Much is (or was) spent on street art and now light rail which only a select few of "the North" will ever regularly use. But we are neglected.

That doesn't mean Tuggeranong is less social or soulful than anywhere else in this town. The families, shopkeepers and passers-by are very friendly, helpful and community minded. Schools in our area are of a high standard. The teachers are well trained in their particular fields, friendly and try their best, with little support regarding resources from the government in a lot of cases. My wife was a very good and appreciated public school teacher in Tuggeranong for almost 30 years and now my son too, is a teacher.

Anyone who says Tuggeranong has lost its soul, standard of education and community is wrong. Get off the front page and stop dragging Tuggeranong and its residents down!

Ed Harris, Bonython

I would like to thank the Canberra Times for the enormous amount of laughter the "Tuggeranong is dying" story created on social media. I'm wondering if someone at Fairfax Media has shares in a Gungahlin building company as it seems this was an orchestrated campaign to talk one area up and the other down. Your one fact was that the Tuggeranong population had declined, the rest – a fanciful story about a woman too scared to go to a park in Tuggeranong – was laughable.

The reason that Tuggeranong has declined is that young people are building homes in Gungahlin because they get the first home owners' grant. Most homes in Tuggeranong are established and therefore don't qualify. I find the comment that Tuggeranong has lost its soul, emotive, deceptive and absolute drivel. The one about a lack of decent education is absurd. Even the picture of a cross at an angle on your website was meant to portray decline.

Tuggeranong does need development but South Quay is being snapped up and should help. The Hyperdome is appalling and needs millions spent on it. It is without doubt the worst shopping centre in Canberra. Labor's neglect of Tuggeranong may well be reflected at the ballot box next year.

The article was quite irresponsible, with opinion wound around one fact. It was disappointing because ill-informed stories like that can do enormous damage.

I know many people who have moved to Canberra and chosen their district to settle based on school websites and information gleaned on the web. If they look up Tuggeranong they'll see a fanciful story about someone too scared to go to a park.

Give me my 1100-square-metre block in Tuggeranong with uninterrupted views of the Brindabellas over a 350-square-metre block on the dull, lifeless plain of Gungahlin any day. That being said we do feel neglected over NBN and light rail. Must go. I'd like to go to the park but I'm too scared. Ho hum.

Peter McLoughlin, Monash

Your editorial "Crash data makes strong case for segregated cycle paths" (Times2, August 31, p2) argues convincingly that the way to encourage more people on to bikes is to build more separated and dedicated cycle infrastructure.

This is indeed ACT government policy. The government's Active Travel Framework launched in May outlines how the government can encourage and support walking, cycling and riding. It identifies lack of physical safety as a barrier to cycling. One of the key solutions the government identifies is to separate pedestrians and bicycles from fast traffic.

It will take time, and as the editorial suggests, money, to provide separated infrastructure in established parts of Canberra as well as in new developments.

It's time to expand the off-road and separated cycling infrastructure to cater for people who are not comfortable mixing with traffic. We are fortunate in our planned city of Canberra to have the room to do this. All it takes is for the government to have the political will to implement its own policy.

John Armstrong, executive officer, Pedal Power ACT

Even without the imminent revolution in urban transport, the Gungahlin light rail plan would make little sense compared to spending a quarter of its cost on a better bus system.

But, as Kent Fitch illustrates ("Self-drive cars will best tram, says expert", August 31, p2), it makes even less sense in light of the rise of self-driving cars.

Autonomous vehicles represent a gigantic shift in the whole urban transport picture, and they are about to arrive. Spending a billion dollars on light rail in 2015 is like spending a billion dollars on extra post boxes in 1995, just before the explosive growth of email.

Matt Andrews, Aranda

Whoever came up with the lame-brained idea to extend parking fees on weeknights and weekends in Civic has much to answer for ("Pay new world in the city for capital motorists", September 2, p2). People will simply avoid the place. Workers will be punished. Cafes and restaurants will suffer. Car parks will be empty.

As a Queanbeyan resident, it won't affect me much as I rarely venture into Civic except perhaps to Dendy – but only on a Sunday when parking fees are minimal. Or were. During the week you can pay more to park than to see the movie. And now that will be the norm every day and night. So it's off to Manuka we go.

