Did he mean Zambia? Namibia?

No, I'm very much afraid he was referring to Narnia.

As a heavily militarised state with a non-elected, and apparently immortal, personality-cult leader, can we expect the kingdom of Narnia to become the next target of Trump's outrage and threats of annihilation?

Gaynor Morgan, Braddon

US President Donald Trump has reputedly threatened to "totally destroy North Korea". Does this mean to kill the people there? Or have I perhaps misunderstood the meaning of to "totally destroy" a country?

The Australian government has strongly supported US policy on North Korea. Does this mean that we support President Trump's threat?

If not, perhaps our government could let us know that it is not our intention to "totally destroy North Korea".

Robert James, Watson

James Allan, (Letters, September 24), responds to my letter, (September 17), exploring issues of science and the persistent hunger for God seen in all ancient and modern societies.

His words vividly remind me of the famous saying of Anais Nin: "We do not see things as they are, but rather we see them as we are".

James Allan hates religion but worships atheistic science, as his many letters reveal. We all have to worship something. He looks forward to the steady decay of belief in God.

He ignores the inconvenient fact that many distinguished scientists have a deep faith in God and see scientific discoveries as unfolding the glory of our Creator.

Allan also ignores the inconvenient fact that globally, as social commentator Hugh Mackay has reminded us, religion is on the rise, with almost three-quarters of the world's population identifying with one of the four great religions – Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. By the middle of this century 80 per cent of the world's population will identify with one of these four religions.

They underline our hunger for God.

Yet another inconvenient fact that Allan ignores is that scientific discoveries have no moral imperative in them.

Scientists have uncovered the power of nuclear energy but they give the world no guidance about using that power.

Father Robert Willson, Deakin

Sue Dyer (Letters, September 25) outlines the groundwork necessary to achieve a more harmonious, inclusive and genuinely secular society.

There shouldn't be any wiggle-room to interpret one of the fundamental tenets of our constitution.

In addition to her abolition of all grants and favourable tax treatment for religious organisations, every level of government needs to be cleansed of all prayers and references to the supernatural, all religious positions within our armed forces replaced with qualified counsellors and clinical psychologists, and the shameless missionaries preying on vulnerable young minds in public schools put on a register and restricted from all underage proselytising.

Checking for monsters under your bed when you're 10 years old is fine, but in a secular society legislating what millions of people may or may not do on the basis of personally held superstitious beliefs is not acceptable.

Currently there are laws in place relating to marriage, assisted suicide, unwanted pregnancies and more that foist the religious views of a few onto everybody.

Regardless of whether or not they happen to share those same beliefs, voters need to hold any offending politicians accountable.

James Allan, Narrabundah

The article "High tea's humble origins" (canberratimes.com.au, September 24) has confused the origins of high tea and afternoon tea.

The former was a working class meal with a substantial savoury dish served at a high table around 5pm.

The latter, first adopted by the 7th Duchess of Bedford, was served mid-afternoon on low tables and consisted of sandwiches and cakes.

At my boarding school in England in the 1960s high tea was served at 5pm on Fridays and on other days afternoon tea was at 4pm.

Supper was at 7pm.

Historically, afternoon tea was considered to be a ladies' social occasion, and it is more often enjoyed by women than men to this day.

Felicity Chivas, Scullin

A genuine "licence to thrill" ("Banks ditch ATM fees, but calls for a royal commission remain strong", canberratimes.com.au, September 25).

So now if I use an ATM belonging to another bank to make a cash withdrawal, I will not be charged a fee, but if I use an ATM belonging to my own bank, I will continue to be screwed by a transaction fee of 2 per cent of the amount withdrawn.

Putting aside the fact that the current method of calculating fees is nothing more than legalised theft, it seems more than a little ironic that it is cheaper for me to use the services of any bank other than my own?

John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW

I am fed up with hearing politicians and others speaking about "most" Australians.

Labour politician Jim Chalmers has just made my blood pressure rise as he spoke on pay TV news, and said that "most Australians" want RET, then it was "most Australians" want gay marriage.

As the old saying goes, 'Tell it to the Marines because the Horse Guards won't believe you'.

You do not speak for me Jim Chalmers, nor should you assume that you speak for others.

When you have written permission of my agreement, then and only then can you assume my views.

Patricia M. Smith, Mount Martha, Victoria

Thumbs up to Jeremy Hanson for speaking out on PTSD. An admission of weakness in a bid to help others should always been seen as a sign of strength and character.

P. Rookyard, Yass, NSW

I was interested in your article ("Anger over rehab centre bill", September 25, p1).

This was not for what it said but for what it left unsaid: Alcoholics Anonymous.

This is sad as AA works.

In 1943 my grandfather died from alcoholism in a Melbourne asylum. No AA for him.

Melbourne's drunks were saved by American AA member Lillian Roth arriving in 1947.

She was a famous vaudeville and movie star. She was at Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre.

In her book, I'll Cry Tomorrow, Lillian Roth wrote about herself and her husband Bert.

They carried AA's message via a Melbourne radio show: A Pleasant Sunday Afternoon.

Lillian Roth wrote: "The results were staggering. We were inundated with hundreds of telegrams, letters, and invitations to speak. Alcoholics converged upon our stage door. As long a line waited there as waited outside the Tivoli Theatre box-office in front. But in the queue backstage there were weeping mothers and wives, sometimes entire families, praying we could help their sons and husbands."

