The statement that Canberra would be, "the first Australian capital to be powered entirely by wind, solar and other renewable sources" is ridiculous. The mix of electricity used here won't differ much from that of NSW. The symbolic 40 per cent below 1990 target is sophistry. Emissions from the embodied energy in our food, building materials and goods occur elsewhere. Emissions from extensive domestic and overseas travel are not accounted for, nor are those from the wealth-generating export industries in the rest of Australia that make this possible.

John Bromhead, Rivett

Australia's middle management record is poor. That could not be truer than with the mismanagement of the Australian National University School of Music. This year is the school's 50th since its foundation. Other institutions in our region are celebrating a similar age. The problem is that the School of Music has been mismanaged to become a skeleton of itself and nothing lives for long in that form.

If our ANU wishes to survive well in a technological education age it needs to trim its belly of fat cats who have chosen the easy life of middle management. The muscle of a university is that wonderful combination of academics, teachers and students. The middle management people are getting in the way of that magic.

It would be better if many of them were replaced by a couple of accountants. The ANU would be financially better managed for a change and the music school would continue to be an outstanding core faculty at the university.

Professor Peter Tregear has said that he would return to the ANU under the guidance of Professor Brian Schmidt after he is sworn in as vice-chancellor next January if it were possible. That is an extraordinary admission.

The wrong people are leaving ANU, and university students and Canberra as a whole are the unfortunate losers.

Karen Dahl, Forrest

I enjoyed the Canberra Symphony Orchestra's August 19 concert, which included a performance of Brahms' 4th Symphony as the scheduled finale. At the same concert, I also enjoyed Kodaly's opening Dances of Galanta, and especially, Sibelius' Violin Concerto played superbly before the interval by Andrew Havoren. However, I agree with Jennifer Gall in her review "Lively encore an apt finale" (Times 2, August 21, p6 ) that the orchestra's dynamics didn't always complement Havoren's exhilarating pace. Strangely though (or maybe as not-so-oblique critique of the CSO's capabilities and audience), Gall's review began with, and featured glowing praise for an unscheduled popular encore; Brahms' Hungarian Dance No 5, dished up after the symphony. A jolly foot-tapping encore is often welcome (especially if it's conducted by someone with the talent and exuberance of the CSO's Nicholas Milton), but surely not straight after a great and serious symphony beautifully played (by an orchestra that deserves much more government support, exposure, and recognition).

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

In its advertisement in The Canberra Times (August 19, p9), Medibank Private says it does not want to pay for hospital mistakes. That Medibank cannot reach an agreement with Calvary Health Care on this does not surprise me in the least. When, many years ago, I worked in a public hospital in Britain, pressure points were routinely treated four times a day and more often when necessary. A nurse would have been mortified if one of her patients suffered bed sores.

During a recent stay in a Calvary hospital I had to ask for my pressure points to be treated because they were already painful. Had I not asked or not known to ask, I should certainly have contracted bed sores.

Similarly, I noticed a number of hazards in my Calvary accommodation which had the potential to cause falls or to result in serious injury if a fall occurred. I mentioned this on the questionnaire I was given on departure and offered to explain in detail what I thought was wrong. Months later, I have yet to be contacted.

John Rogers, Cook

Many developers and real estate agents are drawn to "give back to the community" by seeking election to local councils.

Three years ago, the NSW state government amended the Local Government Act to enable these selfless and community-minded councillors to vote on planning decisions – even if they stood to financially from that decision. What about conflict of interest? What about corruption?

Recent shenanigans at the Auburn City Council have again focussed attention on the need to undo this egregious amendment. Why is the NSW government dragging its feet on this?

Joan Howell, Queanbeyan, NSW

Peter Reece (Letters, August 14) is spot on with his comment on dodgy building inspections. I have received two incompetent and incorrect reports when selling and buying property. The first had an incorrect number of rooms and doors in the energy report as well as ignoring signs of borers, which I pointed out to the inspector. The second claimed no sign of termites despite evidence of their active presence and a sticker in the meter box stating termite eradication work had previously been undertaken. The same report failed to report on live wires sticking out of the lounge room wall.

As inspectors are usually recommended to vendors by estate agents, inspectors wish to keep those agents on side. In effect, they work for the vendor's agent not the purchaser.

