Changes to Indonesian classes short-sighted

A long history of teaching Indonesian at Narrabundah is at risk because of resourcing issues. Midway through college, year 11 students will be left unable to complete their planned year 12 Indonesian major.

Primary and secondary Indonesian language students from feeder schools also face reduced study options at Narrabundah.

Twenty-three per cent of our ever-rising rates are supposed to be for "more schools, better schools", but cancelling school language classes shows the ACT government is failing to maintain education standards. Liberal and Labor leaders talk about the importance of our bilateral relationship with Indonesia.

Member for Fraser Andrew Leigh recently said, "When I was born in 1972, there were more Australian school students studying Bahasa Indonesia than there are today."

This decline will continue if schools cut their language classes. For diplomatic, business, science, defence, travel and cultural reasons we need more Australians with Indonesian language skills, not fewer.

Students have initiated a petition on change.org to "Bring Back Indonesian at 'Bundah 2019".

Over 5000 people from across the community who appreciate the value of language training have already signed.

Alan Brooke, Yarralumla

The Prime Minister's current perambulations on the world stage provide him with a convenient opportunity to wean himself off baseball-style caps and cast his considerable wardrobe of such headgear into the nearest bin.

As a leader he should be donning safer hats instead.

No, not crash helmets, to deflect the poll batterings and other reactions to the Coalition's half-formed thought bubbles and decision-making in recent weeks, but wide-brimmed headwear that provides far better protection for the face, neck and ears from the sun and its damaging UV radiation. When outdoors, school students, teachers and many other workers wear such hats for sound and sensible reasons. Millions of taxpayers' dollars have been directed at all age groups over the years by state and federal governments to promote the use of correct headwear to help reduce deadly skin cancer across Australia.

As a leader and a father you should know better.

Sue Dyer, Downer

Randa Abdel-Fattah ("Bourke St condemnation asks me to disprove an assumption that I inherently support such actions", November 16, p18) says she is enraged, alienated and despairing because she is held accountable for the sins of others.

But she then commits the very same fault by holding everyone who adheres to "Australian values" guilty of the "destruction and oppression of entire populations". Get over it Randa. It would be worse if your gender were different. If you were a white Australian man you would be held responsible for centuries of warmongering, racism, genocide, cultural imperialism, the theft of generations and domestic violence. There are many worse places in the world.

Count your blessings that you live in one that offers a rare degree of prosperity, racial and religious tolerance and individual freedom.

Fred Bennett, Bonner

Chief Minister Barr has reportedly decided to exclude from the definition of "corrupt" conduct to be included in the proposed ACT anti-corruption commission legislation misconduct by politicians and public servants, including conspiracy and misuse of public information by ministers or officials for benefit.

The ACT definition would thus be at significant variance to the same definition used by the NSW ICAC.

Don Sephton, Greenway

So Julian Assange had already been charged in absentia by the US court.

According to The Washington Post, "If Assange were to leave the embassy [the Ecuadorean embassy in London] and be arrested by British authorities, he would likely still fight extradition in the British courts." Would our government help one of its citizens defend himself against what, more and more, it is becoming obvious, is a witch-hunt carried out by the US government against anyone who dares to expose the inadequacy of their system.

John Rodriguez, Florey

It is very clear that Wing has the approval already from the ACT government to expand into Gungahlin. No company invests so heavily and with such confidence without knowing it will be approved. Drone deliveries will then soon be all over the ACT constantly buzzing loudly (they can be heard a kilometre away) and invading privacy. They will fly all day with many multiple drone flights by numerous companies — a cacophony of sound overhead.

The "trial" in Bonython was nothing but a trial about how to fly the drones and deliver goods that people are too lazy to get off their bums for and go to the shop for. Deliveries by motorcycle or car are far less invasive and very quick. The "trial" has had nothing to do with the loss of amenity by residents of the areas flown over. This is a travesty and drone delivery must be stopped.

