The Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner has been actively involved with the child in the case mentioned and continues to advocate for an appropriate therapeutic response that addresses her individual needs and, ideally, a whole-of-government approach to better support and care for all children and young people with complex needs.

Human rights principles require that detention only ever be used as a last resort for young people.

We believe that the ACT community would share our concerns about primary school-aged children becoming involved in the youth justice system and placed in youth detention facilities, particularly where their behaviours stem from trauma, mental health issues and other complex needs.

The Human Rights Commission strongly supports the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory's recommendation that the age of criminal responsibility be raised from 10 to 12 years.

We made a similar recommendation in our review of the ACT youth justice system in 2011, but this has not yet been actioned.

We note that there are provisions for therapeutic protection orders within the Children and Young People Act 2008 that would provide an alternative to criminal charges and detention for children with complex needs.

However, these orders cannot be made by the courts as the ACT government has not developed or designated therapeutic protection places where children and young people can be kept safe and receive high-level therapeutic care appropriate to their needs.

This case, and others like it, make it clear that therapeutic care options are needed for vulnerable children and young people with complex needs to give them the best chance of fulfilling their potential.

Investing in holistic trauma-informed therapeutic supports and services for these children and young people now will provide ongoing benefits for individuals and for the community as a whole.

Dr Helen Watchirs, ACT President and Human Rights Commissioner , Jodie Griffiths-Cook, ACT Public Advocate and Children's and Young People Commissioner.

Don Sephton accused Senator Zed Seselja for putting his own personal views ahead of those of his constituents. The senator's "crime" was, that he withheld his vote on the same-sex marriage bill in the Senate.

I respect a person who develops an opinion and stands up for same.

I don't agree with Zed Seselja most of the time, but on this issue, I do hate to disappoint you, Don Sephton, I respect the Senator's civil courage.

I hope that you understand, we still live in a democracy. Free speech? I leave it at that.

Werner G Friedrich, Phillip

When a motor vehicle passes too close to a cyclist the rider can record the vehicle's registration number and submit a complaint. Errol Good (Letters, December 5) suggests that cyclists remain one metre from pedestrians when passing.

I agree, but acknowledge that such a rule would be pointless unless the cyclist's vehicle carried a registration plate. Why do cyclists so vigorously oppose the notion that they should be easily identifiable? Do they consider themselves above the law?

Peter Snowdon, Aranda

Neil James' (Letters, December 4) claim that Adrian Jackson (Letters, December 1) is "bereft of context, nuance and facts" could well apply to himself.

He goes on to state: "The US did not 'invade Vietnam'. North Vietnam did end up conquering South Vietnam contrary to both sets of Paris Peace Agreements."

Presumably by "both sets of Paris Peace Agreements" he's referring to the 1954 Geneva Accords and the 1973 Paris Peace Accords. True, America did not "invade Vietnam" but it was American president Dwight Eisenhower's solid backing of corrupt Saigon regime dictator Ngo Dinh Diem's rejection of the Geneva Accords and his 1956 refusal to hold elections as mandated by the Geneva Accords that sparked the Vietnam War. Eisenhower himself estimated that if the elections had been allowed to go ahead in 1954, Ho Chi Minh would have won 80per cent of the vote. Had the elections been allowed to proceed, war would have been avoided, Vietnam would have been reunited and more than a million lives spared.

Philip Barnaart, Curtin

I write in reference to Neil James (Letters, December 4).

Mr James is historically correct on all his claims but Vietnam.

He is incorrect to state that North Vietnam "invaded" South Vietnam.

Vietnam has a proud history of independence going back over a thousand years, and a culture to match.

The Vietnamese have always been fiercely independent, waging numerous conflicts with their huge neighbour China.

Japan occupied Vietnam in partnership with the French Vichy administration during World War II.

The division of Vietnam, much like Korea, was a response to the legacy of World War II.

