While the ACT does need its own ICAC, deaths and serious injuries on building sites across the Territory show in fact that what we need to save lives is a safety regime run by the unions, the only people with an overriding interest in building workers' health and safety.

The attacks on the CFMEU that Jack argues show there is a strong innuendo of abuse of safety merely point to the fact that the CFMEU is a union that fights for the safety of its members against a set of rapacious bosses whose only interest is profit. The CFMEU is the best union in Australia in terms of defending workers' health and safety and winning pay increases.

The Royal Commission witch-hunt into the CFMEU is designed to destroy them precisely because the union does win better wages and campaign for safety. Jack has fallen for the bosses' lies.

When they jail a worker for striking it's a rich man's country yet.

John Passant, Kambah

Light rail cost

I have to strongly refute Kevin Cox's assertions (Letters, August 1) on light rail. Government planning policies can unilaterally be used without the added benefit of a light rail proposal to significantly increase development and population densities in a specific corridor.

Secondly, sure light rail will provide additional employment opportunities in the construction phase. But these jobs will be transitory.

How can these jobs be compared with those which would be created from investing the same money in new industry, tourism, financial services, business, environmental services, educational services and the entertainment sector.

Such investment would be of much longer lasting benefit to the ACT economy.

Ron Edgecombe, Evatt

Kevin Cox asserts that the value of land will increase substantially within the 400 metres either side of the tramline and that the increase in value will be much greater than the cost of light rail and therefore the light rail is a sensible investment. If that increase in land value eventuates, the price of houses, apartments and office space will increase without contributing per se a cent towards the cost of the tram line. Obviously the rates on the substantially higher value land will go up considerably also. However, I cannot believe that these rate increases in the 800 metre wide corridor will be enough to pay for the tram line. The property owners in this corridor will have to call upon the generosity of all the other households in Canberra. Furthermore, I do not understand why the other households should pay to build a tram line to increase the wealth of those whose property is within 400 metres of the tram line.

John Simsons, Holt

Seeing in the dark

Patrick Jones (Letters, July 31) is spot-on. I strongly endorse his exasperation at Chief Justice Murrell's finding, on appeal, that a car driver was still two-thirds at fault in a night collision with a virtually invisible motorcycle ("Rider must share fault for crash, court rules", July 27, p3).

Why exactly are bike helmets (offering modest secondary protection) compulsory when high viz/reflective clothing and side-lighting (providing effective primary safety) are not?

Every motorcycle or bicycle rider using our roads should be required by law to be clad in high viz orange or lemon-yellow, all over, lights on at all times.

This isn't some fashion parade.

Legislating that would stop way more rider deaths and maimings than dinky helmets.

I'm totally sick of craning forward, searching the suburban winter darkness for small, stupid, camouflaged bike-riders hiding in the gloom; knowing that should anything nasty happen, it's my fault.

Michael Jordan, Gowrie

SUVs in the jungle

Call it a sports or suburban utility vehicle (SUV), a station wagon, a four-wheel drive, a 4WD, a 4x4, a jeep, or a tractor – driving one does not give the driver a licence to to kill.

Penleigh Boyd (Letters, August 1) says it as it shouldn't be, that is Canberra is a very dangerous place for pedestrians, those who use their feet to transport themselves.

I am not totally decrepit yet, but do wear a headphone which didn't prevent me from seeing and hearing the SUV driver who abused me because he "could not see me while reversing". The culprit? My headphone.

My name is not Cecil and this is not safari but capital territory. Sprinting out of the way of such hunting drivers is not always possible.

Noelle Roux, Chifley

Subtle conquest

Alan Schroot (Letters, July 31) is correct when he says Israel wouldn't use nuclear weapons to support its expansionist goals. If it did the population of Israel would be annihilated along with the Palestinians it is aiming to remove so the whole of historic Palestine becomes Israel.

The Israeli government uses much more subtle means to obtain the land it is taking from Palestinians – Caterpillar bulldozers to demolish so-called illegally constructed buildings and indeed whole villages, with-holding water, electricity, educational and medical services, building a separation wall, Israeli-only roads, building settlements in occupied territory and supervising settlers in their attacks on Palestinian homes, farms and people, kidnapping and imprisoning people (including children) without trial, regularly bombing Gaza etc etc.

The world stands by and watches, whereas if a nuclear bomb was dropped some notice would be taken.

