Various reports indicate that many drink-drivers are repeat offenders, often sentenced to limited or no driving privileges.

Venues and individuals can be prosecuted for serving alcohol to already-drunk people; it's time to expand that approach.

Since people cannot be arrested for drink-driving unless they're both drunk and driving, those who provide vehicles to drink-drivers also bear responsibility ... for the "driving" part of "drink-driving".

They, too, should be prosecuted.

Whenever we provide the vehicle, you and I are responsible to ensure the driver has not consumed too much alcohol.

It's time our MLAs augment our drink-driving laws, holding vehicle-providers responsible and accountable as they do alcohol-servers.

You and I can reduce the number of drink-drivers; we must ... or we, too, should be prosecuted.

Judy Bamberger, O'Connor

While we're tempted to say that our PM is on another planet, it's a highly unlikely situation since it seems he can't even find his way around this one.

His notion that Australia should stand up to China and take it on in a diplomatic stoush over questions of reciprocal security intrusions is laughable, reminiscent of the 1960s movie The Mouse that Roared where a totally insignificant nation took on the might of the US and accidentally won the war.

In our case the "mouse" can roar as much as it likes but is doomed to failure because its leader doesn't understand that China is on the way to cementing global leadership through its growing economic influence and political savoir faire. That Australia could take it on in any of these arenas, or would even want to, is the stuff of dreams.

We are fortunate in having had governments who genuinely explored relations with China and successfully established important diplomatic and trade ties that benefited both countries.

Unfortunately, our mouse if left to go its own way is likely to fall into the trap of self-delusion and an unrealistic sense of superiority. It's time to come back down to earth.

Philip Telford, Tarago

According to some cricket commentators, sledging has always been part of the game.

That does not make it right. The people managing cricket seem oblivious to the damage it is doing to the modern game's image.

Destructive mental harassment should not be tolerated in any sport.

It is high time umpires got a backbone and sent off an international player for sledging.

The third Test should provide an opportunity for an umpire to make a name for himself as an agent for positive change.

C. Williams, Forrest

Before the gay marriage survey, Malcolm Turnbull stated: "Religious freedom ... will be protected in any bill that emerges from this Parliament."

In the final vote he would only support a couple of minor religious freedom amendments, which were defeated because he did not insist his MPs support them.

Bill Shorten insisted his MPs vote down all religious freedom and parental rights amendments.

People of all faiths have been deserted by the major parties, and Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives is their only refuge!

Johann Sheller, Forrest

James Allen (Letters, December 5) outlines the two indisputable key drivers of anthropogenic climate change.

Carbon dioxide absorbs infra-red radiation. This empirical fact is used in the everyday laboratory measurement of gaseous carbon dioxide by infra-red spectroscopy.

History informs us that since the industrial revolution increasing amounts of fossil fuel have been burnt.

This has increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and hence the atmosphere's propensity to be warmed.

By implication, climate change deniers also deny molecular physics and history.

Peter Snowdon, Aranda

No, Steve Thomas (Letters, December 8), there is no need for section 44 of the constitution to be amended for those people nominating for Parliament and who may have dual citizenship or allegiance to another country.

The constitution has been in place since 1901 (116 years) and if political parties or individuals cannot correctly nominate for Parliament, then that's their fault and any dual citizen should not be elected and if so they should be thrown out of Parliament.

Leave the constitution alone. But perhaps legislation regarding Australian citizenship needs amendment.

That is, if a person or family want to live here as an Australian with Australian citizenship, then before they can obtain citizenship they should renounce their citizenship or allegiance to their country of origin.

Controversial? Yes, but if you want to be Australian then be nothing but Australian.

Jack Wiles, Gilmore

Anyone sending Christmas presents to relatives in the UK might think again. I recently sent two embroidered towels, by Australia Post, clearly marked as a gift and valued at around $100, to my sister in England.

