Kind of your reporter to not reveal too much of the plot, like when the bureaucrats find out that geothermal energy only produces about 16 degrees and swimmers prefer about 28 degree water temperature.

Those brilliant script writers will no doubt find a way out (government issue of wetsuits, perhaps? Can't wait). And bringing in the light rail too, how topical. Being able to get to the lake's new year-round swimming hole by light rail makes the show all that much more believable. Hopefully, the brilliance of such creative script writing does not go unrewarded. There must be a place outside of television where such brilliant creativity actually gets paid for. Put them on the government payroll.

Penleigh Boyd, Reid

Ross Gittins (''Social equity too expensive'', Times2, August 20, p4) wants to use politics to reduce economic inequality.

Government intervention, notably policies designed to redistribute wealth and income, have a twofold effect on civil society. First, there will be less capital formation, productivity, self reliance and future orientation. Second, transfer payments, subsidies, below cost provision of goods and services and business regulations transform civil society into a welfare state.

Politics then degenerates into a full blown robbery and spoils system.

The best thing the federal government can do to help Australians and reduce economic inequality is to slash taxes and government spending, establish a free labour market, abolish all government interference in production and exchange and then disappear from the economic scene.

If we want a more prosperous and more inclusive society we need to shrink the tax feeding class, not expand it.

Victor Diskordia, McKellar

We have long been accustomed to that master of mealy-mouthedness, immigration minister Scott Morrison, pretending that the whole and exclusive basis of the Coalition's refugee policy is an absolute determination to save lives at sea - respect for refugees being of course paramount to him and to the rest of the front bench.

He is now joined in the ranks of the righteous by ''Environment'' Minister Greg Hunt, whose defence of ongoing Queensland coal project expansion, and its scientifically proven direct and indirect nefarious effects on the formerly great Barrier Reef, is that via export it will provide light and warmth to the poor huddled masses of India. Or, as he puts it, all for ''the great goal of bringing humanity out of deep, grinding poverty''.

We therefore fervently await our Defence Minister justifying the allocation of a few more billions for the Joint Strike Fighters on the basis that it will help feed and clothe the children of Lockheed Martin's JSF project employees.

Were our current federal ministers not so sinister, they could have a future in comedy.

Alex Mattea, Kingston

Clive Palmer has copped a lot of stick following his outburst on last Monday's Q&A program - most of it deserved. However the instigator - Q&A host Tony Jones - has so far escaped any scrutiny. Q&A is a program where a panel of prominent people is invited to answer questions from a live audience and provide commentary on topical issues.

The ABC website declares that Q&A puts punters, pollies and pundits together in the studio to thrash out the hot issues of the week under a moderator who will keep the discussion focused and on track. Q&A is not a one-on-one interview where it is open to the interviewer to pursue the interviewee relentlessly without restrictions on subject matter.

Tony Jones broke the rules of the game when he repeatedly put questions to Palmer about a matter which is before the Courts. Jones knew that, and he knew that Palmer was not free to discuss the matter openly. But he could not resist the opportunity to bait Palmer in a situation where Palmer could not properly defend himself. It was a cheap, opportunistic shot.

Longer term, Q&A may be handicapped in recruiting panelists if it's perceived that they run the danger of being reduced to target practice for Jones. Jones himself is handicapped by the lead in his saddlebag: the weight of a super ego.

Des Fooks, Forrest

We have become used to the invariable failure of H. Ronald (Letters, August 19) to understand that his view could be wrong in his haste to support the conservative side of politics on any issue. It was not the reimposition of petrol excise which caused ''the present outrage''(after all we are all used to regular price fluctuations at the pump), but the Treasurer's insensitive comment about some less well off in our community.

Mr Hockey recognised his action was unacceptable and apologised; surely H. Ronald would recognise that the Treasurer did not apologise for nothing.

Patrick Ryan, Turner

Treasurer Andrew Barr is quoted in the article ''Proposal to heat lake water for beach'' (August 21, p1) as saying the project would be ''risk free'' for the private sector. I can only hope this is a reporter's error. No project is risk-free. If it is risk-free for the private sector then the government must bear all risk. Does this mean that the government will be getting all the reward from the project? Somehow I doubt it.

Maybe the government could look at equitably sharing the risks and the rewards!

