The most obvious: we have been told over and over again that renewable energy is cheap, and competitive with conventional sources. The reality is electricity prices are going up significantly and the rise is going to hit low-income earners hardest.

Secondly, we are told that the cheapest source of renewable energy will be from Hornsdale Wind Farm in South Australia – a huge distance from the ACT. In light of the transmission losses, comparing the Hornsdale electricity supply prices with local projects means nothing. Transmission losses will probably add more to the final price.

Thirdly, Corbell fails to discuss the dark side of "renewable" electricity supply: who will supply the ACT's electricity when renewable sources are insufficient – and at what price? How much coal will be wasted? How many more coal-seam gas wells will be drilled?

Corbell is retiring from politics soon, but the reality of his vision will become apparent later. Who will account for the skyrocketing electricity prices, the profuse wastage of resources and the ongoing environmental damage, not to mention the noise and health impacts on significant parts of communities living near wind turbines?

George Papadopoulos, Yass,NSW

Neither I nor any of my friends can understand how the ACT government can take seriously the unsolicited "Manuka Green" proposal by GWS and Grocon. And I recoil from the name "Manuka Green", which is a cynically deceptive name for a scheme that will have the effect of "de-greening" public land surrounding Manuka Oval.

The Chief Minister has said that the project cannot proceed until after a cricket test match is played on the oval in three years' time. In no way should we be lulled by this: development, refinement and behind-the-scenes promotion of the proposal will inevitably be proceeding.

Experts agree that unsolicited proposals such as this are inherently non-transparent and often waste public funds, which instead should be spent responsibly after the calling of public tenders. The proposal in its currently promoted form is gross and a manifestly commercial, money-making exercise that ignores the community's feelings towards the amenity and heritage of Manuka and its proud and legitimate place in the history of Canberra. Quite apart from this, the scale is so impractical (1000 apartments, up to seven storeys) that it must be fundamentally recast in order to be taken seriously.

(PS: Why have we become so dependent on the GWS Giants as the sole Aussie Rules team for Canberra? There must be many thousands of Canberrans raised in the AFL tradition, so it is puzzling that Canberra seems to lack its own fully fledged team).

Sandy Paine, Griffith

John Buxton (Letters, April 29) 'bells the cat' on why the redevelopment of Manuka as a consequence of the Crocon unsolicited bid cannot be justified on the basis of demand. Rather than stuff up Manuka for everyone for a few footy games, why not send Grocon to redevelop the Phillip Enclosed oval. Now there is a piece of ground that is calling out for money to be spent on it. It has everything that would fulfil the needs of GWS and allow for the reinvigoration of the whole of the Woden Town precinct.

Pre-existing parking in the Woden town centre, close to the bus interchange, plenty of space for future apartments, maybe even on the now derelict pitch-n-putt course, they could redevelop the old squash courts, pool, Yamba Club and bocce courts. It could be turned into a world-class sporting precinct and disturb no one in the process.

The government could then use its cut from the deal to upgrade Manuka as a boutique cricket ground, in time for the Test, without the necessity to trash the rest of the Manuka area. They might even have enough money, and reason, to extend the tram to Woden.

Tony Brown, Fadden

Once again the ACT Remuneration Tribunal has given salary rises to MLAs, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and numerous public service executives which are above community norms and despite the increase in the number of MLAs.

I regard this body as unrepresentative as it comprises ex high-level executives of government, but no-one from bodies that represent ordinary citizens such as the Salvos or Rotary. Furthermore, the tribunal is not "independent" as its remuneration is determined by the Chief Minister.

This body should be either abolished or its membership made more representative of the general population.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

As the instigation of light rail was a key component of Shane Rattenbury supporting the current ACT government, I was hoping that his op-ed piece "What type of Canberra do we want beyond 10 years?" (Forum, April 30, p5) would enlighten me on the reasoning. What a disappointment! He focuses his argument on light rail v car transport.

Yet, when I substitute "bus network" for "light rail" it makes more sense.

James Walcott, Mawson

The amazing fact that human life starts in a bright flash of light as a sperm meets an egg at the moment of conception shows how special each one of us is ("Fireworks mark when human life begins", April 30, p13). Perhaps this even gives credence to the Bible text, which says "That Jesus was the true Light which lightens every man that comes into the world."

