This was followed up with a similar experience set out by Errol Good (Letters, January 29). In both cases your correspondents set out the view, in the words of Mr Good, that "ActewAGL's estimated meter reads are a joke".

In our recent experience, ActewAGL's so-called "actual" meter reads are no better. I contacted ActewAGL to query our most recent bill, which for no apparent reason had increased by more than 250per cent over the same period last year.

I was told this was based on an "actual" meter reading, and invited to check the meter myself.

On checking the meter, I found it read considerably under the figure ActewAGL claimed was an "Actual" meter reading, allegedly taken more than a week previously.

The discrepancy comes to approximately 425 units, representing an overcharge of just over $460, on a total bill of $733.

I contacted ActewAGL on three separate occasions to query the bill. Last Thursday, they advised by mail they accepted my representations, reducing the bill by $463, confirming in their letter that "we have noticed that you have been overcharged".

This is either gross negligence, or fraud. The meter was not read, and to describe it as an "Actual" reading is deceptive and misleading. As such I have referred it to the Competition and Consumer Commission.

I'd encourage your readers to familiarise themselves with their meters, and check that they are not being ripped off by spurious "estimates" as in your correspondents' experience, or in our case, imaginary readings.

Steve Anderson, Forrest

Lose-lose situation

Helmut Simon (Letters, January 31) appears to miss the point of the Superannuated Commonwealth Officers' Association's concerns in relation to possible changes to the structure of water charges.

A proposal to increase the fixed charge for water while decreasing the unit cost for actual use (particularly as the volume rises) has the effect of increasing the overall cost of water for most households with modest use while lowering the cost for large volume commercial users. This is a most regressive approach.

Despite increased costs there would be little incentive for the thoughtful use of water: a lose-lose situation.

This is an issue for all households, but particularly for smaller households with modest usage. A retired person or couple are very likely to fall into this category.

Encouragingly, Chief Minister Barr has been critical of the proposed changes.

John Blount, Fadden

Enjoy hefty tram bill

Thank you for the article "Light rail chief's big deal" (January 28, p1). While many ordinary, long-suffering ACT taxpayers will be somewhat dismayed by the $740,000 figure that the chief will receive over 15 months, it seems to be consistent with the outrageous sums chief executives seem to be able to screw out of employers these days, especially if it is coming out of a public purse.

Readers may recall that the "official" cost of the contract for Canberra Metro Stage 1 (Gungahlin-Civic) is $939million. In fact, it will be at the very least $1.3billion.

What many readers would not know is that, before any contract signature, the government had spent some $150million in planning etc.

Now, and henceforth until whenever the project ends, the salaries of the chief and his "project" staff and many other hefty expenses for consultants, will again be additional to the price of any construction contract.

I sincerely hope that all those who voted for the tram will enjoy paying for it when they eventually get the bill.

M. Silex, Erindale

Kids' time has come

It is only a couple of years since a former PM assured us, with the the support of many colleagues, that we Australians live in a "robust" democracy.

If democracy means "government by the people", why then do we allow political parties to seek, and wealthy citizens (including our PM) and companies to donate massive amounts of cash so they can buy our votes to help defeat their opposition?

Katie Acheson of the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition said last year that an estimated 380,000 plus eligible young voters had not even registered to vote in the last election because they did not expect to be listened to.

How many more voted informally? By next election, together they could be half a million; quite enough to change the outcome of most elections. Are you listening, Mr Turnbull?

And to younger citizens. Kids – take the advice of an 88-year-old. Go for it.

Your time has come. Your country does need you. Now.

Geoff Armstrong, Monash

Get back to basics

I write regarding your article "Adding up the costs of education" (January 30, p6). If we were to get back to basics on education students would not need electronic devices or even $180 shoes. Total cost $850 per student. When I was in year 3 at Lismore during World War II it cost my Mum in total about $2. She made my clothes from purchased material (say $1) plus leather satchel (say $1).

No $15 lunch box, no $220 uniform, no $80 books (provided by state), no $180 shoes (bare feet).

No hat, they cost clothing coupons, which you did not waste. No electronic devices (not invented).

A dip in pen, a blotter and a brain were the order of the day.

Back to basics could see costs negligible and smarter students.

Ken Wood, Holt

Turnbull's flirtation with 'clean coal' does credibility no favours

Malcolm Turnbull's current flirtation with "clean coal" inflicts further damage to his credibility. Like many others before him, he muddies the waters by failing to distinguish two cases. The first is about toxic emissions from "dirty" coal (think Beijing). The second and relevant case is about the scope for generating electricity from coal by means that incorporate "carbon capture and storage" (CCS).

To avert catastrophic climate change, CCS will need to play its part long-term, despite its currently very high cost and low energy efficiency. But this transition will only occur commercially when there are sufficient regulatory penalties, through carbon pricing or otherwise, on technologies generating electricity from coal. As a leading coal exporter, Australia also has a long-term self-interest in continuing long-standing support of R&D on CCS. The coal industry potentially benefits from this. Hence, it should be required to provide this R&D support.

Coal still accounts for over 70 per cent of Australian electricity. In line with our climate policy commitments at Paris 2015, there must be progressively reduced reliance on coal-fired capacity intensive in carbon emissions. This is reflected in plant closures at Hazelwood in the Latrobe Valley.

Allowing such contractions without prejudicing necessary supply security and reliability, and while also meeting concerns about "affordability", will require a diverse range of zero and low-carbon sources as well as other technical options. These options are comprehensively discussed in the preliminary report of Australia's chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel.

