A withdrawal of public housing, a rise in homelessness, a series of dodgy land deals, bungled bus and tram decisions, mismanagement at Canberra Hospital, a growth in bikie-related crime, gambling concessions for certain clubs, an unaccounted loss of large sums of money from Floriade, unprecedented ACT rate and revenue rises, the planned felling of a row of historic trees, and further delays in implementing an ACT corruption body.

All of these are signs of rust from a city that has been rusted-on to one government for too long.

I then received the government's glossy Our Canberra newsletter in the mail. According to our grinning Chief Minister on the front cover, the ACT has never had it so good.

Turning the page, I found the homeless being referred to as "rough sleepers" as if it was some adventurous lifestyle choice and our rate rises were viewed through the lens of the vibrant new rates notice that contains "more precise information on how to pay".

All of this reminds me of the dying years of the last NSW Labor government when I lived in Sydney. Like our current lot, it was a government in denial about its problems and arrogant enough to think that window-dressing and Newspeak could solve everything.

But, as ACT Auditor-General Dr Maxine Cooper has shown, facts and figures have a persistent way of overpowering well-rehearsed and well-funded rhetoric.

And these sad facts and figures will continue to mount up, even if the Chief Minister's grin grows bigger than that of the Cheshire Cat.

Simon Cobcroft, Lyneham

Minister Gentleman has decided to give 15GL of ACT water to the Commonwealth as a major part of the additional 62GL recovery for the Murray Darling Basin.

Presumably he will get the ACT at least $50 million for this water. However, this will mean that in a few years, the ACT will need to purchase additional water on the market to ensure we stay within the MDBA sustainable diversion limit.

So the minister is taking a windfall now, so that we all pay more in the future. A more equitable approach might have been to sell the currently unrequired water on the temporary market each year to earn about $150,000 or more per annum but still leaving us enough water for a few more decades.

The only holder of 15GL of water is Icon Water, so the ACT government would also presumably need to compensate it. A bizarre decision from the minister, for which there seems to have been no discussion with the ACT community.

M R Arnold, O'Connor

So ASIC is going to slow the nation's credit card binge? ("Plastic clamp: reforms to slow $50b credit card binge", July 4, p4).

Doesn't it have an economist somewhere to whisper in its collective ear?

Reducing credit is the same as reducing the money supply. People stop spending = a recession. In the late 1980s, the Hawke/Keating government's wages and prices accord got mixed with compulsory superannuation savings to take initially 3 per cent, later 9per cent, of wages out of circulation (at least until all the financial advisers were able to collect it and start spending it on fine champagne and lunches at Rockpool).

It was no coincidence that there was a recession in 1991-92.

Now ASIC is proposing to do the same starting next year.

Time for a few of the suits from Treasury and the RBA to intervene I think.

Richard Griffiths, Lyneham

I was shocked to see the damage that brumbies are causing in the Snowy Mountains (ABCTV 7.30, July4).

No wonder, given that 6000 brumbies equates with about 60,000 sheep. We wouldn't allow 60,000 sheep to run permanently in the National Park. So why does Minister Barilaro think it's OK for that many horses? It's to please his mate Peter Cochrane, using the defence of "cultural heritage".

This is wrong.

Dame Mary Gilmore, in her 1934 More Recollections described in great detail how mountain stockmen trapped and culled the wild horses on a regular basis: "When spring came, the nettle, sign of the blood-rich soil grew high; the hides and hair rotted or dried in circles round the yards; under the skeletons goannas made their summer homes."

David Watson, Bungendore

I imagine that our strategic thinkers (eg "Advance Australia where? On China's rise", Public Sector Informant, July, p3) consider Australia is becoming more vulnerable in today's international sphere.

To offset our reliance on China, the obvious responses would be to improve trade and relations with ASEAN countries, and India in particular.

Which led me to wonder if the present political indifference to the environmental risk from the proposed Adani coal mine in Queensland is not a brick in this strategy.

I don't think it is particularly useful to compare Australia to Canada or New Zealand, since the risks are less for them.

