Each time the volume and duration of the vitriol has scuttled an important debate about Islamism in which, ironically, Hirsi-Ali is in complete disagreement with the other two.

As an example, the inane attacks on Anne Aly ("Muslim MP Anne Aly falsely accused of refusing to lay wreath on Anzac Day", CT, April 28) deflect from her desire to institute blasphemy laws. This is a ghastly regressive suggestion from a federal MP, but to say so in this toxic environment invites accusations of racism, sexism and religious bigotry.

Aly must be freed from these ad hominem attacks so she can address this conundrum: Our culture celebrates a Jew, George Gershwin, who satirised the Bible with It Ain't Necessarily So.

Where is the Koranic equivalent of this satire? I contend it can't exist because of life-threatening consequences for anyone concerned with its creation. This cowering silence is backed by punitive Islamic blasphemy laws. Let's rise above social media bilge and debate the substance of these women's controversial views.

Peter Robinson, Ainslie

Less than a week after the frenzy over supposedly insulting comments made on Anzac Day by a TV presenter, the Prime Minister of Australia truly insulted some of our war heroes, in front of the Governor-General no less, yet no one cares. Where is the RSL? Tony Abbott? Barnaby Joyce? Pauline Hanson?

Malcolm Turnbull said at the weekend that America's Battle of the Coral Sea was the battle which saved Australia in World War II. No, it present-participle-well was not. That honour goes to the Battle of the Kokoda Track, where the fighting was done by Australians alone, with neither Americans nor British anywhere near.

The Japanese fleet which entered the Coral Sea wanted to seize Port Moresby, from where an invasion of Australia could be launched later. The Americans stopped this particular plan, but that didn't save Australia because the Japanese Army then tried again to take Port Moresby by attacking directly through New Guinea. This was when they failed once and for all, having been defeated on land for the first time by Australians and no one else.

Only then was Australia saved. But for 75 years we have grovelled to the Americans about it. The Poles and the Czechs under communism grovelled to the Russians year after year for liberating them from the Nazis and then for staying around to make sure that everyone remained liberated – but we have behaved worse than that. We have insulted our heroes in the vilest way possible.

The Poles and the Czechs remembered their own heroes, but we have let ours be swept under the carpet. We have publicly given their achievement to foreigners. And as usual, the Abbotts, Joyces and Hansons of our country couldn't care less. Instead, they join in the grovelling. The RSL allows it all to pass without comment.

It was our governor-general, Field Marshall Sir William Slim, who said that Kokoda was the first place where the Japanese had been defeated on land. His knowledge of the subject can be relied on. He also said, "Let Australians never forget this. It is, like Anzac, part of their noble tradition."

So instead of getting hysterical about some insignificant TV presenter, when does Australia stop insulting the Australian heroes who did actually save us?

G.T.W. Agnew, Coopers Plains, Qld

The Coalition seems to have successfully wedged Labor into supporting the Adani abomination by linking it with jobs in a job-hungry area.

Malcolm is now quite used to selling his soul to the devil, but this is a mine too far. Now he wants to lend Adani $900million of our money to help the old shyster build his tax-dodging empire.

Labor should counter with an offer of a similar concessional loan to Queensland to be used to build solar or wind power facilities, backed up by hydro where possible.

This would probably create just as many jobs both in construction and later maintenance and would bring real and continuing benefits to our fellow citizens of the north. It would also be of long-term benefit to the Great Barrier Reef.

Our $900million (yes, $900,000,000.00!) should be spent on us and to benefit us, not an international pipe dream. The banks already know that, but they are taking a realistic, as distinct from an ideological, approach.

James Gralton, Garran

As tensions arise around the Korean Peninsular once again thanks to both US President Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, Australia needs to consider the implications for its oil supply.

In March, North Korea launched four "extended-range" Scud missiles that are capable of flying nearly 1000kilometres, meaning they are capable of reaching South Korea and parts of Japan.

Should tensions rise, North Korea could wipe out South Korea's six oil refineries and many in Japan. This would have grave consequences for South Korea as it produces no oil of its own. Nevertheless, it more than abides by the requirement of the International Energy Agency to hold a 90-day oil stockpile and could survive for eight months should military activity in the region prevent oil tankers arriving from the Middle East and elsewhere.

Australia, on the other hand, has dragged its feet on complying with the IEA 90-day stockpile requirement. It imports a great deal of petrol, diesel and jet fuel from South Korea. Should supplies be cut from there, we will have to find it from other refineries, like Singapore, though that cannot be assured. What Australia should be doing right now is ensuring all its storage tanks are full. We should also consider buying or renting second-hand oil tankers to increase our inventories and get closer to the IEA requirement. We should also consider cancelling new oil-dependent infrastructure like road tunnels and airports and replace them with electric rail projects.

Jenny Goldie, Michelago

On disembarking our new and much appreciated international connection from Singapore, we overheard the air crew ask among themselves, "What are we going to do here?" Glancing around the shiny new arrivals hall, we were shocked to see no promotions of Canberra – absolutely nothing!

We are missing a golden opportunity to advertise all that Canberra has to offer our international visitors.

Ashwin Swaminathan, Lyneham

I'd like to thank the anonymous person who found and returned my wallet, replete with cash and cards, lost somewhere between the Brumbies bay 30 and my home on Sunday. You have restored my faith in the honesty and integrity of Canberrans.

To the other person who stole my boy's bike from around the side of my house the week before, I hope that one day you may be more like the first.

