And why are we getting embroiled in Iraq so quickly when it seems that ISIS's interests and Caliphate desires are restricted to the Middle East and don't pose direct risks to Australia. Abbott seems to lack a coherent foreign policy and seems to be neglecting Australia's main geographical areas of interest. Abbott quickly got Indonesia off-side and did not attend the recent South Pacific Islands Forum. Abbott seems to be taking Australia into dangerous and ill-considered foreign adventures just to help his domestic polling numbers.

Rod Holesgrove, O'Connor

Could it be that Mr Abbott is drawing our attention to military and other events overseas because of the failure of his government to attend to matters in Australia?

P. J. Carthy, McKellar

Tony Abbott said on television that the awful murders of two American journalists is justification for Australia's involvement in Iraq against the IS. What rubbish, Mr Abbott! Leaders should be ruled by logic, not emotion.

One hundred years ago the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Ferdinand, was murdered in Sarajevo in a Serb and Bosnian plot. Emotion saw Russia support the Orthodox Serbs, which dragged the British and French into the conflict, while the alliance that Roman Catholic Austria had with Germany saw it also enter the conflict. The Ottoman Empire sided with Austria as they feared Russian expansion. Four years later and with 19 million dead the war was over. But the seeds of WWII had been sown.

Political leaders must be ruled by the head not the heart.

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

I have lost count of the number of ''look at moi'' photos of Brendan Nelson you have published this year (''Tour of duty … memorial lions return to Ypres, September 4, p1).

Mr Nelson has no war record. He is an operator, who has had multiple political affiliations, and who manages to emerge in top positions, regardless of which party is in power.

Chris Smith, Kingston

A couple of weekends ago, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann tried some scaremongering by suggesting that the government might have to increase taxes to fill the budget black hole if the Senate did not come to the party and pass the government's budget bills. The taxes that might increase were never specified.

This week the minor parties in the Senate - especially the PUP - conspired with the government to pass legislation that will abolish the mining tax, a tax that would have contributed $6.5 billion to the budget over four years. The effect will be an even bigger black hole to fill.

What hypocrisy on the part of the Government. Palmer should have declared a conflict of interest, and his PUP - which he clearly controls - should have abstained from voting.

Surely the better option would have been to retain the mining tax and its revenue. But no, instead we have an ideologically driven Government hell-bent on appeasing its mining mates, with the fallout to be met by ordinary taxpayers, those least able to afford it.

Don Sephton, Greenway

In Parliament on Wednesday, Tony Abbott labelled the minerals resource rent tax, which seeks to get citizens a fair share of windfall profits for its mineral resources, a ''stupid'' tax. That description would be better applied to idealogically driven politicians with scant regard for their nation's common wealth and its future. On second thoughts, irresponsible and imbecilic are probably closer to the mark.

Jon Stirzaker, Latham

With reference to the repeal of the mining tax, which gives a few companies a massive bonus, the following quote may explain how current politics are being manipulated.

''The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence is fascism - the ownership of government by an individual or group''.

- Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Helen Vaughan-Roberts, Wanniassa

I was disappointed to hear Brianna Heseltine is thinking of running for Labor in the next ACT elections (''Mr Fluffy campaigner could stand for ALP'', September 3, p1).

I see the move as selling the members of the Fluffy Owners and Residents' Action Group down the drain. The Labor Party should have moved on the asbestos problem immediately after my friend and Canberra Citizen of the Year, Peter Leonard, died of mesothelioma in January 2008. I am quite impressed with what I have seen of Ms Heseltine, but would have hoped that if she were interested in becoming a MLA, she would run as an independent or as a candidate of a community-based party rather than being subject to the whims and demands of faceless, party machinery men/women in a major party organisational structure.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

Trevor Cobbold (''OECD says competition in education is a fail'', Times2, September 3, p5) says everyone (but particularly socialist OECD bureaucrats), agrees that competition between schools doesn't produce significantly better outcomes.

But he says nothing about reasons for outcomes in schools not subject to competition declining significantly. Any chance that factors other than competition are at work?

A couple spring to mind. Under-trained, increasingly detached and ineffective teachers in increasingly unruly school environments? Kids from lower socio-economic backgrounds staying on longer? Teacher unions are renowned for dying in ditches over hiring/firing reform or performance assessment.