Canada is bounded on two sides by the USA and New Zealand probably feels itself buffered by Australia in a strategic sense.

James Walcott, Mawson

John Langrehr (Letters, July 5) usefully suggests that NAPLAN and similar testing is overly concerned with memory testing and the rating of schools, at the expense of critical thinking, raising questions, and creative imagination to solve problems.

Given the above, here is one example issue and some questions to consider.

In 2017, I signed, along with 180 scientists and doctors from 36 countries, a document recommending a moratorium on the roll-out of the fifth generation, 5G, for telecommunication until potential hazards for human health and the environment have been fully investigated by scientists who are independent from industry.

5G will substantially increase exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on top of the 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, etc for telecommunications already in place. RF-EMF has been proven to be harmful for humans and the environment.

Such technology is marketed as the best thing since sliced bread, but how many people consider what the impacts of such technology will be, including the so-called "Internet of Things" (in refrigerators, washing machines, surveillance cameras, self-driving cars and buses, etc.), that essentially cranks up the invasion of electromagnetic fields to unprecedented levels? What happened to the precautionary principle?

Dr Murray May, Cook

I write concerning your article "Tuggeranong residents up in arms at new bus routes" (canberratimes.com.au, July 4). Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the meeting.

On behalf of 23 ACT Neighbourhood Watch members and ACTION bus commuters, I register full support for Mr Butler and the points he raised at the meeting.

I invite Mr Edghill to comment on the following:

Transport Canberra's statement "The current Xpressos have drawbacks – if you happen to miss your Xpresso the choices to get to or from where you're going may be quite constrained" is more factually incorrect than correct.

As a backup, at a minimum, 718 and 719 commuters are able to use the 318 and 319 services from the suburbs and multiple services from Civic.

We call on Transport Canberra to show the public the cost-benefit-analysis undertaken showing the benefits, efficiencies and savings that will be achieved by discontinuing the Xpresso services and putting on the additional rapid services.

Transport Canberra claimed: "We heard that Canberrans want public transport to be quicker and more frequent. The proposed, New Bus Network delivers this."

Contrary to this, the cancellation of the 718 and 719 services will: deny commuters the shortest and the most direct routes into and out of the City; increase daily travel time per person by potentially up to one hour per day; discourage commuters from using ACTION bus services and revert to using motor vehicles.

It seems from Transport Canberra's statements and its actions, the interests and views of 4 per cent of commuters, which includes valley residents, will be totally ignored.

Mark Lynch, Area co-ordinator, Gordon Neighbourhood Watch, Gordon

Your editorial ("AEC's Bean reveal shows rare irony", July 6, p22) repeats the common error that Sir John Monash was "knighted in the field by King George V in August 1918".

In fact, Monash had been made a Knight Commander of St Michael and St George (KCMG) and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the New Year's Day Honours List of January 1, 1918.

The King in August was merely conferring the knighthood on Monash, tapping him on the shoulder with a sword and shaking his hand, and he did not do so "in the field" but on the porch of the Australian headquarters at the Chateau de Bertangles in Picardy, France.

This information (and a photograph) is readily available on the Australian War Memorial website.

There are dozens of references to "Sir John Monash" in Australian newspapers dated between January and August 1918 and available in the National Library's excellent Trove service.

David Stephens, Bruce

The latest issue of Our Canberra for Woden carries the following statement from the government: "The light rail project is expected to bring more investment to the Woden town centre and will deliver an important north-south transport spine for Canberra."

What gives rise to this expectation of more investment, given that we already have a rapid bus service from Woden to Civic and Belconnen?

Why would developers care whether travellers use a bus or a tram? As for travellers themselves, it seems that you have a better chance of a seat on a bus than on a tram. Or is standing thought to be better foryou?

Chris Mobbs, Torrens

I write in reference to Bert Newton's alleged gay slur.

I can recall when Gra-Gra (Graham Kennedy) on Channel Ten's Blankety Blanks required the panel to name the cards that the now late Stuart Wagstaff, acomplete gentleman, had in agame.