Dr K. Williams, Bonython

Your editorial ( "Drones need to get public on board", November 15) is timely, calling for constructive community consultation before commercial drone usage moves to Gungahlin.

But the signs are that the government and the Liberal opposition welcome this expansion, notwithstanding the foreshadowed parliamentary inquiry. The Mitchell traders will be a significant lobby group in favour of the expansion ("Mitchell traders in tech-hub push", November 10, p6).

Andrew Barr has ridiculed opponents and his government has a long, poor record of real community consultation. Alastair Coe simply offers enthusiasm for the new technology. Only the Greens have urged caution but would be outvoted. The odds are therefore that expansion into Gungahlin will occur. Because of this, and given the concerns of Bonython residents, the starting point of a broader community response should be a resounding "no", unless the proponents provide a persuasive objective case addressing all the issues and protective measures particularly relating to noise and privacy but also impacts on birdlife.

The inquiry should also address the broader context of drones and emergency and other public services.

Warwick Williams, Nicholls

The horses on Dixon Drive, Holder, are a community amenity ("After 23 years, Celia is being told to pack up the ponies of Holder", canberratimes.com.au, November 17).

Just ask the many families and excited children who stop to pat and feed them.

As a resident of Dixon Drive, the horses gladden my heart.

As a friend of Ms Kneen I share her grief.

More concerning are the vague responses of minister Gentleman and his bureaucrats. They refer to "overstocking" but ignore Ms Kneen's explanation of feeding, watering and weeding of noxious weeds. The turtles and their young appreciate these land care actions.

The department's proposed remediation? "We will monitor." In other words, "we don't know".

Mr Gentleman then proceeds to maliciously accuse Ms Kneen of attempting to exploit the department. He again ignores the resources and time she puts in to maintain the paddock on a daily basis.

Then finally, in a proclamation of extreme bravado, Mr Gentleman and the anonymous bureaucrat promote themselves as saviours of our ecology. A stunning claim from someone who has supported the social and ecological abomination just across the (Cotter) road.

Rather than their eco-babble of "natural regeneration" I propose my psycho-babble explanation that the department made to feel impotent in the face of the developer/union coalition are striving to rebuild their self-esteem by using their powers to push around a spritely 69-year-old individual. In other words, this action stinks of arbitrariness and I will also be arbitrary at the next elections.

David Zilber, Holder

It's hard to see how anyone undertaking pill testing at an entertainment venue would not become an accomplice to someone intending to commit a crime.

The more normal approach to preventing crime is deterrence and apprehension.

Would a strong police presence with sniffer dogs and frisking to locate dangerous and illegal drugs be just as effective in preventing unnecessary deaths?

If people who must take pills in order to tolerate the music stay away then that's also harm prevention.

Chris Mobbs, Torrens

Peter Coleman ("Woodside backs a global carbon price", November 17) stated that we will need new ways of generating energy.

Science is not his strong point, it seems.

The law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an isolated system is constant; energy can be transformed from one form to another, but can be neither created nor destroyed. So, you can't generate energy!

The rest of the article is just an add for increasing gas sales at the expense of coal.

I have no problem with using gas but coal is so much cheaper and more reliable. During the South Australian statewide blackout the gas generators didn't help much as they were out of gas, shut down because they were unneeded at the time, (wind generators were fully utilised before the wind became too strong and they shut down suddenly).

Coal-fired plants have huge stockpiles of coal and don't suffer such problems.

He demonstrated self-interest in his article.

John McKerral, Batemans Bay, NSW

Apologies to M. Flint of Erindale, (Letters, November 15) but I am not after a rise in ACTION fares though I would not object to one either. My November 12 letter draws attention to how little ACTION raises in fares and how much it is funded by rates and taxes. I was cautioning against retaining under-utilised services or venturing upon new ones. As M. Flint suggests, bus and light rail do share a common problem – the reluctance of most Canberrans to reduce their reliance on cars. Government has tried to change that attitude but it's proven an expensive losing battle.

