A far better alternative would be to get rid of state governments – they are an anachronism – and institute a small transaction tax replacing all other taxes, charges, fees, levies etc. Why isn't it being considered as part of the tax debate?

The infrastructure is already in place and my understanding is that this form of tax could collect more than enough tax to run the country properly, be barely noticed by most people because it would be such a small percentage of the transaction, prevent tax avoidance particularly by large multinationals because they all collect and pay everything electronically and quite possibly result in one whole federal department (the Tax Office) being reduced to a small, overseeing function.

Please Mr Turnbull, no state income taxes.

G. Tafe, Kambah

The ACT government to raise its own income tax? This would be taxpayers' worst nightmare. The government and its bureaucrats have shown little ability in either the way it raises taxes, levies and charges or in the way that revenue is spent. I wouldn't trust them to manage my children's pocket money.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

The Australian health-care sector continues to cite increasing medical technology costs as a significant factor in rising health costs. We don't see this trend in other sectors, where technological innovation and well-directed technology investment and management have resulted in significant and continuing increases in productivity and quality and reduced costs of goods and services.

For example, in the automotive sector the cost of cars has reduced significantly over the last half century, while quality, reliability, economy and safety have all increased.

Australian health consumers and taxpayers are entitled to a comprehensive explanation of the inability of the Australian health sector to use technology innovation and investment to improve the quality of health service delivery while containing or reducing costs.

David G. Jones, Lyneham

I note from the Canberra Times that the ACT government is commencing the process of calling for expressions of interest from interested developers for the construction of the new arts precinct adjacent to the Old Bus Depot and glassworks ("Developers shortlisted for Kingston block", March 29, p1).

Rather than allowing developers to just design and build a bland building representing a stack of shoe boxes, would it not be possible to encourage developers to design and construct an "iconic" building which will reflect the "creative ambience"of a true arts/cultural centre?

Not only would a unique design be complimentary to the arts precinct but it would create a further tourism magnet for our city.

Come on Canberra, set your creative juices free.

Peter Davies, Kingston

The death by a thousand cuts has seen our cultural institutions' budgets reduced by nearly $30 million since 2013, according to figures supplied by Arts Minister Mitch Fifield ("New cuts: cultural agencies lose $40m", March 28, p1) to Senator Penny Wong. However, a singular omission from the published list of targeted institutions is the Australian War Memorial, which reports to a different minister and is headed by a former leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party.

A full picture of the cuts can only be understood if the comparative "efficiency dividend" figures for the AWM are supplied by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Because each of our institutions is precious in its own way, the public deserves to see a complete picture of the budgetary assault on the national memory.

Dr Ray Edmondson, Kambah

The recent events in Brussels have exposed the vulnerability of airports to terrorist or other attack. Surely, the growing practice in Australia of compelling travellers to self check-in at airports and feed their checked luggage into the baggage system more or less unsupervised is inconsistent with proper security. The existing security checkpoints only cover cabin luggage and do not provide much in the way of individual screening of travellers.

Having to confront an airline official at a check-in counter with one's checked baggage does provide an extra level of screening against any nefarious intentions on the part of an intending traveller. In any event, self-check-in at airports is just part of a growing tendency across the board (including now at supermarkets and long ago at service stations) to compel customers to do for themselves what they are already paying for. At airports, at least, it should not be allowed.

Jeffrey Benson, Curtin

Beware of right-wing political parties such as the Canberra Liberals bearing gifts such as a so-called improved bus system and no light rail. From experience we know they give with one hand and take back much more with the other.

Don't forget, these politicians, who want to run Canberra from this October, are from the far right of the Liberal Party (just ask the lamented Gary Humphries) and are supporters of the 2014 federal budget and their mentors Zed Seselja and Tony Abbott. Canberra deserves better than this.

John Davenport, Farrer

I have lived in Bungendore for 15 years and for many of those years I have enjoyed excellent friendly service from all the IGA staff. A long time ago, I decided that I would never shop in Woolworths, and have been thankful for the opportunity to do all my shopping locally. I know that the money I spend in the village stays in the village.

