Parking rules are ignored on a daily basis around our local primary school with absolutely no sign of any enforcement activity and I imagine a similar situation exists at many schools. I suspect those people given tickets at the Canberra Girls Grammar and Weetangera school fetes made the mistake of assuming the same laissez-faire approach would apply at weekends when fewer children are likely to be present.

If parking rules are important enough to be required then they should be enforced consistently. If not, they should be removed.

Jim Derrick, Florey

The Deakin Residents Association has sympathy for the families who unexpectedly have a supplementary cost of $270 for their day at the Canberra Girls Grammar School fete. However, the association and Forrest Residents Group also note the rapidly deteriorating state of the median strip on Melbourne Avenue. This is one of the national avenues listed in the National Capital Plan and it is in poor condition, especially opposite the school where it is little more than a dust bowl.

School visitors use the area for parking day and night and for collecting students. It would be good if the school had more on-site parking for its students, parents and visitors.

"No parking" signs seem to have little effect. The association has called for the government to erect barriers along this area to preserve it and to enforce parking regulations. This would mean those attending school would not be able to park on the median strip and they would need to walk a little further.

It would be good, too, if the next building project for the school included capacity to accommodate more on-site parking. Canberra Girls Grammar School seems to have quite effectively accommodated much of its parking needs.

The association notes Canberra Girls Grammar School is on a bus route. We also note there are no dedicated bicycle lanes in Deakin and although the Active Travel Office, part of Transport Canberra & City Services, is mapping proposed cycling routes across Canberra, none of those under consideration directly service schools in Deakin.

George Wilson Deakin Residents Association president

I refer to a news article in The Canberra Times on Saturday, November 17, concerning the possible loss of green space in Dixon Drive, Weston Creek.

Ms Celia Keen has kept ponies and horses on the block for 23 years. She has a severely disabled daughter and the interaction with the horses has been of considerable assistance for both mother and daughter.

Ms Keen daily attends to the welfare of the horses and pays her agistment rates. Recently a dozen or so eastern long-necked turtles have hatched on the block near the stormwater channel.

This small oasis brings much pleasure to motorists, cyclists and walkers.Many local residents and children visit and enjoy patting and feeding a carrot to the horses.

It appears to many of us who enjoy such a sight that the issuing of such a licence to be revoked, by the end of December, is a heavy-handed decision.

One asks what will be the future of this tranquil space?

Jill Mail, Holder

Project Wings CEO James Ryan Burgess, heard during an interview of Gai Brodtmann by Dan Bourchier on ABC breakfast radio recently, seemed misinformed.

It is incorrect of him to say the objections to the trial in Bonython are by a small group of residents. The fact is that in canvassing hundreds of Bonython residents about Project Wing's drone trial in their suburb, 80 per cent were not in favour of commercial drone use in residential areas.

It is also incorrect of him to say the drone noise is bothersome to only a few residents and the decibels are like that of a car.

The fact is the drone noise has been measured at 85 decibels from 35 metres. www.chem.purdue.edu tells us that 80dB is twice as loud as 70dB with possible hearing damage after eight hours of exposure. It also tells us a freight train at 15 metres is 80dB and a propeller plane flyover at 1000 feet is 88dB. After all, a drone is an aircraft.

And it tells us that a passenger car travelling at 100km/h at 25feet is 77dB. The noise of a drone is not pleasing and is very disruptive to the community and its wildlife. An example of this disruption is the World War II veteran who experiences anxiety attacks when he hears the drone noise because it reminds him of the screaming of wartime bombs.

It is time for Burgess to listen properly to and care about the people. After all, who wants food and coffee delivered by drone at the expense of their vulnerable neighbours?

Robyn McIntyre, Bonython

Can someone please explain how Project Wing ("Drones could deliver $40m boost: study", November 16, p8) could state that "household delivery drones could provide a $40 million boost to businesses in ACT".

How can they possibility extrapolate this forecast data using "about 160 households signed up in Bonython and completed 2000 deliveries"?

Here are some real facts: Project Wing started the trial drone delivery service in July 2018. This means that of the supposed 160 signed households, each have had an average of 12 deliveries over an 18-week period – less than one per week. Here is another real fact: According to the ABS census data, there are 1547 households in Bonython.

If 160 households signed up for the delivery trial, this means that only 10 per cent of Bonython residents agreed to be in the trial.

Project Wing also stated in the SERREE (South East Region of Renewable Energy Excellence) February 22, 2018, article titled, "Solar-powered drone delivers lunch across Canberra Region in pilot program", "there are a potential 50,000 new testers in the Bonython region". Unbelievable, as the population of Bonython is about 3800. Project Wing should publicly release the economic impact study prepared by consultancy firm AlphaBeta. Given the numerous instances of "fake facts", the Canberra community (and the ACT and federal governments) should have access to the report so that the figures can be either validated or discredited. Transparency and honesty, please.

Andres Sheather, Bonython

Why is it that every time we have a storm the same intersections get flooded? Is there a problem with drains that can't be fixed in the dry? On Thursday, the intersection of Majura Avenue and Cowper Street was flooded.

The worst place is the intersection of McCaughey Street and Barry Drive, which despite a major reconstruction was covered by more than 15 centimetres of water.

Surely we understand enough about drainage to fix these problems?

Lynne Bean, Watson

It's hard to take seriously Prime Minister Scott Morrison's comments about the level of Australia's migration program.

