My daughter was found eligible and has had an NDIS plan since May, but we have been unable to access the NDIS funding because of a bizarre administrative flaw in the plan that can only be due to unbelievable incompetence or deliberate sabotage to make NDIS "savings".

As the legislation has no time frame for the NDIA to fix this problem, they can presumably delay for the 12-month lifetime of the plan, "saving" the entire funding allocated to my daughter.

Mr Morrison's "less-than-expected expenditure" is not due to "a more gradual transition of participants", unless that is a euphemism for withholding valid funding.

While NDIA management and Mr Morrison celebrate ripping off the disabled.

My daughter's condition has deteriorated significantly since May, to one of even more isolation and pain, and my health is also now broken from trying to cover providing all the supports she has needed.

The last straw is to have to read and listen to the insufferable spin of government that this is a good thing.

Prime Minister Turnbull, if you are happy to be associated with these cruel and underhand methods to create a "good" budget story, hang your head in shame.

B. Harding, Downer

I cannot believe the negative attitude of Alan Barron and his archaic thoughts on renewable energy (Letters, October 5).

We are all aware the sun does not shine 24/7, but battery storage is now becoming more popular and more affordable.

The battery farm in South Australia is almost completed without any cost to the government. Government subsidies are not being used by all companies setting up solar farms in Australia. A proposed solar farm near Bathurst is being fully funded by Photon Energy without any government assistance. These solar panels will provide power to 42,000 homes.

A country such as Australia is a perfect place for solar power and will save digging up more valuable farmland to produce so-called clean coal.

Anyone who has travelled extensively in Europe, the US and the UK will have observed solar farms and wind farms.

If the northern hemisphere can achieve so highly Australia is the perfect country to promote renewable energy with our abundance of sunshine and wind.

Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW

Meeghan Fitzharris, spokesman for the minister for transport and city services, says the new bus timetables "will result in an overall improvement for passengers across the network".

Perhaps she's right, but it's at the expense of the many for whom there will be quite some inconvenience. Surely this will result in lower patronage of the network.

Graham Downie (Letters, October 3) makes this point very well.

He is quite right also in his assertion that many of us are being softened up to learn to make bus changes in what was, up to last weekend, a one-journey, easy trip. Kaleen/Giralang residents now have to use the Dickson "interchange" to travel to Civic on the weekend — and it will be worse with the tram as the change will include crossing Northbourne.

For those of us not getting any younger having to change buses, waiting about in the heat or cold or rain, rushing along the "platform" when your bus is at the far end, having to find a seat in a crowded bus, and the time added to make the journey will mean it's much simpler to use the car.

Judith Ballard, Kaleen

Fun as it is for summertime picnickers and outdoors revellers, the government's adoption of daylight saving time may have outlived its intended usefulness.

When reintroduced to postwar Australia in 1971 (Tasmania 1968) the stated aim was to save domestic energy use by delaying the need to switch on home lighting by one hour.

Not envisaged in 1971 was today's widespread use of domestic airconditioners. Now workers return home in the hot late-afternoon and turn on their airconditioner (if they haven't left it running all day) consuming far more power than light bulbs ever did. But why let logic spoil a good thing – let's just enjoy daylight saving whilst we can.

Penleigh Boyd, Reid

So Turnbull is determined to "keep Australians safe" ("Malcolm Turnbull pushes for law to detain terror suspects for up to 14 days before charges", canberratimes.com.au, October 4).

Tony Abbott claimed his government "stood for freedom and would be freedom's bulwark against the encroachments of an unworthy and dishonourable government".

Given that assertion and given his successor intends to make it an offence to "make terrorism hoaxes", perhaps Australians should question if our politicians and bureaucrats will be subject to the same law.

Perhaps these self-appointed protectors of our "freedoms" could explain their claims to Mohamed Haneef?

Sixty years ago in the UK, my father promised myself and my brother each a lot of money if we had not smoked by the time we were 21. He'd read something to the effect that if you hadn't smoked by that age you'd be a lot less likely to pick it up later on.

Neither of us ever smoked.

It's possible Andrew Forrest has based his support of the anti-smoking lobby on a similar bit of research.

Gareth Jones, Wamboin, NSW

May I sound an alert to the educationists who are proudly adopting and advertising the STEM curricula of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics so uncritically into their schools. It can lead to unedifying imbalance.

The hard sciences without the balancing support and leavening of the softer arts lead to hard consequences.

A walk around the degenerating business centre of Civic is proof enough of this widening gap in our social perception.

It badly lacks a softening dose of visual perception and philosophy, the mental discipline of critical thinking, respect, enthusiasm, joyfulness and communication skills in our urban areas.

A wider look at CSIRO's industrial imagery on Black Mountain now revealed by the demolition of Bruce Hall shows a complete lack of vision, created entirely by the dictates of the National Capital Authority, with no respect for the Griffins' terminal vista along University Avenue.

It also seems likely that our magnificent views of the Brindabellas from City Hill may well suffer if West Basin is developed as planned with so little public consultation as to promote public outrage.

The insensitive extension of the ACT Court building obtruding onto Vernon Circuit is showing every sign of visual disrespect to Roy Simpson's elegant ACT Court building.

My heart bleeds as I see Canberra so quickly becoming a copy of Sydney's decrepitude — advertising has become raucous and rampant.

Where is the public outrage? Where is the evidence of our enlightening education?

The arts do matter. Don't we care ?

