I am very disappointed with the media's criticism of the performance of the Canberra Hospital.
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I have had a family member in the hospital for the past 55 days and, over this time, I have learnt a great deal about it. This is a superb hospital, but today's society and its media seem only interested in a few stories when things have not gone to plan.
Firstly, it serves a very large area of south-eastern NSW for extreme emergency cases. When an accident victim, a major birth problem, et cetera, comes to the hospital from this region outside the ACT, these cases get a priority over the ACT residents waiting in emergency.
ER waiting times being compared with state averages is grossly wrong. This hospital should be compared with hospitals such as Nepean, St George, Wollongong and Westmead, which are of similar size. I am sure we would stack as one of the best. We carry a huge emergency burden from our surrounding NSW area. This affects waiting time in ER, and ensures fewer beds for locals and, very importantly, less theatre time.
I am sick of this whingeing – we have a great hospital, with great skilled staff, who produce great outcomes. We need to appreciate the wonderful facility we have.
Keith McIntyre, Kambah
Greed winning out
Shane Rattenbury's concern about the end of the $10,000 donation barrier ("Scrapping cap stirs unrest", February 5, p4) was understandable.
Most of us are of aware of the amount of concessional and recreational land that has been easily accessed by wealthy clubs that give substantial donations to both major parties.
Most of us are aware that the promise of both Labor and Liberal parties getting better access to the pork barrel means the legislation will pass with ease.
It is a sad day for Canberra that both Labor and Liberals let greed overreach principle. I suppose the only good comment one could make is that when they are bought they stay bought.
At the next election, Clubs ACT will again send letters to both asking them to undertake to do nothing detrimental to their member clubs. Both will again affirm their undying loyalty to the wealthy clubs and their disdain for their constituents.
Howard Carew, Isaacs
Ready help for SMEs
It is important to correct certain errors and misconceptions in Michael West's article, "Multinational miners grab EFIC's cash" (BusinessDay, February 2, p7) . The Export Finance and Insurance Corporation's primary focus is to fill the "market gap" left by the private sector when it is either unwilling or unable to finance commercially viable export transactions of small-to-medium enterprises.
Last year, 206 of the 230 transactions financed by EFIC were for SMEs. EFIC has recently expanded its SME teams in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane and over 70per cent of our origination staff are solely focused on SMEs. We have improved our application processes and transaction turnaround times have reduced from 180 to 105 days; all to reduce an SME's administrative time and cost burden.
Support for SMEs is small by its nature, reflecting their smaller financing needs. One large transaction, like support for Nyrstar's environmentally enhanced lead smelter at Port Pirie, significantly distorts the numbers. The project secures over 740 jobs directly and approximately 2500 indirectly. EFIC's support was at the request of the South Australian government, which is underwriting the risk of the financing.
The other "market gap" we service is assisting Australian companies willing to take risks through expansion into emerging markets. Recently, this included a loan to Minera Escondida in Chile, a project to which no less than 80 Australian companies, many SMEs, are providing export services.
Mr West questions our disclosure of related-party transactions. EFIC's independent directors have additional directorships within the finance community. Transactions with board member-related entities can occur in EFIC's normal course of business, such as the simple deposit of funds with a bank. In addition to appropriate disclosures of interests made by directors, required under relevant legislation, EFIC is subject to external and internal audit.
Andrew Hunter, managing director and CEO, EFIC
Terra nullius
I welcomed Roy Jordan's argument (Letters, January 27) that "terra nullius" goes back a long time in local law. He cited an Australian case dating from 1834.
However, "terra nullius" existed even earlier. It was used in 1822 in a counsel's opinion as noted in Historical Records of Australia, Series 4, Legal Papers, p412. It resurfaced in 1836, as reported in the Sydney Gazette, February 23, 1836, p3. And further, in 1889, the Privy Council declared Australia to have been "practically unoccupied without settled inhabitants".
"Terra nullis", in various forms, has been the fundamental, ongoing, legal doctrine for European sovereignty of Australia since 1788, even though it conflicted with reality and with 18th century notions of justice.
"Terra nullius" may be used in the future, should Australia have to explain its claim of sovereignty over Coral Sea Islands and parts of Antarctica.
Christopher Warren, Aranda
Prang perplexing
On Tuesday morning at my local shops, I observed two drivers, who seemed to have had no previous interaction, reversing their cars from their respective parking bays. The cars collided with sufficient force to inflict material damage on both and to noticeably jolt both drivers in their seats. It seemed to me that one driver was slightly more at fault in that he backed into the car which was largely out of its bay and he appeared to me not to have looked before reversing.
