CSIRO and ABC are pillars of our society that need PM's support

With dwindling career prospects here, our best and brightest were leaving our shores in droves, and all the while the CSIRO and ABC funding suffered decades of cuts. Twenty-five years ago Australia was No.1 in the world in solar technology, today we're a joke.

Tony Abbott (media magnate Rupert Murdoch's preferred prime minister), threw Malcolm Turnbull a hospital pass when he put a sword through the heart of the ABC, and he as Minister for Communication was forced to defend the funding cuts.

If Mr Turnbull wants to inspire a nation, he can restore funding, and breathe life back into these two, once great pillars of Australian society, before it's too late. What says he?

Alan Kelley, Cook

Was the Leigh Sales interview with new PM Malcolm Turnbull on ABC TV's 7.30 Report on Monday a sign of things to come? Gone was the blowtorch that scorched Joe Hockey's belly, replaced by a feather duster and an apology for being "rude" as Ms Sales interrupted a long Turnbull monologue on why he is so fabulous to ask yet another soft question.

Is this just a brief outpouring of relief at the demise of Tony Abbott or should Bill Shorten be preparing to be grilled on whether he is a cat person or a dog person and whether it was love at first sight when he met Chloe?

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

As a supporter of Tony Abbott, the pragmatist in me penned a very supportive letter for Malcolm Turnbull setting out why conservative voters should get behind him despite their disappointment at the political assassination of Tony Abbott.

I still hold that view, but having watched Leigh Sales in the 7.30 Report give Turnbull all the time he needed to demonstrate that he is a waffling pain in the backside, I hope that Arthur Sinodinos can impress on him that less is more.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

As a lifelong Liberal voter, the Turnbull putsch has left me feeling like the aftermath of an election loss to Labor: living in a country under enemy occupation.

It's an evil day for the once great party of Robert Menzies ... now aping Labor in the populist poll-panicked assassination of a prime minister who so recently brought the party in from the wilderness of opposition.

Like it or not, while technically a Westminster system, our elections are run on presidential lines and voters expect parliaments to run their full term under the leader of the party which took government.

A prime minister – a fine man – has been brought down by the overweening ambition of a shallow egoist.

Those who voted in the usurper are as guilty as Mr Turnbull.

R.C. Warn, Weston

Let's get this straight, Peter Waterhouse and H. Ronald (Letters, September 21). If the nature of political commentary has been "mostly sour, bitter, character assassination", and if there could be considered to have been "spiteful and infantile comments against Tony Abbott" then both these things have arisen in the context of a bitter and confrontationist political environment created in very large part by Tony Abbott himself, and nurtured egregiously by his shock jock supporters.

As an inhabitant of the moderate to left-wing spectrum of politics, it is my very sincere hope that a significant change in this environment will be one of the things which Malcolm Turnbull will be able to bring with him.

Peter Dark, Queanbeyan, NSW

Greg Cornwall's questioning of why able bodied young Syrians are not staying and fighting IS or whatever he wants to call them (Letters, September 21), reminds me of all those who were happy to support conscription of my generation to fight in Vietnam in the secure knowledge that they would not have to go.

If he has not noticed, the situation in the Middle East is intractable while NATO and the US continue to interfere in their affairs, including support for those who wish to oust the Assad government.

David Groube, Guerilla Bay, NSW

Calling the Port Arthur murders a massacre, not terrorism, is "conventional racialised wisdom" according to Irfan Yusuf ("Bernardi lacks broad appeal", Times2, September 21, p4).

Terrorism is an inhuman political methodology, so if he can see a racial connection in not using it for Martin Bryant's behaviour, that is his problem.

As to his Nabil Youssef speculations, yes, we do think, from experience with migrants that one will integrate better than the other. There is no "xenophobia" in that observation either. It seems to be Yusuf who is playing the racism card.

P. Edwards, Holder

While I share Jenny Moxham's distaste for the Islamic tradition of ritual animal slaughter (Letters, September 19), it's a pity she has nothing to say about the same practices observed by other religions, including the Jewish, Hindu and Christian faiths; not to forget the ritual slaughter of dolphins in Denmark and Japan, or even our own occasional efforts with rabbits, kangaroos and cane toads.

In singling out the Muslim faith for its behaviour, Jenny seems to have adopted the hypocritical behaviour of many Australians in making selective criticisms to suit a wider agenda, as evidenced by our readiness to attack the application of the death penalty; but only when it is to be imposed on one of us.

