Whilst this event has been traumatic for us, it pales into insignificance the anguish and trauma suffered by the families and victims of the recent Bourke Street massacre and as such we are somewhat overwhelmed.

And to M. Davis of Charnwood, thank you for your advice, unfortunately (or fortunately) there were no vet bills as Buzz was killed within minutes. I'm not sure which of the three dogs consumed the flesh that was torn from his neck.

The owners of the dogs did, however, pay for Buzz's cremation. Finally it is disappointing that the ACT Labor Party, having basically agreed in principle to the amendments proposed by Steve Doszpot in their "out of session" meeting prior to the Legislative Assembly session on Wednesday, March 29, saw fit to then play politics with what has been a major issue within the Canberra community for many years.

We trust that it won't take an attack by a large dog resulting in the untimely death of a child that our politicians come together as one to strengthen and insist on the legislation being enforced.

Peter and Maree Toscan, Amaroo

Brian Robins, ("Why power companies block battery systems", March 30, p.23) should read the AEMO's final report on the SA power blackout of September 28.

It said the generation mix now includes increased amounts of non-synchronous inverter-connected generators — in other words, wind and solar.

Battery with inverter will have the same problem. "This generation has different characteristics to a conventional plant, and uses active control systems, or complex software, to ride through disturbances," the report said.

"With less synchronous generation online, the system is experiencing more periods with low inertia and low available fault levels, so AEMO is working with industry on ways to use the capability of these new types of power generation to build resilience to extreme events."

Good luck with that. Battery backup will just make the problem worse. It is interesting that $100 million worth of battery will only keep SA going for four minutes. That is a lot of money for very little, isn't it?

You also have to consider the recharge time, hours, and what will provide the electricity to provide that charge. Until theRET is rescinded, things will just get more expensive without improving the reliability.

Brian complained about gas-powered generators but they are synchronous and will not quit after a short period, provided the fuel is available. They have all the advantages the other solutions lack, cheaper, synchronous with inertia and are dependable.

SA is about to spend up big on gas-powered generators, I hear.

John McKerral, Batemans Bay

Oh dear, John McKerral ("Hazelwood regrets", Letters March 28). A little knowledge is such a very dangerous thing.

Yes, carbon dioxide is "hugely beneficial to mankind", but only in amounts reasonably close to what has been the norm for millennia. In the ever-increasing amounts which we are now seeing, it is hugely detrimental. Indeed unless we can take effective action, and this seems increasingly beyond us, elevated carbon dioxide levels may well come to pose an existential threat.

Peter Dark, Queanbeyan, NSW

China has not given up hope of badgering Australia into ratifying the controversial extradition treaty despite our clear opposition to capital punishment.

"China's crackdown on cross-border gambling, including casinos" is the explanation from its police ministry ("Chinese Police want overseas help to return gambling fugitives", canberratimes.com.au, March 29).

Mr Guo Shengkun, the minister for public security, said, "The bureau should strengthen international co-operation in anti-gambling and step up overseas law enforcement co-operation and fugitive repatriation".

The big players realised they were exposed moving cash through mainland casinos in Macao and Shanghai, so Crown and Star Entertainment Group moved their operations offshore. This "new phase of Operation Chain Break, China's two-year-old crackdown on cross-border gambling", is part of a long-term project.

Mr Guo's interest undoubtedly extends beyond repatriating the allegedly fraudulent officials seeking to launder a few millions of government funds.

It would extend to the gamblers' bankrolls and then inevitably move onto the reputed billions of missing funds unconnected with gambling but squirrelled away offshore in real estate and business held by migrants and expatriates.

The expectable magnitude of these holdings, whether liquidated for repatriation or merely transferred to the ownership of the Chinese government, could seriously destabilise our economy.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

Go to your mail box, answer your phone, or open your email and you are sure to be confronted with begging letters.

The problem is that many of the begging letters are for valuable causes that desperately need our support.

Where do we draw the line?

I try to have a select group of organisations that I regularly support.

However I suspect that lists of potential givers are passed around.

How do other readers cope with this issue?

Robert Willson, Deakin

Chris Smith (Letters, March 30) accuses me of tribal bias following my acceptance of the verdict of the ACT Supreme Court jury rather than his implied view. Who is the one out of step here?

Eric French, Higgins

Ken Murtagh, the structural engineer responsible for the execrable Westside Village on West Basin, has certainly ensured that he will receive no further commissions from the current government.

In his interview with The Canberra Times he let the cat out of the bag by stating that "the village had been designed as a "sales suite", with the tall structure topped by a bar to showcase the view over Lake Burley Griffin to potential buyers of lakeside apartments".

I always believed that this was the primary purpose of the structure but it is one that Chief Minister Barr has never admitted to.

In the end the structure has achieved the opposite effect to that desired by Mr Barr.

It is now abundantly apparent how ugly, intrusive and view-blocking a row of four- to six-storey apartment buildings built in the West Basin parklands along Commonwealth Avenue will be.

Now is the time for the government to abandon this ill-conceived project and to set about enhancing the West Basin parklands for the benefit of all Canberrans.

