Perhaps Ms Fitzharris forgot about the announcement on her department's website that "Canberra Tree Week – May 2 to May 8 – is a chance to appreciate and celebrate the beautiful and exceptional trees and forests we have in Canberra".

The CanTheTram committee thought the ribbons were a reasonable gesture during Tree Week, representing the feelings of many people, that these trees may soon be sacrificed for a radical development that is being rushed to contract-signing stage just months before the election, despite being condemned by impartial experts.

Dr John L Smith, chairman, CanTheTram Inc

Shane Rattenbury ("What type of Canberra do we want beyond 10 years?", Forum, April 30, p5) makes Future Canberra consequential on the introduction of a light rail system. At this stage no explanation is given as to the relative importance to the movement of people this light rail will have vis a vis other forms of public transport such as rapid buses/underground metro.

To construct a relatively rigid transport system in a relatively under-established city can be a costly mistake. Canberra is a city still in its infancy. To build a light rail system in Canberra would be akin to putting a healthy child on walking sticks for life because he has tripped and fallen a couple of times.

In the other three cities where I have lived, Malaga, Barcelona and Geneva, trams (light rail is simply a modern version of the old trams) were replaced by flexible bus lines or underground metro. Where light rail has been revived it serves only as a secondary means of mass public transport.

The point that Shane Rattenbury seems to miss is that light rail (trams) were introduced in the 1800s in Europe, when they were first developed and thus were the latest technology, in cities that were already adult cities with compact fully developed centres and well-defined social, business and commercial dynamics. Young, sprawling cities like Canberra still largely undefined, need a sleek, flexible, relatively cheap-to-maintain-and-or replace, transport system to see them through to their adulthood.

John Rodriguez, Florey

Many thanks, Jan Gulliver (Letters, May 3). I should have included a link to the study that revealed unintended consequences of wind and solar power in Ontario Canada. Go to : ospe.on.ca/?page=pres—lib#peo scroll down to "energy", then to "Ontario's electricity dilemma". Anyone interested in climate change and government policy should read this to understand that just adding more renewables is not always the answer. Indeed we should demand to see similar studies about, for example, the ACT government's renewable energy program, remembering that the ACT relies on the continuous availability of fossil fuelled generators for back- up power, without which the system would collapse.

There is more than a hint of political smoke and mirrors at work in this issue and one wonders what is really being achieved and is it worth the money?

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

Andrew Barr's arrogance towards the electorate indicates his exit is fast approaching. He accepted an unsolicited bid for changing the Manuka Oval precinct and parkland by Grocon-GWS in November but tells us that establishing a community committee for the future of Manuka Oval and parkland would be "premature" ("Lamont defends his role in Manuka Oval bid", April 29, p3).

Apparently, it is also "premature" to release for community consultation whatever ambitions he has in mind for Manuka, yet he is willing to discuss these with a private developer represented by a former political crony.

In a consultative democracy, a proposed master plan would be released for community consultation first, after which any interested developers could submit their ideas in line with the community-approved plan.

But after 15 years in power, ACT Labor no longer heads a consultative democracy. Instead we have a Chief Minister having unpublicised meetings with a former political mate to discuss a proposal that no one supports except those who stand to make a lot of money by exploiting public land in a non-competitive, untendered process.

And in acknowledgment of the public anger, Barr is now trying to push it under the carpet until after the election.

The only question will be where to place Barr's political gravestone – Manuka Oval or Northbourne Avenue.

Doug Foskett, Griffith

Writing from Colombo, Kevin Gill (Letters, April 29) doubtless correctly recalls the debt payoff through a Liberal government development grant and subsequent takeover by the Brumbies of the Canberra South Bowling Club in Griffith and concludes his remarks "... and the rest is history"!

It is this "history" between 2009 and 2013 – during an ACT Labor government – other Canberrans and myself wish to know more about. Enjoy your trip, Kevin.

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

Clive Banson (Letters, April 29), in telling Jenny Goldie (Letters, April 27 and many others) to "give us a break in" going on "endlessly about overpopulation" misses a crucial point about the equation "population x consumption = pollution, etc, etc". Population trends cannot be modified, in the short term, as quickly as consumption can.

Each person born is another unit of consumption and is around for 40-80 years, whereas most aspects of human consumption can be modified much more quickly as fashions change, therefore the human population is the most significant long-term factor driving human consumption.