It's a measure of how disinclined we are to "bus it" to work that the 25 per cent real fall in ACTION fares since about 2005 has not lifted patronage. In 2012, the ACT government produced a plan to raise ACTION's share of the work commute from about 8 per cent to 10.5 per cent by 2016 and 16 per cent in 2026. The result to date: zero progress.

Higher bus fares would help strike a fairer balance between ratepayers at large and the minority of Canberrans who use ACTION regularly. Further reducing "dead time" running could help too, as might paring back access to concessional fares. But such necessarily incremental savings won't have a big or immediate effect. Somehow, the service needs to be made more attractive, especially at times of highest demand. A peak hour fare rise could even prove "popular" if it came with a guarantee of more seats and many more direct services on existing rapid routes.

The jury remains out on whether light rail can make some difference. But thankfully, not for too much longer.

Bob Bennett, Wanniassa

Once again the change in the sporting seasons is upon us and we are reading all about the footballers etc who are changing – or considering changing – clubs for thousands of dollars. Even the local baseball club – which is nothing more than a training and testing club for American baseball – has much publicity about who it is importing to play for it.

Yet in the midst of all this a Canberra sporting champion leaves the territory to represent Australia, in an Australian team, for the 50th time. Yes, David Speldewinde is wearing the Australian colours representing Australia in the World Floorball Championships in Prague, in the Czech Republic in December. He is the only Canberran, and one of the most experienced players, in the team.

And yet what publicity, or public recognition does this champion receive? None! Perhaps if he was involved in a professional sport he would. But in Australia this sport is purely amateur, without any support, and so nothing is acknowledged. So l would like to acknowledge this champion and wish him — and the Australian team — every success in Prague.

Geoff Barker, Flynn

INCONVENIENCE IGNORED

Transport Canberra notes complaints about the ending of route 3 within the ANU campus. This does not solve any disadvantage for future passengers. The campus is extensive and currently disturbed by major rebuilding, which makes access harder than using one of the current number 3 stops.

In working hours the Inner City bus exchange has many ANU students using the number 3 each day. "Data" does not reveal personal inconvenience. Students and staff have never been consulted. Until recently even the drivers did not know.

James Jupp, Hughes

WORSE THAN DELUSIONAL

In a letter published in The Canberra Times in January 2017, I described Theresa May's Brexit strategy thus: "...looks to be a mix of confusion, deception, bombast and wishful thinking – the delusional in pursuit of the unachievable". I think I might have been over-complimentary.

Peter Moran, Watson

TRUMPED UP PERKS

Australia has nothing to gain by moving our Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, except perhaps a pat on the head and a Trumpy Bear from you know who.

A. Langer, Chisholm

MOVE EMBASSY TO PERTH

The federal Coalition government has delivered a huge GST windfall to Western Australia ("Fair deal for WA as GST plan sails through federal parliament", canberratimes.com.au, November 14), but if the Coalition really wants to lock up WA in next year's election it should consider moving our Israel embassy to Perth.

Gordon Soames, Curtin

QUALITY CANBERRA CARE

Canberra hospitals have been ranked as the nation's most inefficient. I would like to go on record as saying that my experience at Canberra Hospital as a heart attack patient was most professional and efficient at every level. And the services and, more particularly, the support provided to my wife, who was suffering Parkinson's, and me as her carer, was beyond what I ever expected. The staff were brilliant. I don't know where the "inefficacies" come in.

Brian Bell, Isabella Plains

LET FETE DECIDE

How dare the ACT government fine people for illegal parking outside the Canberra Grammar fete. Don't they realise who these people are?

D. Shirley, Narrabundah

SHORT-SIGHTED STUDY

Wing's AlphaBeta glowing "study" projections are unsurprising but insulting to Canberrans ("Drones could deliver $40m boost study", November 16, p8). The "study" projections, over 12 years, take no account of CPI or disposable income and lacks costs of externalities such as deteriorating amenities caused by noise and privacy intrusion.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW