Rather than establishing clear governance and good culture, the government has parted ways with another senior bureaucrat and will reportedly install even more bureaucrats in her place.

Meanwhile, the minor party's leader hides behind "cabinet-in-confidence, and tells us that reducing funding to CHC provides greater flexibility to fund affordable housing ("Affordable housing", April 19, p2).

A much more logical explanation for the cut is that the larder is bare because of his ideology that a single tram line offers better public transport than a network of buses. Lastly, the Transport Minister is "hopeful we can continue to ... get on with delivering a world-class public transport network for Canberra" ("Government wants Woden light rail via Barton", April 19, p1) despite the NCA reportedly having indicated that "a project of this magnitude requires careful consideration of all of the impacts to the heart of Canberra".

Translation: you are dreaming.

The ACT government's ministers do not appear to understand the basic principles of good government or how to make decisions that benefit the whole community.

Bruce Paine, Red Hill

Steven Hurren (Letters, April 19) might be interested to know that the container deposit/return scheme is intended to be complementary to the yellow recycle bins, not replace them.

The "reverse vending machines" scan the barcode of an item being returned, and only accepts those from containers known to be of the type that litter the roads; other items not commonly found on roadsides (wine bottles, plain milk containers) are rejected.

As for the success or otherwise of the NSW scheme, a return point showed up very promptly in the Yass Woolies car park (although it was moved to a better situation after complaints). Since then, it has operated flawlessly, and one can take the vouchers straight into the supermarket and get a discount of your weekly grocery shop: simples!

If other locations have not had it so easy, the fault is in the implementation, not the concept.

Yellow bins are great when you are at home, but I don't see anyone trailing one behind them when they go out.

Mark Raymond, Manton, NSW

Thank you, Canberra Times, for the insightful editorial "Figures first before cash flows" (April 21, p14).

Not only does a detailed business case for light rail Stage2 need to be made public but, also, it must be open to independent scrutiny before any cabinet decision is taken, not like what happened for Stage 1, where the government decided to proceed without public consultation on the business case and took a decision to proceed based on a fictitious Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 1.2hat the Auditor-General later said was 0.6 at best.

Of course the ACT government is reluctant to provide meaningful figures, knowing that a comprehensive and independent cost benefits analysis would not stack up.

How could it, when it would be much less cost-effective than Stage 1, which itself will prove grossly uneconomic and a white elephant?

Also, this time round, the Greens-Labor government should consider conducting itself with some respect for the taxpayer and not as it did for Stage 1, that is, riding roughshod over critics and simply ignoring all independent valid, objective criticism of the project.

Notwithstanding any and all argument around Stage 2, would its backers and funders of the Greens-Labor government let it off the hook on Stage 2?

I don't think so.

M. Flint, Smart Canberra Transport, Erindale Centre

Most respondents who supported the light rail expansion in the Unions ACT poll on light rail conducted on March 16 were undoubtedly sold a pig in a poke ("Half of Canberrans support light rail expansion: union poll", April 9).

If, as I feel sure, the participants were not made aware that the vast majority of experts believe that a bus system is a far more cost-effective public transport investment for the entire Canberra region, and that driverless vehicle technology is predicted to deliver vastly improved public transport within a decade, then only 51.5 per cent of respondents supporting light rail is a damning result.

If Senator Seselja can bring about a federal parliamentary inquiry into the construction of light rail stage two in which these wider issues can be fully exposed, he will be doing a great service to all Canberra citizens.

John L. Smith, Farrer

Re Kent Fitch's letter ("Tension over Developer", April 23) and the scuppering of "Active Travel" plans for Dooring Street by huge volumes of consequential traffic, I add additional comments.

There are two development applications out now proposed between Northbourne Avenue and Dooring Street in Dickson.

The adjoined proposals have 760 car parks (which does not meet the required parking) and force all car access onto Dooring Street, which will heavily impact the neighbours and traffic.

If going south to the city they will have cross the lights on Macarthur Avenue.

I suggest they will continue on into the increasing crowded back streets of Braddon, ultimately on to Torrens Street.

Braddon itself is undergoing the equivalent developments on Henty Street (south) and Mort Street (north) plus internal. The impact on these backstreets cannot be overstated.

All further developments on Northbourne on the east side must have car access from Northbourne.

In addition, these developments are residential (greater than 80 per cent) disguised as commercial, avoiding residential codes.

Geoff Davidson, Braddon

Seems our new Chief of Defence wants to turn our armed forces into a combination of boy scouts, girl guides and a women's sewing circle.

I always thought that the fundamental purpose of a defence force was to guarantee Australia's security, to fight and win, when required.

This banning of certain symbols is a total politically correct joke. These symbols are already widely used within Defence already, not just in Australia, but worldwide, and have been for decades.

Just look at the photo of VC winner Cameron Baird at the War Memorial – at least Brendan Nelson has got balls – he says it will be removed "over his dead body".

The Punisher symbol is also painted on the E7A Wedgetail aircraft.

If Angus Campbell wants all these symbols removed, has he considered how to get rid of all the "offensive" tattoos worn by thousands of Defence personnel?

I had naively thought, that with his background, Campbell would understand reality, but seems he's just the reincarnation of David Morrison. God help us if we need to fight a war.

John Burns, Hall

Brian Byrne, of Young, laments the treatment provided to service personnel injured in the line of duty but not while on active service (Letters, April 21).

Just possibly the Productivity Commission Review now in hand will rectify some of the current injustices and I note, and commend, the current minister's decision to now include ALL mental conditions suffered as warranting consideration.

But it is unconscionable for the government to continue treating injured personnel differently if the injury was suffered on active service or during non-operational service.

