Unresponsive builders/developers should be made to rectify such defects without delay. Unfortunately for affected unit owners in body corporate arrangements, strata-related processes seem to be further frustrating delivery of justice to individual purchasers.

I live in a new development, completed in December 2014. When it rains, water from the adjoining undrained garden bed seeps through the wall of the stairwell leading from the foyer level down to the basement, and saturates the stairwell carpet. The developer was made aware of the issue in June 2015.

Now, more than a year later, the problem has not been fixed despite requests. With the recent heavy rain, we had a veritable puddle of water form on the staircase landing, and a "waterfall" down the lower flight of stairs leading to the basement.

The repeated damage to and devaluation of our property due to the inaction of those that have the power to act, amounts to daylight robbery of some of those who bought units in this complex.

D. Smith, Phillip

Congratulations to the Sex Party for raising the issue of the Telstra Tower ("Sex Party says tear down the tower", September 6, p10).

My proposal is that we attach some solid rocket boosters and fire it into space as Australia's entry into the space business, perhaps with our current government in the revolving restaurant as our first astronauts.

Seriously though, I love the idea of repurposing it, and a cable car to the top of the hill is a much better idea than a tram. It's refreshing to see some outside-the-box thinking, even if it's somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

Fred Pilcher, Kaleen

I agree with L. Barnard (Letters, September 5) that changing the Marriage Act will change society, and it would be for the better. Now we all have an opportunity to choose to make society fairer and include those who through no fault of their own are LGBTI.

Changing the act will harm no one, nor deny anyone their rights.

It would mean LGBTI partners were accorded the same status in society and rights before the law as everyone else.

For just one thing, LGBTI spouses would be entitled to superannuation death benefits and the same pension as straight people transferred to a surviving partner, currently denied them.

Changing the Marriage Act would also help to prevent bullying and marginalisation because it would be saying loud and clear, our society accepts everyone!

(Mrs) Chris Kain, O'Connor

Acting Essential Services Agency Commissioner Mark Brown (Letters, September 3) is to be congratulated for breathing new life into Christopher Knaus's article "Emergency services HQ call reversed by cabinet", August 31, p2). Too often worthy articles like Christopher's are one-day wonders.

I, however, did not form the view from the article that the current ESA workshop facility is inadequate. The impression I formed was that the approval process for the facility was flawed, it cost too much to construct, and it was delivered later than what it might have been.

If this impression is wrong then Acting Commissioner Brown might again put the record straight.

Mike Buckley, Barton

On June 17, you published my letter regarding the procedures used by ActewAGL to calculate energy bills. In June I received an obviously inflated gas bill and on inquiring was told that Actew often used "estimates" to calculate usage.

The excuse given then was that the company contracted to provide the meter readers did not have sufficient staff and so estimates were used. As I had been overseas for most of the quarter the account was clearly highly inflated but eventually, after I provided a meter reading, was adjusted.

Letters from J. Hutchison and M. Davis (September 6) indicate that ActewAGL is still using estimates but the excuse now is a "computer glitch".

Personally I think ActewAGL's grossly overpaid CEO should resign if he cannot run a business properly and provide accurate information. What other businesses can issue bills on the basis of estimates rather than actual costs? I consider such actions illegal, if not fraudulent.

I note that there is talk of the independent regulator handing over the setting of water prices to Icon Water.

This would be like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank.

Roger Allnutt, Deakin

Our last gas bill contained a letter telling us it was an estimate based on last year's usage, and that their reader had not been able to access our meter.

That was total rubbish, as our meter is always accessible via a path for that purpose, and we had spoken to the meter-reader when we were gardening as he took the reading.

On being challenged, the ActewAGL customer service representative admitted that they had a reading, but gave some lame excuse that the reading was out of sync with processes.

That person cheerfully arranged to have a new bill sent, which (surprise, surprise) was $200 cheaper.

A nice little earner for ActewAGL!

Neville Bleakley, Chifley

Many politicians once acted as if the key to success was sincerity; once they could fake that, they had it made.

Now a NSW political has-been, Michael Yabsley, has proclaimed that perception is "everything" in politics. So much for substance, character, truth, responsibility and reality.

Concurrently, the apology has become a currency of politics; remorse has overtaken sincerity (and supplanted explanation, accountability and sanction) as the tool of choice to be demanded, given and faked in our contemporary polity. We may get the politicians we deserve. We should apologise for whatever we did to deserve many of the current crop.

Since the election, Bill Shorten has banged on repeatedly about how terrible the Coalition government is and how unfit for office is Malcolm Turnbull and his ministry. Yet when the chips are down and his supposedly brilliant factional and numbers mate, Senator Sam Dastyari, is exposed as having rorted the system and demonstrated a complete lack of probity, Bill goes to water.

Cheap shots and fast talking is easy. The mark of true leadership and any potential to be considered for future prime ministerial candidacy is decisive action rather than the perpetuation of political patronage.

Len Goodman, Flynn

Senator Sam Dastyari either made a mistake and also misspoke, or else deliberately did the wrong thing. That he's subsequently supported China's expansionism and aggression in the South China Sea suggests the latter.

Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Vic

The Coalition is condemning Senator Dastyari for accepting Chinese donations. The Liberal party would never accept donations from rich Chinese. Not half, they wouldn't!