It was supposed to be temporary, pending nationwide elections in 1956. Ho Chi Minh boycotted the elections, which he saw as being rigged.

Reunification of Vietnam in 1976 was a logical step.

If the United States had researched the history of Vietnam, they would have recognised the inevitable and saved us a massive loss of life and trauma to those who survived on both sides.

I don't go much on the current repressive authoritarian rule, but then Diem and his successors in the South, were equally as brutal to anyone opposing them.

Gavin O'Brien, former national serviceman and Vietnam veteran, Gilmore

The increasingly frantic attacks on industry super funds by the Turnbull government are sad but predictable.

The success of industry funds that are run by unions in delivering consistently better outcomes than retail funds is an unforgivable affront to the government's blind faith in the free market.

Obviously, their answer is to find a way to significantly increase the operating costs of industry funds until the retail funds are more competitive.

Pity the poor fund members who lose out in the process.

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga

For many it may seem like jolly good fun to see pollies being knocked over by Section 44, but it is a serious matter.

As George Williams points out ("Section 44 compliance 'extraordinarily difficult"', December 6, p.21) it can trap many elected politicians because other countries dictate the citizenship of a migrant parent or grandparent.

He also mentions the part which excludes "office of profit under the Crown" or a "direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the Public Service of the Commonwealth".

This is an even greater trap if strictly interpreted. It has become clear that Section 44 needs to be changed. I suggest that it states something like: anyone who holds a current Australian passport can stand for the Parliament of Australia.

Leave without pay for three months must be given to any person who stands for Parliament.

Section 44 as it stands effectively stops a very large number of people from standing either as recipients of federal funding or the possible loss of their employment following resignation and losing.

Its effect is over-representation by lawyers, farmers, political staffers and union officers who can return to their profession if unsuccessful.

Section 44 disqualifies far too many people who could otherwise make a substantial contribution to the Parliament and should be put to a referendum after a proper debate in the community.

Steve Thomas, Yarralumla

I am perplexed at commentators laying the blame for recent parliamentary resignations on an outdated constitution. Behind every parliamentary resignation is a false declaration. I would like to look at two cases in particular; that of Ms Gallagher and that of Mr Joyce.

It appears as though Ms Gallagher provided the ACT Legislative Assembly with a statutory declaration that she held only Australian citizenship.

It appears as though this declaration was false. Intentionally providing a false statutory declaration carries a maximum penalty of four years' jail, according to my research.

Mr Joyce was removed from the Federal Parliament after the High Court decided he held dual citizenship. He had signed declarations that he held only Australian citizenship (probably numerous times).

Both Ms Gallagher and MrJoyce have probably been well paid on the strength of false declarations.

I think that getting money on the strength of false declarations is a crime.

So where are the Australian Federal Police?

What would the Deputy Prime Minister's reaction be to someone who obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Commonwealth on the strength of false declarations to Centerlink or the Australian Tax Office?

Glen Torr, Fraser

Christopher Budd claims the "reasonable steps" exemption does not extend beyond those cases where it isn't possible to renounce foreign citizenship (Letters December 6).

This would seem to create an anomaly, whereby Section 44 compliance is expedited should the foreign power refuse to countenance renunciation, compared with having to wait for an acquiescing foreign power to process the paperwork.

Whether this will prompt the High Court to extend the scope of the exemption remains an open question.

Ian Douglas, Jerrabomberra, NSW

Former Nationals senator Bill O'Chee has claimed in a column in the Canberra Times ("Citizenship saga leaves Hanson hanging", canberratimes.com.au, November 21) that when Pauline Hanson was planning to settle in the UK some years ago she may have been issued with a "certificate of entitlement" to live in the UK indefinitely. He suggested such an entitlement would seem, under Section 44(i), to make her "incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a senator or a member of the House of Representatives".

Michael McCarthy, Deakin

As an Australian person, I'll tell you what I'm sick of. I'm sick of politicians telling me what I'm sick of.

