I Googled "Canberra Times arrest" and the first result (from an incident in Kambah in November) showed clearly the faces of an ACT police officer, ambulance officer and suspect.

It seems the media is fawningly deferential to Border Force, coincidentally managing to be on site when these raids took place. Please be careful what kind of regime you are colluding with. Border Force and its minister treat the media and public with absolute contempt, and you should consider reciprocating, rather than accepting their occasional self-serving crumbs.

Of course the photographed workers are yet to be charged with any offence.

It's likely that they are being exploited, and are therefore victims more than offenders.

Peter Marshall, Captains Flat

In his article in The Canberra Times of December 3 Ross Fitzgerald pointed out the skewing of taxation arrangements regarding real estate to benefit the privileged and disadvantage Australian families striving to establish themselves.

Fitzgerald raises a fascinating prospect.

It may be that at some future time federal parliamentarians will be called on to consider these existing taxation structures; even to refuse to consider them is in fact a political decision.

Anyone who has title to negatively geared real estate or who benefits from capital gain on investment properties would have an undeniable conflict of interest in making decisions in the area.

If all such in Parliament were required to abstain from these considerations it is challenging to wonder who would be left to vote.

Noel Beddoe, Kiama

So, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has secretly ordered a review of the generous allowances and entitlements paid to federal government employees when they're on overseas postings, to see if they pass the "pub test" ("Diplomats' allowances on the chopping block as Julie Bishop orders review", Canberra Times, December 4th).

Is this the same do-good minister who handed Australian taxpayers a $839,000 expenses bill for the first six months of 2016 and a senior member of the government that is "too busy" to complete its promised review of the lifetime free Gold Pass for former politicians?

John Richardson, Wallagoot

Timely as it may be for Foreign Minister Bishop to turn her laser gaze on the allegedly abused "entitlements" of our diplomats, I trust she will reserve some of her resolve to make it her New Year's resolution to force the end of the known and acknowledged entitlement abuse by our past and present politicians.

It is way past time for our elected "representatives" to set the example on personal restraint.

The same sentiment applies to the burgeoning number of our local "representatives" here in Lilliput.

A Whiddett, Yarralumla

Who to vote for? With regard to Ross Fitzgerald's thoughtful article in the Canberra Times (December 3), I think there is a yawning opening for a demonstrably honest politician. Remember when the Independent for North Sydney, Ted Mack, returned his gold passes, never took an overseas trip at public expense and collected only part of the superannuation he was entitled to?

I think people would vote for such a politician. I would.

Dick Whitaker, Terrigal

Damon Fraser (letters 5/12) shows remarkable ignorance of history, scientific method, the temperature record and climate models.

Columbus sailed to America in 1492. Galileo was born in 1564. Contrary to Fraser's assertion, most educated people by that time knew Earth was not flat.

Without stating sources or periods, Fraser claims that temperatures have risen less than 0.5 degrees.

A straight line fit to NASA's annual average global surface temperature data from 1975 to 2015 gives a rate of increase of 0.2 degrees per decade, or 0.8 egrees over the 40-year period — rather more than the 0.5 he claims.

Paul Pentony, Hackett

"All the highly credentialed and famous scientists of Galileo's day thought Earth was flat" writes Damon Fraser (CT, December 5, p. 12).

Not so. In Galileo's day (1564-1642) Kepler, Brahe, Stevin, Bruno and hundreds of other men of great learning flourished.

None of them thought Earth was flat.

Thomas Mautner, Griffith

Recent correspondents have effectively demanded every cyclist ring their bell every time they overtake every pedestrian.

Have they thought through what the outcome would be?

There would be so much bell ringing it would become impossible to know which cyclist was warning which pedestrian.

The cacophony of bells would achieve nothing more than to annoy everybody, without improving safety one bit.

Bell ringing should be (and generally is) reserved for when slower path users need a polite reminder to move to the left.

Terry George, Kingston

Bravo to Patricia Worthy of Calwell, [letters, Dec 5 2016].

My wife and I ride around Lake Tuggeranong about four times a week.

We always ring our bell or call out "bikes passing" well before we reach anyone ahead of us on the path.

It is true many cyclists fail to do this and it is certainly a dangerous practice.

We have experienced several near misses. Do they not possess a bell or are they all mutes or just plain arrogant?

Ed Harris, Bonython

Hearty congratulations to the shambolic, meandering federal ALP for handing the Greens a free kick in resolving the backpacker tax deadlock.

Graeme Rankin, Holder

Three days before the introduction of ACTION's new timetable on August 27, I observed late running would continue.

Routes which had consistently run late over the past two iterations of the timetable had the same running times. Late running was inevitable.

Apparently disregarding data from the MyWay ticketing system, transport officials produced the current weekday timetable, originally due to begin on October 12, 2015.

Even with a 10-month delay they could not get it right.

Routes 1, 3 and 8, even during off-peak are often up to 10 minutes and even almost 15 minutes behind their scheduled arrivals.

There are similar delays on numerous other services.

The inconvenience to passengers belies the government's stated commitment to improving Canberra's haphazard public transport.

Those who depend on public transport continue to be treated with contempt by the government because they represent such a small percentage of the population.

Even the $12.5million NXTBUS system which promises live departure times is unreliable. Recently in Civic it said a service to Kippax would depart in zero minutes. There was no bus at the platform then or for the next five minutes.

