And a political footnote for Labor leader Bill Shorten, who announced rather arrogantly (looking to the next election) that, "You can have same-sex marriage or Tony Abbott". Well, reluctant as I am, being a Centre-Left voter, Tony will get my vote on this one.

John Wood, Red Hill

Tony Abbott tells us that there are more important issues than gay marriage, and he is right. However, the issue of gay marriage is the elephant in the room, which will not go away until it is resolved. I believe that no matter what your personal beliefs are, none of us has the right to deny others their happiness.

I believe gay marriage should be supported, and it should be done soon lest it overshadow all other issues. So whether it is done by the Parliament, or by popular vote, it should be done at the earliest opportunity. Democracy, by my understanding is for the people, by the people. Politicians, including the Prime Minister, should heed this, or put it to the people at the next election.

Ron Cawthron, Florey

Prime Minister Abbott has become a proponent of a plebiscite on same-sex marriage. He wants to give voters a say. A sudden change of heart to be sure, but let's give him the benefit of the doubt and projecting forward, assume his government has been re-elected. He schedules the plebiscite (with what we can only hope will be unambiguous wording) and, if current polls are accurate, the majority of Australians vote to amend the Marriage Act.

However, given the result of a plebiscite is not binding on Parliament, will Mr Abbott then instruct his Coalition colleagues to vote for subsequent legislation regardless of their beliefs, or will he allow them to vote their conscience? If the latter, why would it be appropriate then and not now?

Bart Meehan, Calwell

That Tony Abbott doesn't like marriage equality is one thing. It's entirely another for him use his current position as Prime Minister to move the issue from Parliament, where it belongs (and would quickly be settled in line with the wishes of a far greater majority of Australians than any political party has ever commanded at an election), into a meeting of the parliamentary wing of his political party, where he can command obedience from enough party colleagues to get his own way. This isn't a more manipulative version of the disgusting "captain's pick" – an analogy which asks us to accept that our entire system of government is a game of sport. It's just corruption.

Katherine Beauchamp, Ainslie

Those liberals in the tradition of Edmund Burke really don't have much of a clue do they? Their arguments about reflecting their electors (and justifying voting against equal love or having a plebiscite) don't stand up to scrutiny.

Burke, in talking about the role of elected representatives, wrote: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion." But of course we don't have liberals in Parliament any more.

John Passant, Kambah

Call time on judge Perhaps our sporty Prime Minister would benefit from a sporting analogy to explain why Justice Dyson Heydon's position as Royal Commissioner is no longer tenable. In the (unlikely) event that Mr Abbott's beloved Manly Sea Eagles feature in the 2015 grand final, how would he feel if he found out that the referee had recently been the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for the opposing team? Yes, it really is that simple.

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

Forget DPP tenure ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell has stated he is now seeking views on whether the ACT Director of Public Prosecution's appointment should be fixed to a term of 10 years. Surely there are more important aspects of the appointment of the DPP that Mr Corbell should be consulting the community about. For instance, how we best implement an open and transparent process for the appointment of such an important and influential position.

The re-appointment of the DPP in the manner we have just seen in the Territory, without a hint of transparency ("DPP boss granted three-year extension", August 13, p5), only serves to erode the dwindling perception that the director's position is independent.

Ben Aulich, Canberra City

On reading Peter Hartcher's article "For Abbott it's all political" (August 11, p1) I find it even more difficult to believe the climate change tripe the Prime Minister is now touting, while simultaneously posturing as a responsible source of enlightened policymaking on this vexed subject.

Can he possibly believe the garbage that is Greg Hunt's "Direct Action" can somehow be converted into a credible contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the scale needed?

I do not hate the coal industry, nor the people who work in it. If it were possible to produce clean coal, and to sell it profitably, I would wish them well, but that is not going to happen. When the international meetings on climate change begin to roll in Paris, does the Abbott government really think its miniature proposals will be taken seriously?It seems likely we will not be pulling our weight, and the cost of that for all of us will be high.

James Douglas, Kingston

Pooch perspective The Hettinger family typify today's rampant narcissism where people simply refuse to take any responsibility for their action ("They failed us: parents of dog-bite victim slam new laws", August 13, p1). They asked if their daughter could approach the dog. Does anyone believe the owner would have said yes if his dog had any history of attacking? It was a tragic event and no one is criminally culpable. If it had been my grandson I would have felt wretchingly awful for my grandson, and empathy for the dog owner.