We're lucky in Queanbeyan. Parking is free and Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Target and Kmart are all close to each other. There's plenty of eateries, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, shows at the Q, walking trails and a central park. And plans are afoot for a cinema complex. But if you do come over the border, just watch out for Shane Rattenbury's revenue raising radar traps on the way in and out.

Robert Beattie, Queanbeyan, NSW

So the ACT's excuse for a government has extended the pay parking regime in Civic? Well, that's the last time I'll be going in there for any sort of shopping or entertainment – and I suspect I won't be the only one. Sorry Civic traders but I'll be going to the town centres in future.

George Tafe, Kambah

I can only assume that Richard Moss (Letters, August 31) has a poor understanding of the realities of the Australian construction industry.

It isn't possible to import a road, a building or an infrastructure project, so the construction sector is uniquely protected from overseas competition. With time, the CFMEU has managed to secure an unhealthy level of control over many large construction companies when setting the cost of labour through the enterprise bargaining process.

While the CFMEU isn't totally to blame for the above situation (it does take two to tango), many businesses agree to high wage demands rather than the alternative of not having any work. As long as companies believe that they can't fight the scam, the only losers are all Australian taxpayers.

Estimates vary for the monopoly-driven cost surcharge at between 20 per cent and 30 per cent of national construction expenditure, which is a huge sum.

It is a public fact that the Enterprise Agreement between the CFMEU and the national contractor currently building the Majura Parkway sets wages at nearly 80 per cent above the current award conditions (one of the modern awards set up by Julia Gillard), and that such agreements tend to have a trickle-down effect into the wider local construction market.

When the above situation is replicated throughout Australia, there is indeed an urgent requirement for the Royal Commission into trade union behaviour, and others, to continue.

Peter Middleton, Stirling

I admire Jackie Kelly's struggle to combine parenthood and a very demanding job, but that's all. Having the combined family income of a federal minister and an orthodontist would have ensured financial comfort few could dream of, so let's not compare her privileged situation to the rest of us.

Her elevated position in the ministry says more about a John Howard captain's pick than any innate ability but that's a side issue.

Unfortunately, the article "Kelly regrets acting too early" (August 29, p1) glossed over a very important point. Ms Kelly's husband was sprung doing some dodgy business distributing fake pamphlets before the 2007 election and the CT reported Kelly as saying in an ABC radio interview, when questioned about her husband's antics "the best thing ... in retrospect, would have been just to say nothing, deny everything, until after the [election] campaign".

So Ms Kelly, in response to a question, you now say that you should have deliberately given an answer which you knew to be untrue? There's a word for such a statement, it's called a lie. A lie no different to the ones Tony Abbott trotted out just before the last election which lasted just long enough to get him into office.

Fortunately, in 2007, the voters of Lindsay ditched the Liberal candidate, and the voters of Bennelong ditched prime minister John Howard, and democracy is better for both.

Jackie, if you need a job give Tony a call. Be quick though, as we voters can't wait for the next federal election to dump the lot of them.

G.Carter, Ainslie

In his article "More bombs fuel for IS fire" (Times2, September 1, p1), Amin Saikal is not optimistic that the United States-led anti-Islamic State operation in Syria and Iraq would prove any more successful than the previous military interventions conducted by US in the region.

Is it not reasonable to ask why is the United Nations acting as an observer in this dreadful situation, when it should be putting forward an alternative plan to that of bombs and destruction?

Has there not been enough bloodshed in this region, for some thoughtful and compassionate body to intervene and offer the people a grain of hope.

Sam Nona, Burradoo, NSW

A little-known fact is that the British government also has a "border force" with the same responsibilities as the Australian Border Protection Force. Both BFs wear black uniforms. Now I wonder if our former pommy PM was inspired by his home country!

As serious/humorous side bar – the London Daily Telegraph of March 16 had an article on the British force titled "Why are black uniforms scary". According to the article there is extensive research indicating that this is the case, so did this also figure in the minds of the Abbott government?

Rod Holesgrove, O'Connor

Land in foreign hands While our farmers should worthily benefit from increased prices as a result of new preferential trade agreements, what is happening to the fertile land that is needed to produce the products we need? The ABC's 7.30 report, on September 1, highlighted the fact 1per cent of Australia's agricultural land is now foreign owned and several more purchases are in the pipeline.

PTAs will make it easier for international consortiums to purchase land then produce and export products to their home country. The 7.30 report also highlighted how, under the Australia-China PTA, workers could be brought in to man large construction projects.

