So we have immediately heard that the states are to blame (for inadequate supply), but not about federal support for insatiable foreign speculative investment and for the out-of-control issuing of long-stay visas to exploitable labour and paying students (which is all creating unfillable housing demand).

There has, for years, been huge profit-driven activity on the supply side.

It is indeed such a red-hot situation that even the superficial enquiry held a few years ago in the ACT into abysmal building standards immediately identified critical-skills shortages as a primary issue.

Housing is already being knocked together too quickly and shoddily as it is, so supply cannot be blamed.

But demand sure can be, unnaturally heated by deregulated foreign ownership and by our amazing third-world-like rate of population growth, quite unique for a country that would be Western and indicating out-of-control immigration policies poorly integrated with any wider planning.

The fact is that developers are on the official public record – and off – as having both sides of politics in their pockets, federal and state.

Developers want out-of-control migration and absentee foreign buyers, and they have got both. And therein – on the deregulated, unplanned demand side – lies the housing crisis rub.

Alex Mattea, Kingston

Discussion of unaffordable house prices rarely mentions the demand pressures caused by Australia's rapid population growth, which is driven largely by very high net immigration. Increasing housing supply just extends environmental impacts and often removes prime agricultural land from production.

Infrastructure Australia recently identified population growth as central to projected increased congestion in our major cities, and the challenges of maintaining adequate basic infrastructure. To create an economically and environmentally sustainable Australia, a key step will be to address population growth.

Jonathan Miller, Curtin

Oh for the love of God! What is the first thing you think the bank asks when you apply for a home loan? "Have you got a job (good or bad) and do you have money?"

Will all those "outraged" by Joe Hockey ("Hockey under fire after 'get a good job advice' to first home buyers", just shut up and let people/politicians say it as it needs to be said. I bet all parents say this to their kids – mine said it to me, and I will say it to mine.

Sonya Georgalis, Kingston

Hardly an edition of the Canberra Times goes by without at least one letter writer commenting on the state of our democracy – almost always to suggest that it is being eroded by government activity. Let's be realistic about this. If democracy means anything it is the combination of "one man/woman one vote" plus "government by the majority". Sadly this has long ago been displaced by "one dollar one vote" and "government by the multinationals".

The democracy horse bolted years ago, and what we have now is better described as "dollarocracy". It's the rich wot gets the pleasure, and – inevitably – the poor wot gets the blame.

John Walker, Queanbeyan, NSW

While I concur with the broad sentiment of your excellent editorial ("G7's carbon message one Australia can ill afford to ignore", Times2, June 10, p2), I wonder if the G7 goes far enough in its aspirations. Decarbonisation by the end of the century? It really should be by mid-century if we are to avoid dangerous climate change.

Climatologist Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Centre at Penn State University, says we have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly within the coming decade, not slowly over 85 years. And then there is the issue of whether the industrialised countries will pay the price of bringing down emissions.

You rightly mentioned a return of the carbon tax, but will they wear one at $100/tonne by 2030? That is what the International Energy Agency said was necessary in its 2014 World Energy Outlook. Fortunately, the cost of renewable energy is plummeting and may be able to save the day, but let us be under no illusion that business-as-usual economic growth can continue in an economy based on renewables. We need a whole new economic paradigm that takes us away from growth, both in economic and population terms.

Jenny Goldie, Michelago, NSW

Steve Dow's reliance on favourable academic and statistical support ("Faith, bigotry and gay parents", Times2, June 10, p1) is to be expected. More and more, officialdom and public opinion are yielding to the views he expresses. But his critique of Archbishop Anthony Fisher's pastoral letter lacks something.

For example, he says that "...procreation is not a prerequisite for heterosexual couples to get hitched..." but fails to acknowledge that it is possibly the most important biological function of any species. He also fails to acknowledge that if we fiddle too much with its natural course we do not know where we will end up.

Procreation is normally a biological event involving two persons. All it takes is a male with a twinkle in his eyes and a headache-free female and, hey presto, a new life is created.

On the other hand, procreation involving same-sex couples becomes a medical event involving the couple and a sperm donor or a surrogate mother, fertility clinics, specialist medical staff, social and legal advisers and what have you. What would be the long-term effect on the procreation prospects of our society of the new paradigm that would inevitably develop?

Could we end up with an ageing and underpopulated world with lots of same-sex couples each with one daughter or son? Would empathy between males and females diminish as a result of increasing same-sex polarisation? Could our preoccupation with love and equality override our sense of charity and compassion for those less fortunate?