Over the years, we have sent each other Christmas parcels without any additional costs, as one would expect since we have paid for the postage at this end. British customs applied a value added tax (GST) of £20 (about $30) and then Her Majesty's British Post Office applied a "handling fee" of £11.25.

This is an absolute disgrace and tantamount to official theft.

John Walker, Queanbeyan, NSW

The handful of remaining staff at ANU must be thrilled to hear of the appointment of the new pro vice-chancellor (education). Dozens of valuable technical, academic and administrative staff are leaving through the VER scheme.

Savings will go some way to paying salaries for all the pro, vice, acting (whatever) chancellors the university employs.

Sadly, we can't welcome the new pro vice-chancellor (education), or farewell scores of experienced actual workers at Vivaldi's, as we once might have, because it's disappeared into some new strategic direction as well.

Maria Greene, Curtin

A cleverness test for spies? ("Virtual reality test for spy recruits", December 13, p.3) Almost as oxymoronic as the ever-elusive military intelligence.

T. Ladson, Belconnen

The recent appearance of a string of bollards in the carpark at The Wanniassa Shops, really begs the question.

Where do drivers of trucks and vehicles with trailers go now to do a quick spot of shopping or to pick up a coffee, or just to take a comfort break?

Mawson Shops. Erindale Centre, Tuggerranong business district, none of these provide parking for trucks. Sure the recent severe rains caused some soil to wash onto the road, and yes the erosion was probably exacerbated by the heavy vehicles previously parking on the dirt.

The short-sighted solution, barricade the area and make the shopping centre unavailable to drivers of trucks and trailers.

Why not simply make the area an official heavy vehicle parking area by doing some minor earthworks and paving the surface. The removal of the unauthorised parking area will surely have an effect on the retailers and is just discriminatory towards truck drivers.

Truly a backwards step has been taken here.

Charles Landwehr, Kambah

There is a much bigger "Bait and Switch" villain than Singtel Optus.

("Optus to compensate 8700 NBN customers", December 10, p10).

The rot began in 2013 when Tony Abbott became Prime Minister.

Labor's plan had fibre-optic cables to homes, farms and factories.

Replacing copper cables (built up since 1880) would take billions.

To upstage Labor, Tony Abbott had a plan to reduce Labor's costs.

One flaw: Abbott's national plan ended at telephone exchanges.

I had a personal experience of Abbott's folly: We had bought a ADLS2 plan that gave us 24,000 units of speed. But in our home we got only 4000 units of speed.

So I asked Telstra where the missing 20,000 units went.

Telstra sent us a technician to check our Internet speed.

At six kilometres from the Scullin Exchange, the speed slowed.

Hence our ADLS2 plan dropped from 24,000 to 4000 units.

Instead of Labor's plan of fibre-optic cables for everybody we got Tony Abbott's copper-wire "Bait and Switch" folly.

Graham Macafee, Latham

The current temporary culling of trees on Northbourne Avenua has revealed clearly its misalignment with the original plan. There was to have been a (nearly equilateral) triangle vith apexes at Parliament Hill, the Austro-American memorial, and City Hill.

But the City Hill apex, located at the centre of Vernon Circle, is not at the highest point.

What went wrong?

Was Northbourne avenue too established when Parliament House was built? Are we to always see the lop-sided situation of the flag pole missing the high point?

How are the planners going to conceal this blunder, set in concrete by the sacred Sydney and Melbourne buildings.

A great opportunity to "redefine" them!

Jack Palmer, Watson

G Friedrich congratulates Senator Seselja on his abstention from the vote on the same sex marriage Bill. (Letters, December 8).

He praises Senator Seselja for "[developing] an opinion and [standing] up for same".

The problem is that Senator Seselja told at least one constituent on social media before the marriage equality survey that he would vote in accordance with the wishes of his constituents.

Over 74 per cent of Canberrans voted for marriage equality. So not only do we have a reactionary Senator who opposes what we want on this (as on many other issues), we have a reactionary Senator for whom keeping his word seems optional.