All Gods would have us keep our eyes wide shut except for them, Jenny: that's what Gods do!

John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW

Phew, we really dodged a bullet there. Our precious Lyneham neighbourhood oval has been saved ("Minister backed in Lyneham stance", September 22, p3).

Saved from rejuvenation, saved from being used by hundreds of school kids in the local public and private schools, saved from being used by sporting teams, saved from family barbecues and picnics, saved from teenagers shooting hoops on open access basketball courts at the weekend. Saved from toddlers running around with bare feet. Saved from better and safer parking arrangements that would have benefited everyone with school kids in the three adjoining Lyneham schools.

It was perilously close – a private school almost obtained "a net benefit". We can't be sure, because they were going to inject millions of dollars into rejuvenating the oval precinct but better safe than sorry.

The winners here are the diehard public versus private school ideologists. The losers are the Lyneham community who will continue to have an unusable oval. Well done!

Rebecca Drummond, O'Connor

We have just received our rates notice from the ACT Revenue Office for the 2015-16 financial year and, as we had feared, the combined total of the valuation based charge, the fixed charge and the fire and emergency services levy has cracked the $3000 barrier. This year's total of $3087.75 represents an increase of $338.66, or 12.32 per cent, on last year's total of $2749.09.

That increase comes on top of increases of 18.37 per cent in 2012, 12.06 per cent in 2013 and 12.09 per cent in 2014. Since 2011 our rates have ballooned by 67per cent, which is far higher than either the rate of inflation, or the increase in the Consumer Price Index during the same period.

I know of a retired couple in Aranda whose rates bill has increased by a staggering 19.17 per cent this year. The Chief Minister is kidding himself if he thinks that rates increases of this order are sustainable, or that ratepayers are willing to pay even higher rates for light rail.

Bruce Taggart, Aranda

News travels slowly to us southerners. But as a former Canberran I was sad to learn that magpies are being trapped and killed at Gungahlin. The aggressive birds had grown used to getting food from humans. Now, after the cull, what have the authorities done to stop people from feeding the birds and perpetuating the problem? It seems warning signs alone are ineffective. How about making it an offence to feed magpies, at least in the problem locality? Patrol the area, impose serious fines, and publicise the results.

The alternative is to encourage more irresponsible behaviour, and make innocent birds suffer. Canberra needs tourists and its natural environment is a drawcard.

Don't poison your image by killing native birds!

Mary Wilkinson, Surrey Hills, Vic

If Paul McElligot (Letters, September 21) and Greg Pinder (Letters, September 17) et al, were to take the trouble to actually see these alleged "protestors" on any Friday morning they would see they are not "protesting" but quietly praying. They pray for all those hurt by abortion; the women and men who suffer from post-abortion syndrome; for the abortionists, that their minds will be opened to realise what they are doing is in fact infanticide; and for the unborn human being whose life is arbitrarily terminated.

Members of this group do not approach anybody or hand out any literature. They do not obstruct pedestrian traffic and they are about 25 metres from the building entrance. It is a peaceful prayer vigil – nothing more, and as such have every right to do so.

Philip Robinson, Holt

May I respond to Kevin Cox (Letters, September 22) who says we should not put a price on carbon. Direct Action is a tax in itself because we the taxpayers are paying for it and not the polluters who were under Labor. The Liberals borrowed $660 million in a so called "budget emergency" to service 47 million tonnes of carbon abatement at $13.95 a tonne under Direct Action.

If we load the cost of carbon tax compensation into Direct Action which was not abolished by Tony Abbott, it becomes a $5.6billion dollar impost or by extension a price on carbon abatement at around $120 a tonne – the dearest in the world! The billions paid to polluters to pollute comes from taxpayer revenue. That is a tax.

I can recall Mr Turnbull once saying Direct Action would bankrupt the nation. He may be right.

Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW

Unions ACT polling on light rail ("Poll puts light rail support at 55pc", September 19, p1) contradicts earlier polls. Alex White, the ACT Union secretary, is using union money to promote a light rail system which has been dismissed by many transport and financial experts as in no way suitable for Canberra.

When the ACT Government went cap in hand to Infrastructure Australia they were firmly told that it simply was not on. Perth, which has been contemplating light rail, has now turned to heavy rail instead.