Besides, I like to see real, positive competition tested before conclusions are reached: competition engendered by higher-paid, contracted principals given a chance, via control of their staff and budget, to shape their school's attractions, performance and destiny.

Manson MacGregor, Amaroo

Last week on 2CC, I heard Simon Corbell, Minister for Capital Metro, say that 60 per cent of Canberrans support the light rail project. His source was the ridiculously skewed survey developed by the main cheer squad for this project, whose generous salaries (chief executive Emma Thomas has a package in excess of $350,000 per annum) we are all paying for, namely the Capital Metro Project Office. I can't blame them, I'd probably do the same if the continuation of my job depended on this project getting the nod.

But the survey concluded that 55 per cent of Canberrans supported the project. It seems that Minister Corbell preferred it to be 60 per cent!

The Tuggeranong Community Council is actively opposing the project because of its eye-watering cost. We know it is going to cost a lot more than $614 million. Based on similar projects, it will almost certainly cost at least $1 billion. This one project will increase government (our!) debt by about 20 per cent! And for what? So a very small proportion of Canberrans can allegedly save one minute on the travel time from Gungahlin to Civic.

I have again written to the Chief Minister and Minister Corbell telling them that this survey was seriously flawed and if they really want to find out what proportion of Canberrans support the project, they should conduct another survey but let Community Councils vet the questions first. Even better, get an independent organisation to conduct the survey. I have no doubt what the result will be.

The trouble is that, on this project, I fear that the Government has stopped listening to the community. I'm still waiting for a reply.

Eric Traise, president, TCC

As pointed out by Alistair Coe (''Let's fight the decay at the heart of the city centre'', Times2, September 2, p5), central Civic through City Walk and Garema Place has become a barren area devoid of human life. Planner Hamish Sinclair (''Cars not the answer to Civic woes, say planners'', September 3, p5) has said to attract people to this area it needed to be ''more visually interesting'', with creative, citizen-led initiatives. The problem of city squares lacking visual appeal and interest has certainly been addressed at La Encarnacion in the old quarter of Seville, Spain.

There a German architect Jurgen Mayer-Hermann designed the Metropol Parasol - claimed to be the largest wooden structure in the world - consisting of six parasols in the form of giant mushrooms. This structure, completed in 2011, is a visual feast. It can be seen from afar, being 26 metres high and has magnetic attraction powers. Incorporated in the design at level 1 (Street level) is a central market, levels 2 and 3 include a restaurant and panoramic terraces offering views of the city centre.

A striking structure along the lines of the Metropol Parasol could be the solution as an attraction to draw tourists and ACT citizens back to central civic. Other benefits include it providing summer shade, a market, restaurant and speciality shops. Perhaps German architect Jurgen Mayer-Hermann could be commissioned to come up with a design for our Civic square.

Maybe an international competition could be run to generate other creative ideas. There is a pressing need for such a project rather than some recent controversial offerings such as a Civic beach and a football stadium.

Brian and Deirdre Brocklebank, Bruce

EXECUTIVES: JOB OFFER

I've heard nearly 400 Coles executives are to be dismissed in Melbourne. Perhaps some could be redeployed in Canberra as checkout operators because based on the number of inactive checkout centres in Coles stores, it seems there is a dire shortage.

Max Rowe, Hawker

ASIO NOT HIDING IN SHADOW

I haven't seen the ASIO building from the angle viewed by Andrew L. Schuller (Letters, September 2), but from Parkes Way at night, the building declares its presence with every lightbulb on its premises ablaze (''ASIO set for the big move'', August 28, p7).

J. Westerburg, Reid

CURRAWONG PICNIC

My neighbours' backyard is riddled with egg-shells. Apparently, currawongs, with egg in mouth, have been having a picnic. They have even found intact eggs in their gutter!

G. Byrne, Hughes

SUPER DEAL FOR BOSSES

Joe Hockey's statement that rather than employers putting money into workers' super they will put it into their pockets, is a fallacy. By law, employers would have had to honour the super payment but the payment in the form of wages is voluntary, and as one employer on ABC news stated this week, he believes very few will pay it. The big end of town wins again.

Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW

It is said the Abbott government's decision to delay the 12 per cent increase in superannuation will cost employees about $128 billion in retirement savings. The biggest losers are not employees, but the elite superannuation fund managers who make millions through management fees and bonuses.

George Thompson, Narrabundah

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