After several years of expensive, cruel and controversial culling, the ACT government has yet to report on any evaluation, not even to the extent of demonstrating that the cull is controlling kangaroo numbers (never mind the intended downstream targets of biodiversity).

We all know 'roos jump fences, so there is a real possibility the populations in the targeted reserves are just replaced from elsewhere. If you spoon seawater into a bucket, you can count the spoonfuls and you can see lots of water in the bucket, but that doesn't mean you're making any meaningful difference to the sea level. Without evaluation, the claimed benefits of the killing stack up just the same as the claimed benefits of the proposed fertility trial: to be confirmed.

Peter Marshall, Captains Flat, NSW

On the Capital Metro website (capitalmetro.act.gov.au) we are told that "light rail is very efficient ... as it runs separately from other traffic". That's encouraging.

Seriously, though, the FAQs inform us that there will be eight new traffic lights and that "a level of priority is typically provided for light rail to help the service run efficiently".

There is also the bold claim that "the major vehicle traffi (sic) flows generally benefit through light rail priority work". If I were a car commuter living between Gungahlin and Civic, I would be worried.

David Pederson, O'Connor

Instead of wasting money on the big transfer of the federal Department of Immigration from Belconnen to Brindabella Park, why not return that money to support the fight against domestic violence?

The move will severely disrupt the economy of Belconnen, will create gridlock on the way to the airport, and will disrupt family life for those employees currently able to ride a bike to work and, in future, forced to spend hours every week in a car, increasing pollution and their cost of living, and lowering their quality of life.

Family violence was heralded, with the announcement of Rosie Batty as the Australian of the Year, as the issue to be tacked with vigour this year. Yet, the financing of the support services has been drastically cut, leaving women in the Broken Hill area, for example, which covers one-third of the state of NSW, with very little legal support and next to no emotional support when suffering from domestic violence.

The contradictions of this government are nowhere better displayed than in this stop-go approach to domestic violence.

But if there were ever a way to finance a reverse of this decision, the decision to leave the Department of Immigration in Belconnen would be one. And, in the process, it would enable Immigration employees to continue to have fulfilling family and community lives.

Margaret Lee, Hawker

Justin Garrick ("The need to compare school apples with apples", Forum, March 21, p6) made some important points, particularly the need to compare each cohort with itself, rather than last year's result, which is from a different bunch of kids, and the need to remember what NAPLAN doesn't measure, such as arts, science, PE and pastoral care.

However, I take issue with his description of Canberra Grammar School as a "non-selective" school. Every private school is a selective school; they select on the basis of ability to pay.

In addition, Canberra Grammar School's website states that applicants to the school must "demonstrate sufficient academic aptitude" based on previous NAPLAN scores.

CGS is totally a selective school, which might go some way to explaining its consistently high ranking on league tables. For the head of school to suggest otherwise is disingenuous and misleading.

Virginia Lindenmayer, Page

The response of Justin Garrick to recent comment in The Canberra Times about 2014 NAPLAN results ("The need to compare school apples with apples", Forum, March 21, p6) was both interesting and well argued. I write to ask your newspaper whether schools which do not charge the parents of students a large amount of money to acquire an excellent education can also be given an opportunity to contribute to the discussion?

Gerard Barrett, Latham

Jack Kershaw (Letters, March 21) argues that the proposed Gungahlin-to-Civic light rail system should be scrapped – not because it is the wrong solution to an apparent public transport problem (which it is), but because it is, inter alia, contrary to the National Capital Plan. He then proposes that a tram system be be built for what he calls the Central National Area – "to enhance amenity there for working visitors, tourist, local businesses, workers, students and residents".

The "amenity" to which he refers is obviously efficient and effective public transport between the various national and local facilities located within the CNA. All well and good, Jack, except that, just as in the case of Gungahlin to Civic, the answer is not a tram system, but an electric bus (battery and trolley) system.

Such a system could be implemented quickly and much more cheaply than a tram system and could be integrated very easily with the existing ACTION services.

Further, the flexibility of the electric bus system would allow easy and quick route modification to accommodate any future facilities, such as a Civic-sited high-speed rail station.