From 1947 to 2017, nothing has changed.

Rehabs and detoxes can get alcoholics sober. But only Alcoholics Anonymous can keep alcoholics sober, year after year.

"Anger over rehab centre bill" is as useful as a fly-wire screen on a submarine.

Bush camps can't cure alcoholism. Doctors and potions can't cure alcoholism.

Around the world today, some 2 million AA members no longer cause problems for their families, doctors, employers, magistrates and police.

AA doesn't need to be Australianised or Aboriginalised.

Graham Macafee, Latham

I refer to your article (Animal cruelty ban proposal, September 25, p9).

ACT government minister Meegan Fitzharris is working with the RSPCA on laws to impose ownership bans on certain pet owners in the ACT.

I can understand bringing in animal welfare laws to protect our animals but to rely on City Services to enforce them is a bit of a joke. They have already admitted they could not be bothered to enforce previous laws.

If the ACT government and the RSPCA treated everyone as equal banning animal breeders and owners of pets would fall in the same category as the ban on greyhound racing.

But no, this is not the case.

If I was a suspicious person I would think somewhere in the past somebody from the greyhound industry has stepped on someone's toes in government and they are now being punished.

Errol Good, Macgregor

AGL should refuse to utter a single word on the future of Liddell power station until and unless the government comes up with an energy policy.

Not another ad-hoc, knee-jerk, save-my-arse tactical wedge, but a well thought out defensible plan that reduces costs and carbon and increases energy reliability, Australian technological capability and jobs.

Why don't we already have such a policy?

For a decade Tony Abbott has been the political King Kong of Australia, rampaging through the economic, social and political landscape wrecking every good idea and every essential policy without producing a single thing of substance in return.

He's managed to turn the Coalition into a fair imitation of a Soviet politburo as it axes market-driven carbon abatement schemes and neuters constructively rational market behaviour in favour of direct intervention and repeated interference in the affairs of supposedly free-market businesses.

Enough is enough. Time to ignore Abbott and his acolytes and get on with making the policy we all know is required and which is essential to save Australian industry and our environment, economy and international reputation.

Julian Robinson, Narrabundah

Amanda Vanstone mused whether gay marriage in the UK would have turned the world there upside down. She noted that the Church of England still hadn't resolved whether services of celebration could be held in its churches for gay couples following their civil marriage ("Embrace change, Tony", September 25, p18).

According to the UK government site, same-sex couples can't get married in an Anglican Church but can in other religious buildings if they have been appropriately registered.

That is a reminder that the UK, plus a few other countries including Australia, is not only a constitutional monarchy but is also, essentially, a constitutional theocracy.

This realisation meshed neatly with Professor George William's article on page 19: "Is it time to end the parliamentary prayer?", rendering such a move part of the republican agenda.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

The suggested loss of a traffic lane in each direction across Commonwealth Avenue bridge to make way for tram lines to Woden need not happen.

The tram lines could use the right-hand vehicular line in both directions. There would be no loss of vehicular lanes though by following this proposal. Many years ago, Auckland, NZ, found the need to create additional lanes across a bridge. They contracted a Japanese company to add an additional lane in each direction, which has become known as "The Nippon Clip-on". I am suggesting an additional "clip-on" lane be added to each side of the bridge, to facilitate pedestrian and cycling usage. The current pedestrian lanes can be converted to vehicular use, thus retaining the current three vehicular lanes in each direction.

Michael J. Adler, Gungahlin

UNSOLICITED TEXTS

I got a text message on my mobile last week pointing me to the SSM "yes" website but I had already voted "yes" anyway.

I am on the Do Not Call register but that is for personal phone numbers not business numbers. However charity, political, and international calls, are not blocked by the Communications Minister for some reason.

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Victoria

WIELDING POWER

New Zealanders can count themselves lucky that Winston Peters is unlikely to demand a useless tram as his price for supporting either major party to form government.

Maria Greene, Curtin

TRUMP A WORRY

Mr Trump's slogan should have been "Make America Last".

With the way things are going with N Korea, Iran, Russia, China, the Baltics, etc, it seems that the arms race is back on the main agenda, even Sweden has lately reintroduced military conscription.

Mr Trump is dumb and the only way forward is an immediate impeachment.

Mokhles K Sidden, Strathfield, NSW

EQUALITY? REALLY?

Do you think someone could please explain to me what marriage equality is?

I have been married over 50 years and I have difficulty understanding where the notion came from.

Tom Middlemiss, Deakin

MULTI-TALENTED

My take on the letters (September 25) from Rosemary Waters and Robyn Lewis is that they not only blame Tony Abbott for all the ills that beset the nation, but they deride him for making his opponents so bigoted and intolerant as well.

Quite an achievement.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

CHURCH POWER

James Allan (letters, September 24) is obsessed with the Catholic Church.

This says a great deal about the power of indoctrination, the prevalence of irrationality and addiction to change.

John Popplewell, Hackett

ALL VIOLENCE BAD

Tony Abbott is headbutted and there is an outcry against violence. Any form of violence cannot be tolerated, they cry. Where is the outcry against war? Is that not violence? Or is it accepted violence? Sorry, can't have it both ways.

Anne Willenborg, Royalla, NSW

I'M OUT OF HERE

The way things are going the mooted National Space Agency can't come soon enough. Beam me up Scotty!

M. Moore, Bonython

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