It would not surprise me to see aspects of this program used by the government as propaganda to warn potential refugees of the fate that awaits them if they attempt to come by boat to Australia.

John Quinn, Spence

Malcolm Turnbull's constant use of those who drowned at sea as justification for his government's inhumane policy towards their fellow asylum seekers dishonours the dead. Would they wish to see other asylum seekers treated with such cruelty, and in their name?

Patricia Saunders, Chapman

The Amnesty International report is just the latest in in a long line of condemnations of Australia's policies in respect of Nauru. I lived and worked there many years ago when it was a far happier place than it is now. Phosphate made it among the richest countries in the world at one pont.

Now it's essentially broke, which is why it agreed to to allow itself to be used for Australian offshore detention.

Its political and public functions have been in serious decline for many years, too, and it's absurd for the Turnbull government to seek to turn Amnesty's criticism aside by suggesting responsibility lies with Nauru.

In a environment with the problems and limitations that Nauru labours under, it is hardly surprising that its long suffering citizens would be looking for someone to blame for their problems. The quicker the boat arrivals/refugees can be moved off Nauru the better for everybody concerned.

Jeff Hart, Kingston

Right now I am, like many people, trying to manage several complaints against corporations. An energy company who broke our contract. A bank which broke our contract. Both refusing to pay money they obviously owe.

Dangerous products sold by big food retailers. Two telcos (say no more).

The complaints are at my expense and thousands of others are taking the same complaints and wasting resources.

Corporations lie and cheat with impunity. Their "customer service" is an insult and proves their contempt for customers. The ombudsman system is broken. The ACCC is too busy. Parliament gets ignored. The legal system is too costly.

Oh, but there's plenty of resources to police the little guy who steals a few groceries and a tank of gas! Yes, now just why is that?

It is time to penalise and blacklist those in charge of corporations. Stop telcos, banks and energy companies from publishing bad debtor listings. No more rights till they clean up their act. And if the wealthy cheats were penalised wisely, how lucrative that could be?

E. Linsky, Fisher

I had to look twice, but there it was, a positive comment on Donald Trump (Letters, October 18). Well done, Alan Gray, you must know somebody in Fairfax. Even if you don't, you have given me the opportunity to share a thought I have been quietly nurturing for some time.

If Trump becomes president, the impact will expose to the public our own deep political and institutional corruption. One Nation will probably carry his message irrespective, particularly as the CT has recognised this by publishing articles likening Pauline Hanson to Trump.

Frank Scargill, Macarthur

Donald Trump does not have the temperament, judgment or character to be US president. What he has said and done would guarantee a sullied presidency without the respect needed to carry national and international leadership.

Not that the Clintons have much more going for them except perhaps a well burnished public persona acceptable enough to deceive, thanks to the poor quality of their opponent and with the help of acompliant press.

As the lesser of the two evils it is likely that Hillary Clinton will win the contest in November. However, after the election the Clintons' notorious past will come into sharper focus and she will have no opponent to mask reality and precious little to lean on.

Her past may ensure that she is a one-term president unless, of course, bad health or even impeachment catches her first.

The irony of this extraordinary situation is that the Trumps of this world are able to succeed precisely because the country has been run by too many people just like the Clintons.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

Not everything about Donald Trump is bad, from an Australian perspective. Were he to win, he would certainly cause us to review the relationship with America, and so get dragged into far fewer pointless wars.

Furthermore the revelation that the US contains around 100 million savages who disavow modern, civilised values, should also prompt Australia to think again about its cultural affinity with this once-great nation, and maybe to adopt a more independent stance based on Aussie values.

Julian Cribb, Franklin

Ross Fitzgerald's claim that a banking royal commission would be "economic vandalism" ("Incrementally does it", Forum, October 15, p10) does not make sense. If the royal commission finds that the banks are running their businesses legally and ethically and have dealt with bad apples then they and their shareholders have nothing to fear.

If not, it would be intolerable to accept banking profitability can only be maintained by treating customers unfairly or illegally. Surely this is not what Fitzgerald is suggesting.

David Roth, Kambah

Anthony Reid (Letters, October 17), like many others, needs to know the difference between a plebiscite and a referendum. A referendum is necessary for changes to the constitution. A plebiscite is non-binding.

As the last national plebiscite on the national anthem showed, governments can ignore the outcome if it's not what they wanted.

David Grills, Kambah

ACTPLA's Neighbourhood Plan for Forrest promised "a neighbourhood that respects its rich garden suburb legacy and its inner south location offering lifestyles suitable for all age groups. The historical significance and "garden suburb" character of its streetscapes ... will be valued and will not only be conserved but also enhanced".

Sadly that has not happened. One of the social engineering consequences of the ACT government rezoning parts of Forrest for medium-density housing has been to undermine the "all age groups" aspect, and force many retired residents to sell their homes to developers.

We have lived in our house near Manuka since 1993. In 2004, the ACT government rezoned our section to allow developers to build four townhouses on a block. This inevitably led to an increase in the unimproved value of the land, a proliferation of mainly unattractive modern townhouses, and parking problems. The increased land values are fine for people who want to sell, but the pressing issue for those that don't is the rapid rise in rates. In our case we are now paying $7500 a year to remain in the family home.

