Society sets drug dependent parents up for failure. It imposes a pre-eminent priority of drug freeness that trumps all. It sets up a tug-of-war between appeasing an addiction and wanting to do the best by the kids.

Risk factors begin before birth yet, out of fear of prosecution or having their child taken from them at birth, our drug policy deters mums from seeking prenatal care.

Parents are deterred from seeking help in those vital early years.

Our drug policies set in train a process of marginalisation that produces generations of deepening disadvantage.

We flail around with crazy proposals like sterilising drug users while refusing to accept evidence that with appropriate support drug dependent parents can be as good and better than the best of us.

Look at what countries like Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands are doing.

Bill Bush, Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform, ACT

Alcohol's impact

The Australian Hotels Association ACT Branch cannot have it both ways, in expecting ACT ratepayers to cover the $11.7 million cost of alcohol related harm and the increased costs of an additional six police officers to address alcohol related impacts in our CBD's (canberratimes.com.au, November 15 and 16).

The ACT government needs to immediately adopt a more focused and muscular policy approach on alcohol related harm.

This could be by either imposing full cost recovery of the $11.7 million costs (and all future year costs) on AHA ACT Branch members; or reimposing the previously discarded government commitment to reduced trading hours and increased licensing costs for higher capacity venues.

If the ACT government does not do this, ACT ratepayers will continue to foot increased costs for alcohol related harm.

There will be further reduced service delivery in areas including community policing (resulting in increasing crime rates); and less capacity in our public hospitals' emergency wards (for the treatment of patients with non-alcohol related injuries).

All this is occurring against the backdrop of experts continuing to warn about the increasing dangers to the ACT economy of running ongoing budget deficits (canberratimes.com.au, November 16).

Ron Edgecombe, Evatt

True democracy

Apropos "First past the post is best" (Letters, November 14), may I suggest to Gary Wilson Australia is one of the few true democracies because we are blessed with both compulsory and preferential voting.

Imagine this scenario: candidate A gets 40 per cent of the primary vote, candidate B gets 30 per cent, and candidate C gets 30 per cent.

Without preferential voting we'd have the absurd situation of the seat going to candidate A against the express wishes of 60 per cent of voters.

Stephen Grimsley, Binalong

I agree with Gary J. Wilson (Letters, November 14). Democracy is about finding the voice of the people. The winner is the one who represents the most people. But I do not agree that's best done by first past the post voting.

If a given single member electorate has, say, five candidates and they get the following percentages A30, B25, C20, D15, E10, then 'A' would be elected but 70 per cent of electors did not want that candidate to represent them.

Voting in multi member electorates is a matter for another day.

Preferential voting as practiced in Australia elects the candidate who is most acceptable to a majority of voters in any given single member electorate.

We rely on independent commissions to fairly delineate those electorates, unlike in the US where it is a political exercise, that gave the English language the word "gerrymander".

A good primer on the development of the American electoral system is: What would Jefferson do? — A return to Democracy by Thom Hartman.

John F. Simmons, Kambah

Defining democracy

Unfortunately Gary Wilson is mistaken about what democracy is. It is not really about elections at all.

Democracy is about government where collective decision making means those affected by decisions make them.

In choosing people to represent us in governance decisions, first past the post is the worst way.

Wise decisions are made when lots of viewpoints are brought in and these can be considered even if we don't agree with the points of view being expressed.

Our Senate is actually among the best for getting a broad representation of interests brought to bear on decisions.

If people think our governance system isn't working well, they are right. It isn't. We need to go for the ways that will deliver better outcomes, not ones that entrench problems.

Increasing participation is a good place to start.

Peter Tait, O'Connor

Defenceless

Interesting to see Peter Dutton criticise Malcolm Fraser and "weak" state Labor Governments for immigration problems ("Dutton attacks Fraser's refugee legacy", canberratimes.com.au, November 18).

Fraser is no longer in a position to defend himself and responsibility for immigration is solely the Australian government's. Rich when Dutton was judged by the AMA as our worst ever Health Minister.

Mike Reddy, Curtin

Parking at Canberra Airport for 24 hours may cost about half the price of Sydney or Melbourne Airports, ("Canberra Airport parking half the price of Sydney and Melbourne airports", canberratimes.com.au, November 18) but go away for longer and the position reverses.

For two weeks, Canberra Airport will cost you at least $208, while Sydney costs $130. For four weeks, Sydney costs $180 and Canberra $376.

That makes it attractive to bypass Canberra Airport and drive to Sydney, even with the cost of fuel and tolls, and cheaper flights are usually available from Sydney with one less layovers.

Canberra Airport should take note.

Peter Marshall, Captains Flat

iPad reunited

I left my iPad in its softcover bag in the new passenger pickup lounge at the Canberra Airport. It was picked up by a good person who looked inside the bag and saw an ACT Library DVD of US police comedy Brooklyn 99.

On taking it back to the library, my contact details were found and my iPad and I were reunited.

Thank you to the good person in Canberra at the airport and the ACT Library City branch staff who went beyond their duty statements, thought laterally and proved that human goodwill trumps all.

I am very grateful.

Dr Susan Boden, Canberra

Need to spread wealth

The numbers of those sleeping rough are rising.

Less than 50 per cent of Australians can afford to buy a home.

From 2016 on the top 3 per cent of society will own more than the other 97 per cent.

The disgruntled in the UK brought in Brexit. The disgruntled in the US have brought in Trump.