All currently serving are volunteers who serve wherever and whenever required. Thus the individual has no say in where they are required to go, it is the needs of the service at that time which determines the activity. If injury occurred before December 1972 and is accepted as being service-related (but not active service) the compensation is awarded according to workers' compensation legislation which is not only more difficult to prove but less generous and there are more exclusions i.e. all heart conditions.

When all are volunteers similar injuries should be similarly recompensed.

John Trinder, Karabar

Due to the decision by the RSL not to allow local bands and non-service people marching in the Anzac Day ceremony I shall not be participating.

The decision by RSL lacks an understanding of the dedication and commitment of local band members. Their participation reflects respect for those who served our country.

Excluding relatives of past service members from marching, and/or supporting older participants, will also, I believe reduce the overall attendance on the 25th of April.

I understand there is concern that having numerous bands at intervals throughout the march creates confusion for those marching, who have trouble with hearing different beats. I have witnessed the same issue in Sydney and Melbourne, where whole sections of marchers could be accused of being "out of step". I do not believe that removing community bands will create a return to parade-style marching for the earlier era of ex-Diggers.

They are participating in a remembrance ceremony not a marching competition. If the decision is to reduce the number of marchers, to shorten the time taken for the event, then I believe that goal will be achieved at the cost of future reductions in people participating in Anzac day ceremonies.

Peter Kercher Holt, ex-1ARU, ex-7RAR, ex-1RAR

John Barilaro, NSW Deputy Premier and state member for Monaro argues that nuclear energy should be considered as part of the solution to our current energy problems ("Barilaro's power plant ideas nuked", April 22, p3).

A decade or two ago his stance may have had some merit. After all, France derives about 70 per cent of its energy from nuclear reactors and, as far as I am aware, has never had a serious problem.

Nuclear waste could be disposed of in, for example, abandoned deep mine workings in geologically stable areas like much of western and central Australia and parts of South Africa. However, those sites are not common and have limited capacity.

The Chernobyl disaster was the result of a poorly designed and incompetently run facility – hence Mr Barilaro's reference to Homer Simpson.

Fukushima was built in the wrong place: an earthquake-prone area which, being on the coastline, was vulnerable to tsunamis. Energy technology has advanced a long way since those days. Federal member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly, makes a good point about Australia having "an abundance of renewable resources" from which we can derive energy. Solar panels and wind generators have advanced a long way in both efficiency and cost since Fukushima, and battery technology, which can provide base-load energy, has also come a long way.

Sorry, Mr Barilaro, nuclear energy does not appear to be the answer after all.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

The upcoming budget will show Malcolm Turnbull in his true colours.

With over a million children reputed to be living in poverty it will be interesting to see what he does about it.

Mismanagement doesn't stop there. Huge numbers of elderly people who qualify for home help to enable them to stay in their own homes rather than move into more expensive care, often have to wait for a year or more. Meanwhile they end up doing tasks they have been deemed unfit to do, often resulting in more expensive hospitalisation and reduced quality of life.

Both situations suggest financial mismanagement, a problem he shares with the bankers he has tried to protect.

The budget is a do-or-die situation for him.

Audrey Guy, Ngunnawal

Last weekend the National Capital Authority and Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers successfully burnt the ecologically significant woodland between Capital and State circles. Burning the bush is always risky but essential for the health of grassland and woodland ecosystems, and managing wildfire risk. The window of time that our firies can effectively burn is being squeezed by climate change as the fire season lengthens. There are always complaints about proposed burns within Canberra and reasons not to proceed. We thank the authority and RFS for having the gumption to proceed and to burn well.

Dr Jamie Pittock, Friends of Grasslands, O'Connor

TRASHING OUR TRUST

Recent revelations of misconduct are trashing our trust in institutions — financial, construction, livestock exports and politics. I worry that it will spill over to other industries and professions. I think that self-regulation has largely enabled this misconduct to flourish: It only constrains the honest. The government should not only set up a federal ICAC but adequately fund legal aid, the ombudsman and the regulatory parts of the government.

James Walcott, Mawson

NAIVETY ASTONISHING

It is almost beyond belief that a former Australian deputy prime minister can admit to being "so naive ..." at a time when the dogs were barking the maladministration of their duties by corporate financial leaders. The royal commissioner and his assisting counsels appear to have reached a "spider and the fly," relationship with their learned and opposing colleagues.

Les Brennan, Sunshine Bay, NSW

ODD PRIORITIES

Three cricketers get caught ball tampering, get banned from playing for a year, $10,000 fines, lose millions in endorsements etc. Bankers get caught cheating, lying, destroying businesses, losing people millions in super and destroying lives. No penalties at all. Funny place Australia.

Terry Johns, Tarago, NSW

WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS?

Malcolm Turnbull acknowledges the "political grief" he has incurred by delaying the banking royal commission, but what of the grief suffered by bank customers in the interim? Not a word.

Patricia Saunders, Chapman

SURPRISE SURPRISING

The only surprising thing coming from the royal commission into the banks is that the Prime Minister, Treasurer and other leading members of the government seem surprised by the revelations.

Rob Ey, Weston

FLYING BLIND

Malcolm Turnbull now says, in hindsight it would have been better to set up a banking royal commission two years ago. Hindsight is not his problem – it's a total lack of vision.

Eric Hunter, Cook

MISSED CHANCE

Mr Morrison would have let the bankers off Scott free given half a chance.

Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW

SELF-INDULGENT

The fallen we remember on Anzac Day have provided the freedom for Judy Bamberger to mock Anzac Day. (Letters, April 24). This is as it should be. However, we are also free to respond to Bamberger that such disrespect is self indulgent and reflects poorly on her and her obscure cause.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

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