The whole nation has two days of holiday at Christmas and four days at Easter, the most public manifestation of religious belief one could find; so is it only Muslims (who revere Jesus as a prophet) who are not allowed to display their beliefs on a couple of days in the year?

From its first European settlement by white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, this country has regarded that group as the mainstream and all others as suspect — the Irish in the 19th century, Catholics into the middle of the 20th, Italians and Greeks for a couple of decades after World War II, then the wave of Vietnamese in the late 20th century. The vast majority of all these people integrated well; a small proportion were rogues and criminals, just like a small proportion of the WASPs.

A small proportion of Muslim immigrants do not integrate; the great majority obey our laws, play our sports, attend our schools and, in almost every way, behave like the rest of us, just as other minorities have done for the past 220 or so years.

The surest way to make people hostile is to behave in a hostile way to them.

Make people welcome and the great majority will happily integrate.

Richard Johnson, Ainslie

Transport planning

While I agree with Shane Rattenbury's view that we need to look at road duplication in a more evidence-based fashion(Letters, October 3), I wonder why he hasn't applied the same logic to his support for light rail as the best public transport option. Where is the evidence that using outdated technology to transport a small section of the Canberra community from Gungahlin to Civic on a fixed line and costing close to $1billion has taken into account the long-term sustainable transport goals for the whole of Canberra?

Instead, it seems Shane has taken the current government's "common approach" of overemphasising the need for light rail and promising a costly solution as a first resort. As Shane says, "this is an approach which won't serve any of us well in the long run".

Janet Werner, Wright

Roads have long been seen by the environment movement as inherently undesirable. As Shane Rattenbury puts it ("Canberra needs a road diet to get in better shape", September 29), "if we overindulge in road building, Canberra will become unhealthy, a car-centric city that is sprawled, congested and polluted".

For high-density cities, or where the population is concentrated around compact corridors, this stance makes a lot of sense. But Canberra is already sprawling. By building giant expanses of low-density suburbs, the city planners of decades past have ensured there is little scope for fixed public transport routes like rail, or even dedicated busways to be worthwhile.

So transport solutions have to be distributed thinly across a wide area, like the bus network, or indeed cars, which are, of course, by far the most popular option in Canberra.

Light rail will clearly do almost nothing to help the overall transport picture. The solutions lie in two imminent revolutions for buses and cars: electric motors and autonomous self-driving vehicles.

With emissions cut drastically by electric vehicles, and congestion also enormously reduced by the onset of self-driving cars, there is no reason to demonise roads. Roads, not fixed and inflexible rails, are what our future clean transport system will use. Greens should embrace them.

Matt Andrews, Aranda

Mr Rattenbury says, (Letters, October 3): "My comments relate to the problematic way we approach transport planning in Canberra, particularly near election time".

With respect to the tram proposed by his government, I could not have put it better myself.

This is straight from the person who holds the balance of power in the ACT Assembly and can, therefore, be held fully responsible for the disaster this tram is and the resulting devastation of Northbourne Avenue.

An overall plan for ACT transport needs has not been done by the present government before embarking on this $1billion obsolete tram. In all available documents, there is no consideration of modern technologies such as battery-powered buses, magnetic levitation, mono rail, use of overhead or underground particularly in central areas. There is no plan as to how this tram will cross the lake, by tunnel or bridge, or how future lines will be integrated into a modern economic system.

As an afterthought, the government will now extend the line from Gungahlin to Civic to Russell, but the technology is unknown and it does not go to the War Memorial, surely a prime consideration.

Mr Rattenbury's above words clearly reveal the incapability of the present government.

Robert Adams, Ainslie

Abbott's demotion

It seems that Tony Abbott is yet to learn that his post-PM day job is local member for the Sydney-based seat of Warringah.

While one could understand Abbott, as a Sydney-based MP, engaging in his recent (fawning) interview with his mate, Sydney radio shock jock Ray Hadley, it is hard to understand where last Thursday's interview with Neil Mitchell of 3AW (in Melbourne) fits for a Sydney-based backbencher.

Abbott is clearly not going quietly and seems intent on staying in the limelight, a status his current position doesn't warrant outside his electorate.

"Spoiler" is a description that readily comes to mind.

And, I wonder who paid for Abbott's flights to/from Melbourne for the interview on 3AW?

Don Sephton, Greenway

Path built for bikes

Mark Dullow (Letters, October 3) called the path around the lake a "pedestrian walkway".

