It is concerning that Minister Meagan Fitzharris is trying to diminish the importance of this issue. Apart from the Yarralumla Creek tragedy in 1971 when seven Canberra residents lost their lives, Canberra has escaped many serious stormwater flooding events in recent decades and it is to be hoped that it will stay that way with careful attention to good planning.

Professor Taylor's revelations point to the need for the Legislative Assembly to conduct a public inquiry into the government's planning for stormwater management in Canberra as a means of assuring Canberra residents that they are safe during heavy rainfall events.

Hydraulic engineering calculations are not that difficult to understand.

Dr John Gray, landscape architect, Mawson

Jenny Moxham, your letter (February 23) describing the abysmal cruelty inflicted upon dogs in Asia broke my heart as it reminded me that we, as Australians, can never be "part of Asia".

I was caught up in the "Australia is part of Asia" hype and returned to uni for an Asian language major sequence.

One of the recurring conversation themes that this language study allowed while overseas was the nationalist observation (paraphrased) from my Asian colleagues — "we are the most advanced form of life to evolve on this planet, but in comparison to you, why do we live under a dictatorship of dog eat dog overcrowded squalor?"

At this point, I would pull out photographs of Arwen, our mongrel rescue dog. A wet dog at the beach gorging on fish and chips, Arwen peacefully asleep on our bed or romping in the garden — a dog's life.

I would try to explain that our "great good fortune" comes from the fact that we have the Union Jack in the corner of our national flag and a British cultural inheritance that aspires to kindness for animals.

I would then speak of British institutions like our Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

While often regarded as an "old white ghost", my explanation of our "civilisation" in terms of our science together with animal spirits and earned luck would always prompt them to question their cruel superstitions and understandable obsession with accumulating material wealth.

Ronald Elliott, Sandringham, Vic

Your contributor Gwyn Rees ("ACT clubs doing the hard yards", March 1, p18) heaps praise on ACT Clubs for their contributions to fund sport to the benefit of the community and the economy.

I'm sure there are any number of people formerly in sport in the Canberra community who would disagree. I can name at least four Canberra bowling clubs in the ACT and one on the South Coast which amalgamated with larger clubs to improve their position, only to see their bowls club closed and their amenity sold off by the larger club, leaving them without a facility.

I would hardly think the members of such bowls clubs would see that as a benefit to the community provided by the larger clubs. Next time Mr Rees drives along Kent Street, Deakin, he should take note of the decrepit state of the formerly thriving West Deakin Bowls Club, now owned by the Hellenic Club.

Benefit to the community of once proud bowlers and the local residents – I think not.

G. Swifte, Garran

A great article by Crispin Hull ("Forget the red dragon, fear the green one on energy front", March 3, Forum p2). Highly recommend Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg read Beyond Zero Emissions' Renewable Energy Superpower Report (2015).

It's a great read which shows that Australia has the advantages of high-quality solar and wind resources, a widespread electricity distribution grid, a skilled workforce and industry sector, capable research organisations, proximity to the large and growing Asian markets, a stable society and abundant mineral resources.

Come on, Mal and Josh, let's Nike it!

Elke Zimmermann, Canterbury, Vic

Lee Welling, in labelling the ACT government's plans for Northbourne Avenue "early 20th century", is closer to the mark than Danny Corvini (both in Letters, March 5), who refers to the ACT government's plans for central Canberra (chiefly the Northbourne Avenue precinct) as "21st century".

Modern cities, especially in view of the increasing pressures of climate change, need more green space, not more concrete pavements and bitumen roads, to help keep temperatures down. Neither do they need more – or any – very tall buildings to overshadow the valuable recreational value of that green space.

I also agree with Lee Welling's description of the Northbourne Avenue transport system – presumably the light rail – as "19th century" and with Mike Quirk's comments about electric buses (also Letters, March 5).

