out the majority's wishes.

Hans Zandbergen, Kingston

Official statistics showing "serious injury" to cyclists on our roads is soaring – at a rate massively exceeding that for occupants of cars – only tell part of the story ("Cycling safety concern despite investment", July10, p5). That's because, a few years back, as the share of road-injured cyclists being admitted to hospital raced past a wildly disproportionate third, the keepers of official stats on road injuries, the Institute of Health and Welfare, decided to change the way it reports cycling injuries. Pressure to "fix" the figures?

Since then, for a road injury to a cyclist to be considered "serious" and therefore worth counting/reporting, that injury must not just result in hospitalisation: it must also be identified as "life-threatening".

So, the thousands of cyclists coming to grief with only massive lacerations, smashed faces and broken bones don't count. Ah, healthy cycling.

Lawnmowers doing this to their users would be banned quick-smart.

Michael Jordan, Gowrie

Like Henry Gardner (Letters, July 8), I thought the overly sexualised nature of the cheerleaders' act was inappropriate at the Kanga Cup opening ceremony.

The Kanga Cup is a junior football tournament with both boys and girls participating from across Australia and overseas, and a wonderful event for families.

Entertainment acts such as the ensuing freestyle footballers demonstrating tricks with a football are much more suitable and enjoyable for the audience.

Mr Gardner can be assured I expressed my views to the event organisers on the spot, and also to the tournament director.

I understand the cheerleaders were brought in by the sponsor as part of their package, but, nonetheless, both myself and Capital Football agree that entertainment of this nature should not be part of future events.

I hope that we can now focus on what a successful event Kanga Cup is, and what a credit it is to Capital Football and their many helpers over the years.

Shane Rattenbury, Minister for Sport and Recreation

BORN STAR TORN

You don't "demand" respect Mr Kyrgios ("A star is torn ... how the pressure is getting to Nick Kyrgios", July 8, p1), you earn it.

Kerri Crowe, Calwell

If Nick Kyrgios wants to give up playing tennis, I suggest he replaces Ian Warden as the Canberra Times "Gang-gang" columnist, freeing up Ian to become part of the international tennis circuit.

John Milne, Chapman

GO THE... WINNERS

Congrats to the Queenslanders for their State of Origin victory.

They were far more passionate, intense and committed than the Blues. Too bad that Queenslanders don't ever play like that in the Australian team that they numerically dominate.

Tom Vuckovic, Harrison

IF THE CAP FITS

Roger Dace (Letters, July 7) undermines his disagreement with Eric Abetz on marriage equality by taking a cheap shot at the Tasmanian electorate.

It makes him sound as ignorant and prejudiced as the Senator.

K.L. Calvert, Downer

PENITENTIAL/IARY RIGHTS

Gay marriage, tinkering with the Constitution, what are the activists brewing up next to force down our throats, how about a campaign to introduce conjugal rights for the chaps in the penitentiary at Goulburn? it's on a par.

Norman Lee, Weston

THE EXPOSE TO COME

After two excruciating days of witch hunting at the hands of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, I ask myself: so, if we cannot vote for Labor or the Coalition because we distrust either Tony Abbott or Bill Shorten, whom do we vote for at the soon-to-be-called next federal elections? Syriza?

John Rodriguez, Florey

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