John Rodriguez, Florey

R. Gibson (Letters, June 9) refers to "a silent majority in Australia which does not want" same-sex legislation passed. This, he says, is "despite the fact that Ireland has just voted overwhelmingly for a change". That statement simply maintains a fictitious claim in relation to the Irish referendum.

The fact is, as Paul Sheehan pointed out in his comment piece "Mixed message from same-sex reportage" (Times2, June 4, p5), only about 60 per cent of eligible voters actually voted in the Irish referendum, leaving only 34 per cent of the Irish adult population who voted in favour. So it seems that, in Ireland, it might have been the "passionate minority" of the population that produced the result.

Brian Smith, Conder

John Warhurst ("Set aside a day to build unity", Times2, June 11, p1) highlights a worthy subject in the recognition of the importance of reconciliation with and for Indigenous Australians. A public holiday to proclaim this national importance makes sense, especially when viewed in the light of the reasons why we celebrate other public holidays.

However, it is high time that we seriously look at pruning the number of public holidays. In the ACT we have 11. This represents about 4 per cent of the working year. Then there are 20 days of recreation leave. This commutative total is now over 11 per cent of the working year. Then there is sick leave. Small business cannot afford any more loss in productivity.

Despite being a committed Christian, I think that it is high time that religious public holidays were scrapped. I would certainly use my own recreation leave for Good Friday and Christmas Day. If Australia Day or Anzac Day fall on a Sunday, then there should be no public holiday on the following Monday.

Let's get rid of Easter Monday, Queen's Birthday, Labour Day, Family and Community Day and Boxing Day so that we can have the more relevant Reconciliation Day. This would reduce things to a more manageable four days' public holiday a year – New Year's Day, Canberra Day, Anzac Day and Reconciliation Day.

OK, let's still stick with the Family and Community day in October. That gives us five days which is less than 5 per cent of the working year. Small business can live with that.

Ben Schutte, Holder

The Prime Minister says he has been near a wind farm, finds them ugly and noisy. I too have been near a wind farm – and find quite the opposite, as do the farmers on whose property the turbines stand.

Unlike Mr Abbott, I have lived in a coal-mining town, and I have myself been underground. I can advise him that coal mines are dirty and dusty (wash the leaves of the camellias after picking, wash the clothes line before hanging out the washing). The noise of the mines sirens going off other than at shift's end is scary – it means something has gone wrong underground. Having school friends whose fathers were pulmonary cripples (it's the dust) sharpens one's appreciation of coal.

Coal dust kills. Coal dust spoils. I'd rather live next to a wind farm than a coal mine.

Marie Coleman, Watson

Can Tony Abbott be any more stupid and arrogant with his ridiculous comments about wind turbines? When the whole world is moving ahead with renewable energy, our prime minister thinks that wind farms are dangerous to public health and an eyesore to the passerby. Try living near a coal mine or the trains that deliver this polluting fuel source to Australia's ports.

The public danger that results from this is a fact, recorded and verified by scientists and those affected. Wake up, Tony – your personal prejudices are holding our country back.

Alison Chapple, Macquarie

HYPOCRISY IN WORK

Bill Shorten criticises Joe Hockey's advice that the first step to home ownership is a well-paid job. Yet, as AWU secretary, Shorten apparently signed off on union-employer sweetheart deals that saw workers lose wages and conditions. Viva hypocrisy.

John Kennedy, Kambah

TIME FOR A NEW JOB

Tony Abbott admitted that he too has experienced mortgage stress. Perhaps he should take Joe Hockey's advice and get a better-paying job.

John Simsons, Holt

Joe, try this one next time: maybe if Ferraris and super yachts were unaffordable, people wouldn't be buying them.

Bill Burke, Yarralumla

EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF

Ross Gittins ("We're a nation of graspers", Times2, June1, p4) describes just another feature of the Americanisation of Australian society. "Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost."

John F. Simmons, Kambah

A GIANT PONZI SCHEME

Surely the continuing Greek bailout is the greatest Ponzi scheme ever?

Ian Morison, Forrest

SPEED CAMERAS NEXT

Now that money has been spent erecting and running power to the many large over-the-road "safety notification signs", how long till they're all fitted with "point to point" or even regular speed cameras?

David Jensen, Wanniassa

A WASTE OF MONEY

The NBN thinks that by spending $1million to eliminate the word "Co" from its name, it will "create a sense of optimism and inspiration and encourage people to harness their potential" – whatever that means ("Rebrand of NBN to cost near $1m", June 9, p4). What nonsense. And what a waste of $1million.

R. S. Gilbert, Braddon

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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