How can the government simply expropriate $138 million without exposing Medibank Private to undue risk, unless Medibank Private has excessive reserves that have been accumulated with the connivance of the regulator of health insurance premiums, which happens to be the government!

This is not the first expropriation. In 2010 the then Labor government took $300 million, which was said to be a ''one-off'', available due to the build-up of its reserves during the period it was not-for-profit. At the time, Andrew Robb opined that ''this must inevitably result in higher premiums''.

What hope can we have when both sides of politics are amoral and interested more in the quick buck than in the structural change necessary for a universal healthcare system which meets criteria of access, equity and sustainability.

Malcolm Murray, Garran

So, Prime Minister and Team Australia captain Tony Abbott is planning another blitzkrieg against the trade union movement, this time allegedly targeting organised crime (''Tony Abbott expected to launch taskforce to investigate organised crime, union links'', canberra times.com.au, October 31)?

What a pity our fearless leader can't muster the same enthusiasm for tackling the organised crime being perpetrated by his sponsors from the big end of town, whose serial tax avoidance activities are estimated to cost our country's revenue more than $8.5 billion a year, and which would also go a long way to fixing the budget crisis, if there really was one.

From ''Phony Tony'' to ''Baloney Tony''.

John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW

We should all thank Tony Abbott for reminding us that we have trade unions in this country of ours (PM announces the establishment of a police taskforce into union corruption, ABC News 24, October 31). Personally, I had already forgotten the last time I saw an item, say about the ACTU, in a newspaper or TV.

John Rodriguez, Florey

Mathias Corman called Bill Shorten an ''economic girly man'' because he thinks Shorten is ''too weak'' to do what is economically necessary. Well, how much easier is it to hit the little people like pensioners, students, the sick, unemployed and the rest, rather than tackle the big end of town! Much easier. And that is what Hockey and Corman are doing. They are the real ''economic girly men''.

They are too timid to tackle the big banks, foreign corporations paying virtually any tax, the big miners receiving generous tax concessions, the rent-seeking fossil fuel energy providers - and the other mates.

They are even worse than girly-men - dismantling Australian manufacturing, which is economic vandalism.

John Jedryk, Griffith

A few years ago, I went to Europe with my Australian permanent residency visa in my Irish passport. I forgot that the ''permanent'' lasted for five years, and when I tried to return to Australia I was initially refused at check-in in Dublin airport - the computer said ''no''. Boarding was allowed after a phone call by airline staff to Australian immigration authorities, and I anxiously anticipated a grilling at Sydney airport.

On arrival, after a brief conversation, I was told that I could not be refused entry because I already had Australian citizenship, even though I had not yet obtained an Australian passport. The point being (G.S. McKergow, Letters, October 31) that Australia cannot refuse entry to an Australian citizen. It is only by cancelling citizenship that someone can be refused return to Australia, and I understand there is international law that prevents the cancellation of citizenship, as it makes people stateless.

Cancelling passports does not prevent return to one's country of citizenship, but makes legitimate travel overseas near impossible, apart from that return flight to Australia. Cancelling citizenship may prevent return, but is only possible where the person holds another citizenship, and presumably the involved countries will get into an argument about which is the person's ''primary'' citizenship.

Peter Marshall, Captains Flat NSW

Jane Trimbrell (Letters, October 29) has voiced the concerns felt by many in the ACT that our ability to join in the memorial service for Gough Whitlam is severely constrained. I share Jane's view but consider that an appropriate venue for the people of Canberra to be part of the memorial service is far closer than Randwick.

I was one of the many who assembled outside Old Parliament House on November 11, 1975, to express outrage at the Dismissal. The environs of Old Parliament House have historic significance in relation to that event. The event, the assembly outside Old Parliament House, and Gough's address to that assembly are an integral part of Australia's political history.

Large TV screens mounted in the environs of Old Parliament House would enable the men and women of Canberra to assemble in a way in which they would feel associated with the memorial service.

This may require negotiation with the Tent Embassy, but given Gough's initiatives to promote the interests of our indigenous people, a successful outcome should not be impossible.

I understand that an option along these lines is under consideration by the chief minister's office.