Caroline Le Couteur, Downer

It's a pity that John Morland (Letters, August 21) didn't think through his detailed observations properly. It is true that water vapour is a powerful greenhouse gas and that its tropospheric (lower atmospheric) concentration is typically much higher than those of carbon dioxide and methane. However, it is not true that water vapour and carbon dioxide absorb all the heat arriving from the sun: The absorption effects of the three main greenhouse gases are additive. Rapid addition of methane to the atmosphere from thawing Arctic permafrost and warming seafloor sediments, which appears to have begun in earnest, will indeed increase the rate of global warming.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

The push to rename Haig Park raises very important issues about our attitude to the Scottish soldier who was commander-in-chief on the Western Front from 1915 to 1918. (''British fellowship comes to defence of Haig Park'', August 20, p3).

His supporters point to the fact that in spite of ghastly loss of life, Haig retained the confidence of the British Empire, and the naming of the Canberra park affirms support for him in Australia at that time.

Recent studies of World War I have attacked Haig's leadership and the centenary of these campaigns will only intensify the debate. But we cannot keep renaming Canberra landmarks according to current attitudes to historical personalities and events. Billy Hughes was a deeply controversial Prime Minister of Australia during the same period that Haig was commander on the Western Front, yet nobody suggests renaming the Canberra suburb.

Robert Willson, Deakin

I have been waiting for the ''comprehensive two-week information campaign'' promised by Minister Shane Rattenbury, and the ''extensive community awareness campaign'' and have yet to see any publicity on the buses I catch, or at Barton bus station, about the changes being introduced as part of Network 14.

Am I going to have to stand up on the bus (again) and inform my fellow route 788 (RIP) commuters of the changes? And thank you, Mr Rattenbury, not, for the extra 10 to 20 minutes each way because of the ''improvements'' you are so proud of.

Louisa Murphy, Gordon

The embarrassing thing about Rosemary Laing's attack on Carol Mills (''Senate official lashes out over plum London job'', August 19, p1) is that it's so patently personal.

If Dr Laing wanted to offer her perspective on whether the UK Parliament should prioritise administrative excellence over extensive experience in parliamentary procedure for its Speaker, who could object? It's certainly no odder than Tony Abbott taking it upon himself to offer the Scottish people his words of wisdom.

But when Dr Laing starts to reveal her personal agenda she steps over the line. Her email's suggestion that Ms Mills's antecedents are somehow shady or trifling is disingenuous, and she discredits herself when she proceeds to belittle Ms Mills's respectable history as a senior bureaucrat.

While we're all in the mode, my unsolicited advice to Dr Laing is to exhibit consistent good faith when trying to sink a colleague's career.

Andrea Petersen, Downer

Bill Brown (Letters, August 13) suggests that the decision to have the Belconnen Hospital run by the Little Company of Mary was made by the Fraser Government. In fact, the initial Commonwealth offer to the LCM was made in a letter from Prime Minister McEwen in January 1968. At that time, the LCM had a lease in Barton for a private hospital (which they surrendered), and health planning for an expected Canberra population of 600,000 to 750,000 by 2000 envisaged five major hospitals - Acton, Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen and Gungahlin/Goorooyaroo.

Stephen Brown, Forrest

BLOOMING FABULOUS

The proposal to heat Lake Burley Griffin for swimming all year round (''Proposal to heat lake water for beach'', August 21, p1) is an absolutely fantastic idea - the blue-green algae will love it!

Roger Quarterman, Campbell

CHALLENGING STRATEGY

It is heartening to see that Senator Jacqui Lambie is already thinking of her future employment once she loses her seat in the Senate. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute must be dying to employ her for her depth of insight into Australia's strategic challenges.

We might as well be hung for a sheep as for a Lambie.

Jonathan Lyall, Red Hill

GO MY TEAMS AUSTRALIA

The theories on Team Australia continue. My Team Australia will be competing for the Bledisloe Cup in Auckland on Saturday night and will then compete for the Rugby World Cup in the UK next year. My other Team Australia will be defending the Ashes in England next year.

Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW

THE PEOPLE COME FIRST

I agree with Mike Reddy (Letters, August 21) that Tony Abbott is more loyal to Team Britain than Team Australia. Another example is when Mr Abbott and his government took the oath of allegiance; it was to the Queen and not to the Australian people.

This is in contrast to those becoming Australian citizens who take the oath of allegiance to the Australian people. Abbott and his government have double standards and blatantly disregard our multicultural heritage.

Deborah Crossing, Curtin

LAYING IT ON THE LINE

Midnight closing of venues … less alcohol consumed … fewer aggressive drunks … fewer people on the streets … Can our politicians join the dots, please?

Bob Gardiner, Kambah

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