Here's a thought: if the project is such a winner as Mr Haas asserts, why is he not lobbying for it to be owned and operated totally by private enterprise and thus save taxpayers any cost, leaving all the undoubted profits to the private owners?

Furthermore, as we all know, the private sector does things more efficiently and effectively than the public sector, so one would also expect the private investors to prefer to be free of having tostumble through a public-private partnership and, Iimagine, they would also feelrelief at not having to ask taxpayers to cough up for any (unforeseeable) losses they might encounter.

Eric Hunter, Cook

Damian Haas, chairman of ACT Light Rail, has finally told the truth about why ACT citizens are bewildered as to how the light rail folly has been foisted onthem. In his article "Capital's Liberals cannot ignore light rail mandate" (Times2, April 17, p5), he admits, "Many people with only a passing interest in politics think that the light rail idea cameout of nowhere."

This admission that the idea ofa light rail project was not prominent in the 2012 election campaign is one reason for the growing opposition to this extravagant experiment and contradicts the article's conclusion that the present government has a mandate toproceed with the project.

Geoff Nickols, Griffith

Perhaps the Canberra Liberals or the Liberal Party in general should consider a name change. How about the Luddite Party?

C. Ward, Lyneham

Enough already. At the next ACT election, I will break the habit of decades and not vote informal. Instead, I will vote for the party that promises to tear up any contractual obligation to build light rail and to tell prospective contractors that due diligence on their part would have disclosed that termination was likely, and they should therefore not expect compensation.

In addition, I expect that party to pass legislation under which 50 per cent of any future remuneration or pension payable by the ACT government to any member of the Legislative Assembly who voted for light rail should be withheld and used to pay any outstanding light rail debt. A pox on the lot of them.

Chris Whyte, Higgins

Needle program

Amanda Bresnan's article, "Evidence in favour of a needle and syringe program" (Times2, April 15, p5), was appreciated.

She wrote of a concern over "allowing public servants and prison staff to veto" the program.

Public servants supported theprogram. Community and Public Sector Union members overwhelmingly rejected the warders' stance years ago, but the union opted to support the site vote, a tiny minority.

Bresnan cites well-known evidence from Spain, Switzerland and Germany. Stillour town council allows bigoted warders, with a long demonstrated inability to keep drugs out of the jail, to continue to impose sentences of disease and death on inmates.

Gary J. Wilson, MacGregor

Not brigade level

Christopher Jobson (Letters, April 15) suggested Jack Waterford's assertion that "Australian soldiers ... have not fought at brigade level since 1945" was incorrect, saying the task force in Vietnam was, in reality, a brigade.

The task force's operations, however, were mostly piecemeal, with its battalions and armoured elements carrying out operations to a large degree independently across Phuoc TuyProvince.

While this is a big generalisation and there were combined arms operations – I participated in one fine example of an infantry and armour (tanks and APCs) assault on a bunker complex, supported by artillery and air – there were none of the huge brigade-level operations such as were conducted in both world wars. It's the difference between a conventional war and counter-insurgency operations which, forsome reason, politicians nowadays don't seem to call wars, no matter how big or complex.

Dallas Stow, O'Connor

Linview a bigger loss

OK, now I am really confused. The Heritage Council seeks to preserve the ugly, unremarkable Northbourne flats, yet it allows the beautiful art-deco Linview to be demolished, Joh Bjelke-Petersen-style, without so much as a public murmur of opposition ("$4m mansion gets flattened for a new family home", April 15, p2). More bewildering still, instead of indignation by The Canberra Times, which fulminated in its editorial about the perfidy of the government inthe Northbourne flats case ("Regard for heritage limited," April 11, 2015), we get agushy fluff piece that amounts to a celebration of Linview's demolition.

The article effectively says: "Isn't it just great that the current owners have decided to stay in Canberra."

Frankly, it would have been much better for Canberra if the new (unnamed) businessman and his family had followed their original intention to move back to Sydney and left this genuinely important piece of architecture to the care of someone with less money but more appreciation for Canberra's history.

Apart from the failure of theHeritage Council and The Canberra Times in this matter, where were Professor Ken Taylor, Jon Stanhope, Jack Kershaw and the rest of the architecture profession, so keen to preserve the Northbourne boxes, when this beautiful component of Canberra's heritage was being destroyed?

Chris Williams, Griffith

It is unbelievable that the ACT Heritage Council did not block the demolition of Linview in Arthur Circle.