Evelyn Bean, Ainslie

At first I experienced a frisson of unease over the Unions ACT doorknocking "pledge" campaign: black-shirted union officials, co-opted health and emergency service workers in tow, insinuating a foot in the door to extract a "pledge" from targeted households as to their vote — once things were "explained" to them in the comfort of their own homes — in the forthcoming local election.

At first blush the campaign had a whiff of standover tactics; but then I reconsidered. The CFMEU, for example, might see merit in having such workers accompany them on to building sites to "explain" to builders the consequences of the real or contrived error of their ways, rather than engaging knuckle-dragging bruisers with an inclination to "explain" with less finesse.

A. Whiddett, Yarralumla

Julian Cribb's great article "Is this the end of party rule" (Times2, Mary 3, p1) reiterates all of the problems that have thrived under the governance of our two major parties. These parties have been in power since 1941 – and yes, it is time for the Australian people torevolt.

Finding suitable candidates outside the ALP and LNP in most electorates is a deterrent to changing our voting patterns, however.

The Greens did offer ethical alternate candidates until they got corrupted by the party system and the syndrome of "get elected at all costs".

A parliament made up of ethical independents is the answer, as Julian's article suggests. C'mon, ethical voters of Australia, revolt.

Max Jensen, Chifley

I could not agree more with Julian Cribb ("Is this the end of party rule?", Times2, May 3, p1). I read it twice just to be sure, because he has articulated exactly how I feel about current politicians of all parties and their absolutely woeful performances, both politically and ethically, as so-called leaders and managers of Australia and its economy.

Julian, count me in on the political revolution!

Janet Cossart, Stirling

Contrary to the negative views of David Biles ("Black death myths abound", Times2, May 2, p1) as he comments on the 1991 Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, my reading of the 11 volumes of the report provides me with a greater understanding of Indigenous life in and out of imprisonment.

The six commissioners from 1987 to 1991 examined in graphic detail the personal history of 99 Aboriginal inmates who died when held in custody throughout Australia, and in doing so discovered that 43 out of the 99 prisoners investigated had been separated from their families, often against the wishes of their parents. Such revelations are considered to be the catalyst for an official inquiry and the 2007 Bringing them Home report, which revealed the gross harm that was perpetrated on Indigenous families by their so-called "protectors" and the grave damage to those removed, who lost their culture and identity as efforts were made to bring them up as whites.

When reading the royal commission report, it is important to note that while recommendation 92 states "Imprisonment should be utilised only as a sanction of last resort", the ever-growing present-day incarceration rate of Indigenous people is at an alarming level.

One wonders if those administering justice for Indigenous offenders have really read the informative volumes of the royal commission report and especially the overview by Commissioner Elliott Johnston.

This stresses the importance of knowing the history of Aboriginal land dispossession without a treaty or agreement that is considered to be the underlying cause of the many difficulties Aboriginal communities are facing today.

We will never set the record straight if we deny the truth of our history.

Keith McEwan, Bonython

Allan Doobov (Letters, May 3) argues that "Currently the number who qualify under the Geneva Convention as refugees is hugely greater than the number the rest of the world is willing to resettle. The definition of a refugee needs to be changed to reduce this discrepancy".

His first sentence is undoubtedly true, but his second is a complete non sequitur. We have been here before – in the late 1930s, when the number of Jewish refugees from Nazism exceeded the resettlement quotas made available by Western countries (a problem fully on display at the Evian Conference in 1938 and during the voyage of the St Louis in 1939).

By Mr Doobov's logic, the solution in the 1930s was to make it even harder for Jews fleeing Nazism to be accepted as refugees, so that the "discrepancy" could be reduced. Is this really the kind of policy that he wants?

(Dr) William Maley, Reid

I cannot leave unchallenged Charles Hirst's claim (Letters May 2) that the asylum-seekers on Manus Island are free to go wherever they wish provided it is not Australia. The Turnbull government has refused to let them go to New Zealand (despite that country's offer to take them) or to any other country where they might find peace and prosperity.

The only real option allowed by Australia is Cambodia, a country that struggles to look after its own people, let alone hundreds of asylum-seekers. Last year, Australia paid Cambodia $55million to take just four asylum-seekers who agreed to go there, but two of these found conditions so appalling that they have sinceleft.

There are rumours that Australia is seeking to negotiate a similar deal with an impoverished South American nation, but there are few details. With the imminent closure of the Manus Island detention centre, the inmates must either accept Australia's offer to send them to Cambodia or go back to where they camefrom.