R. J. Wenholz, Holt

Contrary to what J Coleman suggested (Letters, December 4), the overwhelming majority of postal survey respondents who voted "yes" for marriage equality do not wish to tell those who voted "no" (or anyone else) what to think.

However, like all fair-minded Australians, "yes" voters reject the idea that religious objections to same-sex marriage that are held by commercial businesses should constitute licence to discriminate against LGBTI customers any more than beliefs about racial inferiority should constitute licence for racial discrimination.

Bruce Taggart, Aranda

Even though I'm sure same-sex marriage supporters might want to persuade "no" voters that extending rights to others that they already enjoy is beneficial to a civilised society, I'd like to assure J. Coleman (Letters, December 4) that people can still think and believe any old thing they want regarding same-sex marriage, just like they can about race or gender. They just can't discriminate on the basis of those thoughts.

David Jenkins, Casey

I visited Tathra on the Far South Coast of NSW for the first time on December 6, 1985.

At that time it was pouring with rain and about 17 degrees.

Passing through Tathra on December 5, 2017, it was pouring with rain and about 17 degrees.

Bedding down back home in Canberra is a blissful experience with the "lece" blanket set on level three and bed-socks ensuring the lower extremities are comfortable.

Could somebody please explain to me, without emotional, illogical and irrational reasoning, the argument for global warming (which, if it does exist, is caused by overpopulation, for which neither the Pope nor politicians wordwide have the gumption to address) and please give me a reason why our electricity supply should not be supplemented by coal power at least until we can be assured that alternative options for the generation of power are proven capable of meeting demand.

Jeff Day, Greenway

MUSIC ON IMPROVE

Thank heavens I won't have to listen to JJJ music on Australia Day. I hope very much to celebrate Australia Day again with the Aboriginal people and their wonderful music we enjoyed so much at the Museum in Canberra last Australia Day. The group came all the way from Northern Australia.

Penelope Upward, O'Connor

IRISH CITIZENSHIP

It is enshrined in the constitution of Ireland that if either of your parents was born in the island of Ireland before 2005 you are an Irish citizen, irrespective of your place of birth. Labor MP David Feeney needs to clarify his status.

Dr John Doherty, Donegal, Ireland

FAREWELL GENEVIEVE

Genevieve Jacobs, intelligent, articulate, well-prepared, PC to a fault, appropriately green left on most issues, irritatingly prissy and preachy, the perfect ABC presenter for a Canberra audience. I wish her all the best.

H. Ronald, Jerrabomberra, NSW

LOSING RADIO'S GOLD

Callow youths need the example of age, and experience. Therefore, how unwise and shortsighted of ABC Radio Canberra to let gold go. The gold that is Genevieve Jacobs, Alex Sloane and before them people such as Andrea Close.

Golden Girls. How they are, and will be, missed.

Annie Lang, Kambah

JERUSALEM? WEIRD MOVE

Trump's Jerusalem decision is the weirdest news since "Caligula wants to make his horse a Consul".

Barrie Smillie, Duffy

TRUMPED

The apprentice President has just shouted at the Middle East: "You're fired."

Dennis Hale, Beecroft

DASTYARI DENIAL KEY

Senator Dastyari is not to be condemned for expressing an opinion contrary to the Australian government or the Labor Party. But he is damned for having denied doing so.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

IN THE SHADOWS

Shadow minister for multicultural affairs sums it up and the sad euphemistic support she extended to Milo Yiannopoulos confirms the shadows are where Elizabeth Kikkert should remain.

Matt Ford, Crookwell, NSW

SMITH TAKING OVER

On TV Steve Smith said "...that's part of being captain of the country..." I though that was Malcolm Turnbull's job – at least at the moment.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill, Vic

DOWNFALL ON THE WAY

A TV weatherman has predicted a big downfall. President Trump, perhaps, or our own Captain Disappointment?

C. J. Mountifield, Greenway

Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attached file. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.

Keep your letter to 250 words or less. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).