It seems to provide more evidence about the ACT government's lack of concern about the preservation of Canberra's older suburbs.

This was one of the finest examples of art-deco architecture in Canberra. For there to have been no heritage restrictions on its demolition speaks volumes about the existing precinct guidelines.

Every time I pass Arthur Circle, I will be reminded of this act of vandalism.

C. Williams, Forrest

Non-contract

When is a contract not a contract? When it's an ARL contract with a cherry on top.

J. Grant, Gowrie

Ricky Stuart's comments regarding a lack of support for the Raiders from the ACT Government and the NRL ("Canberra teams challenged to prove they deserve more", Sport, April 16, pp22-23) should be taken seriously by both bodies.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr's comments that the ACT plans to launch a bid to hold World Cup soccer events ("Barr chasing socceroos cup qualifier for the capital", Sport, April 16, p23) and the fact his government has a $23million deal with the AFL for 10 years is all very good. However, he should take the following into consideration when he is throwing millions of dollars at these organisations.

On a recent overseas holiday I watched NRL live through a European Sports Channel operated by the BBC throughout Europe. Surprise, surprise, we watched the Raiders v St George live from Istanbul, Raiders v Roosters live from Monte Carlo, and Raiders v Manly live from Palermo, Sicily. There were also many other live NRL games shown. AFL was nowhere to be seen on this sports channel.If this is not showcasing Canberra, the Raiders, and the NRL to the world, then what is? Mr Barr is barking up the wrong tree. Support Ricky and the Raiders who support Canberra.

Rod O'Sullivan, Ngunnawal

Stop the self-indulgence

Somewhere around $225million is being budgeted by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments for the current extended sentimental, commercialised and historically disconnected episode of Anzackery. Let's cut short this self-indulgent exercise and devote whatever of the funding has not yet been spent to support veteran's groups who are helping ex-service men and women. The living who are in pain have a much greater claim on our attention and practical assistance than those whose death has been commemorated now for 100 years.

Doug Hynd, Stirling

David Ipp, QC, is reported as saying that the High Court's decision in theCunneen case that the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption could not investigate suspected crimes if no corruption bya public official was involved is a"terrible result" ("Cunneen off limits: High Court lays down law on ICAC", April 16, p9).

On the contrary, the decision is to be welcomed. The ICAC was set up to investigate suspected corruption by public officials.

Where the only suspected criminal activity is by a private citizen, the ICAC should not have the power to investigate. The High Court majority gave theft by a private citizen of a public vehicle as an example of how criminal conduct might affect the operational efficiency of a public body. In such a case, there would be no element of public corruption.

Where that element is absent, the court held, the ICAC has no power to investigate. Quite right too. Such matters should be left to the police.

Alvin Hopper, Dickson

It seems that Shakespeare had it right when he said "Let's kill all the lawyers!", fitting perfectly to what might be the outcomes from the recent High Court decision in its findings for Margaret Cunneen ("Cunneen off limits: High Court lays down law on ICAC", April, 16, p9).

The decision, apparently, has the potential to frustrate the purposes of the ICAC and to bring into question anumber of its recent decisions and turn it into a toothless tiger. When considering the excellent work that the ICAC has done in exposing monstrous breaches of the law and widely practised corruptions, we should realise that we are all victims of Ms Cunneen's search for her own personal purposes.

Somewhere else in our literature, it was said, "The law is an ass", andso it still is.

Brian Millett, Yass, NSW

Tax breaks unfair

Could the Prime Minister please explain what is fair about giving tax breaks (eg, negative gearing) to people who don't need them?

Ed Highley, Kambah

There is no fiscal mess

Methinks N. Bailey (Letters, April 15) doth protest too much: the claim is that Canberra Times editorials are "hell-bent on destroying Tony Abbott and [the] government", yet N.Bailey immediately quotes an editorial favourable to Mike Baird. The logic is baffling: even if we allow the conflation of federal and NSW state politics, the evidence quoted refutes the argument.

Furthermore, following N. Bailey's non-sequiturial segue, it is painfully clear that N. Bailey and his or her fellow travellers do not "seem to appreciate" that there is no fiscal mess. Even if, in an irrational moment, one were to accept that there was, it certainly did not come about as a result of "profligate expenditure" by the previous government(s). Australia's handling of the global financial crisis has been lauded worldwide and, yes, it cost money, but it was money (mostly) well and wisely spent. Rusted-on Coalition supporters need to demur from their hallucinogenic ravings and realise this. We might even get our letters page back.

