The hunter, an American dentist, had reportedly paid $US50,000 for permission to hunt outside the park. Attractive as such income must be to the authorities, surely it is time to end this cruel activity; or does it finish when there are no more lions left to kill?

John Sever, Higgins

In my years as a criminal defence lawyer, I have represented on legal aid many very poor people who made claims on their Centrelink benefits they were not entitled to, usually by omitting information about other minor income.

Most involved sums of a few thousand dollars, over a long period. Penalties imposed by the courts included good-behaviour orders, fines, community service and, at the top end of offending, jail. Some of the matters taken into consideration by the judicial officer will be the sum involved, proof of the need for a higher income than that offered by the government, such as illness, disability and whether there has been any breach of trust on the part of the offender. They might cop a bigger penalty if they falsified claims while working in Centrelink, for example.

I am enraged that the same government pays no heed to similar infractions by its own kind. Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg ("Bishop resists pressure to explain wedding trip expenses", July29, p4) apparently said Speaker Bronwyn Bishop would not be punished or sacked over reports about the use of her expenses. "The punishment would not fit the crime," he said.

I know one that would. She can go and sort out used clothes from bags of donations at Vinnies once a week for a year.

Jennifer Saunders, Canberra City

So Bronwyn Bishop has apologised and will pay back the taxpayers' money rorted by her error of judgment. Maybe the same deal should be extended to the thousands of our fellow citizens in jail for their own "errors of judgment".

Tom Lindsay, Monash

Congratulations David Hughes ("Light rail jobs claim fantasy", Times2, July29, p1) for revealing how scantily clad is the Barr government's case for the light-rail project.

When you dispassionately look at the facts, trams do not cut the mustard. They are 19th century technology in the 21st century.

London is buying 600 electric buses from China. They are charged at night when they return to the depot and they go all day on that overnight charge. They do not need rails. They do not need overhead wires. With our buses, the trees along Northbourne stay in all their beauty and the Canberra ratepayer saves on rates.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

David Hughes asserts that "unrelated government policies" that increase land utilisation should not be included in the benefits of light rail.

The point of light rail is to increase land utilisation so that we do not have to use other land in other parts of the ACT with the costs that entails. Light rail increases land utilisation and that sometimes requires policy changes. This means the value of land will increase substantially within 400 metres either side of the line.

The increase in value is much greater than the cost of light rail and that means light rail is a sensible investment.

Hughes then uses the strange argument that light rail will not create jobs, because if the same amount of money is spent elsewhere, then that will also create jobs, hence we cannot say that light rail creates jobs.

Light rail will create jobs while it is being built. In the long term, it will reduce the number of jobs needed to transport people out and into Gungahlin. This is a good economic outcome.

Kevin Cox, Ngunnawal

I refer to Christopher Smith's letter of July27. Artists like Jimmy Barnes and Bruce Springsteen have every right to ask that their work, so closely associated with them, is not used to promote causes they don't support. As for the assertion that Springsteen is a liberal poseur, facts prove otherwise.

He has a long track record of supporting worthwhile causes, such as Vietnam Vets, Amnesty International, Red Cross, the Special Olympics, to name just a few. If that's liberal posing, the world would be a better place if there was more of it.

Richard Roberts, Farrer

During an ad break in SBS TV's Go Back to Where You Came From, I concluded Australia is indeed being invaded by stealth by groups of people whose only interest is financial. They take more than they will ever give. When they get money, they send it overseas. They have little respect for our culture and want to change the way we eat and speak. They cost Australians their jobs and businesses. They erode our national sovereignty by referring to international treaties and agreements when they don't get what they want.

All the while, these people are assisted by deluded politicians claiming to act in the national interest. For the sake of Australia, the time has come to say enough is enough. Send multinational companies back to where they came from. Stop the Learjets!

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

Michael Pascoe ("Our wine hit by climate warming", BusinessDay, July27, p7) reported that grape harvests across the industry "are circa 30 days earlier than they were 20-30 years ago". Are we to assume that in another, say 25 years, grape harvests will be 60 days earlier? Pascoe doubts pinot noir will be viable, but neither will the rest, at this rate. Clearly, if anyone still doubts climate change is real and that it is happening now, they need to talk to a wine grower.