What will the disgruntled bring in here? It is time to discuss the creation of a universal basic wage where all receive sufficient for bed and board irrespective of standing.

Society is likely to become healthier, so less pressure on health services.

There will be less need to build new prisons as there will be less of the disgruntled.

Centrelink will shrink and, above all, society will become more creative and more productive.

Trials involving up to 50,000 have indicated this will be the case.

The wealth is there (mostly among the top 3 per cent) so it's now a matter of will.

Dennis Nicholls, Scullin

Testing times

Re the supine lack of resolve by Australia against South Africa in two Tests.

There has been a systemic failure in selection policy.

I have been wondering for some time what scientific testing is made of players' reflexes and visual acuity, particularly over time.

We might find they become slower.

We could see that with Ponting. His faulty technique didn't matter when he was younger. Then he slowed down and those flashy pulls and hooks failed to be well-timed or go quite so far.

Kallis was different, continued to play much straighter, and sensibly retired when the bowling got too fast for him.

There are young players who play straight, with a more correct technique, and they are the ones who will serve Test cricket well.

Show some late backbone, selectors, and dare to select them.

And don't forget the value of sponsoring a thesis or two on the decline of players' faculties between, say, 25 and 35.

Roy Darling, Florey

On a slow track

Thank you, John Kimber for your insightful observations on the Denver light rail system (Letters, November 13).

A similar situation appears to be unfolding in Portland, Oregon – where Shane Rattenbury rode the light rail (from the airport, Mr Barr!) and decided that this was just the thing for Canberra.

From the Tri-Met website, it is apparent that over the past four to five years ridership on the light rail system has gone down (over 10 per cent) whilst operating costs have risen by over 10 per cent.

The subsidy per passenger carried has increased by 50 per cent and the average speed of the light rail vehicles has remained at a stately 18mph (30km/h). Is this what we want or need for Canberra?

Paul E. Bowler, Holder

Revenue worry

At last a "senior economist", Dr Stephen Anthony, has had the temerity to suggest there might be "an underlying structural deficit" in our town council's revenue stream ("ACT dicing with deficits", November 17, p1-2). He was supported by his colleague, Dr Khalid Ahmed, who said, "The trends in [the ACT's] budget are not sustainable".

The Commonwealth has, for over two decades, been under-funding the town council which it foisted upon its captive population of public servants.

Gary J. Wilson, MacGregor

Euthanasia puzzle

Eric French (Letters, November 9 and November 13) levels baseless accusations at Andrew Denton for being deliberately misleading in his National Press Club address, and fellow contributor Rob Westcott (Letters, October 26) for harbouring pre-existing hostility to the Catholic position on euthanasia.

It would seem quite pertinent of Andrew Denton to have focused on Catholic opposition to euthanasia, as the only real obstacle to legislative reform (or even just having a sensible conversation for that matter) is the disproportionate number of conservative Catholic parliamentarians who over-represent the Catholic point of view.

Notwithstanding the fact that anybody advocating the legalisation of euthanasia could be said to already be hostile to the Catholic point of view, by dismissing Rob Westcott's excellent letter out of hand French dodges the question he couldn't answer satisfactorily even if he tried: in a modern secular society, why should a theocratic institution be allowed to impose its beliefs and traditions on either people of other faiths or people who reject the puerile notion of religion altogether, particularly when those beliefs unnecessarily prolong pain and suffering?

James Allan, Narrabundah

Adverts as a weapon

Howard's 2002, "be alert, not alarmed", $15 million, advertising blitz, was launched preparatory to invading Saddam's Iraq to, purportedly, save the world from his WMDs.

It is ironic to see Boeing's WMD (advertisement, November 17, p5) being advertised, like a wide-screen TV, in Australia's media.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

Minions still miss out

No money for the minions for the last three years and continuing but plenty for the SES (recent and previous increases over the last three years in Immigration and Border Protection, Human Services and elsewhere) and now for SES aspirants (super EL2s).

Peter Dahler, Calwell

Just not cricket

Come on! It's common sense! No bouncers. No mulligrubbers. They're just not cricket.

Jennifer Nichols, Scullin

Hole in trickle-down

Is that trickle-down of money ever going to happen? I'm so poor I don't have holes in the knees of my jeans !

Gary Frances, Bexley

Goodbye containers

I am delighted the container village is leaving the lake. I hope it goes to good use. Pop-up tram depot anyone?

John Howarth, Weston

Behind-door deal

What exactly has the US been promised in return for digging the government out of its Manus Island hole? Goodness of heart doesn't cut it.

Phil O'Brien, Flynn

Where is the power?

The time has come for Turnbull and Baird to be asked the Quentin classic "... what do you understand by the doctrine of the separation of powers?"

Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla

Bump in Trump camp

All "smooth" in the selection of key position in Donald Trump's team? I wonder how many senior Republicans have said to Trump: "No Donald, this is no way to run a country"?

Robyn Vincent, McKellar

Pay up diplomats

Diplomats flouting the road rules or their embassies or high commissions should be made to pay up. Otherwise offenders should be forced to leave.

Mario Stivala, Spence

Disgraceful Turnbull

The dishonourable treatment of Gillian Triggs is disgraceful. Malcolm Turnbull might recall himself saying people "cannot expect to have their terms renewed". This also applies to you, Prime Minister.

John Sandilands, Tasmania.

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