Paul E. Bowler, Holder

I support Jack Kershaw (Letters, March 21) entirely. Like Jack, I support light rail, but not necessarily the first stage Civic to Gungahlin. Jack's proposal is an enhanced version of the Federation Tramway proposal first mooted in 2003.

We need light rail in Canberra but (pun intended) for it to gain traction, any construction must serve potential customers and gain substantial fare recovery. Jack's proposal in his letter covers these basic requirements.

The government needs to listen in this respect, otherwise it will be doomed to defeat and put back the cause for light rail for a very long time.

Kevin Connor, Kaleen

Alan Boxer, who died last year, collected hundreds of artworks over his lifetime that he crammed into his Canberra home ("Canny collector leaves $8m of artworks to National Gallery", March 19, p3).

From time to time, I used to visit Judy and Ron Behan at their Chapman Gallery in Griffith. Their regular shows and stockroom works were usually just what I was looking for and Judy and Ron were as happy to sell to me as I was happy to buy – sometimes on long lay-bys.

I first met Alan one day as he and Ron were looking over a photo diary of Alan's purchases. Ron introduced me and invited me to inspect Alan's collection, albeit in Polaroid form. There were pieces from his years of collecting, most of them worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Alan was very proud of his collection and loved talking about it. He was a gentle and unassuming fellow, knowledgable, insightful, and articulate.

We met again on several occasions and once at an opening of Indigenous art at Chapman Gallery. He mentioned to my partner, Sue, that the painting she had just bought was the one he would have chosen from the exhibition. I think we got it just before he did.

So, over time, Sue and I had a connection with Alan, and also a lasting one with Chapman Gallery, where Alan purchased many, many works over the years, and me just a few. It was with this in mind that we were keen to buy a piece from Tuesday's auction at Mossgreen in Melbourne, where 179 works from Alan's Indigenous collection were auctioned.

It was our way to continue our connection with Alan and the Behans at Chapman Gallery. We bought two works from the auction. They will hang at home next to "the one he would have chosen".

Vale, Alan Boxer.

Mark Opie, Bungendore, NSW

The grand master of spin, Joseph Goebbels, might well be the source of the federal government's strategies in opposition. If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the state can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It, thus, becomes vitally important for the state to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie and, thus, by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the state.

The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly – it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.

We know who was "good at that". Let's hope that Dr Shorten has more to offer.

Professor John Milfull, Kingston

In the 18 months before the next federal election, it is important that the Labor Party develop policies that are distinct from those of the current government.

In the case of asylum seekers, Australian voters need to be offered an alternative policy that is far more compassionate.

While off-shore processing and other deterrence-based policies have significantly reduced the activities of people smugglers, they have obscured the focus on protection and human rights of those seeking asylum.

In 1959, prime minister Robert Menzies said we should "show sympathy for those less fortunate than ourselves who have been the innocent victims of conflicts and upheavals ..." We urge the Labor Party to return to the principles expressed in this quote and in the international treaties to which Australia is a signatory. It must develop policies that encompass the complexities of the debate and the reality of the persecution and violence that drives people to desperate measures.

We, therefore, recommend that the Labor Party adopt the recommendations in the Australia 21 publication Beyond the boats: building an asylum and refugee policy for the long term.

Deborah Nelson and Elizabeth Price, Michelago, NSW

Jenny Goldie (Letters, March 19) suggests that "it costs the public $100,000 for infrastructure for each new person added to the population". This may be an understatement. Dr Barney Foran, who used to lead the CSIRO's infrastructure research unit, tells me he thinks $200,000 per person is "a robust figure". However, it is true that, where services have been privatised, much of this cost may show up as private bills rather than as increased taxes.

The political cost is still huge. Anna Bligh's state government is a good example. Competent and uncorrupt, it was nonetheless bankrupted by Queensland's more than Third World rate of population growth. It resorted to cutting services and trying to sell the silver, and was thrown out of office.

The opposition, which had claimed that its management skills would somehow solve the problem, proved to have no solution. If only Julia Gillard had kept her 2010 election promise to get Australia off the "big Australia" path, Labor might not have lost office in a string of states – and Tony Abbott's federal bandwagon might have stalled.