Expecting some sort of discussion to ensue, I was surprised to see both drivers not acknowledge the collision, not look at each other, not inspect the damage to their cars and drive briskly away in opposite directions. Were they both drunk, were they both driving stolen cars, or is there a Canberra car park collision protocol of which I am unaware?
Peter Moran, Watson
No need to shout
Penleigh Boyd (Letters, February 5) pointed out that The Canberra Times no longer publishes planets' rising and set times, yet is still publishing horoscopes. He spoiled his interesting observation right at the end with that signpost for the blind, an exclamation mark. Irony is best savoured, not shouted, and understated, not declaimed.
Bill Deane, Chapman
City lights will be valuable property
The article "ACT government to sell street lights" (February 4, p2) made me wonder whether this government has really seen the light? Street lights are set to become valuable pieces of commercial property. Connected to electricity, and distributed at roughly 100 metre intervals along every street in Canberra, they will be the easily recognisable pick-up and set down points for every innovative form of public transport that is based on small vehicles and smart technology.
Touch screen and card reader technology on the superstructure of the street lights will complement phone apps to complete the user interfaces of a city-wide demand responsive transport system. Each street light will carry a semaphore of its identifier and advertise available self-drive vehicles that are parked nearby. Once Uber-like services extend to ride sharing to and from work, thereby significantly increasing effective car occupancy during peak hours, there won't be any reason to build tram lines. Instead the government will need to focus on revising the roadway infrastructure for the new types of vehicle that will dominate the traffic mix.
A. Smith, Farrer
Quicker by card
Further to Alan Wilson's letter (February 2), perhaps the best way to ascertain whether cash or credit card is quickest for small amounts would be to get a comment from someone who works a cash register in a large supermarket. For small transactions I find it is quicker to swipe. These days that is all that is often needed for low amounts. There is no need to put in the pin number.
I have watched people scratching through their pockets looking for that obscure coin or carefully counting out their money. It's hard to convince me that is quicker than a quick swipe of the credit card.
Julie Macklin, Narrabundah
Time to stop the demonisation and confront important issues
As Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott promised us a "a kinder, gentler ... more collegial polity." Five years on, it's time that Liberals, Nationals, Labor, Greens, Independents, all of us, "embrace a better politics [where] the Coalition doesn't abandon its agenda and the opposition doesn't simply embrace the Coalition's.
The basis for a better, more productive political system is an appeal to each other's basic decency instead of our basest fears."
To paraphrase Barack Obama, "A better politics is one where we debate without demonising each other, where we talk issues and values and principles and facts, rather than 'gotcha' moments or trivial gaffes or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people's daily lives."
Are we Australians mature enough to demand this commitment from our parliamentarians? Are our parliamentarians mature enough to deliver on this commitment?
Judy Bamberger, O'Connor
Test them yearly
Some letter writers have been suggesting a longer election term would help governments implement reforms. I have a rather different suggestion. Elections every year would put real pressure on governments to deliver policies for the 99per cent, not the 1per cent.
Imagine for example if the Abbott government had to go to the polls in September last year after the May Budget. What could be more democratic than us putting our views on Joe Hockey's unfair budget through the ballot box a few months after it is handed down? What could be more democratic than us exercising our voting rights more regularly?
John Passant, Kambah
Abbott, don't quit
Prime Minister, please continue to ignore the people you, so modestly, represent. Don't resign. Stay the course. Remain with your ship as a captain would. We the trusting people can have every confidence, given more time, even your acolytes will give you the shove.
Don Burns, Mawson
No value on lives
Green Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is at it again with her complaint that offshore processing centres are costing $1.2billion in one year. Hanson-Young, like many other of her fellow travellers, do not place a value on the lives lost over the years as a result of their policy of open slather for people smugglers, nor does she provide information on the money that would have to be spent on social services, legal aid, taxpayers' expenditure on numerous court cases brought by refugee advocates and the like, which would result from a flood of arrivals similar to that which resulted from the previous Labor/Green alliance.
It is high time that the report into refugees by our newest knight, Angus Houston, was revisited and its recommendations implemented.
Ric Hingee, Duffy
History lessons
William Maley (Letters, December 27), responding to my letter (December 24) that there had been no murderous invasion by the USSR of Afghanistan stated I should read more "before offering a dissertation on modern Afghan history". In fact since I first worked in Afghanistan on a UN infrastructure project in 1964, I have read over 700 relevant books/articles in several languages.