Barry Naughten, Farrer

Trump true to form

So President Trump asks Malcolm Turnbull why America should accept Australia's arrangement with President Obama to send over 1000 Muslim refugees to America in exchange for a similar number of refugees in Costa Rica and calls it a "dumb deal". Consternation in Oz. Portentous warning about the threat to The Alliance and Foreign Affairs staff and volatility in Australia-US relations.

Why all the fuss because Mr Trump gave us his opinion? We knew he would never agree to the arrangement if he won, so we sent over foreign affairs officers to hurriedly – and hopefully – fix the deal beforehand. Now it seems that, to some extent at least, he will grudgingly accept it. And he will prove it was a dumb deal – at least for us – when, as a quid pro quo, he asks us to help with a couple of naval vessels in the South China Sea in the event of hostilities.

Bill Deane, Chapman

No support from me

If correspondents such as Owen Reid and Don Sephton (Letters, February 2) want us all to just accept Donald Trump and even applaud him for "keeping his promises" that's their business. They are presumably aware that such a course of action means acceding to bigotry, racism, sexism, plutocracy, environmental vandalism and war-mongering.

Many of us find such concepts hard to stomach and will continue to pursue decency and rational behaviour, as difficult as that will be when the so-called free world is being led by a mentally unstable narcissist.

Steve Ellis, Hackett

Not all moves wrong

Because Donald Trump is so obnoxious and erratic, many people have fallen into the trap of assuming that everything he does is wrong.

His decision to temporarily deny access to US of nationals of seven countries, each having thousands of citizens who wish to harm the US, was not discriminatory: it was precautionary, and eminently sensible. Criticism by foreign governments of this essentially domestic action was unethical. His attitude to the transfer of asylum-seekers with Australia is also correct.

The plan was dumb – and extraordinarily unethical. It was wrong of Obama to agree to it yet not effect it before the election.

Turnbull was also unethical. Australia's promise not to give preference to queue jumpers implicitly promised that Australia would not transfer them to other First World countries. Turnbull was not trying to help asylum-seekers – he was merely trying to get himself out of an awkward political situation.

Australia should instead offer to take refugees from crowded refugee camps in other countries, in exchange for those countries' acceptance of a much smaller number of asylum-seekers from Australia. Only hypocrites could oppose such action by Australia.

Bob Salmond, Melba

Backing wrong side

According to the United Nations, 1093 Palestinian buildings were destroyed last year by Israel. All illegal. Our social globe-trotting Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will probably just sweep this one under the carpet as well as all her other votes against Palestinian sovereignty, year after year. Seventy per cent of all Australians support Palestine. Yet this government, due to Israeli influences, allows her to vote as they please.

Rex Williams, Ainslie

Tax stance galling

The hypocrisy of Labor over company tax cuts is breathtaking! Labor's Wayne Swan and Andrew Leigh have previously supported them for their flow-through effect of higher wages – about $900 pa for the average worker. Now Labor opposes them.

Labor's economic credentials are threadbare. It is seeking to send workers' electricity bills through the roof with a renewable energy target of 50 per cent. Under Labor, the projected national debt was $667billion (about $100,000 per household), and is more now. Workers and our kids deserve better!

Johann Sheller, Forrest

Show true loyalty

What's all this dual-citizenship nonsense we're now hearing about following President Trump's 90-day freeze on the citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries entering the US and its ramifications for Australians with dual-citizenship?

If someone is awarded entry to Australia and is granted citizenship, that should be it.

If one wants to retain their former nationality as well, then there is a prima facie doubt about their primary commitment to Australia. Once upon a time we were all classified as British subjects; but, that's ancient history. Dual-citizenship should be revoked for Australian citizens.

D. N. Callaghan, Kingston.

COAL–FIRED SUSPICION

If new generation coal-fired power plants are such a silly idea why are they being built in large numbers throughout Asia and China not forgetting Japan and even Germany. Is there something that Frank Jotzo is not telling us? ("Ill wind blows in debate over energy supplies", February 3, p17).

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

FACTS ON RENEWABLES

Claims that renewable energy costs now match those of coal and gas ignore two facts. First, renewables need back up, usually coal or gas, that creates duplication and complexity and with it much greater cost. Second: we are light years away from enough cheap, high capacity storage to eliminate the intermittency of renewables. Malcolm Turnbull is speaking the truth; Bill Shorten is fantasising.

Doug Hurst, Chapman

PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY

Warwick Williams (Letters, February 3) would be far more impressed if the wealthy of our great land, including the Prime Minister, donated generously to the many worthy charities in our community. How does he know they don't?

True philanthropists don't publicly speak of their generosity.

Pauline Green, Chisholm

CONSISTENTLY FOOLISH

Re Donald Trump: Here lies their sovereign lord, the Pres whose word no man relies on.

He always says a foolish thing And never does a wise one!

– with apologies to Lord Rochester re Charles II.

Alex and Edith Ritchie, Fraser

NO MORE SPY BASE

Close the camps. Close Pine Gap.

John Passant, Kambah

ABC – LET PM FINISH

As Eric Hunter (Letters, February 3) points out, the ABC ought to be able to allow a major National Press Club speech and questions to conclude. Cutting the Prime Minister off during questions to run promos and repeats is annoying to all viewers. The same thing happened to Bill Shorten at the Press Club on Tuesday, which I suppose is the ABC being even-handed.

David Townsend, Curtin

MILLENNIALS, OH DEAR

I have never met a generation of people as ill-informed as the Millennials. Crikey! I was drinking at The Phoenix in Civic when three young gals, ANU students, headed to the exit.

I overheard one comment, "This is a nice bar." I replied, "It's rather bohemian."

"Is that a country?" came the response.

Gerry Murphy, Braddon

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