This is a path that was originally built in the 1970s as a cycle route. However, it is also a shared path. To claim it is a "pedestrian walkway" is a bit cheeky when it might not be there but for people cycling.

Having separate paths for people walking and cycling on the busiest sections of shared paths is long overdue. Until then, all users need to continue to share.

As someone who both walks and cycles along these paths, I find that keeping left on the edge of the path when walking and checking on other traffic before changing direction, has never caused conflict.

Julie Macklin Narrabundah

Your editorial (Times2, October 2, p2) is notably sanguine about Canberra's future. Yet it expresses no interest in Canberra as the nation's capital.

The National Capital Authority is portrayed as "an independent planning watchdog sidelined". It is, of course, the Commonwealth's key agency responsible for fulfilment of Australia's national capital aspirations. Moreover, "having an unelected body such as the NCA serving as 'trustee' of the national capital certainly seems anachronistic". The editorial refrains from mentioning the duality of planning agencies for Canberra where the institutional changes to governance, representation and co-ordination recommended in Allan Hawke's report are yet to be fully resolved. There is also a responsible federal minister and a Minister for Cities.

The editorial speculates "if the draft changes survive the final public consultation process". The NCA is accepting further comment until November 13 and declared that the changes to the National Capital Plan should be enacted by Parliament in December 2015.

It would have been helpful to mention that the federal Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital has a vital role to play in these sweeping, historic changes to Canberra's planning institutions and policies. The ACT is represented on this committee by our two members and two senators, together with several other parliamentarians with a close interest in Canberra.

The source of many issues about the National Capital Plan are the so-called Griffin Legacy Amendments enacted expediently in 2007. The parliamentary committee on that occasion was sidelined but subsequently produced an adverse report on the changes. The committee should play a responsible part in the current process, despite the NCA's schedule, which threatens a repeat of the 2007 evasion.

Brett Odgers, Swinger Hill

It is ironic that Shane Rattenbury wants an "evidence-based" approach to road duplication – eg, the Cotter Road – and that he expresses concern at the "problematic way we approach transport planning in Canberra, particularly at election time and particularly from the Liberal Party".

Let us apply that to his cherished Gungahlin tram project. We would begin with a study that looked at all the options and we would adopt the one that did the job best. What actually happened was there was a study done before the last election of the Gungahlin tram, though, as it was done in response to pressure from the Greens, it didn't consider alternatives.

It found that, at $614million, the tram was too expensive. Then, during the election campaign, the ALP announced, without giving any reasons, that they would build the tram and they stuck to that, even though the cost went up to $800million. So: no evidence at all, just Green ideology and a decision taken by the ALP when it became clear to them that they could not form government without the support of the Greens.

I have voted ALP/Green for the last 20 years in the territory elections, but the Liberals will get my vote at the next election.

Stan Marks, Hawker

Hands off West Basin

The ACT government's plan for medium-density apartment blocks of six to eight storeys along Commonwealth Avenue and at the nationally significant West Basin site on the beautiful Lake Burley Griffin is unwise. It is overkill.

Canberra is an internationally significant city with a unique character. The build environment merging into the local landscape is the essence of the city's design and is what distinguishes Canberra internationally. This plan is incompatible with that character.

I encourage people to speak up about it. If the plan goes ahead, the character of this nationally significant area will be gone forever.

The ACT government's desire to integrate the movement of people and create a "vibrant" precinct by the lake is entirely possible without this adverse alteration to the city scape.

Landscape architect Juliet Ramsay (Letters, October2) asks how can packing West Basin with privately owned buildings with no public parking make it "vibrant" for the public and visitors to Canberra? I agree.

The grand Canberra vistas of the beautiful mountains and all their moods are unique in the world. This is a distinguishing feature for travellers along Commonwealth Avenue towards the Parliamentary Triangle and Parliament House, nestled unobtrusively into Capital Hill. It will be lost if this plan proceeds. Let's see some civic leadership and commonsense before it's too late.

Helen Murray, Burra

End musical chairs

Countless millions have been spent over the years on moving federal public servants around different locations, both within buildings and between buildings. Although very expensive exercises, such moves are often only short-term (until the next round of musical chairs) and, in some cases, can actually prove counter-productive.

If such moves are so essential, surely there can be a requirement that a sound cost-benefit analysis be a pre-requisite ("New rules on PS dept moves", October 2, p1).

