The possibilities continue through aid, the responsibility to protect, international law, invasion, drowning, slavery, torture and murder by people smugglers and people traders. There is something to the unattributed adage that if you save a man's life then you are responsible for him for the rest of his life.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

I refer to the article by Ian Warden ("To the heart of darkness by light rail", June 14, p19). In particular, I refer to his statements about the (Liberal) opposition making its major policy for the coming elections.

He says there has been "a buttering up of Canberra's worst Canberrans" and that these Canberrans "are the change-fearing, always nay-saying ones".

Although Mr Warden claims to have spent only three weeks away in Norway, the tone of his article suggests that he might well have been there for the last three years – utterly insulated from any Canberra news!

We who are against the light rail proposal – and there are a lot of us – have taken our position because the proposed light rail is not the answer to the original problem, which was "rush-hour" travel times between Gungahlin and Civic and return. Light rail is not the answer technically, financially nor equitably. Not only have we exposed, through this newspaper and other media, all the holes in the government's original submission to the Productivity Commission and in its later "business case", but we have proposed other, less expensive, quicker and more effective methods by which the original problem (and others) could be solved.

We have suggested holding a referendum as soon as possible – to determine the actual level of support across Canberra for the light rail project – and we have suggested that any contract signing be delayed until after the 2016 election. Both of these suggestions have been rebuffed by the government, with no reasons given. Why? Do we really want to follow the recent example of Victoria, for the sake of a few months?

Far from being the "worst Canberrans", perhaps we opponents of the light rail project are the "better" or "best" Canberrans, because we can see that the emperor has no clothes and we tell people about it! So, Mr Warden, is it back to Slartibartfast's beautiful fjords (he got an award for them!) for another three weeks (or years)?

Paul E. Bowler, Holder

I wish to applaud Ian Warden for his piece on light rail (June 14, p19). I love Canberra and wish I could be excited for the city it could become, but which may be denied by prevailing negativity.

If this way of thinking had triumphed, we would have had no National Arboretum, no public art and, in fact, probably no Canberra as we know it now, if the Griffins' vision had been ignored.

I live in Kambah and look forward to Gungahlin getting light rail. It is another great vision for Canberra. Bring it on!

Marion Leiba, Kambah

I agree with Ian Warden (June 14) that there is a negative mood in Canberra – and I might add, in the nation – at present. We have a great country but we are lacking an overall sense of direction as to where we are going.

We need some decisive leadership from all our political parties at the local and national level.

Some of my policy suggestions that I believe could lift all our spirits at the local and national level are as follows:

- All governments should get out and borrow money for infrastructure development, as RBA chief Glenn Stevens recommends, as borrowings are very cheap at present with historically low interest rates.

- Infrastructure expenditure should be focused on roads and railways, education, and health, and could be funded by raising the GST by 2percent.

- The Medicare levy should be increased by 1percent to help meet health costs.

- Locally, all political parties need to produce a whole-of-Canberra transport improvement plan which covers better bus services, improved road developments, and a tram network.

- There is a need to double the current taxation and other concessions for all businesses, locally and nationally, to boost jobs and economic growth.

- There needs to be an ACT economic summit to discuss what needs to be done in the territory. All important local groups would be invited to attend this summit with their ideas.

- There needs to be a national economic summit to bring together all important groups to discuss the future of our country. Bob Hawke did this in the 1980s.

This is not an exhaustive list of what could improve our local and national vision and sense of wellbeing in Australia. But I believe it would be a great start for a better future for us all.

Gareth Rees, Casey

Further to comments on poor word usage by Steven Hurren (June 7, Letters), P.Edwards and Eric Hunter (June 14, Letters), might I toss into the equation what I regard as the misuse of the word "issues".

Such misuse has been in vogue now for some 10 years. "I have issues with that," I was told at the time. Grrr. "Issues", it now seems, has almost totally supplanted the word "problems".

An issue, according to my Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary, is "giving out", as in dispensing or circulating, although there is also reference to an issue as a "subject of debate". But surely "problem" – a difficult matter requiring a solution, or something hard to understand or accomplish – is the more correct word.

Nowadays, though, everyone seems to have issues, as in health issues, not problems. Again ... grrr.

Robin Poke, Hughes

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