Among the most heavily affected by the rates increases that will follow light rail construction will be union members. They are not being well served by Alex White, who has used an extraordinary amount of their money promoting it.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Two professional bodies have provided disparate views as to the effectiveness of speed cameras ("Speed cameras are earning their keep", September 22, p1). Despite having a mix of fixed and mobile speed cameras on ACT roads, we already have 10 deaths this year, also noting that only three of the 10 listed speed as a contributing factor. I wonder if, proportionate to their crash statistics, inexperienced drivers (over reported in crash statistics) receive the same attention as speeding drivers. Perhaps we are looking at the wrong elephant.

Joe Murphy, Bonython

I hope Scott Morrison takes to heart Michael Pascoe's advice on how to tackle the his portfolio ("Dear Scott, here's the way to go", BusinessDay, September 23,p7). Of course, that will require a staffer to have the guts to get him to read Mr Pascoe's column.

John F. Simmons, Kambah

The new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull said on ABC Radio on Monday that "when Lucy and I are in Canberra" they would live at The Lodge. Does this mean that at all other times the Turnbulls will live in Sydney? If so, this would be another slap on the face of this city, emulating that delivered by John Howard.

Those who devised the design competition for Canberra included requirements for a residence for the Governor-General and one for the Prime Minister. Canberra is the national capital of our wonderful country and the PM should live here, full-time.

The Commonwealth has spent an amazing $8.8 million on renovations at The Lodge and it would be disgusting if during the Turnbull ascendancy the building stood idle for many months of the year. Even worse would be the spectacle of the Turnbulls living at Kirribilli House at taxpayers' expense, a building never acquired with the intention that it would be a second "official residence" for a PM.

Graeme Barrow, Hackett

Pub regulars note that as Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull sees himself as "first among equals". In Australia this means living in Canberra at The Lodge courtesy of the Australian taxpayer. They can't imagine the British PM not living at No 10 Downing Street nor the American president not living in Washington.

Talk in the pub reckons Mr Turnbull has a bob or two and could easily afford to make frequent flying visits to Sydney to see the agreeable grandson – or fly his family to Canberra and put them up in the best hotel. Pub regulars can smell any whiff of arrogance.

Erica Mehrtens, Northcote

TO THE POINT

The Canberra Times wants to hear from you in short bursts. Email views in 50 words or fewer to

letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au

NO POLITICAL CHANGE

Jenna Price ("We hoped for dramatic change; we didn't get it", Times2, September 22, p5) is correct. There has been no change. "The Turnbull government is just the Abbott government with a different leader". Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose (The more things change, the more they are the same).

Ken Maher, Ainslie

FRIENDS IN POLITICS

Ousted prime minister Tony Abbott's accusation that Scott Morrison had misled the Australian people when he claimed he had warned him that a party coup was about to take place to replace him as PM shows there are indeed no permanent friends in politics; only permanent interests.

Rajend Naidu, Glenfield, NSW

NICE OR NASTY?

We Australians love nicknames. Albo is fine, but Shorto?

Cynthia Moloney, Yarralumla

SNIDE REMARK

I found myself agreeing with most of what Amanda Vanstone wrote about new opportunities for both our politicians and our country now that Malcolm Turnbull is Prime Minister ("Turnbull to curtail Shorten", Times2, September 21,p1). But she just could not help finishing with one little snide remark about Bill Shorten in her final sentence. I expected better.

Janet Cossart, Stirling

LOADED FOR ACTION

In Henry Lawson's famous short story The Loaded Dog, a dog runs away with an explosive cartridge in its mouth, causing great consternation, and not a little noise before a dramatic end. Why am I reminded of Malcolm Turnbull?

Annie Lang, Kambah

MANAGEMENT CULPRITS

If recent reports are true, VW faces a major crisis with fines to match. While this is entirely appropriate, any fines will hit innocent shareholders whereas the real culprits are the management team that planned and executed this scurrilous deception – the very same people who I imagine have held out their hands for serious bonuses whenever times have been good. Jail is what they deserve.

Charles Smith, Nicholls

ABSENCE NOTED

Tony Abbott was surfing on Tuesday and tidying up around the house instead of helping his constituents. Last week he was absent from Parliament. Is he still drawing his backbench salary of $195,000 a year? You bet the leaner is.

How about we dock his pay for not performing the duties he is paid by us to do?

John Passant, Kambah

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