Notwithstanding, I seem to recall that consideration must be exchanged if a valid contract can be said to exist between Crispin Hull and Nick Xenophon in regard to the payment of a bottle of Grange in return for accurately forecasting a hung parliament ("Who wins the Grange?', Canberra Times, Forum, July 9, page2).

Given the lack of any consideration, or indeed, evidence of a transaction, Senator Xenophon is well within his rights to withhold the bottle of Grange should a hung parliament (have) eventuate(d).

Of course, Senator Xenophon could (have) well decide(d) to honour what is, in effect, a gambling debt. That would be ironic given his exemplary stance on the evils of gaming.

Michael Parsons, Griffith, ACT

It is very welcome news that former supporters of Bush Heritage Australia are educated and caring enough to recognise nonsense about kangaroo numbers needing to be controlled ("Bush Heritage Australia faces backlash after kangaroo culling claims", Canberra Times, July 10, page 10).

The stated reasons for culling quoted in this article might have come directly from the ACT government attempting to justify its own annual kangaroo slaughter.

There is the "hugely elevated and unsustainable numbers of roos", when all the studies show us that non-captive kangaroos are far too slow-breeding, far too late-breeding, and have far too high an infant mortality rate to ever overpopulate.

Then we have "there is a risk to their own welfare from starvation stress", when we know that kangaroos are perfectly adapted to surviving very low feed levels because they simply stop conceiving young – aside from the fact that it has been several years now since there was any drought long enough to cause starvation stress.

Then there is: "our primary concern is the other species that are potentially impacted" – when we know that other native species depend for their very survival on natural (unculled) numbers of kangaroos to manage the land for them, ensuring diversity of landscape and preventing bushfires.

Even if there somehow were too many kangaroos, the implication that the only solution is to kill the excess is disgusting.

If reducing numbers really were desirable, there is always the option of simply supplementing their own natural fertility control.

Frankie Seymour, Queanbeyan

Milwaukee police chief Ed Flynn said: "We're the most heavily armed, violent society in the history of Western civilisation." (Analysis, Sunday Canberra Times, July 10, page 12).

This penchant for armaments is projected globally with the US being far and away the world's major arms trader, and exporter of violence, illustrated by its drone assassination program and the horrors of Abu Ghraib, Bagram and Guantanamo.

Arms have always been a currency of trade but never has their ubiquity, volume and lethality been so great.

Arms component manufacturers are distributed in most US states, forming powerful lobby groups, making senators hostage to their electoral beneficence, and ingratiated to them for states' economic wellbeing.

The quid pro quo are state subsidies and special deals, i.e. deregulation and legislative protection. Enthusiastically and covertly assisting, understandably, is the gun lobby, the National Rifle Association.

Australia is battling (internally) with budget repair but is prepared, unquestioningly, to outlay $32 billion annually on what is euphemistically called "defence".

This is projected to rise to $59billion in 2025-26 ("Save us from the Dr Strangeloves", Sunday Canberra Times, July 10, page19).

With bellicose threats abounding, and Chilcot's words echoing, James Joyce's "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake" demands watchful vigilance.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

Paul Malone came up with the goods in his Sunday column this week ("Save us from the Dr Strangeloves", Sunday Canberra Times, July 10, page 19).

He reported, "The New York Times and Al Jazeera have now revealed a long-running joint CIA/Saudi Arabian program to provide weapons to anti-government forces in Syria."

It is good to read authoritative confirmation of this long-rumoured situation.

It is credible considering that the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, a predominantly Shia political movement, held sway in Syria and Iraq, both of which are being pounded into sand.

Being both Shia and socialist, they have earned the unremitting enmity of both Saudi Arabia and the USA.

The outcome remains positive for both countries. The Saudi and Turkish financed IS, the USA created and the Saudis adopted al-Qaeda.

A coalition of Western nations under the umbrella of the UN and even Iran, Russia and the outlawed military wing of the Kurds, are performing a dance of death across Iraq and Syria.

As for Malone's take on Indonesia, China and the China seas, China doesn't care about transit. It only wants to steal all the marine and submarine resources from its neighbours. Indonesia's expansionism was stymied in Borneo and later in East Timor. Its latest front is Irian Jaya which it now styles West Papua. Unfortunately Strangelove lives here.

Gary J. Wilson, MacGregor

Having travelled to America multiple times annually (including areas of heavy black population) for over three decades I do not, for one moment condone or excuse the very few (relative to population) police shootings of young black men.