Gwenyth Bray, Belconnen

Drunken vandals

There have been a number of instances of wanton vandalism along Giles Street in Kingston over the last several weeks, most recently during the weekend past. In the case directly affecting me, damage in excess of a thousand dollars was done to mirrors which enable drivers exiting an apartment block to see pedestrians on the footpath.

The events, occurring in the early hours of the morning, are almost certainly caused by alcohol abuse. One is led to wonder whether the local Kingston venues are acting responsibility and whether there are sufficient police checks to ensure that the sale of alcohol regulations are being adhered to?

Jeff Hart, Kingston

Elizabeth Farrelly urges us to to take up the Asian toilet or at least the squatting position to better relieve the urge ("Listen to your gut feeling", Times2, July30, p4). Although tens of millions of people have to do this in the open fields, we westerners have pooh-poohed this procedure. Farrelly may be right in terms of the output efficiency, but, for about 15 per cent of Australians, this is not feasible because of arthritis. Similar restrictions apply to those with artificial knees. If you are one of the afflicted, then having to use a squat toilet is quite awful, so when in the Mongolian Gobi recently, I arranged for a plastic alternative in the form of a garbage bin-like device with bin liner.

There has been some discussion as to why many Westerners find it difficult to use the squat toilet, concluding mainly probably because of lack of practice when growing up, but also it may be easier for those of shorter stature.

I have seen people use a squat toilet in preference to a bowl where both types are offered side by side.

While Asian toilets are most common in Asia, my first encounter with a squat toilet was in a railway station in northern France in 1949.

David Williams,, Watson

Ban wet wipes

The community and our water utilities can no longer afford to subsidise the use of wet wipes. Wet wipes wreak havoc by causing massive blockages in sewer systems around the world that cost ratepayers a fortune to clear.

It's time to either ban this product or levy a charge on the manufacturers or retailers sufficient to cover the cost our utilities must bear so that the users of wet wipes bear the full cost of their choice.

The rest of us should not have to subsidise the use of this product.

Dr Bradford Sherman, Duffy

Tony Abbott's captain's call with his appointment of Bronwyn Bishop has deservedly ended in disaster ("Bishop quits over expenses scandal", August3, p1) and one hopes that the next Speaker will be a balanced one who will direct the activities of the House of Representatives in an impartial manner.

I believe the present shambles into which the House has descended is mainly due to Bronwyn Bishop's direction and things will be greatly improved if her successor is unaligned.

Brian Millett, Yass, NSW

Now that it appears that Speaker Bishop has attended three political weddings on the public purse, it seems only fitting that she attend a political funeral, her own.

Ian De Landelles, Hawker

To paraphrase a former US president: It's the Bronny, stupid.

Annie Lang, Kambah

Bronwyn Bishop's career highlight's reel would show her acting on the early TV legal drama, Consider Your Verdict and later standing proudly under a "Ditch the Witch" placard at the peak of the anti-Gillard outrages. It would seem that the Coalition leadership has now considered its verdict and taken the appropriate action.

B.T.Rule, Wanniassa

Bronwyn: Thank you.

Jeanne Klovdahl, Braddon

Political donations

Given that our politicians find it difficult to make appropriate judgment calls when it comes to political donations and travel entitlements, procedural changes seem necessary.

Perhaps the role of the Australian Electoral Commission should be widened to incorporate an independent arm charged with the responsibility of receipt, recording, channelling and real-time publication of all political donations – federal, state and possibly local government. Donors, by law, would be required to nominate to whom, to where and to what purpose when gifting, thus providing transparency and public reassurance.

On the travel front, politicians should be required to pay their travel fares and expenses up front from their own pocket and submit subsequent claims with relevant receipts and justification statement(s) to an appropriate government department for assessment and reimbursement where appropriate.

Tom Cooke, Pearce

Adam Goodes furore

I'm becoming sick and tired of the Adam Goodes furore. The matter was never one of racism, but since the issue has escalated thanks to the media and the AFL, it now has become just that.

For decades, AFL followers have marvelled at the unique wizardry of the ball-handling skills of our Indigenous footballers, Adam Goodes included, their artistry being a major attraction to supporters the country over.

No one would deny that Adam Goodes has been an icon to the game and a wonderful role model for his Indigenous people, but, unfortunately, in recent times, he seemingly has overstepped the mark.

Instead of embracing the honour of being Australian of the Year by enhancing the cause of reconciliation, he chose to become decisive in opening old wounds and denouncing the misdeeds of our forbears.