Ken Brazel, Weston

Federal Minister Eric Abetz refuses to contribute to the cost to the ACT of dealing with the Mr Fluffy problem, on two legal grounds - one, that a 1991 agreement that it would do so is not legally enforceable; and two, that the asbestos threat to health doesn't qualify for the Commonwealth's normal Natural Disaster Relief assistance because ''events caused by human activity'' are excluded.

Legalism has taken over from common sense, compassion, and morality. Abetz apparently won't even reveal why the Commonwealth is reneging on its 1991 agreement to contribute.

His second excuse is questionable anyway. Surely the threat to human health is due to the natural characteristics of asbestos, not to the process of putting it in a house?

R. S. Gilbert, Braddon

Senator Eric Abetz's response to the ACT's request for federal support in dealing with the loose-fill asbestos crisis is just another example of the Abbott government weaselling its way out of any responsibility for matters in which it has a clear responsibility. It is also another aspect of the pup which the ACT was sold when self-government was foisted upon us, just like the rundown state of infrastructure such as the hospital system which was handed over to us.

It would be interesting to know what was the legal advice Abetz claims to have received and from whom. It is difficult to understand how the 1991 memorandum of understanding could be construed as ''expired''. One can't help the suspicion that the ''legal'' advice may have come from the Attorney General, who thinks he is the font of all legal wisdom when he is in fact illiterate in matters of law.

T. J. Marks, Holt

According to the lead story in the ACT government's October 29 email newsletter, ACTION has provided a new direct, non-stop bus service from Gungahlin to Civic. The Monday to Friday morning service provides five departures between 7.33am and 8.19am, with the journey scheduled to take 20 to 25 minutes. A new free park and ride facility for more than 300 vehicles is also available. With new public transport technology making buses more resource-efficient and environmentally friendly, there would seem to be real questions about the relative advantages of light rail for this route.

Karina Morris, Weetangera

The immediate reaction to a home medical problem is to go to a hospital emergency department, simply because of lack of information about alternative sources of emergency assistance, The result: overcrowding, and long waiting times in our emergency departments.

Information is the key to helping with this problem. Each household should have a hard-copy list of all sources of emergency medical help - walk-in medical centres, home doctors, after-hour GP services, and the like. Please, let's not sit around quibbling - just get on with it!

L. V. Hume, Lyneham

While I cannot disagree with Ian MacDougall's comments (Letters, October 31) regarding the architectural monstrosity that is the Museum of Australia (which replaced a well designed and built hospital), I cannot allow his comment about small-minded Labor politicians to pass.

While I am none too happy with our present local (Labor) government it was the ACT Liberals under Kate Carnell that organised and bungled the destruction of The Royal Canberra Hospital.

J. F. Bishop, Flynn

ACT light rail has been on the wrong track since WA academics Newman and Kenworthy advocated a Perth-style LR system for us in 1991. The WA capital had real suburban sprawl problems that we don't and never will have.

Dense ''urban villages'' at the LR stops ameliorated Perth's sprawl. Our landscaped Central National Area and Civic constitute a unique city centre, due for (hopefully attractive and environmentally friendly) on-going development. It's complemented by our satellite town centres, which are successfully self-contained, and are undergoing intensification (with varying environmental/amenity success).

To basically radiate light rail lines from the centre to the satellites (as proposed) would very likely diminish the latter and over-stress the former. Similarly, dense development nodes at the intermediate rail stops would upset the balance. Given our successful, predominantly suburban development (with useful group and local centres, and low-impact incremental densification), our fine inter-town and bypass road system, our improving buses, and emerging technologies making cars clean and slashing parking areas, we simply don't need expensive radiating light rail. The extensive CNA-City area could benefit from a tram loop for workers, residents, students, and especially, visitors.

For effective spread, it should take in all national institutions, and have dedicated lake crossings at the Causeway and at Lennox-Acton Peninsula (not, as proposed, unattractively imposed on the convergent, difficult-to-access-for-trams Commonwealth and Kings Avenue bridges).

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

First David Hughes and now Max Flint (''Rival light rail report puts cost at $3 billion'', October 31) have informed the Canberra people that the proposed Canberra Metro will be a huge, ongoing financial burden. A significant sector of the population do not want, nor will ever use, this costly transport system.