So Clive, don't bang on about Jenny. Join her crusade.

Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla

Congratulations to David Pope (Editorial cartoon, Times2, May 3, p1) for highlighting the ubiquitous efficiency dividends that have been a feature of all federal budgets since 1987. Smaller agencies, like the National Library, made some efficiency gains (in energy consumption for instance) in the early rounds. But for these agencies efficiency dividends now just mean reducing staff numbers and cutting services to the public.

Which raises the question: how is it efficient to have very expensive buildings and expert staff that are underutilised? It also makes me wonder what would have happened if efficiency dividends had been applied in MPs' own offices for the last 30 years.

By now they would be making their own tea, eating at KFC rather than the members' dining room, and riding bicycles from Canberra Airport to Parliament House instead of sitting in the big white cars.

Mike Reddy, Curtin

I have been a refugee advocate for over 15 years, and no advocate I have known in all that time would ever counsel a refugee or asylum seeker to self-harm. The suggestion they would is the act of a desperate minister.

Peter Dutton need search no further to explain self-harm than the hopelessness and despair inherent in the offshore system from the beginning (see almost any page of Madeline Gleeson, Offshore: behind the wire on Manus and Nauru, NewSouth Publishing, 2016), made absolute by the refusal to resettle in Australia those found to be refugees.

And yes, Mr Dutton and Mr Shorten, there are perfectly feasible alternatives proposed for years now by the broad refugee advocate community, and by some members of your own parties, that do not run the risk of death by either drowning or being driven to the edge mentally, and which do not treat asylum seekers and recognised refugees worse than criminals.

Ron Fraser, Hackett

Whenever Australian politicians, hand on heart, commit to prevent drownings of asylum seekers (aka "illegal immigrants") attempting to reach Australia, I recall Lady Macbeth's response when Duncan was bumped off in Macbeth's castle.

"Woe, alas! What, in our house?" Subtext, "why can't they have the decency to drown elsewhere?"

Desperate people don't select the closest sea. Iraq and Somalia are closer to the Mediterranean yet their citizens are currently our guests on Nauru.

Peter McCullagh, Bungendore, NSW

The accumulation of assets is often the result of a lifestyle choice. Some decide to live frugally, saving for a deposit, paying off a mortgage and then perhaps diverting surplus funds into an investment property. Others choose to spend their money on other things, such as rent, alcohol, smokes, pay TV, footy, pokies and the horses. I make no judgment on who has the better lifestyle but those that choose to save and invest should not be victimised.

G. Charles, Red Hill

Andrew Cowan (Letters, April 29) and Michael Lane (Letters, May 2) support negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount. They emphasise that negative gearing reflects the principle that business expenses are tax-deductible and both suggest that critics are using the politics of envy. But when those critics include Jeff Kennett and Liberal MP John Alexander, reality is clearly not running to their script.

Negative gearing may be in keeping with time-honoured principle but, in combination with the current capital gains tax discount formula, it has created an incentive for speculative borrowing that is forcing up prices and blocking first-time buyers. In addition, the current incentives are skewing housing supply to areas promising stronger capital growth.

Research based on census data has shown a large proportion of this new housing stock is either empty or used for occasional short-term rental, presumably to fudge the negative gearing rules. All in all, a mismatch of demand and supply, not to mention the escalation of national private debt. There are other remedies apart from Labor's proposed changes.

The 2009 Henry Review recommended changing the balance of incentives to provide a better outcome for rental property investors who finance out of equity, and reduce "crowding out" by capital gains speculators. Implementation would require political courage. But with interest rates lowered, and the budget's restrictions on super for the wealthy, there is now even more incentive for property speculation. Something's got to change, and soon.

Paul Feldman , Macquarie

When Peter Costello introduced a new rule for calculating capital gains (that only 50per cent of the gain would be taxable provided the property had been held for more than two years) he scrapped the old rule for calculating capital gains on property. Under that rule, the capital gain was deemed to be the amount by which the price exceeded the inflation-adjusted price of the property. I bought a house in Merimbula in 2002 for $265,000.

In 2014, I sold it for $385,000. My capital gain was apparently $120,000 and I therefore had a taxable gain of $60,000.

