There were unforeseen difficulties, however, and in one case one of the "babies"' mothers suddenly noticed, in a flash of unexpected clarity of thought, that her baby wasn't breathing. The "mother" was greatly distressed, until a quick-thinking carer said that indeed the "baby" was very sick, and took the child off to the "hospital". The "mother" forgot about the baby in minutes, until it was returned from the hospital a few days later.

M Curtis, Kaleen

From ASIC to BASICAs they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Wilcox's cartoon ("The banks themselves will be funding the increase to ASIC", April 24) is worth a million words and requires no interpretation.

It intimates that the integrity and independence of the "tough cop on the beat", ASIC, has now been compromised by "conflict of interest", tax deductible sponsorship by the big banks. Another innovation by a former Top Hat banker!

Perhaps the banks should be given credit for their sponsorship of ASIC and it should now be renamed BASIC (Bank's Australian Securities and Investments Commission) because unfortunately, by our government's action, basic is all that is left of its perceived independent credibility.

P.R.Temple, Macquarie

CanTheTram Inc's demonstrations of mourning for Northbourne's lost, or about to be lost, eucalypts are effective and support a good cause ("New tree protest to flag tram plan opposition", May 1, p9).

Unfortunately the gesture is way off the mark as far as the trees are concerned. Professor Ken Taylor pointed out two years ago that a spreading fungal infection in the Northbourne Avenue eucalypts means that the "trees will have to be replaced over the next decade", ("Off-track on Northbourne", Times2, July 10, 2014).

Just four months earlier an Australian eucalypt in California "fell onto westbound I-80, crushed the car a young woman was driving and killed her".

The preceding month the Sydney Morning Herald reported that in Sydney, "Pitt Town: Schoolgirl, 8, dies as huge gum tree branch falls on students, teacher" February 21).

In 2010 the photograph on the front page of a large eucalypt fallen on a home in Rivett (October 16) maintained my simmering anger at the idiotic green legislation which prohibits the removal of these notorious trees from threatening, urban locations.

An attractive avenue is a great entrance to our overgrown country town, I mean bush capital, but spare us the gums and their widow makers.

Gary J.Wilson, Macgregor

Has anybody who frequents the shared walking/cycling path around Lake Burley Griffin noticed that many cyclists use it as a velodrome for their personal time trials?

I mean really! That track is used by mums with prams, families with toddlers, older people tottering around the beautiful 5km bridge-to-bridge walk, people with dogs on leads, and so on.

We all know, or should, that any or all of these users of the path, and probably many other categories, may on occasion tend to stray all over the path when walking. I have seen lycra-clad harridans yell at families and kids to get out of their way or "get that kid under control!" and on at least one occasion crash into a family bring down both bike and toddler. This is unacceptable behaviour and invites stern countermeasures.

What to do?

1. Ban all bikes there — no; because the majority are well-behaved. 2. More police patrols — no; are we really that afraid or that closely governed? 3. Restrict bike speed — most welcome but how to enforce? 4. Limit hours of bike use on weekends and holidays — now there's an idea. 5. Public education campaign — now when did they ever work?

I suggest #4. There are plenty of other places, and two other lakes, to cycle on weekends and holidays.

Bruce Ryan, Kamba

Australia is sleep-walking towards a totally unnecessary double dissolution election, called at the whim of Malcolm Turnbull as a means of securing his place in political history. This should be renamed the 2016 double disillusion election.

The Abbott government was installed in 2013, after the chaotic but progressive years of Labor. We were severely disillusioned, however, with Abbott proving to be a disaster.

The Turnbull coup gave us hope of a fair and courageous Coalition government. Again, we have been disillusioned, with Turnbull proving he lacks the capacity to be a great leader.

Constant blame-shifting to the states on big, important, issues such as education and health is eroding the strength of our Federation. Vacuous talk such as "excitement to be Australian" and insubstantial infrastructure plans need genuine policies to support them.

The Coalition has also reverted to the age-old pork barrel tactic to bribe voters. The 2016 budget is leadership-lite and proves Turnbull's unwillingness to tackle vital issues.

This means the forthcoming double disillusion election is nothing more than an expensive indulgence at taxpayers' expense.

Keith Croker, Kambah

The decision by the PNG government to close the Manus Island detention centre provides an ideal opportunity for the Turnbull government to end its shameful offshore internment program.

The government could announce a one-off approval for all current detainees to come to Australia. At the same time it could close all offshore centres. This would solve what has become an intractable problem for the government. Does it intend that these people remain in these detention centres for ever?

To say that allowing these people to come to Australia would re-establish people smuggling operations is rubbish.

The turn-back-the-boats program has been effective and this will apply in the future.

Meanwhile, all Australians are being tainted by this in-humanitarian program. It can be likened to the atrocious conditions of Nazi concentration camps and the poor unfortunates at Guantanamo Bay.

Apart from all other considerations, the cost of the offshore detention program is horrendous. A total waste of money. This money could be used to reduce the deficit or fund essential services in Australia.

Brian Brocklebank, Bruce

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