The penny has now dropped for some politicians that you can't have First World standards and Third World population growth – take a look at the Wikipedia pages on Bob Carr and Kelvin Thomson. But Abbott and Bill Shorten still imagine that bigger means better. We, the environment, and many vital public services are impoverished by their inability to grasp how population growth is tied to infrastructure costs.

Mark O'Connor, Lyneham

Many people will have their reminiscences of former prime minister Malcolm Fraser. In the 1970s, I had responsibility in the Uniting Church for relations with Aboriginal people.

On one occasion when Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen had determined that the Queensland government would take over direct management of Aboriginal communities, I made an appointment for representatives of some of the communities, the president of the Church and myself to meet with Mr Fraser. It was a particularly busy time for him, and he met with us in his office in Old Parliament House from midnight until 2am.

Some years later, when I was co-chairman of the National Sorry Day Committee, he invited our entire executive committee to meet with him in his private home on the Mornington Peninsula to discuss plans. Mrs Fraser had a commitment elsewhere, and so Mr Fraser hosted us for lunch. His efforts against apartheid in South Africa, to land rights for Aboriginal people, to support for the stolen generations, and for Vietnamese refugees, marked his strong commitment to human rights and against racism. Thank-you, Malcolm Fraser.

John P. Brown, Uniting Church, Canberra

Peter Fuller (Letters, March 21) may be right in his proposition that Israel worries about "losing its grip on US policy making" but imputes an overly uncharitable motivation to it and, in any case, the US administration has already cut it pretty much loose. Where he is entirely wrong is in thinking that Iran will ever soften in its implacable hatred of and determination to exterminate the nation and the people of Israel. Iran/Islam, will never change that purpose. When they have killed all the Jews and Christians (they think), they will turn on the rest of the global populace. That is what this is really all about: the conflict between Islam and Jewry/Christianity.

They will ultimately fail, but it's going to be very ugly in the meantime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows what he and his people are up against from centuries of experience. They understand their enemy, which is more than the West does.

J. Halgren, Latham

A THIN MINT MONSIEUR?

People eating raw onions and lemons (Letters, March 17 and 20)! They're lucky. All we get to eat is half a handful of frozen gravel.

Brian Bell, Bonython (Apologies to Monty Python)

FRASER'S MIXED LEGACY

Vale, Malcolm Fraser; a good man who strived to make a difference as he saw it, managing to enrage his supporters and engage his enemies.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

From personal experience, the man was pompous, arrogant and dismissive. But, of course, life was not meant to be easy.

Owen Reid, Dunlop

I didn't like Malcolm Fraser when he was PM, but this man made Australia better. I hope Tony Abbott doesn't try to leverage from his passing, considering he must have been the reason he resigned from the Liberal Party in 2010. The most honourable Malcolm Fraser. Malcolm Turnbull, I dare you to do better.

Alan Kelley, Cook

ABBOTT POINT-SCORING

How pathetic to watch our current Prime Minister using his comments on the passing of Malcolm Fraser as an opportunity for some petty sniping at his current opposition. Grow up mate.

John Dinn, Ngunnawal

GAZA CLINGS TO HOPE

Joan Foster (Letters, March 20) raises a good question when she asks, "what is an acceptable response by Israel to continuous rocket attacks from Gaza?" If you have nothing left to lose but your life, sacrificing it may seem a good idea if there's even a faint hope that it will make a difference.

Surely an "acceptable" response would be to give Gazans something to live for.

Mike Varga, Holt

RAIDERS FALL SHORT

And that's what the Raiders' players are paid for?

Peter Burns, Murrumbateman, NSW

INELIGIBLE PRECEDENT

It's karma at its absolute finest ("Fury as Wests/UC reinstated to third grade grand final", Sport March 21, p13). In 2013, North Canberra Gungahlin played an ineligible player in a grand final they won on the back of a similar match-winning performance.

Chris Doyle, Gordon

CROSSWORD CROSSOVER

What a novel and cunning ruse in the Quick Crossword (Puzzles, Times2, March 20, p19) when the answer to 12 Across, pupil, was the same as the clue!

Graeme Barrow, Hackett

Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au

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