Mark Raymond, Manton, NSW

I respectfully read your letter, N.Bailey (Letters, April 16), until your bit about "the fiscal mess left by Labor". Then I lost a little respect.

This is a constant cry of the current government. They have no answers. They continue to cry in their beer because it's all Labor's fault. They conveniently forget, asmost Liberal National Party supporters do, that the Howard government was a far bigger-spending government than the Laborgovernments of 2007-13.

They conveniently forget the AAA rating that they are now destroying with their mismanagement.

The government is hell-bent on destroying itself: no budget through as yet, and backflips on just about every policy it puts forward.

Jan Gulliver, Lyneham

More support needed

Congratulations on your editorial, "Mental health care needs a pick-me-up" (Times2, April 16, p2). With someone in my immediate family affected, I have observed that the quality of care in hospital these days is vastly improved, aided by better medication and properly trained staff. It is the community side, however, that needs upgrading as the Mental Health Commission found. Affordable housing is critical, and not just a roof over their heads, but professional support services as well.

Rents in Canberra are such that unemployed mentally ill people orthose on Disability Support Pensions, cannot afford to live there and are forced to live in neighbouring cheaper towns such as Cooma or Yass. Here, the support services through the hospital can be terrific, but the prospects of employment are minimal, increasing the isolation thatcan compound the problem.

What is needed are a lot more halfway houses or supported accommodation with regular access to professionals – in Canberra itself, not in neighbouring towns. Getting the unemployed mentally ill – those who can work – back into the workforce is critical for the people themselves and perhaps would free enough money for those on the DSP to get the full social and medical support they need.

Jenny Goldie, Michelago, NSW

Iraq being kicked around

Not for the first time, the Australian troops are getting involved in a war in Iraq ("330 extra troops head to Iraq on 2-year mission", April 15, p4). The reason given for their first involvement was Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.

While none were found, the direct consequence of the United States-led invasion was something equally unpleasant and nasty.

I am afraid that Iraq is being kicked around like a ball in a field. The 2003 invasion took care of Saddam's regime and handed the country over to the Shiites. Now, the Islamic state militants want it back. Pity the poor Iraqi people.

Sam Nona, Burradoo, NSW

STALE AND DIFFERENT

Terry Levings (Letters, April 17) is very perceptive in connecting the all too common restaurant practice of pouring wine ordered by the glass before it reaches the diner with Tony Abbott's leadership. Both have resulted in something stale being misrepresented as fresh and both have frequently resulted in the customer receiving something that differs markedly from what they ordered.

Tony Judge, Belconnen

HANDS OUTSTRETCHED

What's the difference between Colin Barnett and the chief executives of the US car companies during the GFC? Nothing: they all arrived on private jets asking for money.

Malcolm Paterson, Greenleigh, NSW

ANIMAL EQUALITY

Just what does the otherwise remarkable animal activista Marcus Fillinger ("Frozen tears as Fillinger finishes pole race", April 16, p3) feed those unloved dogs he saves from council euthanasia (apart from fillers and stabilisers etc).

Not kangaroo meat, surely? Maybe just cows, sheep and horses? All animals are equal, but some are slightly more equal than others?

Christopher Smith, Braddon

LYING, NOT LAYING

The week before we lauded John Warhurst for his punchy piece on the broadcaster Alan Jones. Last week, sadly, he dropped from an HD to a bare pass with his comment about Shorten laying low ("Shorten's sweet nothings", Times2, April 16, p1).

Labor electors are certainly disappointed in Shorten, he's as useless as tits on a bull, but he's not a chook. So while he might be lying low it's very unlikely that he's laying low.

Clive Banson, O'Connor

IGNORING H. RONALD

Patricia Saunders (Letters, April 17) agrees with Ian Webster that H. Ronald's views are genuinely held but because they are "attention seeking" they should be ignored. Surely the major aim of holding a point of view is to seek attention for it, whether it belong to Patricia Saunders, Ian Webster, me or H. Ronald, and ignoring it should be based on initial thoughtful analysis rather than hasty assumptions about the intentions of the holder.

Bill Deane, Chapman

AN ACTIVIST?

I agree with Ross Kelly (Letters, April 17) that the androgenous H. Ronald could be perhaps the world's foremost exponent of the perverse and intriguing art of straw-man activism. We know that H. Ronald has a wife, but is H. Ronald just a clandestine same-sex marriage activist?

Richard Nehmy, Macgregor

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