John Passant, Kambah

I was in Sydney on Monday, December 4, and filled my car with petrol, the usual unleaded. $1.22 a litre. On Thursday, December 7, I passed a service station in the ACT and the usual unleaded petrol was a $1.49. This was 27 cents difference.

The service station in Sydney was not a Woolies or Coles so has the capacity to provide some competition.

We are so lucky in ACT to have nearly all the petrol outlets controlled by Woolies and Coles because they can dictate the prices at a nice high level to ensure they make a profit.

Is that so the main Woolies and Coles stores are able to keep their prices down?

Geoff Barker, Flynn

How many new (and old) residents of Canberra realise that, by federal government decree, they are unable to exercise the same rights as other Australians?

This situation was reinforced during the Howard Error (pun intended) when it was decided that medically assisted euthanasia approved by the Northern Territory Government should not be allowed to remain and applied the federal axe to the rights of the territories, which of course includes us.

Second class citizenship now prevails.

And they wonder why the majority of Canberrans vote Labor.

Max Lotton, Fisher

What is happening with the grass verge mowing management in Tuggeranong?

Every road you drive down has grass that is badly in need of mowing and in some cases the grass is that long at roundabouts etc, it is difficult to see motor bikes and smaller cars.

I believe the local MLA for this area is our minister, Mick Gentleman.

Perhaps he could have a word to the relevant department and get some action happening. I don't want to hear the excuse we've had a lot of rain recently because the grass has been this length for some time now.

J. Bodsworth, Phillip

So Josh Frydenberg has again declared "all electrons aren't created equal" (ABC Radio National, December 11). As Minister for the Environment and Energy he should know every electron is utterly identical. As is every molecule of carbon dioxide.

Michael Barry, Torrens

PAPER CHASE

Maybe David Feeney left the paperwork to renounce his British citizenship in his Northcote house. You know, the one he forgot to declare to Parliament?

Matt Gately, Rivett

SURPLUS ADVICE

Former treasurer Peter Costello advised Malcolm Turnbull "not to do anything in the upcoming financial statement or budget that would endanger a return to surplus" ("Costello warns over budget 'giveaways"', December11, p.4). He means tax cuts would be a bad idea, unlike when he made them.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

NOISE COMPLAINT

Well said, Greg Cornwell (Letters, December13).You are not alone! Intrusive TV soundtracks are a pain.

Tom Middlemiss, Deakin

CHINA PATTERN

Sam Dastyari was not the real problem. That was Chinese ambition for a global communist state. I'm sure the gentle flute that blows in the Far East has seduced many a politician or businessman over the years. The current crop of pollies has grown up mostly innocent of the China Way.

Graeme Gibson, Caringbah, NSW

CLASSY GLASS

I hope the shatter-proof glass being developed by the ANU ("Cracked screens soon a thing of the past", December13, p.12) will be recyclable.

Rod Holesgrove, O'Connor

ASTRONAUT TRUMP

Donald Trump "vows that the US will remain the leader in space exploration as he begins a process to return Americans to the Moon for the first time since 1972 – and then to worlds beyond". I guess the question in a lot of people's minds is: "Is he too old to be the first to be sent?"

Dallas Stow, O'Connor

ARABIAN KNIGHTS

The latest target of Hollywood is Arabs, who are usually portrayed as buffoons or homicidal maniacs. Has Hollywood ever made a film were a Palestinian is the hero?

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

SENATOR'S ABSTENTION

In defending Zed Seselja's decision to abstain from the marriage equality vote, Werner G. Friedrich (Letters, December8) says he respects "a person who develops an opinion and stands up for it" and further, that he respects the Senator's "civil courage". That's the problem, Werner. By failing to vote, the senator lacked the courage to stand up and be counted; in this case, quite literally.

Eric Hunter, Cook

REST IN PEACE

Bill Smithies, who died following a short illness on December1, 2017, was a fairly regular contributor to the letters pages offering strong opinions on a variety of topics.

He may be missed by other readers.

Martin Klein, Canberra