The Coalition has allowed 90 per cent of our auto jobs to be shipped to low-wage countries. It has allowed whole industries to move offshore. Textile, clothing, footwear, steel-making and fuel-refining have all but vanished. Soon, the Coalition will turn Australia into a gigantic quarry for the Chinese.

Graham Macafee, Latham

It seems to me the media and Coalition feeding frenzy surrounding Sam Dastyari and his declared monies from the Chinese community is somewhat over the top, and hypocritical. Whilst he was rather silly to ask and receive the money it does not deserve the current ranting. The Chinese community and China must be wondering what the heck this is all about.

Jan Gulliver, Lyneham

Commendable as Bill Shorten's intentions and vigour undoubtedly are regarding his measures to provide for "transparency" and "public confidence" in the matter of foreign and corporate political donations, there remains a notable loophole that must be addressed.

A key aspect of Mr Shorten's reforms is that funds must be attributable to a "registered Australian voter". But how can we believe that foreign political (or foreign corporate) influence will be eliminated as an issue if there is no recording or reporting (in real time or otherwise) of donations or largesse from voters who are dual nationals with consequently undeniable and strong foreign ties?

It would be a simple expedient to require that a donor's status as a dual citizen – and the other country thereby potentially implicated – be also declared where applicable.

Ross Kelly, Monash

One day Australians will wake up to find themselves in the reign of King Charles III. Some may see this as the natural course of things. Others will see it as a degrading status for what should be, by now, a confident and independent nation of the 21st century.

What self-respecting country can live with the knowledge that one of its own people can never, at present, become our own head of state?

The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has an obligation to show responsible leadership on this issue and appoint a minister for the Republic to coordinate community discussion on the inevitable transition processes. Such an appointment would no doubt incite a chorus of protest that the country has more important issues to review.

But a country that can brood over issues of national pride, such as why we didn't win more medals at the Rio Olympics, must have time to review its own head of state. What is more humbling – being out-performed in sport or having a foreigner as your head of state? The Australian Constitution, selection method and "duty statement" for our own head of state, role name (it does not have to be "president"), flag, coins and bank notes, together with a myriad of other matters, should now be opened to national public discussion.

If the prime minister feels he cannot add republicanism to his vision for a future Australia, then he should be looking for a more talented and multi-skilled cabinet, or another job.

Penleigh Boyd, Reid

M.P. Watson (Letters, September 5) berates the government for its failure to engage in community consultation regarding Chinese investment in Australia . The very next letter, from Marg Cotton, condemns the government for its lack of leadership in proceeding with the consultative same-sex marriage plebiscite. So the Prime Minister is open to criticism whatever approach he takes. How can he respond to frequent calls that he listen to the people when such contrary views exist? Can we have some fairness here?

Eric French, Higgins

Although an ACT Senator for a short time, Zed Seselja has already made his obligatory sponsored trip to Israel: one more carefully chosen and compliant member of Parliament to support Julie Bishop in her continuing votes against Palestine in the United Nations and in support of the occupying troops of Israel in Palestine, in place for over 50 years.

Ms Bishop is currently in Israel as we speak. The sooner such Israel-funded largesse is discontinued the more honest and fair-minded the Parliament will become.

Rhys Stanley, via Hall, NSW

DOLLARS AND SENSE

Let me see if I've got this right. The Chinese company that paid some thousands of dollars to Labor Senator Sam Dastyari was buying influence. But the half a million dollars to Julie Bishop's branch of the Liberal Party were pure altruism.

OK. Sounds about right to me.

David Clark, Scullin

A question for Sam Dastyari: Why so cheap? I assume Bill Shorten's dressing down was along the lines of "Don't let them pay directly, just take the cash and pay the invoice yourself!"

Dr Tony Martin, Duffy

SICK OF EXCUSES

I've had a gutful of the likes of SenatorDastyari and others (such as immature sportspeople) who engage in all sorts of unacceptable behaviour only to plead that they've "made amistake".

No. They're not mistakes. Such individuals fully intended to do what they did. They simply did the wrongthing.

D.N. Callaghan, Kingston

QUOTA ARROGANCE

Andrew Barr has had another thought bubble with his suggestion that there should be some sort of quota system put in place for community consultation.

Mr Barr's arrogance is only matched by Jon Stanhope's when he had majority government. It is time for him to go before he becomes our next dictator.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

TOWER OF LOVE

Demolish the big syringe ("Sex Party says tear down the tower", September 6, p10)? Never.

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

The Sex party wants to tear down the tower. They say it's the wrong shape and the wrong size.

Tom Middlemiss, Deakin

I, for one, love to see our beloved syringe when returning to Canberra from any direction. It means you are almost home, sweet home.

Gloria Byrne, Hughes

When returning weary and worn from trips away, it's always a welcome sight to see the familiar Telstra Tower looming in the distance. It is part of our landscape: leave it there.

Evelyn Bean, Ainslie

DANGER OF BOYS' TOYS

Now that David Ellery ("Drop by the AWM shed for a big day out," September7, p2) has done the standard puff piece for the War Memorial's annual "Big Things in Store" day, perhaps he will do a balancing item on the damage these "boys' toys" do to human beings and communities.

David Stephens, Bruce

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