Alan Robertson, Canberra City

Stan Marks (Letters, March 30) says that, "anyone with any brains builds projects only where the benefits exceed the costs," but I fear he is wrong on some other points.

He says of light rail that in 2012 the government announced that it would build light rail, , without any serious consideration of the alternatives, even though before the 2012 election it was described by the government of the day as too expensive at $614million.

Labor's 21 September 2012 commitment to light rail basically copied the Greens' policy. It contradicted the Greens' $200 million cost estimate, saying, "the current revised total project cost estimate is $614million."

That figure did not include operation or maintenance costs. I believe that was the first time the government published that figure, and its media release did not say the project was too expensive.

Labor's cost figure came from the government's August 2012 submission to Infrastructure Australia.

That submission included a very serious consideration of the bus rapid transit alternative, finding it to be a far better investment than light rail. Each extra dollar of investment required for light rail would generate less than 35¢ worth of extra benefits.

The government kept that submission under wraps until 27 July 2013.

The October 2012 election delivered one of the four Greens seats to Labor, and two to the Liberals.

The result might have been very different if the government had published its submission before the election.

Leon Arundell, Downer

Just as new number plates for ACT cars are to be named The Bush Capital, all the eucalypts leading into Canberra which truly did make us welcome into the bush capital have gone.

The entrance into Canberra will have more streams of traffic than any other major city – in fact 12 lanes: 2 of bikes, eight of cars and I presume two tram lines.

Canberra is like every other Australian capital city now where you need to go outside the city to see the bush for 99per cent of trees in Canberra are European.

We are still waiting to be told what the tram fare is going to be from Gungahlin to Civic. And brace yourself, Canberrans, because there will be huge development beside the tram line.

Penelope Upward, O'Connor

At the risk of tinkering with what sounds like it would be a perfect system, I suggest that Nick Payne (letters, March 31) should consider tweaking his plan by adding an additional disincentive against MPs rorting their travel expenses.

Whenever an MP publicly challenges (or utters even the slightest whinge about) the accuracy of the robo-debt recovery system's assessment of the amount of overpaid travel expenses, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority would be authorised to release all of the MP's personal information that might be considered to be relevant to the electorate's consideration of that assessment.

Bruce Taggart, Aranda

After reading of the Bimberi staff member who was knocked unconscious by detainees, ("Bimberi boxing classes questioned in wake of assault", canberratimes.com.au, March 28), who were not brought under control until several other staff arrived, I can only guess a subsequent inquiry will examine whether staff need equipment of the kind that are used in adult jails to control violent adult inmates.

Although the staff member that was attacked has my sympathy, if it is found that the staff were not adequately equipped, the victim could have easily been a child detainee.

If a child detainee was kicked to death by other detainees because staff did not have the physical capacity to stop the assault it would be tragic.

Rod Campbell, Ainslie

The verdict is now truly in on the ACT government's failed liquor reforms ("Liquor licences growth", March 27, p.17).

They have not reversed the trend of assaults in Civic associated with alcohol and there has been a continuing increase in the grant of new licensed premises.

The "front loading" of the regulatory effort on application processes, public notifications, and reserve powers for the Commissioner for Fair Trading (aided by the police), will do nothing to address the social harms from alcohol.

Targeting off-licences to address some of the "home based" consequences of excess liquor consumption is simply a grab for more money.

When will the government concede its liquor policy led by the police, and health lobby, has failed and get back to actual regulatory activity to ensure liquor licensees are complying with at least some of the harm reduction aspects of this failed law?

Tony Brown, Fadden

Poor David Eastman. Twenty years in jail on expert evidence the police, prosecution and probably the judge knew could be questionable.

What chance has he got as the same system covers its tracks?

M. Davis, Charnwood

WHERE'S WALLY?

Re the rain.

Oh where's Wally? Oh where's Tim Flannery?

Brian Hale, Wanniassa

WONKY ARGUMENT

Bob Salmond (Letters, 30 March) argues a ban on migration would have stopped the Westminster attack because "had the terrorist's parents not migrated ... the murders would not have occurred". This is akin to arguing WWII could have been prevented if all Austrian women in 1889 had been forced to have a late-term abortion. In Salmond's world such an abomination would have been "merely precautionary".

Dr William Maley, Reid

BAN THE BEASTS

Well done Judith Ballard ("Hooting won't help", letters March 30). One thing we haven't mentioned is when a huge gas guzzling vehicle pulls up beside you, cutting off vision of the inside lane, there is no possibility of you turning left safely. This is when patience is a necessity. Ban the beasts.

Edith Jensen, Chifley

DESPICABLE BEHAVIOUR

Most responsible for the vilification, bullying and persecution of Peter Slipper are still sitting on the government benches having received no penalty nor admonishment for despicable behaviours. ["Larger than strife Slipper in the House", March 30, pp4-5]. I hope they have to look at his portrait at least once daily for as long as they visit the House.

W. Book, Hackett

CAVING IN

Politicians too readily cave in to protest, lobbying and public pressure, and lose their nerve, quashing desirable decisions.

Rod Matthews, Melbourne, Vic

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