Foreign investors laden with deep pockets of cash are donating huge sums to both major parties, ensuring they are front and centre with our trade negotiators. We are constantly told PTAs and mining projects equate to new jobs. There are claims the Carmichael coal mine project will create 10,000 jobs. In reality, the number is more likely to be an estimated 1400. We need to ask the question sooner than later of these PTAs: what jobs and how many will be created and will they disadvantage Australian workers?

Bill Gillespie, Wamboin, NSW

It would be unthinkable for Canberra Airport to display advertisements for AK-47s. Why should they be allowed to advertise much larger weapons such as fighter planes, submarines and drones? It's like banning the advertising of packets of cigarettes but promoting the stuff by the carton.

Sue Wareham, convenor, No Airport Arms Ads, Cook

I was inspired by the article about John Brogden talking about his suicide attempt 10 years ago ("John Brogden speaks about his suicide attempt: 'Experiences like mine show there is a way back"', canberratimes.com.au, August 31). Seven Australian suicides a day! Figures higher than the road toll and increasing! He tells us Scotland set a target to reduce suicides by 20 per cent in a 10-year period, and they almost achieved this.

Why is it that we are stuck with a flawed mental health system that has no vision for the future, is unresponsive to the concerns of people with mental-health issues and families alike and more concerned about protecting itself than learning from others to see what else might work.

Ros Williams, Holder

As with all horse-racing enthusiasts, and no doubt even those who do not follow the sport, I was saddened to hear of the passing of J.B.Cummings.

How fitting it was that, in partnership with his grandson James, he trained a winner at Rosehill on Saturday, only a few hours before his passing.

Even more fitting perhaps that the mare, Sultry Feeling, is owned by Gooree Stud, whose racing manager is Monica Barrera, wife of James. The Cummings were prominent at the races at Wyong on Sunday. The Cummings name will certainly live on as Bart's son and grandsons carry on the horse racing tradition started by Bart's father when he trained Cosmic Court to win the 1950 Melbourne Cup.

Among the many things that Bart said his father taught him was, "keep yourself in the best possible company and your horses in the worst".

There is no doubt Bart followed that advice.

Vale, James Bartholomew Cummings.

Ian De Landelles, Hawker

HEALTHY FOCUS

I am happy to accept our Prime Minister's oft stated claim that his government is focused, every day, on jobs and growth. Given that growth is tanking, unemployment is up and the dollar is collapsing, I guess the rest of us can only hope that his government continues to decide not to focus on health and education.

M. Harrison, Farrer

FOOT-IN-MOUTH

Regarding the exploitation of foreign workers, Labor leader Bill Shorten mistakenly mentioned a food chain known for its foot-long rolls with various fillings, rather than another chain which celebrates its long opening hours. Talk about foot-in-mouth! Come on "Albo", make your move.

Greg Simmons, Lyons

U.S. OF AUSTRALIA

Well, we can't blame the unions for the modern day slavery at 7-Eleven stores. Welcome to the United States of Australia, where low wages and servitude are now commonplace.

Richard Ryan, Summerland Point, NSW

VALLEY OF BEAUTY

What a ridiculous heading: "Travelling north as old Nappy Valley loses its lustre" (September 2, p1). As far as our family is concerned, the Tuggeranong Valley has not lost any of its lustre: the views of the Brindabellas are as beautiful as ever and the overall quality of life in our valley remains very high.

Tim McGhie, Isabella Plains

NATURAL CHILDBIRTH

Referring briefly to Peter Robinson (Letters, August 28), childbirth is not a phenomenon, and without human obstruction is a natural occurrence. Anti-abortionists argue maintenance of, not interference with, natural law.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

THIRSTY WORKERS

Department of Industry budget cutbacks on tea/coffee supplies ("Public servants go thirsty as departments' budgets dry up", August 31, p3), just means that their public servant employees will now be able to take many more coffee strolls, away from the office, combined with a smoko break/chat, at the taxpayer's expense. Something which would not be tolerated in the private sector!

Heather Ponting, Greenway

OUT OF HIS DEPTH

Is Peter Dutton's "jihad" accusation against Fairfax a sign that the federal government is on a path that will eventually lead to all who disagree with it being labelled terrorists? Or is it merely a sign that this particular minister is out of his depth and desperate? I am more comfortable believing the latter.

H. Simon, Watson

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