All-electric or hybrid bus networks are vastly less costly to operate than will be our light-rail system. Such buses also have the huge advantages of being very flexible in where they can travel, less disruptive of motor vehicle traffic, and in not requiring an extremely expensive extra trams-only structure across Lake Burley Griffin.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

As someone who was born and brought up in a council flat in London, I'm constantly reminded of its drab, soulless environs whenever I drive along the tram route. Now, the ACT Politburo is to extend its social engineering project under the guise of creating "Urban villages". There's nothing village-like about these.

The government is merely stacking ratepayers higher and higher, in buildings with a proportionally small footprint, so as to get more bang for their buck and to force the occupants to use the People's Tram.

Young families, who can't afford to buy into the increasingly over-priced market for house/block packages are the big losers in all this.

As Cat Stevens once observed, when a similar process was going on in Britain: "I know we've come a long way, We're changing day to day, But tell me, where do the children play?"

Welcome to Mr Barr's brave new world, kids. Turn on those computers, there's not a lot else you can do.

Lee Welling, Nicholls

He just won't go away will he. Barnaby Joyce is now complaining that no one asked him about the paternity of Vicki Campion's baby ("A grey area", March 4, p1). While Joyce has previously argued vehemently that it was all a private matter, here he is, fuelling the flames once again. Once more, he's highlighting, not only his own poor judgment in the way he's handled the whole situation, but he's also seriously calling into question the morals of his partner (no mention of his own, of course).

Worse though, is the result his latest burst of petulance will likely have on the future life of the unborn, innocent child. And he can't blame the media – he initiated the discussion in an interview with Fairfax, bizarrely with Campion present for part of it. There is only one reasonable action Joyce should now take and that is, resign from Parliament.

Eric Hunter, Cook

I thought Barnaby had simply made some mistakes, got caught out, carried on like a prat by not stepping aside early on and then made matters worse by continually opening his mouth.

However, any trace of respect or sympathy I may have had for the man has completely vanished in the wake of him suggesting that the baby may not even be his. Did he do this to make himself appear noble for being prepared to bring the child up irrespective of the boy's paternity? All he has done is to show that he is happy to further impinge a young lady's reputation, when the noble thing would have been to keep any doubts to yourself. The man shows no honour and appears to be ethically bankrupt.

Bob Stirling, Scullin

Most people recognise that it is usually a good strategy that when in a hole they should stop digging. Now, Barnaby Joyce has maligned the reputation of his current partner by suggesting the child she is carrying may not be his. Is he suggesting this poor woman who has already had her reputation damaged by his behaviour, is so promiscuous that he, and she, may not know who the father is. With friends like Barnaby, this woman needs no enemies.

Pauline May, Lyneham

Sitting on the backbench, Barnaby Joyce (also known as Headline Harry) suffers from relevance deprivation syndrome. Hence he courts the media. Then he complains (irrationally) that the media intrudes on his private life.

The more that facts emerge ("Paternity Question, Canberra Times", March 5, p5) the less likely it is that Barnaby Joyce fathered Vikki Campion's baby.

To protect the reputation of Parliament (and the good people of New England) Barnaby Joyce should resign from Parliament.

Are there any winners in the endless saga of the Barnaby Joyce scandal? As Malcolm Turnbull's polls plummet, Tony Abbott's vengeance draws near.

Graham Macafee, Latham

Peter Martin's article ("Catastrophic outlook for housing risk", March 5, p3) on the Grattan Institute's new report "Housing Affordability - Reimagining the Australian Dream", details the causes of Australia's housing affordability crisis, and potential economic crisis. He then outlines the economic solutions to the problem.

However, Martin's article ignores one of the solutions to the problem which is mentioned in the Grattan Report by Daley and Coates: "And unless the states are prepared to reform their planning systems, the Commonwealth should consider tapping the brakes on Australia's migrant intake."

Treasurer Scott Morrison used the report to criticise the Labor Party, and was not interested in the real problem of planning and population.

Why are we all afraid to talk about the population problem?

And why can't our politicians have an intelligent discussion about anything?