People tire of being reminded and held culpable for happenings of the past – we all wished they never happened, but they can't be changed. The calling out and publicly humiliating of a 13-year-old in front of a large crowd was thoughtless and probably done in the heat of the moment, as was the silly remark by the young girl.

These and the provocative and confronting actions, such as the spear-throwing war dance, are what fires up the passions in football crowds, not skin colour.

We can only hope that Adam Goodes makes a return to the game in which he has for so long excelled and sees out the twilight of a remarkable career, but in a manner that attracts acclaim, rather than derision.

Tony May, Pearce

Norman Abjorensen's statement that "a black in a white society can never be accepted on his or her own terms" is wrong ("Blacks expected to be quiet in a white man's land" , Forum, August1, p5).

For over 30 years I served with a number of Indigenous Australians in a "white man's land" and they were all treated equally. They were respected for what they were as persons and not one of these fellows was racially picked upon or treated any differently to us "whites".

Whilst the booing of Goodes at a game is wrong and unsportsmanlike, it has nothing to do with his colour; it's because of his attitude and personal behaviour.

Christopher Jobson, Monash

David Polkinghorne ("AFL should call games off if boo boys persist", Sport, August1, p12) suggests the AFL call off games if the moronic booing continues. That suggestion is more moronic than the few idiots who are giving Adam Goodes a hard time.

Adam Goodes is a champion and champions are good enough to play through this stupid behaviour of a mindless minority.

Goodes is not the only player to have copped the booing from opposition spectators. Tony Liberatore (a Brownlow medallist) and Hayden Ballantyne, both champions, but very annoying to opposition supporters, are two among many who copped the booing, and it only seemed to make them go harder to be even more damaging and productive players.

Adam, you are a champion, ignore the ratbags, and they will drop off once they see they are not getting to you..

Alex Wallensky, Broulee, NSW

It was ironic in the extreme that Rick Feneley should channel the ghost of 1930s Australian football star Doug Nicholls in his discourse on the Adam Goodes affair on Saturday ("Goodes, the bad and the ugly", Forum, August1, p3).

While Goodes succumbed to apoplexy when labelled an "ape", Sir Douglas Nicholls – Australia's first Aboriginal knight and governor of South Australia – made his football name playing for the Fitzroy football club – at the time officially and affectionately known as "the Gorillas".

Frank Cassidy, Kambah

PM THE BIGGEST LOSER

The Bronwyn Bishop saga is more orless over with no credit to anyone. The biggest loser is the Prime Minister, who did not have the judgment (political or any other sort) to boot her the day the story broke. Every PM from Whitlam on would have minimised the damage by kicking her out. However, Tony loses – again!

Geoff Gosling, Wamboin, NSW

Justice demands that Bronwyn Bishop receives the same entitlements as Peter Slipper.

Ivor G. Williams, Pambula, NSW

I hope our Prime Minister will make Bronnie a dame. It's the least he can do to make up for depriving her of the little luxuries to which she is accustomed.

Maria Greene, Curtin

If Peter Slipper is the "gander", isn't Bronwyn Bishop the "goose"? Tony Abbott should brush up on his proverbs.

John Davenport, Farrer

NO HOPE OF EMPATHY

I wish the media would stop saying that the current government has become "out of touch with the Australian public". That implies it has, at some point, been in touch. With a cabinet composed of privileged, private-school boys and girl, who have never known hardship or the struggle to make ends meet, it cannot possibly comprehend the lives of ordinary Australians.

Paul McElligott, Aranda

DUE RECOGNITION

Nicky Winmar, Michael Long, Adam Goodes. When will everyday Australians recognise these ambassadors for reconciliation?

Phil Drever, Holt

NOT RACIST BUT ...

Perhaps Bob Thompson (Letters, July31), like many other of Adam Goodes' critics, would be well advised not to play the "I am not a racist but ..." card.

Denis O'Brien, Lyneham

PROFLIGACY PREVAILS

When UnionsACT secretary Alex White states ("Light rail is good for pay, jobs and our future", Times2, August3, p4) that: "The cost and the inflexibility of light rail are, in fact, its main advantages", one wonders if we are still in the real world. But profligate governments and 19th-century ideas seem par for the course these days.

David Denham, Griffith

PICK A PERSON

Bravo, Julian Cribb ("Don't vote for a party, vote for a human", canberra times.com.au, August3).

Ed Highley, Kambah

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