I suspect that they preferred to see their names in print in the paper instead of doing what most sensible complainants would do – contact Zed themselves. All that Gary and Janet have done is join the team of whingers who don't have the guts to face someone who has upset them and are happier telling the whole of Canberra instead.

Chris Tonkin, Holt

The recent strike by our bin collectors highlighted how we can take these services for granted.

In particular, I believe the cycle time for the grey (or red) and yellow bins should be reversed. Our recycle bin (yellow lid) is always full at collection time, every two weeks, whereas the regular garbage bin contains little every week, and not much more at two weeks. Are there others who would agree with me?

As for the proposed green waste bins, I think a lot of aged and/or single mums would welcome them, but understandably people like Tom's trash packs will not be happy. The former will be optional, however.

With all the trees and shrubs we have, I need my trailer and the tip. I thank the entrepreneurial Corkhill Brothers for this recycle service to the community.

Greg Jackson, Kambah

Following 9/11, George Bush's rhetorical "Why do they hate us?" has resonance with a question which should be asked: why Australians might want to leave to fight on foreign shores ("People should be free to leave", Sunday CT, p19).

If politicians, on vain whims, commit Australia's human treasure to fight – and die – to support, though questionably legitimate foreign invasions, their sacrifice is sanctified.

Should idealism, however misplaced, guide individuals to struggle to right perceived wrongs, they suddenly become terrorists. It is easy to forget Jomo Kenyatta, Nelson Mandela, Xana Gusmao, David Ben-Gurion, were all terrorists!

If there is disaffection among youth, it might well be contributed to by politicians who seem devoid of policies to tackle teenage unemployment levels exceeding 20 per cent, housing unaffordability, workforce casualisation, body hire, off-shoring, potentially $100,000 degrees, unchecked employer exploitation and homelessness.

Australian adolescents are growing up in a society where the wealth gap is skewed towards a handful of super-wealthy people/families, where only "little people" pay taxes and corporations (and most rich) regard them as optional.

Unpunished corruption, through all levels of society, makes "justice" a concept only, out of reach of those who can't afford it.

Post 9/11, politicians got on the bandwagon, making hay while the sun shone, ramming bipartisan legislation through parliaments, eroding hard-fought-for civil rights, under the guise of there being an existential threat to life and limb – 60 plus acts.

The Counter-Terrorism Foreign Fighters Bill, criminalising thinking, epitomises the threats that politicians pose to a free society.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

This secret is unfair ... Surely if we funded this political drama Secret City (to be shown on Foxtel) shouldn't all taxpayers have the opportunity of seeing this six-part series rather than just those who can afford Foxtel?

Obviously if Mr Barr would like to spend another $250,000 of ACT funds (Sunday CT, June 5, p6) to encourage more producers into Canberra, surely then he should also encourage them to sell it to the free network channels so we can all enjoy the views of our beautiful city.

"Not fair" cries this Canberra resident.

Susan Brown, Kaleen

Michael Adler (Letters, June5) claims that investment in existing dwellings or shares contribute nothing to the economy and thus should not have the benefit of (unspecified) tax concessions.

Firstly, why does he think that one of the fundamental principles of taxation law, "expenses necessarily incurred in the gaining of assessable income are deductible against taxable income", should not apply to expenses relating to income-producing investments?

Secondly, does he believe that the money paid to the seller (of real estate or shares) simply disappears into thin air? It may be re-invested into newly built property, new shares, distributed as inheritances etc.

Wherever it goes there is a benefit to the economy.

It is cause for concern that the ALP and Greens do not seem to understand these points in their election manifestos.

Michael Lane, St Ives, NSW

Not long ago the philosophy of a British economist called Schumacher extolled the teachings of Professor Leopold Kohl that "small is beautiful" and his study of economics As if People Mattered named by The Times literary supplement as one of the most influential books since World War II.

The ACT Labor government has thrown these values out the window and their grandiose scheme for eight-storey buildings comes at huge sacrifice. For example: places Canberrans loved, like the Electric Shadows book shop; the popular cafe Cornucopia; Braddon Motor repair shop; Lifeline Clothing Shop and valuable trees along Northbourne Avenue, are in the process of being lost.

Do developers and their giant buildings and accompanying dollars matter more to ACT Labor? I was shocked to learn the proposed Gungahlin to civic tramline will cost about $80million per kilometre!

Wouldn't this money be more wisely and humanely spent creating homes or units for the nearly two thousand homeless men, women and children in the ACT? Some I see sleeping on footpaths along Northbourne Avenue.

Penelope Upward, O'Connor

Domestic violence is a scourge across all districts and socio-economic groups in our community and I congratulate Andrew Barr on the household levy to fund actions to counter domestic violence.

Now that he has set the precedent for transparent levies to fund specific matters, could he also please show a transparent levy in our rates notices which indicates how much each Canberra household is paying for the Gungahlin to Civic tram?

Bill Crawshaw, Fadden

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