This system does not, in many cases, protect the interests of the purchaser. Purchasers should be able to choose their own inspector. If they do that currently they have to pay twice, once for the vendor's inspection and once for their own. Inspectors are not registered and the only action that can be taken in the case of malpractice is civil.

We should revert to the old system of the purchaser getting a report on a building or employ independent government inspectors.

Gina Pinkas, Aranda

I am saddened that people living with chronic pain will be denied the opportunity to participate in a cannabis trial in the ACT. The well-written editorial "Timid leaders failing those most in need" (Times2, August17, p2) succinctly says it all by writing about the "timid leaders failing those most in need". The article "Tonne of seized dope unlikely to relieve pain" (August23, p3) quotes Assistant Commissioner Rudi Lammers, who said cannabis "can often be refined to much more potent levels". That may well be true. Pain medications come in varying doses and strengths as required and are regulated and controlled. We do know the side effects of taking copious doses of pain anti-inflammatory medication, which are legally prescribed.

My question is why should people such as Laura Bryant be driven to breaking the law to gain some measure of pain relief. She is not alone. There are many others living with chronic pain. I, myself, having lived with chronic pain for over 40 years, can admit to times in my life when I have felt so low that I have asked myself whether I can keep going. The pain is persistent, unrelenting and there is very little escape from it. Thank goodness I have a wonderful network of friends/supporters who have walked with me through these difficult times.

As a volunteer peer leader, I co-lead self-management courses for people living with chronic conditions. Not surprisingly, participants living with a wide range of chronic conditions often say pain is one of the most significant impacts and challenges in their lives. The pain problem may be more widespread than we know. It is a pity we who live in the ACT will miss out on an opportunity to determine whether or not cannabis can be an effective tool in helping to manage our chronic pain.

Paula Calcino, Oxley

There is an old American folksong that begins with the words "Shoulder up your gun and whistle up your dog". For the past half century, these lyrics could serve as a metaphor for the United States-Australia alliance. On too many occasions, Australia has responded with unseemly enthusiasm to the whistle of its great and powerful friend ("Decision on Syria air strikes within weeks: PM", August 22, p4).

In so doing, we joined military adventures that have ill-served our national interest and ironically, have cost the US dearly in terms of lives, wealth, and prestige. Now, we have received yet another call. Are we to entrust Captain Abbott with the decision on how to respond, or are we to accord this matter the kind of democratic deliberation that it deserves?

Peter Grabosky, Forrest

Before the Prime Minister sends RAAF aircraft to bomb Syria, I hope he thinks through possible consequences: video on the internet showing shot-down Australian pilots beheaded by terrorists; drawing the attention of suicide terrorists to Australian streets.

Certainly the terrorists are cause for international concern. What about the Assad regime in Syria? Assad has bombed Syrian towns indiscriminately, killing far more Syrian civilians than all the terrorists operating there ("You are all responsible for our death', declare besieged Syrians", smh.com.au, August 21).

The Syrian Network for Human Rights has reported that the Assad regime has killed 7894 of its own people between January and July of this year alone. SNHR reported Islamic State killed 1131 Syrian civilians over the same period in its war on the Assad regime and the US-led coalition killed 125 over the same period (euphemistically termed collateral damage). The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has documented 4,014,091 Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war, up to August 23.

Yet when Tanya Plibersek called for more Syrian refugee assistance, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop ridiculed it as food parcels for terrorists. So will the PM think before he bombs? It seems unlikely.

Yet history proves bombing does not win wars. US bombs did not win the Vietnam War. Allied bombs did not end World War II, Russian troops invading Berlin and then Japanese-held Manchuria did.

Rod Olsen, Flynn

Predictably the pre-election bribes have started ("Hockey promises personal tax cuts", August 24, p1) Those of us lucky enough to have jobs may pay less tax in the unlikely event that this government keeps a promise. The many who have been thrown out of work may find their meagre welfare payments are categorised as government waste and therefore reduced.

Less tax revenue will mean longer waits for hospital treatment for those who can't afford private health insurance and less money spent on public housing for the homeless. Of course the big companies will remain immune from tax.

What this government doesn't realise is that the wealthy benefit more from having an equitable society than from creating an isolated world of privilege which is resented by people living in poverty made harsher by an increased GST.