I know that many locally produced products will never be stocked by Woolworths. They will have no interest in such matters. We in Bungendore cherish its village character and fear that it will be most adversely affected if Woolworths is allowed to open here ("'Little fella' loses as Woolies moves in", March 30, p3). We have too much to lose.

Elizabeth Vitek, Bungendore, NSW

Well I think we've heard everything now ("Changes to stop Fluffy land owners 'profiting"', February 9, p6)!

Haven't these people had enough already. They've had to watch their beloved homes and gardens demolished through absolutely no fault of theirs. And in some cases they have lost house contents as well. Of course, they should be allowed to buy back their land at the unimproved value, thus allowing them to build again using the balance of the buyback money.

Far from them making "windfall gains", they will then have to re-establish gardens and fences, etc, all extra expenses. And if in 10 years' time or so they might just happen to sell their home for a bit of a profit; all well and good.

The treatment they have received from the powers-that-be has been shameful, and the emotional scars will take much longer to heal than the scars on the landscape.

M.A. Gibson, Downer

Is it possible that anyone who really cares about the rule of law can seriously support the bill to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission in its present form?

If so, could they please at least consider the response of the Law Council of Australia to the Senate inquiry into the bill?

The executive summary states that "a number of features of the bill are contrary to rule of law and traditional common law rights and privileges such as the burden of proof, the privilege against self-incrimination, the right to silence, freedom from retrospective laws and the delegation of law-making powers to the executive".

There is also concern about many other matters such as the proposed power to enter private property and seize papers without warrants and without judicial review of such behaviour.

Of all the known and suspected illegal and corrupt actions by individuals and organisations in this country, is the trade union movement involved in the building industry the only group deserving of such specific and disproportionate treatment? Is the existing state of the criminal law, the courts and the various police forces really and truly incapable of dealing with this?

Bob Budd, Curtin

According to your article "Research into housing ... new community set to rise from CSIRO field station" (March 30, p1) the CSIRO land involved "sits on the ACT-NSW border, framed by the Barton Highway, William Slim Drive, Owen Dixon Drive and Kuringa Drive." My UBD Canberra Street Map indicates that any land so framed cannot sit on the ACT-NSW border.

R.J. Wenholz, Holt

The pictures of the CSIRO field station site show a landscape of valuable trees, part of the natural values that should be respected, identified and incorporated into any plans for the area and its links with nearby natural areas. Some have suggested that ongoing agriculture might be an option for some parts too.

Affordable housing should be developed across the ACT not just dangled as a promise at the edges to get support for bad planning.

Clare Henderson, executive director, Conservation Council ACT Region

CONSULTATION LACKING

Are captain's calls an element of Malcolm Turnbull's continuity policy? The Treasurer has been blindsided recently by double dissolution and now state income tax. They sound like captain's calls to me. Where is the promised change to a consultative process?

Mark Hartmann, Hawker

DEFINITELY SWEAR WORDS

I see that Jon Kehrer (Letters, March 30) thinks that "conservative" and "right wing" are swear words. I can't argue with that.

Mark Chapman, Palmerston

RESTORATION NEEDED

Let's all let Peter Axiom, whom I have never met, get on with restoring 21 Furneaux Street, Manuka ("Government stop-work notice lifted on landmark Manuka property", March 31, p3). It is a gorgeous building, but for many years has been in dire need of a complete refurbishment, and the garden was an overgrown jungle. I am looking forward to seeing it come good again, as a signature Manuka landmark.

Ian Morison, Forrest

ALWAYS A SILVER LINING

As Arthur Sinodinos will find, even the dark cloud hovering above him has a silver lining: in a few months, he won't be able to recall what the fuss was about.

Kent Fitch, Nicholls

LEAVE NICE PEOPLE ALONE

P. Johnston (Letters, March 29) should try to avoid bagging out people who are trying to be nice! There are plenty of genuine jerks out there more deserving of his wrath.

Sonya Georgalis, Kingston

US ADDICTED TO VIOLENCE

A recent poll has found that 85 per cent of Americans back the use of torture of terror suspects. America, land of the brave, home of the free, seems to be addicted to violence.

Peter O'Dea, Oaks Estate

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