Professor Maley is obviously unread as he bizarrely claims it is nonsense that the Afghan regime invited the USSR into the country. The best introduction to the issue is Nadezhdin in the Oriental Review, "Afghanistan: Two Wars", who cites authors as diverse as the American Louis Dupree to the Russian Alexander Lyakhovsky. The evidence shows the USSR did not invade Afghanistan, but was invited numerous times, only agreeing when some 200 people a day were being killed.
The insurgency by the CIA-supported mujahideen (led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar), declared that the end goal of the jihad was the establishment of a world caliphate. It was an early version of the current Islamic State in the Middle East/North Africa/Asia. The USSR initially declined invitations for direct military assistance; this is why Hafizullah Amin at a lunch reception on December 27, 1969, expressed great satisfaction that on the 24th the USSR had at long last accepted his request. The matter of intervention to remove Amin and support the restoration of Barak Karmal to a leadership role, is another story.
Professor Maley alleges the high death rate in Afghanistan was primarily due to advanced Soviet weaponry. As he is aware, due to research by one of his students Noor Khalidi, in 1969 prior to the USSR involvement against the insurgency the rate was 200 a day and increasing. By 1973 it fell due to the USSR presence. The USSR tried to end the bloodshed in 1972-4 through UN negotiations, but this was blocked by the US, which wanted the USSR to remain in the country and suffer casualties. The US began supplying weapons to the insurgents. The result was the death rate jumped to 410 a day in 1975. Only by including this period of massive US involvement can he come up with the 240 average. The reason the rate has been lower following the 2001 US invasion is the number of insurgents is only a tenth of the 240,000 supported by the CIA in the 1970s.
Professor Maley erred in claiming Colonel Gregorii Boiarinov was in charge of the USSR military force which went with Afghan political leaders to the Taj-Beg Palace on December 27, 1969. The person in charge was KGB General Yori Drozdov. The role of Boiarinov is unclear; he was the head of the KUOS officers' perfectioning school who was apparently shot by friendly fire.
Professor Maley has obviously not travelled widely in Afghanistan, and shows minimum knowledge of local views of the relative peace when the USSR was there during 1969-1979 – compared with the strife of the past 25 year.
I suggest he should read the Woodrow Wilson Quarterly spring 2014 article "What democracy looks like according to three Afghan women".
Paul Fitzwarryne, Yarralumla
TO THE POINT
SUBMARINES NEXT?
What if there is one more captain's choice – 12 Japanese submarines?
Phillip Owen, Forde
FRIGHT FOR KNIGHT
Sir Les Patterson must be appalled by recent events.
Geoff Nickols, Griffith
DOUBLE ENTENDRE
I loved Pope's editorial cartoon "DJ Tone Def" (Times2, February 3, p1). It's even funnier in German, because "doof" means stupid.
David Fuller, Duffy
VILE STENCH FROM TIP
The smell from Mugga Lane tip has become extremely intrusive, even in faraway Gowrie. On most days and nights, it is as if we lived next door to the tip. We can't even leave the windows and doors open in hot or humid weather. Are the Territory and Municipal Services aware of the problem, and can they let us know what is being done to correct the disgusting atmosphere?
Chris McNicol, Gowrie
FERAL BEHAVIOUR
Recently, I was in a well-known family restaurant, observing the behaviour of a group of young people with mounting disbelief. They were discarding their wrappings as if they were in a playground, nature reserve or car park, right down to tipping drinks on the seats and floor. The cleaning staff looked as if they would rather the group was back in the wild.
Bob Gardiner, Kambah
'PAPER BAG' BUILDING
Elizabeth Farrelly ("A paper bag worthy of a Kardashian", Times2, February 5, p4) might just be a bit irritated by people raving about Frank Gehry's building in Sydney. So, finding just one physical fault (the entry way), she compares the whole edifice to Kim Kardashian's arse. Maybe Liz's literary style is similarly comparable.
Jack Kershaw, Kambah
Frank Gehry's zany brown paper bag building is a great addition to the Sydney skyline. A measure of its quality is condemnation by Elizabeth Farrelly who, in 1998, graced Canberra with her suggestion that the National Museum go in Cameron Offices.
Paul Feldman, Macquarie
CONSULT US ABOUT TPP
Now that Tony Abbott has promised to be more consultative and collegial, perhaps he might like to share with the Australian people the contents of the Trans Pacific Partnership that continues to be negotiated in secrecy, despite widespread concern that its conditions were drawn up by the top 600 corporations and major banks in the US.
Ann Darbyshire, Gunning, NSW
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