Spend this money on improving the existing public transport system across all of the city and/or covering the financial cost of supporting Mr Fluffy homeowners. My mother, who lives in Ainslie and so would probably be part of the small population to use the Metro, has suggested that the median strip of Northbourne Avenue be converted to a cycle lane and dedicated bus lanes be built on both sides of the road. This is much more practical and far less costly.

Joyanne Gough, Curtin

G. S. McKergow (Letters, October 31) has misinterpreted my letter of October 28. I did not intend to convey to N. Bailey the message that would-be jihadists may still re-enter Australia on foreign passports. I meant to convey the message that an Australian citizen does not require a passport of any description to re-enter or enter Australia and cannot be prevented from doing so legally by Australian authorities.

Roger Terry, Kingston

In referring to the so-called 'Skype Affair' at the Australian Defence Force Academy in 2011 (''Scandalised, but heading the right way?'', Defence Review, October 27, p10), Dr Kathryn Spurling claims that, after the incident, ''The usual machinations ground into play, there was a cover-up, and the 'wink, wink, nudge, nudge' attitude again resulted in the victim being unsupported and victimised further. It was only when 'Kate' went to the media that a different response was demanded.''

Dr Spurling's summary of the ADF Academy's response to the Skype incident is wholly untrue, manifestly unfair to the military staff of the academy and reflects very poorly on her understanding of the institution and of the events concerned. There was no ''cover up''.

The incident was viewed within the academy as being extremely serious and would have resulted not only in disciplinary action but administrative consequences which could well - and almost certainly would - have at least included the discharge of the cadet who had Skyped the activity to his fellows, as well as action against the other cadets who viewed the incident.

Furthermore, 'Kate' received extensive and continuing support from the academy staff. Well before the incident, her supervisors had become extremely concerned about the difficulties she was having in adjusting to military life. 'Kate' was already the subject of individual management and such close staff support continued to be provided in the aftermath of her approach to the media.

There is no way that 'wink, wink, nudge, nudge' marked the outlook of Kate's squadron or divisional staff or the senior leadership of the academy at any time. I am greatly disappointed that Kathryn Spurling should spread such a misrepresentation, particularly as it extends to some of the ADF's very finest female members, including Kate's squadron commander.

James Goldrick, commander, Australian Defence College 2008-11, Weetangera

ENTITLEMENT ENDING

In ignoring all moral responsibility and callously dismissing the ACT's claim for assistance with the Mr Fluffy issue, Senator Eric Abetz, in part of his reasoning, cited the end of the ''age of entitlement''. To be consistent, I hope that at the next federal election Canberra residents end the ''entitlement'' that the Liberal Party thinks it has on an ACT senate seat. We couldn't be any worse off given how ineffectual Zed has been on this issue.

Rob Ey, Weston

STANCE INCONSISTENT

In rejecting any federal liability for the clean-up of the loose-fill asbestos installed under the Commonwealth government's watch, Eric Abetz says the responsibility for these matters lies fair and square with the territory and state governments. Yet his government held a royal commission into the installation of the Pink Batts, trying to pin the blame on the federal Labor government, when the states were and are clearly responsible.

John Mapleson, Kambah

BETTER USE OF FUNDS

Time to forget the light rail fiasco and properly compensate the Mr Fluffy home owners.

Trish Blakey, Belconnen

JUST GIVE US A PRICE

ActewAGL is filling letterboxes with ''price promise'' leaflets. Wouldn't it be nice if they just offered us their best price without the bovine excrement feature.

Michael F. Buggy, Torrens

EXPRESS VISION

Let's make Ian Ruecroft's (Letters, October 27) metaphorical flyovers for Canberra real, one at Mouat and Antill streets and one at Macarthur and Wakefield avenues. Then busways, given the same traffic priority as planned for light rail, could deliver 16-minute express services between Gungahlin and Civic, instead of 26 minutes planned for the all-stops tram service.

Les Broderick, Farrer

MEMORIAL TO GOUGH

Perhaps those hundreds of public servants who ''spontaneously'' turned up to Gough's dismissal might now like to support the purchase of a permanently tethered memorial in the form of ''sky whale''. It would surely serve as a great symbol of both Parliament and the man himself.

Baden Williams, Lyneham

FUNDED BY THEIR TAXES

Mark Sproat (Letters, October 30) conveniently overlooks that public servants pay income tax, probably more than many business people, and hence help fund their own maternity leave and other schemes.

J. Angle, Curtin

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