The network is estimated to cost a minimum of $8.7 billion in 2016-17 prices and about $9.4billion by 2019-20, when taxpayers have to start paying the piper.

The ACT Budget Papers for FY2017-18 say that for stage 1 (Gungahlin-Civic), the PPP payments to the consortium, will be $54.269 million in 2019-20, with similar amounts each year through until 2027-28, for a total of $1.46 billion in 2019-20 prices.

Given the projected number of ratepayers in Canberra, each will be paying, one way or another, a minimum of about $390 per annum, for a total over 20 years of $7792 in today's money. How many Canberrans will ever use the Gungahlin tram regularly?

This burden is only the start. It ramps up for taxpayers with every stage brought on line — to $740 pa ($14,800 over 20 years) for stage 2 (Civic-Woden) and, eventually, to $2291 pa ($45,816 over 20 years) by completion of stage 8 in 2036-37. Although all taxpayers will pay, it is estimated that less than 20 per cent of them would ever use any of the trams.

Every Canberran should be demanding to know how the government intends to pay for its planned tram network.

Not only will the costs be enormous, but also, expected Benefit to Cost Ratios for any stage will be grossly uneconomic.

M. Flint, Smart Canberra Transport, Erindale

I am pleased to see that J. Howard, of Cook (Letters, June 22), now realises that lawn bowls is a sport that can be, and is, played by people of all ages.

At Yowani we have active members from 18 to over 80. I share, too, her/his concern that Gungahlin residents don't have the opportunity to participate in what is an enjoyable and beneficial sport.

While I note that he/she has concerns that the relocation of the Canberra City Bowling Club to Gungahlin Lakes may or may not go ahead, even if it does proceed, it will be some time before the greens are in use.

Yowani is just down the Federal or Barton Highways from Gungahlin, with three greens under lights.

We already have members living in Gungahlin and we would welcome new bowlers from there, or indeed from the Canberra City Bowling Club looking for a new home.

Why not contact Yowani and try it — you may be surprised how much you enjoy it.

Peter Grills, president, Yowani Bowls, Kingston

Those arguing for decentralisation of government departments ("Large departments ripe for decentralisation", June 19, p2) seem to have forgotten about the "budget repair and expenditure crisis" that the Coalition has been so vocal about.

Decentralisation could only be paid for by additional expenditure from the federal budget, or by cuts in departmental budgets, resulting in even further loss of services for the taxpayer and/or for the government. Anyway, what is wrong with centralising government functions in Canberra?

It is the nation's capital after all, and that's what every other government in the world does.

Where is the hard evidence that suddenly Canberra is the wrong place to locate government functions?

It's actually what everyone expects!

Trevor Wilson, Holder

Re: "Terrible news" about the economy in the context of "Economic diversity essential" for the ACT (editorial, June 22).

What do you expect from a "Trammany Hall" dominated by "socio-crats" and void of any engineering input?

We have a National Capital Authority that thinks the tram is about public transport in a city that can never support a useful tram network, a government that says it's about urban development (seen as income from real estate) and the CFMEU that knows it's about gold-plated jobs for the membership.

There are two technologies that will revolutionise this city and the way things are looking our private sector will only participate as sale organisations channelling profits overseas.

Before the Gungahlin tram is operational the backbone of the NBN will be complete in Canberra. Despite household internet disappointments, protests from people whose jobs will become relocatable and the usual political wrangling, fibre to the premises spells new organisation and new opportunities for business and government.

Later we can expect the driverless car to fundamentally change the way we look at transport and society.

With its quality roads and uniform street layout Canberra is the ideal city for the introduction of "Level 4" driverless technology.

The opportunities for industry in these technology areas are enormous.

John L. Smith, Farrer

Your report "He's back: Brumbies land Fisher" (June 23, p 56) can be read as indicating the Brumbies will no longer go anywhere near winning a spot in the finals.

When lead coach some years ago, Fisher repeatedly used to say bonus points did not matter, and the Brumbies accordingly took penalty kicks, did not score tries, and missed spots in the finals for lack of bonus points. My wife and I handed in our annual tickets as a result, and have never renewed them.

T. W. Campbell, Bruce

Not only do we find dead kangaroos but the roads are littered with dead birds – magpies, magpie-larks, galahs, king parrots – you name it, they are splattered on our roads.

The drivers who run over them either think birds can miraculously fly away at the last moment or simply don't care and see it as their right to run over whoever is in their way.

They don't see the bird's family member, either young one or partner, pining over the dead. Open up your eyes – importantly, open up your hearts, Canberrans.

The world is not just about you.

Carolyn Drew, Page

The comments in an interview given recently by Prince Harry to Newsweek in which he stated that: "the heavy burden which comes with the throne isn't something anyone aspired to" are quite correct.

To be monarch is an awesome burden. Not only does one have to be on call 24 hours each day, read through State papers, meet with ministers to be consulted and to advise, to attend various events and functions almost every day and worse, to be in the public spotlight continuously.

The Queen has carried on her duties for over 65 years immaculately. Even though the 24/7 news cycle occurred only more recently during her reign, Her Majesty has taken it all on board and has unflinchingly continued to serve the people.

Service and duty is today what the monarchy is all about. As Prince Harry said in his interview "Despite the challenges that come with it" the monarchy was "a force for good".