Noeline Brown suggested "a pair of old jokers", which we thought was hilarious, but Stuart, also on the panel, was plainly uphappy.

Bert is a satirist, an entertainer who has lived by pushing the envelope as Graham did; no malice or hurt was intended, but as a late marketing director once said to me, "You can say what you like in private over a bottle of claret at a dinner party, but outside before speaking you need to consider the implications – I'd hate to have to chop the old head off."

And on Little Britain ... well, what about that?

John Dobinson, Herston, Qld

Like everyone else, I'm following the harrowing story of the rescue of the boys in the cave with bated breath.

It is really uplifting that, among all the news of war and disaster, we have a story of international co-operation.

However, I do think that the outstanding courage of the boys' coach has been understated. Perhaps it was a dangerous expedition, but it seems that Ake was unaware of this.

It is not the first time that a seemingly safe Boys' Own Adventure trek has gone horribly wrong through ignorance or misadventure.

We are all awestruck by the bravery and skills of the highly trained experts who have rallied to the rescue. But this young man, who must have been terrified himself, kept those boys safe and apparently in reasonably good spirits for what must have seemed an eternity.

I think that his efforts are just as outstanding as those of the professionals who have flocked to help.

Barbara Fisher, Cook

The prosecution of Bernard Collaery and "K" in a country that prides itself on the rule of law, by a government that calls itself Liberal, is shocking.

It is 14 years since "K" complained to the Australian security and intelligence watchdog about our government's illegal spying activity against East Timor and Collaery acted as the whistleblower's lawyer.

The illegal bugging was because Australia wanted to increase its advantage over one of our youngest and poorest neighbours in the negotiations over oil and gas rights. .

Collaery and "K" are now being pursued for revenge and to make an example to frighten other public servants.

Elizabeth Baxter, Reid

NOT SURPRISED

I'm not surprised worshippers at a Brisbane mosque were abused. I only see such incidents increasing because the mainstream media disproportionately highlights terrorist attacks committed by the so-called Muslims. Until this discrepancy is removed, Muslim youth and women will remain the victims of vile abuse.

Foad Munir, Labrador, Qld

LEYONHJELM DIGS IN

Senator Leyonhjelm might acquaint himself with Will Rogers' excellent advice: "If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging."

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove, Qld

GET YOUR APOLOGY HERE

There seems always to be someone hell-bent on receiving an apology. I've never found them to be of much value. I've accumulated a cupboard full of them. I'd be happy to let them go cheaply. Those harried by the politically correct brigade may wish to take them as a job lot.

M. F. Horton, Adelaide, SA

BACK TO SPYCATCHER

If Turnbull is too hypocritical to tell the Attorney General to drop the ridiculous charges against Witness K and Bernard Collaery he could advise the current defendants' lawyers how he got the similar "Spycatcher" case thrown out of court – but would that make him a "whistleblower" (and potential criminal) also?

Eric Hunter, Cook

MONASH MOVE

Interesting suggestion that Sir John Monash could be elevated to the rank of field marshal ("AEC's Bean announcement displays rare irony", July 6, p22). Can this be done posthumously – unlike the conferring of a knighthood?

If Menzies could achieve this promotion for retired general Sir Thomas Blamey a few years after the second war, perhaps Turnbull could do the same for Monash a century after the first.

Michael McCarthy, Deakin

GOURLEY PRAISE

I greatly enjoy your regular columnist Paddy Gourley, whose articles are far from tedious, even if the author labours under the disability of being a "former public servant" (rather than, say, a business executive with no experience of public administration).

I doubt whether any praise from me could give as much satisfaction to Mr Gourley as getting a rise out of Martin Parkinson ("Get over yourself", July 5, p8).

H. Simon, Watson

NOT DESIGNED FOR NOW

The 1951 UN Refugee Convention was designed to resettle displaced populations from Europe after WWII, but not for today's world of mass people movements, and ever-growing numbers fleeing persecution, conflicts, or humanitarian and environmental crises.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Vic

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