Derek F. Wrigley, Mawson

I don't agree with the remarks made by Bill Bush, president, Families and Friends of Drug Law Reform (Letters, October4).

I think it ridiculous to say prohibition of illegal drug use has criminalised our kids. We have limitations on smoking and drinking within prohibiting laws and they haven't made our kids jail fodder.

I don't understand why we try as hard as we can to cure people of all kinds of sicknesses, but when it comes to our youth and drugs a curative approach is not taken.

If they are on opioids, nearly all go on the drug methadone which they tell me is called liquid handcuffs, and they can be on that indefinitely. I've read where there are rehabilitation treatments to get our kids off drugs permanently but government funding for them is virtually nil. Not good enough.

Mass shootings happen. There's a massive cry for action on gun laws, and no doubt funding to flow there too.

Where is the cry or the money for mental health research?

If we think about it, mental health issues are responsible for so much hurt, injury and death, not just to the sufferers.

For the really serious conditions, the current treatments on offer — medical and psychological are Band-aids at best.

Sure, don't pull back on reducing the weapons or blocking actions that might lead to harm.

But let's try to address one of the major sources of the problems too. I'm calling for more funding for mental health research – emphasise, research.

We need new and better treatments for these debilitating and hurtful conditions.

Margaret Stewart, Melba

Stu Bykofsky ("It's getting harder to justify gun deaths"; October 4, p.15) writes "I do believe that my guns protect me and endanger no one else".

Here we are again with faith trumping evidence.

Why would he believe his guns protect him unless he's prepared to shoot at someone else? And then why would Mr Bykofsky expect others to trust that his guns endanger no one else?

Oh, of course! They're his guns, safe guns perfectly operated, not somebody else's guns. Not exactly QED.

Three bold assertions in a short sentence — believe, protect, harmless — that lead Mr Byskofsky to " ... wait for the next horror and wonder what I will say next time".

Don't say anything.

We've heard it all before.

John Young, Isaacs

If people in Belconnen think the new bus timetable is a disaster what about southside residents?

In Bonython the government decided to change numbers only. Bonython has been always serviced by route 319 (weekdays) and 919 (weekends), but from Saturday, October 7, it will be 318 and 918.

Nothing will change in the way these buses will be running, just numbers.

Here there is another great idea of ACT government?

Just to confuse commuters and spend taxpayers' money on new advertising on each bus stop in my suburb.

Mr Barr and the team, I ought to congratulate you on the hard work you are doing to make our lives easier and better.

Robert Solecki, Bonython

Having in the past worked in both the Coal Branch and in the Foreign Investment and Foreign Takeovers sections of the then Department of Resources and Energy, I support the sentiments aired in the ABC 4-Corners program on Adani.

In my view the Adani Carmichael mine should not be promoted by the state and federal governments without a very thorough investigation. In my view, projects associated with both India and China must be viewed with suspicion as they have a completely different view on what constitutes a binding contract in the Western sense as companies like ANZ, Fosters, Telstra, Lion Nathan and many others have discovered to their cost.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

The COAG decision to use mass identity scanning will be the thin edge of the wedge. How long until scanning will be used to locate parking fine non-payers, with Gladys Berejiklian in "violent agreement".

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove

The young lady who sued her matchmaker over the quality of suitor they supplied complained he showed no interest in her.

Perhaps he too was disappointed with what was on offer.

M. Strong, Watson

TERROR DEFINED

When you invade a country such as Iraq, based on US lies, reaction can be expected. War breeds terrorism. Even media morons understand that. Terrorism is a natural reaction to war. For the record, Australia has not yet experienced a real terrorist attack on its soil.

Richard Ryan, Summerland Point, NSW

DRUGS TO BLAME

All major shootings in the past 20 years seem to have a common factor of psychiatric drugs. Will the latest one be any different? Will the psychiatric drugs get the real blame or will guns?

G. J. May, Forestdale, Qld

THANKS TO HOWARD

We all owe Mr Howard our gratitude for his stand on gun control. We should remember, too, that he was fully supported by the opposition and by the leader of the Nationals. I doubt we will ever see such dedication to the common good again given the behaviour of the mob currently occupying parliament.

Rod Keefe, Eli Waters, Qld

ACTION ON GUNS

Despite blaming John Howard for most things in the past two decades, I agree 100 per cent that he should be saluted and thanked for his gun control action. His greatest achievement. Don't get me started on the other two.

Anthony Bruce, Gordon

WEAPONS NIGHTMARE

I'm deeply dismayed at the infantile state of enlightenment world leadership is in. Private individuals having access to mass produced military weapons is a consumerist nightmare.

Governments having easy access to mass produced military weapons is just as contentious.

Matt Ford, Crookwell, NSW

IF THE CAP FITS

Trevor Wilson (Letters, October 6) says that Peter Dutton is not fit to be a minister in the Turnbull cabinet.

I beg to differ — Dutton is a perfect fit for that cabinet.

Peter Moran, Watson

BEAZLEY'S EFFORT

Letters and articles in your paper are praising John Howard for Australia's gun control measures. I agree with them. But I would also like to add then Opposition Leader Kim Edward Beazley for the support he accorded to the PM.

Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt, ACT

NOT SPORT AT ALL

One of the weapons used in the Las Vegas shootings was the "Fn-15 sporting with EOTech" with 100 rounds. By what corruption of the English language can this be called sporting?

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne

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