I read with interest in the Sunday Canberra Times that Florey was identified as one of the more disadvantaged suburbs in the ACT. Perhaps one contributing factor is the escalating cost of rates.
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The rates notice I received a few days ago indicates that in the past year my Florey rates increased by more than 10 per cent, to top $2000. In the last five years, my Florey rates have increased a whopping 50-plus per cent!
Recent national inflation figures show the cost of living has increased only 12 per cent over that time. Can someone, somewhere, sometime let us Florey people know: why are our rates rising so rapidly while other costs seem to be rising at a far slower rate?
Ron Jansen, Florey
Medical protest wrong
Greg Pinder's letter in the Sunday Canberra Times (July 26) regarding the proposed measures in the ACT to restrict protests at some medical clinics, argues that banning protests at a certain place would restrict the protesters' right of free speech.
I disagree. Just as we cannot protest – no matter how legitimate or earnest our reasons – in the ACT Assembly during debates, or in the War Memorial or during a church service, so persons with views against particular medical treatments should not be permitted to harass folks seeking advice or treatment at any clinic or hospital. It would be equally inappropriate for protesters who disagree with circumcision, for example, to harass all who attend a clinic which may provide circumcision. Why? because their presence will compromise patients' right to privacy.
As I understand it, the purpose of the measures is not to ban a particular group or cause, or to take away their right of free expression; but to exclude one particular platform of protest, ie a "prayer meeting" outside a medical facility that provides a particular medical service.
The right of citizens to freely express their views must not be exercised in a way that infringes any other person's rights, such as privacy and freedom of choice.
Mary Martin, Queanbeyan
Light rail questions
Andrew Wilson, head of Canberra's peak architecture body (CT July 26, p4) rightly calls for consistence in respect of light rail, and would understand that poor decisions generate such pressures. The government is opting for a cheap version of 100-year-old technology (trams with overhead wires), in lieu of other transport options with greater benefits, for peripheral reasons; namely, real estate gains and some construction jobs it would say have nothing to do with its connection to the CFMEU.
Costs will include the destruction of Northbourne Avenue and apparently some Civic businesses while the transport options they ignore seem much less damaging in this regard.
Adelaide is to trial autonomous cars, as Britain and the United States already have, with the massive safety, service and de-congestion advantages these offer at less cost. O-Bahn bus technology is tram-like in its performance, but the passengers using it do not have to disembark in the weather at the other end. Skytrans has been mentioned – this is presently being built in Tel Aviv. The per-kilometre cost is only a fraction of that for light rail..
I voted for Labor last time, and the mandate from me was to have a look at light rail – the government has looked, has not made a case and will get my vote next time.
Trevor McPherson, Aranda
Australia's first trial of driverless cars ("Many reasons to be cheerful about what driverless cars will do for us", Sunday CT, June 26, p15) adds to concerns about investing in a light rail network in Canberra.
It is not that driverless cars will be available tomorrow, but it is very likely that they will be part of the transport mix within 10 years, just five years after the proposed Gungahlin-Civic light rail line is anticipated to come into service. The government has not at any time allowed a full and open discussion about bus-ways in Canberra, the current alternative to light rail.
There is much merit in the less costly bus-way public transport network, one reason being that the inter-town links need not rely on thoroughfares such as Northbourne Avenue. However the longer-term advantage is that bus-ways can be reused by other vehicles, thereby providing suitable roadway for the transition phase involving semi-autonomous vehicles.
Public transport advocates often criticise Canberra being designed for the motor car. Technology, such as Uber and autonomous vehicles, is about to turn the tables and base public transport on new ways of using what has until now been a private vehicle.
Wise expenditure of scarce taxes should be put into bus-ways.
A.Smith, Farrer
I refer to Tony Trobe's column in last week's Sunday Canberra Times ("Connectivity is key to greatness", July 26). I am very disappointed that his guest – Malcolm Snow, NCA chief executive – did not acknowledge that in its planning in the '70s (the "Y Plan" and six town centres), the National Capital Development Commission completely omitted consideration of any form of viable and usable public transport between these town centres.
The whole emphasis was on transport by personal automobile – thus we have a very good road system which (still) encourages car use.
What should have happened when Belconnen and Woden were being planned – and doubly so for Tuggeranong and Gungahlin – was the provision of public transit corridors, for sole use by say, express buses (internal combustion or electric), light rail (trams, as they were then called) or heavy rail. But such provision was not made and now we have the unedifying spectacle of the current government trying to retrofit stage one of a light rail system – from Gungahlin to Civic – against mounting evidence that this proposal is too late, too expensive and the wrong solution.
In the meantime, development is continuing apace in the Molonglo Valley and is proposed for north-west of Macgregor (across the NSW border, no less) and still no provision is made for corridors for viable and usable public transport systems.
How can we achieve a feeling of "connectiveness" across a conurbation 40 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide if we do not have or cannot use an automobile?
Paul E.Bowler, Holder
Pension costs
In relation to the article in last week's Sunday CT on the high cost of maintaining CSS and PSS pensions, it crossed my mind that as current CSS and PSS members fall off the perch, if I was "last man standing", would what's left, if any, be all mine?! Just thought I'd ask.
Ross Humphreys, Flynn
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