The period 2002 to 2014 was a period of very low inflation, fluctuating between 2 and 3per cent on average, nevertheless, my inflation-adjusted price for the property would have been $366,000 and my fully taxable capital gain would have been $19,000. I was thus 41,000 taxable dollars worse off under Peter's generosity.

George Beaton, Greenway

The Turnbull government's lack of concern for our life support systems – ie, climate stability and other natural systems – biodiversity survival and land and water care is evident in its budget. Not an extra cent for Australia to meet globally agreed temperature increase limits.

Not an extra cent to stem the accelerating loss of Australia's unique species of flora and fauna. Not an extra cent for land and water care – unless one calls dam-building good for the environment! On it goes – the government shows no commitment to allocate adequate resources to maintain the life support systems for future generations and the planet.

Rod Holesgrove, O'Connor

The charges for water in the ACT are a matter of grave consequence. For water consumption over a very minimal level, Icon more than doubles the charge! It jumps from $2.60 per kilolitre to $5.22 per kL. It should be graduated according to use. I can understand why this great impost was made during a drought. Why is it continued?

There is no proportionality in terms of the excess water use charges. The effect of the current system of charging is that the gardens of Canberra will die off, because people will not be able to pay this amount of extra surcharge.

This issue is of grave concern to all Canberrans who tend for and care about their gardens. We have been known as the garden city, enjoyed by resident and visitors. Such a detrimental policy will effect the environment for decades to come.

The most frustrating aspect is that no one will take responsibility for this state of affairs. Chief Minister Andrew Barr says it is Icon Water's responsibility to determine water rates. Icon Water maintains the price is set by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission. The commission says it receives submissions, but does not state the rationale for Icon Water's absurd policy. It says it is not responsible for Icon Water. Finally, when all the gardens of Canberra are dead, all will say – but it's not my fault!

Dr Kristine Klugman, Fisher

Seeing all the correspondence regarding Eskimo Nell prompted me to check the lyrics on Wikipedia. While Eric French (Letters, May 2) points out the regrettable advocacy of violence against women, as an animal lover I'm equally concerned about the welfare of, oh, a moose or two, and a caribou, and a bison cow or so.

That said, I can't help but feel that the closing stanza neatly encapsulates what I imagine is a pretty common condition of most of the Canberra Times letter writers.

Dallas Stow, O'Connor

GOING SWIMMINGLY

Under the Rudd and Gillard governments the Australian ship of state bore more than a passing similarity to the Titanic. Under a future Turnbull government there seems to be a plan to plug the leaks, and over 10 years bail us out while setting a course for a fiscally responsible future.

Roger Dace, Reid

DELUSIONAL

Scott Morrison produced tax cuts for business and high-income earners, but nothing for people earning under $80,000 a year. Then he announced an end to "class warfare". As there is a clear winner in the class war, can we now expect that the poor will be asked to pay reparations?

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

HEAR-HEAR

Thank you, Bruce Haigh ("Ashamed to be Australian", Times2, May 4,p4).

David Grant, Murrumbateman, NSW

DOUR DUTTON

Has anybody ever seen Peter Dutton smile?

Ed Highley, Kambah

VARIETY PLEASE

After the next election, could we please have a rotation of members of Parliament sitting behind the Prime Minister? For almost three years now, question time viewers have been subjected to the same two blondes, nodding, muttering, and hear-hearing. I want to see some of the ugly people: after all, isn't politics showbusiness for ugly people?

Rosalie Watson, Scottsdale, Tas

TREE CONUNDRUM

If the ACT Government can't afford to replace any of the street trees that have died or been destroyed in the City Centre over the last three to five years, how can it afford to replace every tree in Northbourne Avenue?

Chris Emery, Reid

ON THE OUTER

Greg Jackson (Letters, May 3) fears for the treatment of Kambah by its representatives in the ACT Assembly.

Greg can rest relaxed since the ACT Electoral Commission has conveniently excised Kambah from Tuggeranong for the coming ACT election so from October this year it will have no representation at all!

Kambah, believe it or not, will be part of Woden/Weston Creek.

Frank Cassidy, Kambah

ALL DOWNHILL

Peter White (Letters, May 5) ranks the Coalition 0/10, Labor 1/10 and the Greens 9/10. My own rankings are 0/10, 0.5/10 and 1/10. Double disillusion? You bet!

John Trueman, Downer

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.

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