General traffic delays of 10 to 15 minutes are reported by Canberra's media.

Graham Downie, O'Connor

I would be surprised if there are not other residents of this city, such as myself, who have an elegant solution for the most efficient and effective light rail route to Woden ("Light rail plan formulated on the run", Editorial, November 28, p12).

The solution to the problem of where to place the rail route to Woden could form an open competition. The prize? Cutting the ribbon at the opening of light rail in Woden.

I am offering my solution for the Woden light rail route, in anticipation of entering the competition.

(1) Civic across Commonwealth Avenue Bridge; (2) left along State Circle; (3) Brisbane Avenue; (4) Wentworth Avenue ; (5) Giles Street; (6) right onto Canberra Avenue ; (7) Manuka/Flinders Way; (8) Mugga Way; (9) Hindmarsh Drive; (10) Canberra Hospital; (11) Woden Town Centre.

The route offers many, many advantages.

Existing population densities along the proposed route; proximity to schools (for student use); Mugga Way is already a wide street and, having no medium strip or trees, is very cost-effective.

My proposed route offers an immediate tourist attraction. Wonderful vistas across the Woden Valley as the train crests Hindmarsh Drive and the opportunity to see some of Canberra's most beautiful houses and landscapes.

Gerdina Bryant, Watson

I read with amazement the statement from Malcolm Snow in which he says "there's still an adequate supply of parking, it's just whether people are prepared to walk slightly more distances to get to them and pay" (CT, December 2, Triangle Parking Fees ...)

The ignorance and arrogance of this statement shows a complete lack of understanding of the problems people with mobility issues have.

These people would love to be able to walk a little further but they can't. As a result many of the attractions in the Parliamentary Triangle are denied to them.

The bus service does not meet their needs either.

The introduction of paid parking and the reduction of parking spots, while an obvious "cash cow", has been to the detriment of a large proportion of the general public and tourists.

Mary Robbie, Aranda

Re "Gated community", (Dec 2, p. 1). As an expression of democracy, and possibly Australian attitudes towards authority, Griffin envisaged a large pyramidal-roof building for the people, called The Capitol, physically above, and not requiring access through Parliament House, which he sited on the lower Camp Hill (now flattened) to the north of Capital Hill.

The decision to preserve the 1920's provisional Parliament House made realising Griffin's plan in full, virtually impossible.

The decision to site the new and permanent Parliament House on Capital Hill was taken.

The original openly accessible, bifurcated grassed roof of Parliament House interpreted Griffin's intentions admirably by allowing people to freely gather above Parliament, without having to first enter it, with the added symbolism of being under their flag.

Ways must be found to secure Parliament House without shutting off free direct external public access to its attractive main roof, right to the top.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Your editorial "Protests play into the hands of government" (December 2, p22) criticises the recent protests at Parliament House, in comparison with the October rally of 2500 people in Canberra.

That rally received nowhere near the publicity of the recent protests. A rally against the proposed lifetime ban for boat arrivals of 120 people on the lawns of Parliament House the same day as the question time protest got no mention in your paper.

Thousands of people have attended peaceful rallies for refugees over the last 15 years, many of which have received little or any coverage – and had virtually no effect. Is it any wonder that people are getting frustrated and organising more dramatic, but nevertheless peaceful, protests?

No one was threatened or harmed.

Clare Conway, Ainslie

CLEVER POLITICIANS

The secret of Belconnen's success? ("Belconnen boom town on the up", December 3, p12-13). We mainly elect economic and social progressives to public office, not dreary back-to-the-future conservatives.

Max Foster, Melba

SOFT TOUGH LOVE

Regarding the protests at Parliament by a bunch of totalitarian thugs these past few days, I recommend rubber bullets.

That would sort the dedicated wheat from the chaff.

Gerry Murphy, Braddon

DOES NOT ADD UP

Robyn Lewis feels sure there are many high earners without mathematical talent. [Letters Friday December 2]. MLAs supporting trams for Canberra are probably good examples.

John Simsons, Holt

TRUMP THE TACTICIAN

We need to view the call between President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen and President-elect Trump as a masterpiece of obvious strategy rather than an anxious moment. As Sun Tzu said "attack where he is unprepared; appear where you are not expected".

Peter Harris, Belconnen

SMART AIRLINE WANTED

I agree with Rod Macleod's tip for Singapore Airlines to alternate flights to NZ cities (Letters: Singapore Airlines, December 3). We would prefer to fly direct to Christchurch next week and return from Queenstown. As this isn't possible we are travelling via Sydney and Melbourne with Qantas and Emirates.

Edward Corbitt, Farrer

UPDATE ON URANUS

Question 42 in this week's Super Quiz (December 4) asked "Uranus has a moon named for which character in a Midsummer Night's Dream?", and gave the answer as Puck. Uranus also has moons named Titania and Oberon.

Mark Chapman, Palmerston

GRACIAS, MANUEL

Vale, Manuel. He was from Barcelona.

Frank Marris, Forrest

FAIR GO, SPORT

Why are cricketers or sportsperson not allowed to exercise free speech? Why are they fined, accused of bringing the game into disrepute? When does free speech ends and offence begins; and to whom?

Michael Tang, Fadden

STRIKES WRONG NOTE

How discordant that reverberation is (Losing musical royalty, p7, December 3).

Clinton White, Wanniassa

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