Rosemary Walters, Palmerston

If your annual salary is $200,000 and you have an investment property where negative gearing reduces your annual taxable income to $20,000, how does Mr Hockey view you? Are you a highly taxed Australian in need of another tax break?

Phillip Owen, Forde

J.J.Goold (Letters, August 21) stated that "due to downsizing, the highest rank a serviceman in the Royal Navy or British Army can aspire to is that of admiral or general respectively". He then went on to use this "fact" as an obscure stick with which to try and beat Prince Charles, who is an Admiral of the Fleet.

I suggest that J.J.Goold contacts Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce, appointed as an Admiral of the Fleet in 2014, who could no doubt remind him of the dangers of stating as a fact that which is not.

Jonathan Lyall, Garran

R.J.Nairn (Letters, August 20), argues that marriage inequality is "a fundamental natural law" and hopes "this natural law will be maintained". Nairn needs to recognise that natural law has little to do with true justice, or with reason and civility.

Overwhelmingly, natural law is "nature red in tooth and claw", it is "survival of the fittest", it is "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth", it is "the race goes to the swiftest", it is "winner takes all", it is "the weakest goes to the wall". The best of our laws and legislation are those which counter this, supporting justice in its real sense.

And that is the reason I want legislation to enable marriage equality, and now, rather than a continuation of R.J.Nairn's "fundamental natural law".

Peter Dark, Queanbeyan, NSW

We know what Dyson Heydon thinks about apprehension of bias as he's written definitively on the point that it must be avoided at all costs, according to my cousin, the lawyer.

Now the Liberal Party is insisting that, as a rule, persons in Heydon's position must, of course, be held to the highest standards, higher that the rest of us. But not this guy, this time.

His record, apparently, places him above and beyond criticism. J.R.Nethercote ("Pity the innocent bystander", Times2, August 25, p1) defends him on the grounds that the speech he was going to give was a very good speech and that other people have done similar things in somewhat similar circumstances.

Is he having a laugh? Is there a legal principle at stake or isn't there?

I expect Heydon to follow the advice he gave the rest of the nation. Otherwise he's just as weakly self-indulgent as any of those he's ever sat in judgment of, and no role model to anyone.

S. W. Davey, Torrens

HOCKEY HOBBY HORSE

So federal Treasurer Joe Hockey is worried about bracket creep. Simple. Abolish brackets altogether and calculate all personal income tax using a single polynomial equation. His claim that taxation removes an incentive for the wealthy to earn mirrors his view of car use by the poor. Bizarre.

Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla

Joe Hockey sees the solution to "bracket creep" as personal income tax cuts. Surely, the more rational solution is to increase the income levels at which higher tax brackets apply. This could be done by, say, indexation to average weekly earnings. Giving tax cuts may reduce the amount of tax that people pay, but it does nothing to address the problem of bracket creep.

Don Sephton, Greenway

RENEWABLE ENERGY

So, the ACT leads the world in deriving most of its power from renewables, aiming for 100per cent within a decade. Very impressive, but if I shut down all the coal-fired power stations, will I be able to switch on the lights in Canberra 24/7?

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

ONE AND THE SAME?

Is the chairman of the Inner South Community Council the same Gary Kent who was a major player in the Liberal Party machinery during the Kate Carnell years ("Government accused of trying to 'maximise cash' from units", August24, p1)? If so why wasn't this established/revealed in the article, as it was yet another attack on the current Labor government.

E. R. Moffat, Weston

CAPITAL CONFUSION

Let us hope that the pilots of the flying doctor service to west Africa have a better knowledge of geography than your journalist ("Ebola experts launch flying doctor service in west Africa", August23, p11). Monrovia is not the capital of Sierra Leone. Freetown is.

John F. Janke, Pearce

SINKING FEELING

When I glanced at the headline "Police not told of alleged abuse" (August24, p1) I experienced a familiar sense of foreboding. Why do I always assume that in any story involving inadequate response to dysfunctional behaviour in a Canberra institution, the relevant minister will turn out to be Ms Joy Burch?

George Beaton, Greenway

A LITTLE ADVICE

Food for thought for politicians: "People who value their privileges above their principles will soon lose both."

Richard Ryan, Summerland Point, NSW

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