Dave Kelly, Aranda

Good coverage on TV and radio but the Liberals won the election in Tasmania because they are currently governing the state well. Labor's anti-pokies, in clubs and pubs, platform should be maintained as it was not the reason Labor lost the election. Pokies are an evil feeding off poor or stupid people who use them. If a club or pub can't exist in its current form without pokies then it needs to change its business plan or close. A number of clubs and pubs have closed in my municipality and no one cares. If commercial TV and radio stations can't exist without gambling ads we may have too many channels.

Life was better with only five main TV channels (ABC, SBS, Ten, Nine and Seven) and more profitable too. However radio has a similar number of stations as they had 50 years ago and they mostly do all right.

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

Not only has the ACT government put on the worst Enlighten to date but it then throws its parking inspectors into the mix, dishing out $114 fines for breaching code 336 stop on path/strip in built-up area for parking on the grassed area behind the National Library and opposite between Flynn Drive and Commonwealth Avenue. At least 500 cars wore their wrath on Saturday night despite there not being a sign stating no parking on grass. Given parking arrangements in the parliamentary triangle are completely unsatisfactory for an event this size, I urge everyone to refuse to pay the ticket.

Glenn Rosevear, Evatt

One wonders just how legally binding the ACT's contracts for the lease of "fluffy" blocks are ("Beware the Mr Fluffy contract: ACT Law Society", March 1, p6).

Disclaimers from legal rights are generally null and void. The expectation that a residential building block is not a risk to life is implicit.

The contractual disclaimer concerning asbestos contamination simply means, "You're going to have to sue us".

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

While it was amusing as usual, Ian Warden's article on the naming of USS Canberra has a number of factual errors.

His statement that the Canberra is the only US warship to be given a non-US name ignores the US Navy ships Batan, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, Normandy and Philippine Sea, all currently in service. This is also the second USS Canberra. The original , a cruiser, was in service from 1943 to 1970, including a time in Vietnam.

David J. Richards, Moruya

MONEY SHOUTS

Tasmania's "election" clearly demonstrates "democracy" is a spent force. Money just doesn't talk it shouts loudly and exerts brute force. Clubs Australia used member funds, which should have been used for community purposes, to entrench their egregious business strategies. Not necessarily covert, the (US) NRA "cold dead hand" was lurking.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

COURAGEOUS DECISION

Tasmanian ALP leader Rebecca White who proposed banning pokies and was trounced, obviously made what Sir Humphrey Appleby would call a courageous decision.

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove, Qld

STAR-GAZING

Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away, there is, perhaps, a government that really knows what it's doing.

Ed Highley, Kambah

PUT A SOCK IN IT JOYCE

Barnaby, for the sake of your new girlfriend (for however long she will remain with you); your ex-wife and daughters; the National Party; the government; and the whole of Australia, it is time to put a sock in it!

Edward Corbitt, Farrer

JOB DONE

The APVMA has as one of its tasks getting rid of pests. Seems to have worked.

Linus Cole, Palmerston

SENSE TRUMPS SCIENCE

The simple response to Bill Curnow (Letters, March 5) is that Australia's compulsory bicycle helmet laws are a triumph of common sense over science.

Ian Douglas, Jerrabomberra

CINEMA DUMBED DOWN

Given the presence of the word 'and' in the New Acton Cultural and Cinema Precinct sign noted by Alex Mattea (Letters, March 1), the ACT government presumably thinks cinema has nothing to do with culture.

Heino Lepp, Macquarie

ROOS SMARTER THAN US

I cannot agree with Warwick Davis (Letters, March 4), who believes kangaroos are ignorant and not worth saving from drowning. They have as much right to life as we do. As for being ignorant, they are smarter than we are as they are not destroying their habitat at the unprecedented rate we are destroying ours.

Felicity Chivas, Scullin

LEGALISED SLAVERY

What a cruel, cynical, hypocritical joke suggesting $0.67¢, after six years, represents a pay rise ("After six years, hospital cleaners get a pay rise", March 3, p19). By contrast politicians and corporate directors pay themselves "real" rises of tens of thousands. This is legalised slavery, with US/Australian characteristics!

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

DISEASE CATCHING

OMG Trumpitis is infectious. Barnaby's caught it.

Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla

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.

Keep your letter to 250 words or less. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).