Australia's constitutional monarchy has upheld our democracy for well over a hundred years during which time so many countries became republics and then dictatorships.

Philip Benwell, Australian Monarchist League, Sydney

Have you noticed the silence from the Australian Republican movement lately? Friends who used to support the republic now tell me that they are having second thoughts.

The chaos in the government of the "great Republic", as the US used to be called, seems to have made some Australians rethink the values of the Constitutional Monarchy which we inherited from Great Britain.

Would we really appreciate a President like Donald Trump?

Robert Willson, Deakin

Prince Harry is being quoted as saying that no one in the Royal Family wants to be King or Queen in the future.

He has apparently made the shock confession in an interview about his life and the future of the monarchy.

That being so, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, as a founding member of the Australian Republican Movement, should now make his move — for Australia to become a republic.

John Milne, Chapman

A piece of poesy

Oh dwindling but worthy dear readers of times so Canberran

Those waking early to welcome your frost-braving thump

At door or in garden now leafless and hopelessly barren

Just how can your letters inspire us to live through the Trump?

We pen them believing in thought and the power of up-speaking

We snuggle in sheets and the comfort of warmth and bed-tea

Complain of omissions and close editorial tweaking

Wonder who's faking the truth and whether we'd see

A new way through or whether we're doomed as a species

A killer app hiding perhaps in the depths of page five

A reconciled outcome depending on bilateral treaties

An alternative route that will help our loved grandkids survive

It's a club with anonymous members who finger news pages

They cherish complexity allowing debate to unfold

The texture of trees heard to crinkle reputations upend

And citizens read of their territory's tantrums and rages

Old Canberra sharing your consciousness words free and bold

Will history give way to our pressure see reason and bend?

Jill Sutton, Watson

S. K. Chatterjee in his letter of June 22 missed the most important point about that community solar project article.

They are negotiating for a wholesale feed in tariff of $200/MWh. That is huge. On the NSW grid the average wholesale spot price for electricity is about $30/MWh.

That is almost seven times larger. It shows just how expensive the allegedly "cheap" renewables really are.

John McKerral, Batemans Bay, NSW

I find it disturbing that some people can't even wait for the smoke to clear before rushing to print to make petty political points.

John Rodriguez (Letters, June 16) was quick to link the tragic London fire to the "malpractices of capitalism".

He ignored the numerous other similar recent fires globally (including in China), where cladding and workmanship contributed to the loss of life.

He also omitted to consider that the dodgy cladding in question likely originated in China.

Kym MacMillan, O'Malley

It is to be hoped those companies constructing the monstrous high rise apartment blocks in Gunghalin can reassure those who have purchased off the plan each apartment is fitted with fire alarms and sprinkler systems and no inflammable cladding is being used.

N. Bailey, Nicholls

Ian Dunlop in his article "Addressing real risks" (June 22, p18) urges Australians, and Australian leaders in particular, to get together and seriously address the risks that climate change poses. However, I think he means that we should produce less, or no, further atmospheric carbon dioxide rather than "remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere".

Dunlop is far from alone.

Leaders of some of the world's major companies recognise the realities of climate change and many are urging and/or taking action.

They include: BHP and Rio Tinto, both of which have major coal interests; and Shell, Exxon-Mobil, BP and Chevron.

It's high time our political leaders also recognised the reality and took serious steps to address climate change.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

CLOSE GOOD ENOUGH

How encouraging to see Nick Xenophon echo the wisdom of Cicero, that master politician of the last days of the Roman republic, as expressed by Voltaire: "We must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good". The Greens, led by Lee Rhiannon, seem to prefer the example of another Roman politician of the time, Cato the Younger, who committed suicide rather than sully his philosophical ideals.

Paul Edwards, Chapman

DEGREE OF DIFFERENCE

Early on a winter's morning the reported temperature at the airport is always colder than that at the ABC's office in Dickson. This is understandable given the flat, open area at the airport compared with urbanised, slightly hilly Dickson. What I do not understand is why that differential can be between one and four degrees. Can a meteorologist explain this?

Alan Robertson, Canberra City

ARRANT NONSENSE

As someone who believes the climate is changing and has read widely on this subject, I find it extraordinary even a reformed coal industry executive could spruik such arrant nonsense. ("Addressing real risks", Ian Dunlop, June 22, p18). It read more like the rantings of a medieval cleric than a serious commentary on a hideously complex subject.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

LOADING LOSES IMPACT

Health funds say the Lifetime Health Cover loading has lost its desired effect over 17 years.

It is bad medicine to have to pay the Lifetime Health Cover loading on private health insurance but why does the extra amount go to the insurance company?

Surely the money should go to the government and into the public health system.

Mark Arbuz, Roseville, NSW

AN EXCELLENT RESULT

It is heartening to see that the financial geniuses in the Federal Coalition have smoothed out the debt inherited from those economic illiterates in the Labor Party.

They have taken the $270 billion debt from the "debt and deficit disaster" and smoothed it to half a trillion dollars.

Much better, well done.

Ray O'Brien, Wavell Heights, Qld

NOT A GOOD LOOK

It's only a few weeks since the PM lambasted Labor over its inability to respect the Fair Work Commission.

Now we see how much respect senior cabinet ministers have for our courts. Not only did they publicly criticise without even bothering to check their facts, but they snubbed the courts in full view of the whole nation before finally apologising on Friday.

S. W. Davey, Torrens

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