Jenny Goldie, Michelago, NSW

Your report on the estimated amount it will cost the Australian government to defend its cigarette "plain packaging" law ("Tobacco box legal row costs hit $50m", July29, p5) will just be the beginning if we sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

This also contains an investor state dispute resolution mechanism, and one of the partners, the United States, is the most litigious nation on earth. Big businesses there will have no compunction in exercising their rights under this clause – originally inserted to counter nationalisation of businesses by former colonial nations.

Now, if the Commonwealth tries to stop a company from polluting our water resources or to legislate for the health of Australians, for example, and a foreign corporation sees this as minimising or denying its profits, it can sue the government, have the case heard in a completely covert way, with "judges" of unknown quality and allegiances, and costing a fortune, as the tobacco case shows.

Mr Robb and Mr Abbott might be very enthusiastic about this agreement, but I find it extremely problematic for our national sovereignty.

Margaret Lee, Hawker

Ross Kelly's response to Professor Kim Rubenstein (Letters, July 28) is interesting for what it doesn't say. It doesn't rebut any of the actual points made by her, which he clearly would have done if he could. Instead, he delivers a rant that shows nothing more than his distaste for anyone arguing in support of Israel.

Kelly's claim that Professor Rubenstein uses citizenship as a fig leaf demonstrates only that he either couldn't understand her point, or chose not to.

It is a basic right of any citizen to lobby their government, but Carr was clearly singling out just one type of lobbying – in support of Israel – as in some way inimical to our democracy.

Anyone with any knowledge of anti-Semitism can see the clear echoes of classical anti-Semitic tropes about Jews having too much influence and using it for their own nefarious purposes against the national interest.

Bill Arnold, Chifley

When I was taught to drive, Victorian road rules said the pedestrian was always in the right. Now we read that a pedestrian was 20per cent contributory to being hit by a car ("Man 'thrown like rag doll' in crash wins $258,000 damages", July29, p3). Apparently, the pedestrian was wearing headphones (what if he had been deaf?) and apparently had almost finished his crossing of the road and was unaware of the approaching vehicle (if he had become aware, was the 63-year-old supposed to sprint out of its way?). Surely, an illogical extension of such analysis is that his mere presence on the road was a contributory factor.

Walking is my preferred form of transport. Canberra is a very pedestrian-unfriendly city and is becoming more so. For example: intersections where cars are allowed to turn left on the red light and roundabouts where continuous traffic flow has been deliberately engineered are nightmares for pedestrians. If government is trying to discourage car reliance and promote environmentally friendly modes of transport, including simply walking, it needs to raise driver awareness of the possible presence of pedestrians.

It is an unfortunate precedent to blame the pedestrian when they are hit by a car. There will always be exceptions, such as a child running on to the road after a ball, but the default position should be that it is the car driver who wields the power and the obligation to pedestrians, no matter how deaf, blind or decrepit they may be.

Penleigh Boyd, Reid

EXPRESS THE LOVE

Would Bronwyn Bishop please actually show how much she loves our country, as she proclaims, by dignifying her departure from the position of Speaker with her resignation instead of forcing members to sack her?

Ted Tregillgas, Flynn

She's very sorry she got caught. We all have to tighten our belts, so they can afford to put their snouts in the trough. There isn't a trowel big enough to put lipstick on this pig.

Alan Kelley, Cook

The demeanour of Mrs Bishop in humble mode was startlingly reminiscent of Rupert Murdoch before the UK inquiry into phone hacking: "This is the worst day of my life" – drop bottom lip and let face sag. Ditch the ... penitent.

David Nolan, Holder

JOBS CLAIM SCUTTLED

We are all in David Hughes' debt ("Light rail jobs claim fantasy", Times2, July 29, p1). His forensic analysis finally devastates the ACT government's absurd claims about employment opportunities from the Light Rail. The time has come to state the obvious about this crazy project: we have been told a pack of lies.

Alan Cowan, Yarralumla

SURE FIX FOR BOOING

If the AFL is serious about stopping the racist booing of Adam Goodes then it should direct its umpires to stop play every time there is a bout of booing and not allow play to re-start play until the booing stops. Mr Goodes should not have to suffer this campaign; nor should he have to stop playing the game to avoid it.

C. McCarthy, Narrabundah

Adam is being booed for his stand on racism, standing up for what he believes is right. He wasn't Australian of the year for nothing, H. Ronald (Letters, July 30). As you so nicely said, give me a break.

Jan Gulliver, Lyneham

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