To ensure that the cost-benefit analysis is a fair dinkum assessment, savings identified could be reflected in future allocations to the department. In any event, with increasing use of technology, such as email and video conferencing, constantly moving staff around becomes increasingly harder to justify.

Gordon Fyfe, Kambah

Too far for light rail

Your editorial statement (September 26) that "the Coalition ... will keep an open mind as to which public transport option best fits a city's needs" contrasts with the dogmatic Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute, who asks the reader to accept that light rail is an appropriate public transport infrastructure for Canberra without a single supporting argument ("It's no contest in the debate over light rail", September 26, Forum, p6).

While light rail may be the right infrastructure for a journey of a few kilometres in inner Sydney or inner Melbourne, it is completely inappropriate for the urban village of Canberra. Sydney travellers do not use light rail for the 17-kilometre journey from Parramatta to the CBD, because the great planner Bradfield understood light rail would be too slow for such distances in the future.

So why is it envisaged that Canberrans should travel 15kilometres from Gungahlin to Russell by light rail when many transport engineers agree there are better planning options?

Denniss asserts that "with no change in how we move people in the ACT, we can expect an extra 140,000 cars on our roads by 2050".

The only thing we voters are asking of our government is to have a substantial and well-communicated analysis of all the public transport modes possible within the planning horizon, before they commit to a light-rail contract.

A. Smith, Farrer

Therein lies the rub

Buying off the internet is definitely the way to go, say my kids. OK, so I do just that. I buy the most expensive hiking boots I've ever owned and after several treks up, around and over Mount Taylor, I come to the begrudging conclusion I got the wrong boots and the wrong size at the right price. I've sworn at them, stretched them, bashed them and beaten them, but they still don't do what I want them to do.

So I go to a well-known outdoor gear shop in Braddon and get 45 minutes worth of excellent advice about hiking boots and come away with the perfect pair.

The bloke who sold them to me knew more about hiking boots than I thought was humanly possible and he even recognised the type of hiking socks I was wearing.

Now I could have got all the advice I needed from Mr Boot Expert and then gone online and bought the exact same pair cheaper. But I reckon the fabulous customer service and expert knowledge of the sales guy deserved my support.

So, next time you think about buying online, don't presume cheaper is always best.

Doug Hodgson, Pearce

LICK WOUNDS IN PRIVATE

It is understandable Mr Abbott's ego has been hurt. However, his behaviour of late reinforces the opinions of his colleagues on his suitability to lead them and would limit any hopes he may have for resurrection.

Johanna Owens, Kingston

ABORTION PROTESTS

When we have the inexplicable destruction of innocent human bodies in gun violence in the US, we have a prayer vigil. When we have the inexplicable destruction of innocent human bodies through abortion in Australia, we criminalise attendees and ban prayer vigils.

Philip Pocock, Turner

Robert Willson (Letters, October 1) suggests those considering abortion should take pause and think carefully about biblical yarns. Perhaps those looking for a moral guide should avoid religious texts and delve into the more responsible land of ethical reasoning.

Peter Robinson, Ainslie

MODERN TRANSPORT

GM advised it will release a driverless car next year. This technology can deliver a superior 24/7 service at a fraction of the cost of light rail, yet the government still wants to proceed in haste with yesterday's technology.

Trevor McPherson, Aranda

ADS EFFECTIVE

Paddy O'Keeffe's wish (Letters, September 30) to buy an F-35 is understandable. Aren't those full-page ads which have been regular lately so attractive? It must be what made the Abbott government order 58 more of them at a cost of over $12billion.

Kathryn Kelly, Chifley

IN GOOD SPIRIT

I greatly enjoyed Paul McElligot's letter (Letters, October 3) succinctly getting stuck into those of religious bent who ask the rest of us not upset the "sky spirit". If he drops by my place any time, maybe we could appease this deity with a different spirit — a good single malt.

David Williams, Watson

TARGETED BIGOTRY

It's good to know J. Marr (Letters, October 3) only has Muslims in his sights. Presumably, he didn't denigrate Italian widows who wore black and couldn't speak English in the 1950s and '60s as not wanting to assimilate, but the net effect is the same.

Bob Gardiner, Isabella Plains

AGGRESSION UNHELPFUL

With Tony Abbott's removal as prime minister, the defence, police and border forces will hopefully adopt a less aggressive profile, and thus become a less tempting target for assassins.

Michael McCarthy, Deakin

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