That said, young black men are committing crimes and carrying concealed firearms in such great numbers that white, and black, police officers are very jumpy, fearing for their own, and innocent black and white US citizens' safety.

I suspect a very small number of black and white police officers are, on the spur of the moment, also "evening the score" on those hard to convict, but mistaking innocent black citizens for habitual or career black criminals.

The fact is, most black Americans are killed by other black Americans.

Howard Hutchins,Chirnside Park

Peter Moran's surmise that the Chilcot report's exposure of the lies underpinning the Iraq war should have us also doubting the veracity of the oft-repeated mantra about Iran wanting to "wipe Israel off the map", is well made (Letters, July 11).

But another way to arrive at the same conclusion is just to look at what Iranian President Ahmadinejad actually said in 2005, which is usually given as the evidence of this threat.

In fact, Ahmadinejad did not refer to Israel the country, but to the Israeli regime.

He used the Farsi phrase "rezhim-e ishgahalgar-e qods", which translates as "the regime occupying Jerusalem".

In other words, he was calling for regime change, not Israel's destruction.

By contrast, in 2001, US deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz called for "ending states that sponsor terrorism".

As revealed by US General Wesley Clark in 2003, the states which the US have decided are such sponsors have been Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan.

Just like the WMDs, the supposed threat has always been a war-mongering fiction.

Greg Ellis, Murrumbateman, NSW

I read Andrew Leigh's call for elections to be welcomed as opportunities for "conversation" in last week's The Chronicle, and then I heard Ben Oquist pointing out wisely on the ABC's The Drum that it is obviously easier in public life to knock things down than to rebuild them, and then I saw Maxine McKew on a subsequent Drum program wondering why the two centrist leaders of our major parties can't get together and agree to implement some of the policies they share. I am meditating on these creative and constructive contributions, praying with many other Canberrans that the sanity of these suggestions will prevail.

Jill Sutton, Watson

I learnt this last week that Pauline Hanson, who dismayed us all some 20 years ago with her ideas and advocacy for government here in Australia, had re-emerged little changed and achieved a place in the Senate for Queensland representing her One Nation Party.

On the subject of climate change she is now still averring that she doubted its reality, spoke of her "scientific scepticism" and "was not sold on it".

All good scientists the world over work to test any new theory before making conclusions as to its validity but when a conclusion is reached they devote themselves to acting on it to mitigate any adverse effects if not diminish them.

Climate change began as a theory but now scientists around the world accept it as fact and work to present its varied manifestations — work with each other sharing and building on each other's knowledge.

Science is essentially international. We in Australia must co-operate with others, particularly in our "Asiatic" neighbourhood to be co-workers and co-helpers.

Let us all recognise that Pauline's scepticism is long now pitifully out of date and press on to good, constructive relations with other countries for all our sakes.

Helen Wiles, Narrabundah

With the announcement by the ACT and NSW governments that greyhound racing is to be banned in both states the question has to be asked "what is

to happen to the 6000 greyhounds that are currently racing?"

A certain number may be rehomed or moved interstate. This will still leave thousands of dogs to be slaughtered to meet the ban.

Will both governments, along with the RSPCA, be willing to participate in this slaughter and disposal of thousands of dead dogs?

In response to Mr Quarterman's letter, (Canberra Times, July 10), where he expresses dismay at the fact the ACT government was channelling taxpayers' money into greyhound racing, what about the $26 million of taxpayers' money the government has been pouring into GWS AFL team to play three competition games in Canberra each year?

As far as the RSPCA is concerned, how long will it be before it tries to ban horse racing where 15,000 horses are slaughtered each year?

Kevin Coughlan, Chisholm

The arrogant responses of John Howard and Tony Blair to the report of the Chilcot inquiry indicate that they still don't understand the enormity of their culpability in supporting George Bush in his disastrous adventure in Iraq. "There was no lie. There were errors in intelligence, but there was no lie," says Howard.

Wrong. The evidence was accurate and clear (see 'David Kelly, weapons expert'. Wikipedia), and when Kelly's evidence was broadcast by the BBC, the politicians ignored the message but instead hounded the whistleblower. Within days he died. It was claimed that he had committed suicide, something disputed by many (see Wikipedia), including those of us who knew him as a colleague.

