Explaining timetable and some route changes from October 7, Transport Canberra says some services have been modified in the new network to allow for changes in public transport infrastructure. In other words, the introduction of the tram.

Transport Canberra says, "This could mean that you may need to connect from one service to another to get to your destination. At this stage it is connecting from one bus to another. However, long term this may mean you connect from a bus to light rail." So, in defiance of best public transport practice, Transport Canberra is softening up its passengers for the introduction of the tram that will see many people having to make two changes to complete what at present are single-vehicle journeys.

A study in 2004 indicated ACTION lost about 30 per cent of passengers when they had to change buses to complete their journeys.

The changes now being required are to get people used to the loss of direct bus services from many north Canberra suburbs to Civic and beyond.

This flawed approach is intended to force people from buses to tram to justify the $1billion infrastructure cost. The likely result will be reduced use of public transport.

Graham Downie, O'Connor

Re "Unions ACT calls for WorkSafe overhaul", October 2, p10).

I agree Canberra's work safe regulator, WorkSafe needs looking into.

Although I'm no longer working in the industry, I still stay in contact with safety managers from some of the larger construction companies. A common comment is that the inspectors seem to be lacking in construction and plant technical knowledge, therefore it is difficult to get good advice on a number of construction related matters.

They are happy to quote the Work Health and Safety Act or Regulations, but there's more to it than that.

Mr Peffer said the engage, educate and enforce mantra that guided all arms of Access Canberra came from cabinet.

Mr Peffer may be surprised to know that the engage, educate and enforce mantra has been around for a decade or more; this is not something new to WorkCover/WorkSafe, or certainly the previous inspectors and staff.

Commissioner Greg Jones is most likely doing his best. Who knows what direction or constraints may be placed on him, if any.

Let's face it, a lot of the heavy lifting to ensure construction workplaces are safe and without risks to health and safety is carried by the construction companies themselves and their safety managers and other third parties.

James Bodsworth, Phillip

Juliet Ramsay's excellent letter (October 2) summarises well the issues regarding the City to Lake project.

I haven't seen any sensible rationale for the project, certainly nothing that would warrant the partial destruction of one of the great plusses that this city has going for it.

The argument that a lake shore of restaurants and coffee shops set beside posh condominiums will make the city more cosmopolitan doesn't do much for me, or for anyone else I have talked to.

The lake, surrounded by parkland, is an asset that most cities would give their eye teeth for and our government is hell bent on damaging it.

What sort of Labor government is this?

As for the Greens, all we see from them is a love of trams and a hatred of cars.

They should, as Juliet Ramsey has said, be dead set against destroying this city's green spaces but they are silent.

Stan Marks, Hawker

Philip Bentwell has let the monarchists' strategy out of the bag (Republican alarmists, Letters, September 29).

Far from republicans fearing Prince Charles as king, it seems the monarchists' strategy is to argue we couldn't possibly have a referendum while Elizabeth, Charles and William are on the throne; it would be too rude and anyway take away the royal fancy dress spectacles.

Plus, they have a new line: complex changes to the constitution.

How complex is changing "Queen" and "Governor-General" to "President"?

At least the republicans have set a date for us to grow up.

James Mahoney, McKellar

Hugh Hefner, famous for his multiple wives and concubines, was a great fan of zoologist Alfred Kinsey who used skewed sex data to support his message: "Fornicate early, fornicate often, fornicate in every possible way".

Hefner's Playboy magazine was at the forefront of a massive move to normalise pornography — a move, following the advent of easy internet access, that has contributed to a huge rise in the rape of children by other children.

Hefner's life was certainly remarkable. For too many it was also disastrous.

Roslyn Philips, Tea Tree Gully, SA

Colliss Parrett (Letters, October 2) will apparently stop at nothing to deliver the message to our youth that using recreational drugs is never acceptable, including standing in the way of strategies that could eliminate the handful of easily preventable deaths at music festivals each year.

If Mr Parrett was serious about saving lives, the pill-testing proposal would receive his full endorsement, but there's more at stake than lives; this is about ideology, and every time somebody dies the fear-mongering of groups like the Drug Advisory Council of Australia is amplified.

James Allan, Narrabundah

As a regular user of the Majura Parkway I am dismayed at the number of motorists who ignore the "roadworks speed limit" of 80km/h near IKEA.

I have frequently seen cars and even trucks roar through here at 100km/h plus despite the fact that workers might be engaged in tasks along the edge of the road.

You rarely see a police car but there are mobile speed vans from time to time.

P. Dennis, Gungahlin

The NRL has yet again demonstrated to the AFL how a grand final post-match ceremony should unfold, especially with a formal recognition of the referees, thoughtful concession speeches and the allowing of a selection of devoted fans onto the ground for the presentations.

Furthermore, regardless of the result, both teams competing for the trophy deserve acknowledgement, especially the deflated losing side.

Therefore, the assembled North Queensland players standing up, being duly thanked for their participation and receiving both a handshake and a medallion, was a far more satisfying sight than seeing the despondent Adelaide Crows seated and slumped over during the victory speeches, and then covertly slipping away — almost without notice — while jubilant Richmond received their due glory.

Obviously a token gesture cannot take the place of a premiership win, but it would certainly put the contest itself in the spotlight and be a perfect example of what former coach Mick Malthouse rightly described several years ago, as, "being humble in victory and gracious in defeat."

Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn

Contrary to H. Ronald's assertion (Letters, September 30) the AFL "didn't reverse its decision" (after complaints) to change the AFL logo, the plan was always to have the "Yes" logo displayed at AFL House for one day.

The AFL also sent Sherrins with "Yes" on them to AFL clubs and state leagues across the country.

The AFL has been unequivocal in its support of a "yes" vote despite criticism.

The AFL Players Association also supports marriage equality following a player vote earlier this year.

Gillon McLachlan's leadership on this issue is in line with many other initiatives undertaken by the AFL in the past — the spectacularly successful Indigenous and multicultural rounds and ANZAC Day observance; the AFL Women's league; crackdowns on mindless racist taunts by spectators at games, and support of White Ribbon's anti-violence message are just a few which come readily to mind.

The organisation isn't perfect by any means but the game's culture is undoubtedly all the better for their decisive actions on a range of "non-sporting" social issues.

As a lifetime fan I'm grateful that both the game and its administrators have evolved over the decades.

Jon Stirzaker, Latham

As the same-sex marriage bandwagon has rolled on, becoming an insult to intelligence, the "no" vote is obviously the underdog.

The hurt caused to those who simply reject the marriage act being redefined is brushed aside.

Accusations constantly hurled — they are unfair, they are not mature, not sophisticated enough, they have no compassion, they are denying basic human rights to another, they are imposing their self-selected behaviour on all, they are unable to understand reason, bigoted, religious, homophobics.

Really? How much truth is in those accusations?

When same-sex marriage comes in, as has happened overseas, the divisions will remain: we will have "same-sex marriage and "traditional" marriage because, as has been found, the reality is, differentiation remains.

Sylvia Miners, Isabella Plains

For all of us, growing up is a slow process of sorting out where we want to stand in life's herd.

Most of us, especially during the sensitive adolescent years, prefer not to be noteworthy for being different.

Since the norm is to have a father and a mother most of us could find the lack of one or the other for any reason whatsoever to be a potential block to the conformity we desire; while to grow up — especially if given no choice in the matter — with two fathers or two mothers could create psychological hazards, even if one is never known to complain.

Barrie Smillie, Duffy

Hear, hear Brendan Whyte, "Blind Eye" (Letters, September 25). Let's call it what it is.

It is same-sex marriage. Not human rights, not marriage equality. I am not against same-sex marriage but let's not mix our words.

If everyone wanted marriage equality that would mean equal rights within all marriages across Australia. Those of Jewish faith, Muslim, Orthodox, Sharia ... the list goes on. There are different rules for marriage across different religions.

Ah yes ... that word "religion" — funny how it does come up when talking of marriage. If 14-year-olds can marry and (Egyptian) Muslim men can divorce their wives simply by repeating the word "divorce" three times, I wonder which marriage it is the LGBQTI community wants.?

I'm guessing the Christian Australian version.

Michelle Fegan, Belconnen

In supporting nuclear deterrence, Tom Switzer ("False sense of security", October 2, p.18) seems to have ignored the reasons for the momentum behind the new treaty to ban nuclear weapons.

The ongoing failure of the nuclear weapons states to honour their pledges to disarm under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a major reason.

Another is growing awareness of the implications of a nuclear war. Let Australia join moves to set the bar higher and reduce the pressure on smaller states to follow North Korea's example.

David Purnell, Florey

So Julie Bishop thinks Trump is doing OK over North Korea. Just who does she think she is kidding?

N. Gentle, Toowoomba, Qld

LACKING CHARACTER

Nature at it's worst has seen Puerto Rico attacked by hurricanes Irma and then Maria with all of their wind and hot air. Then instead of nurture there is another attack, from President Trump with all of his wind and hot air.

We need compassion and words of wisdom not tweets by a person using 140 characters but lacking character.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill, Vic

TRUMP GRATES

Say what you like about Trump, he is certainly making America "grate" again.

Chris Mobbs, Torrens

WORSHIPING BUDDHA

Alastair Stewart contends that Buddhists 'do not pray to the Buddha', but merely respect him as a teacher (Letters, September 28).

He apparently hasn't been to Vietnam, where they most certainly do worship Buddhas (plural).

Our guide at Marble Mountain, Da Nang, said he particularly 'worshipped' the Lady Buddha.

Ian Douglas, Jerrabomberra

KICK-OFF ERROR

Up until the kick-off at 7.34 pm the official NRL website advertised the kick-off as 7.15 , I blame daylight saving.

Nick Corby, Hawker

ANALOGY WRONG

Barnaby Joyce uses the wrong analogy when suggesting not selling Liddell coal fired power plant is like not selling an FJ Holden. An FJ has value as a sought-after vintage car. Selling Liddell is like selling a Leyland P76, an ugly, gas guzzling and polluting car that nobody wants and should never have been made in the first place.

Chris Hansen, Rivett

MONOCULTURAL

If Australia was truly multicultural girls would be able to be circumcised and married off at 12 and members of warring ethnic and/or religious groups could kill each other in the name of honour.

By prohibiting these practices we are guilty of monoculturalism. And long may it remain so.

Lee Welling, Nicholls

FACT NOT IMAGINATION

How many of our utility bills are estimates?

How would ACTEW react if the people of Canberra made their own estimates of how much power and gas they used and paid accordingly.

One should only be asked to pay for what you buy. Bills should be based on fact not imagination!

E. R. Moffat, Weston

DECIDER LETDOWN

What a disappointing NRL grand final. Storm deserved better opposition.

M. Moore, Bonython

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