That many of them arrive without visas is hardly surprising. It would be almost impossible to obtain the necessary paperwork in Afghanistan, Syria or many other nations, and any refugees who tried to do so, particularly young men suitable for army service, might effectively besigning their own deathwarrants.

Charles Body, Kaleen

I am loath to offer our learned Prime Minister any advice as to the manner in which he expresses his own clearly sensitive feelings, especially about those people seeking refuge in our country whom his government (and the Howard, Rudd, Gillard and Abbott governments before it) have abused and wilfully and consciously driven to hopelessness anddespair.

Nevertheless, it may be better for Mr Turnbull to muster up some mistiness around the upper portion of his face at present, so that he might be spared the indelicate sight of the blood on his hands and on those of his Minister forImmigration and BorderProtection.

For sure, the smell will be inescapable, but it will be invaluable in alerting him to the need to try and wash it off.

Rose Costelloe, Cook

The National Parks Association of the ACT welcomes the release of the Kosciuszko National Park Draft Wild Horse Management Plan (the Draft Plan). Management of feral horses is an emotive issue for some and it is pleasing that, in the main, the decisions in the Draft Plan have been made on the basis of a strong scientific foundation. That said, the NPA ACT would query the need for such a long lead time (20 years) to achieve the proposed reduction in the feral horse population. Even the Draft Plan recognises that it would be optimal to achieve this reduction in a much shorter timeframe.

The NPA ACT would also query whether maintaining a population of 600 horses is in the best interests of KNP's environmental values. This would seem to be a sizeable population, which will require constant management to avoid the increases in feral horse numbers that have plagued KNP todate.

Rod Griffiths, environmental sub-committee, National Parks Association of the ACT

Kosciuszko National Park management succeeds in resisting interests that are contrary to environmental preservation, and this is achieved by thorough professional knowledge and continual years of study.

The latest of these is the draft wild horse management plan, which deserves careful study. It begins with fascinating illustrations of the horse in the early history of the region. However, as horse use became superseded by motor vehicles, the animals were neglected, and lack of care has resulted in proliferation and suffering. The brumby is thus effectively ill-treated by neglect.

It should be realised that humane management of all domestic animals requires care; horses more than most.

Their self-sufficiency cannot cope with the terrain, vegetation and climate.

What the occasional visitor may see as a picturesque decoration is a badly treated creature, and all horse lovers must welcome the care proposed in this report.

Jack Palmer, Watson

THICK AS A BRICK

Your article on timber recycling at the old Yarralumla brickworks ("Timber recycler turning dust into dollars", May 2, p1) reminded us that after decades the ACT government has yet to decide what to do with the brickworks.

The ABC on March 16 reported that Australia imports bricks from Spain these days, about 1million a month. That's a long way for a brick.

Stuart Magee, Griffith

GREENS IN THE LEAD

So we are in for a double-disillusion election. For rational, progressive policy and some vision for our future, I rate the Coalition 0 out of 10, Labor about two out of 10 and the Greens nine out of 10. So my voting intentions are clear. Let's see if the laggards can increase their rating over the course of the campaign.

Peter White, Flynn

GIANT DONATION

Canberra land is currently valued at $400,000+ per block. That would indicate the land in the GWS/Grocon unsolicited bid would be valued at more than $200 million – after the allowance for the high-rise land component.

As any new Manuka stadium should cost less than $100 million and more likely closer to $50 million, it would appear the ACT could be providing a direct donation to GWS/Grocon of over $100 million. Why?

Tony Martin, Duffy

SUBS A DETERRENT

The timing of the federal government's recent announcement about our new submarine fleet couldn't be better. Now that Manus Island is no longer an option for holding asylum seekers who arrive by boat, the submarines can be put to good use deterring more boats from arriving.

Peter Bredell, Kambah

SHAME ON DUTTON

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's comments about advocates for refugees are absolutely appalling. The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should immediately remove him from this portfolio as he has, again, displayed serious ineptitude for this role. Mr Dutton should be utterly ashamed of his attitude towards those who are fleeing persecution from where they came.

Hugh McGowan, Holt

TIMES PULLS RANK

For some reason, the CT took it upon itself to delete my rank of Commodore, thus seriously reducing the effect of my letter of May 3. To the unwashed I could have been a stoker second class; thank you.

Norman Lee, destroyer captain and navy fighter pilot who joined the navy 68 years ago this week, Weston

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