In a flyer placed in my letterbox on Tuesday, ACT Labor asserts that they have introduced international flights to Canberra. Given that Canberra International Airport is a private development on Commonwealth land, it is difficult to see how the ACT government can claim credit for Singapore Airlines scheduling flights through Canberra.

On the other hand, if the ACT government is financially supporting the airport or the airline, either directly or indirectly, then it's about time they came clean. If anyone can claim credit for international flights through Canberra, it would be Terry Snow and his team.

Now to the second example. Recent statements from the Commonwealth Attorney-General and his Opposition counterpart, regarding the outcome of a meeting on the gay marriage plebiscite, cannot both be correct. Both could be wrong or misleading of course, but both cannot be correct.

It seems to me that, when Australians are looking for statesmanship from our politicians, all we get is gamesmanship.

Grow up, children.

James Elsbury, Campbell

For more than 30 years I have advocated for taxis to supplement Canberra's off-peak bus service with no support from any politician or administrator, so let me be cynical about the ACT Greens' belated plan to integrate taxis with buses on weekends.

With Greens representatives in the ACT Legislative Assembly for at least the past 15 years, including four in the government's previous term and one a minister in the present regime, it is a bit rich to trumpet an old idea on the eve of an election. That the Greens propose only a trial in Weston Creek and Tuggeranong, areas where they did badly in the 2012 election, evokes even greater cynicism.

On August 14, 2014, technology research organisation NICTA announced it was in the final stages of arranging a trial of an off-peak transport solution in Canberra where people would take a taxi from a bus stop for the price of a normal bus fare to any of eight hubs. Taxis would be booked online or with a smart phone, with the government getting a better service for at least the same cost or possibly less.

The Greens' Shane Rattenbury was transport minister when the proposal was floated, but as with several similar ideas over the years, it seems to have sunk despite having considerable merit.

I have so far been unable to find when I first wrote for The Canberra Times, suggesting taxis provide off-peak services to deliver people to trunk bus routes, but I believe it was in the early 1980s. Certainly, then Transport Workers Union secretary, the late Doug Carpenter, almost had a heart attack when reading that morning's paper.

ACTION management has never been too keen on the idea either. Neither has any administration, Liberal, Labor or Greens, moved to introduce anything along these lines.

Yet with today's technology, there is no good reason why taxis, or some other flexible transport, cannot provide an effective off-peak link to trunk bus routes. But don't be fooled by any political party promising to do what they have failed to do for several decades.

Graham Downie, O'Connor

After reading correspondence on euthanasia in The Canberra Times I have come to the conclusion it would help focus the debate if there was greater clarity about what activities people regarded as falling within the scope of euthanasia in their push for reform.

Euthanasia seems to be used with reference to one or more of the following: withdrawal of unwanted treatment and intervention; pain relief that may lead to speeding up death; support or assistance for suicide by a person; and taking life, that is killing, by a medical practitioner.

In my understanding only the later two fall within the scope of euthanasia and would require changes to the law. The first two categories are already covered by existing medical protocols and at most require improvements in medical training.

Doug Hynd, Stirling

Bill Gemmell (Letters, September 28) bemoaned that my letter stole valuable media attention from a wide range of issues that should be ventilated in the current election campaign.

What a load of hogwash; my letter raised exactly the kind of issues that were not presented in Richard Dennis's pro-light rail opinion piece. I highlighted a study that found Kambah and Wanniassa residents were found to be the most mortgage-stressed suburbs in the country. I also detailed that unemployment and increasing living costs are an issue for these suburbs.

If Mr Gemmell had bothered to properly comprehend my letter, then he would have understood that I did the exact opposite of his claim and that he would be better levelling his charge at Richard Dennis.

Brendan Halloran, Wanniassa

As a photographer, I love visiting Floriade by day, even though we get locked out before we have a chance to photograph the blooms in the light of a beautiful sunset. What really disappoints me, is that Nightfest is not free to the public. By all means, sell tickets for enclosed special night-time events or ask for gold coin donations to go into display tents, but Floriade already makes a fortune through tourism, so I feel the night-time viewing of the Floriade flowerbeds should be freely accessible, just as Enlighten and its gorgeous installations and wandering entertainers can all be enjoyed for free.

M. James, Fisher

If The Canberra Times was trying to change increasingly hostile views on Muslim immigration, the Monday editorial ("Leaders must not appease on Muslims", September 26) was well short of the mark.

Indeed, there was no mention of the obvious concerns that a broad cross-section of people have about Islam, which is at the heart of the problem.

Consider that in the last decade or so the Australian people have witnessed both here and abroad the most appalling behaviour by extreme Islamists who attack the very fabric of liberal democracies. Murder, homophobia, misogyny and mediaeval intolerance on a grand scale are all part of the toxic mix. Add to this a well-founded perception that too many Muslims fail to integrate into society and it should not come as a surprise that people have become wary.

People are also sick of politicians and prominent commentators such as Waleed Aly who deny any link to Islam in terrorist attacks when the only consistent thread in most terrorism is patently extreme Islam openly encouraged by Islamic religious leaders. The need to spend billions of dollars on security to protect Australia from a small group of our own (Muslim) citizens is perhaps the most obvious counter to these nonsensical notions.

We rightly condemn the Christian churches for their past sins in, for example, the behaviour of paedophile priests, so why are we so squeamish when it comes to confronting the unacceptable aspects of Islam?