Ric Pauline, Campbell

When I read the newspaper I sometimes get the impression that I am not being told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Take Paddy Gourley's words: "the 'vast majority of [federal] government' staff – between 70 and 80 per cent – are not now in Canberra. Rather they are spread around the country and many of them in 'regional Australia'." ("Past government pushes to the bush flopped ... except for the move to Canberra", Public Sector Informant, May 2, online).

That intelligence makes it very difficult for me to accept that the high price of housing in Canberra is due to undersupply. What is driving the demand? Why do we need more land released and more homes built? What is really happening in Canberra? Just how much town planning is population manipulation?

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

Steve Ellis (letters, May 1) wants letters to the editor regarding the "tram" to be given "a rest".

While l have some sympathy for his lament, I feel I must answer the query raised by Mike Quirk (letters, May 1) who says "it remains unclear what the objective of light rail is".

May I advise Mike the "objective" is very staightforward. It certainly is (was!) to Shane Rattenbury, who wanted a condition for supporting the Labor party. That condition was to have a "green" objective, or a light rail system. So by making this promise to Shane Rattenbury to support the light rail, Labor ensured that they gained control of the Assembly.

Simple really! I hope this answers Mike's question.

Geoff Barker, Flynn

I disagree with Emeritus Professor Ross Fitzgerald ("ACT's drug testing trial could help end decades of backward policing and policy towards behaviour", CT, May 1, p14).

Firstly, I am deeply dismayed at the use of the term backward for police drug policy – which is implemented within the national policy. By seizing 30-35 tonnes of drugs annually, police prevent about 15 million hits reaching our kids on the streets, saving untold lives.

Health authorities aim for harm prevention of influenza, measles, diptheria, whooping cough etc, but for unacceptable reasons the aim against drug use is harm reduction, when it should be harm prevention.

Drink-drive testing for alcohol is virtually 100 per cent accurate because authorities know exactly what they are testing for – alcohol. However, in the context of youth festivals or music events, the drug pushers use masking substances to confuse results. Too often this means drug testing can't identify dangerous substances, and our youth become guinea pigs.

As well, it nurtures a growing false sense of security in the belief that it's okay to consume drugs, provided you are tested.

Colliss Parrett, Drug Advisory Council Australia, Barton

I note that Mr Fluffy "remediated" blocks are selling for very inflated prices compared to the pristine, surrounding blocks ("Reserve prices revealed for 53 Mr Fluffy blocks to be auctioned", CT, April 25).

The word "remediated" does not mean a complete removal but simply infers improving a bad situation. Our government/Worksafe will not give a verbal or written guarantee that the so-called "safe", "remediated" Mr Fluffy blocks they are selling by auction to the public are 100 per cent asbestos fibre free but it is happy to unreservedly accept auction money and stamp duty!

According to the Asbestos Task Force, the site scrape, after all the rubble is cleared, is "about" 150-300mm (only!) of soil to ensure that if any soil contamination is present it is removed with the demolition waste. Then the soil is tested across the site. It does not say how – but it is presumably by drilling shallow core holes?

The Asbestos Task Force/Worksafe has found after demolishing 500 houses that after the soil scrape there is "very little" asbestos in the soil. About 60 per cent of the sites test negative completely. Surprisingly, in the other 40 per cent (200 sites), "usually" only one or two in 10 samples on a site are found with fibres and the contamination levels are very low (whatever this means!)

Is this good enough? It means that two in five (40 per cent) of Mr Fluffy "remediated" blocks being auctioned are still contaminated! Surely nobody wants to buy a block where there are still contamination levels of potentially carcinogenic materials.

Presumably there is a decontamination report for each of the Mr Fluffy "remediated" blocks our government sells. Hopefully this report is available to prospective purchasers and just as importantly to neighbours of Mr Fluffy "remediated" blocks.

P.R. Temple, Macquarie

EDUCATION FUNDING

Can someone explain to me why the federal government plans to cut funding to universities when they are happily spending money on proposals to relocate government departments to other parts of regional Australia?

Gay von Ess, Aranda

In the morning our Prime Minister tells us that budget repair is essential to avoid passing "a mountain of debt onto the shoulders of our children and grandchildren", but by sundown we learn that it is OK for the children and grandchildren who want a university education to shoulder a mountain of debt!

Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla

What a very different Australia we would have if the success of a prime minister was measured by the drop in the gap between the income of the top 10 per cent and the bottom 10 per cent during their term in office.

Audrey Guy, Ngunnawal

SEEKING OUT SMYTH

Where, oh where, is Brendan Smyth? Oh where oh where can he be?

John Galvin, Weston

DEFINING COAL TYPES

There has always been black coal and brown coal and black coal is washed before it is exported and is therefore by definition clean. It only gets dirty when it is burned.

Graham Brady, Hughes

SLOWLY MAKING POINT

Good to see Labor leading on climate change: it's only taken them five years to get to the point of slamming the Adani coal mine publicly!

Paul Magarey, O'Connor

LESSONS FROM WAR

Lest we forget. Vietnam. April 30, 1975. Have we learnt nothing from that defeat, and our alliance with the biggest war machine and pack of war criminals in imperialist history?

John Passant, Kambah

PICKING DIRECT ROUTE

If the ACT government decides on the longer, more circuitous route for stage two light rail, via Barton/Parliamentary Triangle/National Circuit, how about it retains the current express bus service between Woden and Civic for those wanting the "direct route"? Fat chance!

John Mungoven, Stirling

With the ACT government embarking on stage two of light rail to Woden, should we refer to their plans as the transport policy?

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

RECORDED MESSAGE

I worry that Senator Cormann's minders might one day send him into an interview having forgotten to activate his recorded message mechanism.

M.F. Horton, Adelaide SA

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.

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