My brothers in comparable inner-city properties in Brisbane and Sydney pay $4000 and $1900 respectively. It is possible to apply for deferment of rates in exceptional circumstances, but all that does is saddle your children with an unaffordable debt when they inherit the family home. The ACT government needs to come up with a fairer policy that caps rates for Canberra's older long-time residents, preferably at a level that is not inflated by a block's development potential.

C. Williams, Forrest

Given that there was some quibbling before the ACT election about whether rates had previously doubled or tripled, I would like to suggest that people across Canberra set up a "rates and taxes tracking file" on their computers so that we have an accurate picture before the next election.

The 2016 rates notices just prior to the election could be used as base values for the accounting period ahead.

Any other levies or charges implemented by the ACT government in the coming cycle could also be recorded.

The election result suggests that a relatively large part of the Canberra community feels comfortable with the 7 per cent year-on-year rates increase for home owners that is the ACT Labor government's policy. Annual rates for units are to increase by much more.

Nonetheless, I am curious about how those on relatively fixed incomes in a low interest environment, e.g. retirees, will handle the continuing hike.

Murray May, Cook

As usual, the Canberra Times editorial ("Hard decisions lie ahead for Canberra Libs", October 18, p10) summed up the Liberals' woes. There are issues in the ACT that politicians wanting to make Canberra a better place should be passionate about.

To my mind, both Andrew Coe and Jeremy Hanson had all the passion of a plate of cold porridge. What could be added to that comment is their failure to nail the two big issues of the election. These were housing affordability, which is confined to the reasonably well off, and homeless people who are increasing year by year.

Canberra has the second-highest amount of people who have no permanent place to lie their heads.

In the debate between Andrew Barr and Jeremy Hanson, there was little mention about either issue. Many voters would have listened to both and thought they did not like the social conscience of either.

Turning to the Greens. who say they are the party with a conscience. Their light rail project will eat up money that should be spent on the above mentioned issues.

Many of us in the ACT will look at our politicians and think what a sorry lot.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Judging by the stream of letters in the past couple of days from disaffected Liberal voters, they just don't seem to get it.

I and many other Canberras gave a huge sigh of relief on Saturday night after Labor's re-election. We chose a progressive, forward-looking approach, setting Canberra up for a long-term sustainable future. The alternative of ripping up legitimate contracts, settling with more and more congestion as the years roll by was rightfully rejected.

When the Liberals put themselves forward as a sensible middle of the road alternative, and not resort to silly rates scare campaigns, they will have a much better chance of forming government.

But in the meantime, a quote from the great Ted Whitten springs to mind: "Winners are grinners and losers can please themselves."

Peter Brassington, Coombs

The delay by Labor and the Liberals in not giving ACT Treasury their policy costings in time for Treasury to evaluate them ("ACT voters in the dark on policy costings", October 15, p2), is reprehensible. It shows utter contempt for Canberra voters. This needs to be remedied before the next election.

M. R. Arnold, O'Connor

That both the Labor and Liberal parties delayed in referring all their election policies and promises to enable the ACT Treasury to cost them and then release them publicly well before the election shows considerable contempt for Canberrans.

Treasury stops publicly releasing costings at 10pm on the Thursday before polling day, which is insufficient time for voters to critically examine them. Perhaps 10pm on the Tuesday before might be more appropriate?

A. Rhodes, Cook

GOLD STANDARD GAUGE

Light rail is coming. But why is it costing three times as much as a similar system in Besancon, France (€254 million, opened in 2014)? Is ours a gold-plated system, and do we need that?

Dave Kelly, Aranda

As someone who opposed light rail as an independent candidate, I would urge all like-minded people to move on in the light of the election result. Friend or foe, we should all now do what we can to ensure the project is expedited in the best possible manner.

Peter Robinson, Ainslie

Congratulations, people of Canberra. Your rates will double in the next four years, but you will be able to travel by tram to Gungahlin. What a fantastic quid pro quo!

Richard Milner , Dunlop

BLEAT OF THWARTED

Greg Cornwell (Letters, October 18) "will not donate to local charities, the homeless or the poor" because Labor won the election!? Now there is a rational, and noble, decision if ever I heard one!

Rob Westcott, Reid

Greg Cornwell's petty and juvenile response to the election result is to stop donating to charity because the government is building light rail. Imagine the world we would live in if people only gave to charities when they agreed 100 per cent with government expenditure! Cornwell, a former Legislative Assembly Speaker, needs to grow up.

N. Argy, Belconnen

ONE MAN'S LIBERATION

So, Aleppo was being "bombed" by the Russians, but Mosul was being liberated by the allied forces! Shame on you, Mr Turnbull. Didn't you hear what retired major-general Molan said on the ABC's 7.30 about the "liberation" of Mosul?

John Rodriguez, Florey

RISING DAMP

So Senator Seselja has anointed Alistair Coe as the next Canberra Liberals leader. I have a suggestion for both of these boys: when next you're drying after your shower, concentrate on behind the ears, because they are still wet! By the way, what plans have the Canberra Liberals got for the rest of the ACT?

Hugh McGowan, Holt

DETRITUS DISTRESS

I woke up this morning to find my street littered with election posters. Labor and the Greens have probably won the ACT election, but this time the Liberals are standout winners in my eyes for having removed all their election posters on election night. Shame on you, Labor and the Greens.

Lance Heath, Yarralumla

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