Yes, most Muslims are decent people and no, we should not ban Muslim immigration, but we must proceed at a pace that we can accommodate and put an end to the absurd political correctness that suffocates any rational discussion about Islam.

H.Ronald, Jerrabomberra

In his/her critique of Pauline Hanson and her supporters, Luca Biason (Letters, September 28) raises some interesting points but fails to distinguish between cause and effect.

Muslims around the world are the source of anti-Islamic sentiment, not Ms Hanson, and it's not just the violent extremists that give Islam a bad name. Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, where executions are carried out for blasphemy and apostasy among other crimes, and where women are subjugated and treated as second-class citizens, account for 300million people.

If Ms Hanson's "manipulative and blind hatred" was directed at Christians or Jews, she'd be ignored, because despite their many faults, even the most extreme interpretation of their doctrines doesn't lead to a credible threat of mass-murder that spans the globe.

While her views may be inarticulate and her policies ill-considered, the fear upon which they are based is very real and justified. Is it any wonder that the conversation veers into racist and xenophobic territory with someone like Ms Hanson leading it, when the politicians best placed to initiate a sensible discussion of the problem refuse to even acknowledge it exists for fear of being branded Islamaphobic?

James Allan, Narrabundah

Ross Gittins' critique of the recent speech by International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde paid scant attention to one of the most damning features of globalisation. Recent decades have seen a vast redirection of wealth into the hands of the few. In past centuries such inequality in wealth distribution triggered violence – even revolution.

The US-based Economic Policy Institute has published a number of papers on the dramatic increase in executive remuneration while workers' pay has barely changed. Attempts to discuss this in Australia are disparaged by cries of "class warfare" and the like. Governments fail to address this and related issues of tax havens or multinational enterprise "creative accounting" to minimise tax payments.

Yet politicians and commentators are perplexed by voter dissatisfaction – and the rise of demagogues like Donald Trump. Must we repeat the bloodshed of the last century or can we finally show some nous by reining in the rampant, destructive greed of corporations, executives and their ilk? So-called "free trade" only benefits the most powerful.

Rod Olsen, Flynn

No, Bill Gemmell ("Rail railing distracts", Letters, September 28), the current government did not make "... a decision to construct light rail after weighing up the competing views..."

The result of the 2012 ACT election was 8 Labor, 8 Liberal and 1 Green – a certain Mr Shane Rattenbury. The price for receiving Mr Rattenbury's support to form a 9-8 majority government was to build a tram line from Gungahlin to Civic!

Quite rightly the Liberals said "no thanks" but the Labor Party could not face not continuing in government and said "yes please".

The tram became a fait accompli – despite technical and financial analyses demonstrating most clearly that the tram was not, nor ever would be, the answer to the original perceived traffic problem.

As for the binding contracts, the government firstly refused to hold a referendum on the tram and then refused to postpone the signing of the contracts until after the upcoming election.

Rescinding these contracts by the Liberal government will not be on a whim – the two tenderers were made fully aware of that outcome before submission of their tenders. 17 days to go!

Paul E. Bowler, Holder

Contrary to John Richardson's letter (September 28), there is a subtle distinction between China's stance on the South China Sea and Australia's position over East Timor's offshore gas fields.

China signed the law of the sea documents and then repudiated them. Australia coerced East Timor into signing a contract which the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has just ruled "is not binding" ("East Timor appeals to Australia over border", September 27, p11).

Australia's actions might be described as dishonourable. China's can be described as dishonest and unlawful.

East Timor's independence cost Australia time, money and blood. But we do not own it.

It is time for us to go to arbitration.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

PROMISES, PROMISES

So Andrew Barr promises integrity measures if his government is returned. Is this the same Barr who appointed Brendan Smyth to a highly paid position without canvassing other possible candidates? And all with the apparent support of the Liberals and the negatively geared Greens.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

POLICE MILITARISATION

I am horrified by the intention to increase the numbers of police who can carry Tasers. What are our representatives thinking? The ACT police, with a few exceptions, are highly regarded. The introduction of more Tasers will inevitably change this culture.

The militarisation of police forces across the world has been to the detriment of society. Please don't go there.

Janet Rickwood, Greenway

BOGAN MARRIAGES

It is because of the view of Chris Swinbank and his ilk that makes the plebiscite a necessity. He asks if bogans should be allowed to marry and/or have children – are you, and do you?

Alex Wallensky, Broulee NSW

PEACEFUL PROTEST

Abbott's peaceful invaders metaphor and Turnbull's urging the world to develop strong borders have given Bernardi a platform on which to spruik delicate and nuanced versions of Hanson's policies. My humble suggestion is for the extreme right to develop a really scary narrative of "the chaos of peaceful swamping", which they can apply to Muslims, LGBTs, dole bludgers, the Greens, unionists, the ABC and vegans.

Oleh Lukomskyj, Evatt

VOTE FOR MINUS

I would love to see an amendment to the Electoral Act to allow one to cast a negative vote. For example, a vote of minus one (-1) for the candidate of one's choice means that the tally for that candidate gets reduced by one vote.

George Beaton, Greenway

FOCUS ON CLINTON

Now that, post-debate, it is clear that Donald Trump has no chance of winning the US election, would it be possible for us to see some actual investigation into the criminal activities – domestic and international – of the woman who would be president?

Greg Ellis, Murrumbateman NSW

BACKPACKER TAX

The federal government should have lowered the backpacker tax to, say, 10per cent, and let them keep their super. Young overseas people having a rewarding time in Australia go back home as priceless ambassadors.

Rod Matthews, Melbourne, Vic

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