Dr Paul Recher, Yarralumla

Shane Rattenbury should practice what he has preached regarding community consultation on controversial decisions ("Rattenbury sounds planning warning", August 13, p1) and engage in genuine consultation on the proposed light rail.

Genuine consultation includes publishing a proper comparison of implementation options, for example light rail v bus lane, that achieve the desired outcome of reducing reliance on private low-occupancy cars during peak hours.

B. Paine, Red Hill

Robert Willson (Letters, August 12) invokes divine authority in his rejection of "the supposed rights of women" to abortion, let alone any right to abortion without harassment from religious zealots. He is entitled to claim knowledge of God's will, but when those claims conflict with secular law he and his anti-abortion cohorts should bow to the more rational and democratic authority.

A passive-aggressive "prayer vigil" may be a distant cousin, but is nevertheless related to the misogynist horrors of the Middle East; all are fruit of certainty about God's Will.

Peter Robinson, Ainslie

I'll leave to others arguments relating to the rights and wrongs of Australia's border protection policies. But, what was Margaret Lancaster (Letters, August 12) thinking when she quoted alleged Swiss and English disquiet?

Neither country should preach to us, or any other. The Swish mentality is governed by Calvinistic ethics, resting as they do on money and commerce. Bone up, Ms Lancaster, on R.H.Tawney's classic Religion and the Rise of Capitalism, reprinted seven times since 1926.

Simultaneously, reflect on Swiss complicity in siding with the Nazi looting of Jewish artworks, Swiss control and hoarding of them, Swiss enthusiasm for identifying and then returning Jewish refugees to certain death from what had been considered a safe haven in Switzerland, and Swiss resistance subsequently to any serious attempts to recognise legitimate claims for property stolen by Hitler and his henchmen.

And, then there's her English relatives! Does Ms Lancaster not keep abreast of Britain's border protection policies, which essentially attempt to exclude refugees fleeing rotten governance, just like us.

Australia is blessed with the world's greatest moat.

And, aren't the supercilious Europeans and Brits envious of the manner in which we exploit it!

Patrick Jones, Griffith

I wish people like Margaret Lancaster would take off their rose-tinted glasses and step into the real world.

It is easy for the Swiss to be critical, as Switzerland is land-locked and hardly likely to be inundated by boat people trying to illegally enter the country.

And as for Margaret's English relatives, well they must be as naive as she is if they can't see the problems associated with opening the floodgates to such people (I presume that is what is meant by "lateral and generous thinking on new ways of dealing with the situation").

Only recently British Prime Minister David Cameron raised his concern about asylum-seekers trying to get to England via the Channel Tunnel.

They would all want access to the welfare payments/health treatment etcetera at the expense of the British taxpayer, just like the situation in Australia. Fortunately, the policies of the Abbott government have curtailed this.

Bob McDonald, Weetangera

SIMPLY LOVE AND MARRIAGE

The Abbott government's "disposition" for discrimination knows no bounds. The best Social Services Minister Scott Morrison can do is offer us an expensive opportunity to amend our constitution so it specifies two different forms of marriage – opposite-sex marriage and same-sex marriage. No thanks, Scott.

Love is love, marriage is marriage, they go together like a ... wait! Don't mention any animals, it might upset Cory Bernardi. Can we just get on with it, please!

Penny Oakes, Pambula Beach, NSW

Every time I hear Tony Abbott talk about letting the people decide about same-sex marriage, I am reminded of the republican referendum that John Howard presented to the Australian people where he loaded the question to ensure he got the result he wanted.

Joe Murphy, Bonython

I am heartily sick of the same-sex marriage debate; let them get on with it and hopefully it will then become a non-issue and fade into the background.

Norman Lee, Weston

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

If Tony Abbott thinks there are issues, like marriage equality, too important to be decided by Parliament, can we please have a plebiscite on climate change and the future of coal mining in Australia?

Gaynor Morgan, Braddon

PM'S SHIP TURNS SLOWLY

It took Tony Abbott three weeks to withdraw his support for Bronwyn Bishop. Will it take him three weeks to withdraw support from Dyson Heydon?

Michael McCarthy, Deakin

Senator George Brandis says it isn't a Liberal fundraiser, Tony Abbott says it is. Can words have different meanings in the Senate and House of Representatives?

Helmut Simon, Watson Commissioner

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