The message for Howard, Blair and all politicians (including Malcolm Turnbull of Godwin Grech fame) is seek evidence at its source, beware mandarins bringing gifts.

Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla

Australia's electioneering style has sunk to a new low. The person wanting to lead our country based most of his party's promotion on a lie and hammered it home endlessly.

Watching Mr Shorten now touring the country as though it is a victory lap is nauseating.

I have no affinity to any political party but watching this shallow, fear-raising style is concerning.

P. Shaw, Goulburn

If the majority of Australians want to vote on the issue of same-sex marriage, we should not demean that vote on a legally inconsequential plebiscite that will do no more than confirm what we already know.

Instead there should be a constitutional referendum to introduce the definition: "For the purposes of this constitution, marriage is a solemnised union between two people regardless of their gender."

That would dispose of delay and uncertainty in the aftermath of the vote.

It would also dispose of fearmongering about anyone

being forced to consecrate a marriage they did not consider valid or to sell a wedding

cake to a gay couple. It would also relieve Zed Seselja and his ilk of having to choose between the dictates of their faith and their duty to do the job they are paid for: to represent their constituents.

Ron Walker, Campbell

H. Ronald ("ABC agenda", letters, July 11) protests that The Drum brought "a torrent of green left opinion from ABC celebrities" with only "clumsy attempts at balance".

Oh come on. We are subjected to "balance" from the Institute of Public Affairs or the likes of Gerard Henderson and Nick Cater every night.

There's so much "balance", that it at times diminishes the intellectual integrity of the show, especially when discussing climate change.

A non-scientific opinion on climate change is not balance; it is irresponsible journalism.

Nevertheless, mostly it's a great show and its comperes, Julia Baird, John Barron and Eleanor Hall, are highly professional and facilitate excellent debate.

Jenny Goldie, Michelago

On the centenary of Gough Whitlam's birthday we can reflect upon him as a great man in many respects. It should not, however, be forgotten that it was Whitlam who lowered tariffs by 25 per cent, which brought us into the global economy and forced us to compete with Third World labour.

He even called himself an economic "rationalist".

Since then it has been shown that "free" trade has been a disaster for working people.

In Australia it has destroyed manufacturing, badly damaged the union movement and created entrenched unemployment.

It has also increased CO2 due to imported products taking more energy to reach consumers than the equivalent products that were once manufactured here.

Rod Campbell, Ainslie

NOT QUITE A LIE

I was surprised to read, "the federal Labor and federal Liberal Party both support Canberra light rail", a statement by Labor MP Andrew Leigh ("Leigh labels light rail ads 'premature agenda' ", July 10, page 4). Unfortunately I cannot write that this is an arrant lie because the federal Liberal government payment under the Asset Recycling Initiative, paid for the recycling of Northbourne Ave public housing, will be used to support the project if it goes ahead.

Gary J. Wilson, MacGregor

OILED UP FOR WAR

Paul Malone ("Save us from the Doctor Strangeloves", Canberra Times, July 10, page 19) fails to mention that the real reason for invading Iraq, and for China fortifying islands in the South China Sea, is to get the oil. The fuss was never about weapons of mass destruction or about blocking navigation.

Bruce A. Peterson, Kambah

REDS WERE A MENACE

Vetting post-World War II migrants for communist sympathies or activism and denying them citizenship, plus identifying and monitoring local communists, was highly desirable since Moscow was trying to disrupt and communise Western nations and the world at the time. Ideologies can be more dangerous than guns.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Victoria

APPRENTICES ARE BACK

Finally, Australia has a government and the Liberal Party has reversed its policy of destroying apprenticeships.

It will introduce them into its already apprentice packed frontbench. Some have survived midterm due to their opinionated boisterous rhetoric. Hopefully, they will have absorbed some awareness of rational policy and its execution.

Fortunately, we have a house of review consisting of many first year apprentices, mostly with real working experience and their feet on the ground.

Wally Reynolds, Perth, Tasmania

FORCED TO ACT

Didn't Saddam Hussein gas 4000 Kurds to death? Isn't that a weapon of mass destruction? And should the West stand by and let that happen and not do anything?

Penelope Upward, O'Connor

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Could GetUp! encourage its more than one million members to register for the Australian Conservative Movement?

A huge influx of members might encourage Senator Bernardi to form a political party, thereby ridding the Liberal Party of its conservative elements and allowing it to become a true liberal party.

Alan Robertson, Canberra City

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