When I was involved as a public servant 30 years ago, a sophisticated Commonwealth/state planning process incorporated information from states about pressures on infrastructure, etc. It was not a top-down process; it took account of various political factors.

And the result was one of the world's best multicultural programs. But the Prime Minister is once again looking for someone else to blame for any problems, and for an oversimplified "black and white" solution.

Trevor Wilson, Chifley

I never thought I would find myself complimenting Jenna Price on one of her epistles ("'I can always spot the kids who have had a gap year", November 20).

Jenna expressed the fundamental maxim that real life is full of failure; and one needs to become skilled at dealing with that. Manipulative tears or cranky responses to marks inconsistent with student deceptions are well known to teachers and academics.

Gap years toughen up princesses and myopic youths.

They serve to counteract prior dissembling waffle directed at parents who are told that a student, let's call him Patrick, needed to apply himself better and display more respect for his surrounds.

What probably should have been said is that Patrick is a lazy sod who needs a boot up the khyber until his nose bleeds.

One teeny-weeny criticism, if I may, Jenna: don't advocate ignoring one's parents. Unlike freshly minted matriculates, oldies invariably know stuff.

Patrick Jones, Griffith

The outrage being expressed in so many forums – from your letters pages to the proverbial pub chatter – must surely force the government to halt any plans to redesign the Australian War Memorial, and consult with all Australians, who after all are expected to pay this obscene amount to satisfy the overweening egos of a few.

The Smithsonian Institution has 19 museums and galleries, plus the National Zoological Park; 17 are located in Washington, DC, and 11 are in separate buildings on the National Mall.

The Louvre opened an outpost gallery in Abu Dhabi in 2017, and in 2012 opened Louvre-Lens in the former mining town of Lens to relieve the crowded Paris Louvre, increase visits by the French and visitors, and improve the economy in the industrial north.

Clearly there is no need for the megalomaniacal increase in size on the present site, which would surely go from a place of quiet contemplation to a semi-industrial site of overwhelming proportions.

By the by, as a possible pointer for those who designed the much-acclaimed "sound and light" show with its flashes and noise, perhaps they might consider the very many of us ex-servicemen who suffer every day of our lives from tinnitus, and for whom this gallery is aural torture.

The ridiculous recent proposal by Virgin airlines is encouraged and promoted by the type of discussion around grandiose promotions and whizz-bangery that now take centre stage surrounding the AWM.

Please stop and consider more quiet contemplation and less Disney-fication.

David Nolan, Holder

Foodbank and banks; two totally different ends of the empathy scale.

When voters go to vote in the federal election next year they should not forget those two words. Before the Social Services Minister decided to reduce funding to Foodbank, did he inquire as to why Foodbank and other like charities have to exist in this so-called lucky country.

Sadly, hunger is not just a Third World problem. The minister should hold a meeting with the CEOs of all charities and see what the government can do to help, not to hinder.

I do not mean a cap-wearing talkfest. While the minister is waiting for it to happen, he should email all school principals and find out the number of students going to school without breakfast.

This government has egg all over its face as we find out more about bank behaviour.

Some well-educated, well-paid people saw no issue in ripping off their fellow Australians. Maybe the minister could ask Treasury for a few million from the fines, which some banks have so far had to pay, and increase support to our cash-strapped charities.

Gail McAlpine, Griffith

Evidence has been amassed against us, but once released we aren't permitted to tell anyone about our ordeal lest we "disappear" again.

With political appointees rather than judges deciding how this power is exercised it's difficult to imagine it not being abused. Never mind the fact that the Bourke Street miscreant was under no illusion that the penalty for his intended actions would almost certainly be death.

Just exactly how many more freedoms would Ms Prendergast (Letters, November 16) have us give up in the name of security, and why does she think that might dissuade a disturbed mind from acting on irrational impulses?

James Allan, Narrabundah

In the article "Harsh remarks aimed at Dutton" (November 18, p4), Malcolm Turnbull is reported to have said to the Australian Bar Association's national conference: "If Peter [Dutton] was the answer, you'd have to ask: what was the question?"

I have read that a major reason given for voting Mr Turnbull out of the Liberal leadership was his alleged inability to sell the government's "message". Judging by what I have seen of Mr Dutton's performances in front of the media, I seriously doubt that he could do any better.

One more likely reason for Mr Turnbull's ousting was his attitude to climate change, about which Mr Dutton and his supporters are sceptical. Mr Turnbull is reported to have told the lawyers' meeting that these sceptic are "on another plane". In my view, a more appropriate description of these people is they are on another planet.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

JUSTICE AFTER ALL

Well, well, government's hoisted with its own petard.

Global body hire conglomerates, who, with the "big four", annually wrangle billions, tax-free, from Australian taxpayers, courtesy federal government's infatuation with outsourcing, will be crying foul ("Hundreds of IT contractors 'not needed", November 17, p11). Every cloud has a silver lining.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

STANDING ORDER

I wonder if the war museum erection intended to be attached to the Australian War Memorial will be called "The Brendan Nelson Extension".

John F. Simmons, Kambah

DIRECTIONS HEARING

Err, it was Southern, not Northern, Rhodesia (Letters, November 19) which enacted UDI, on November 11, 1965. Northern Rhodesia became Zambia after independence from the UK in 1964.

Peter Moran, Watson

MISREADING THE WILL

On the first anniversary of the same sex marriage plebiscite we are reminded that whoever the leader of the moment is, this LNP government has an innate ability to misread the will of the people on so many issues.

Keith Hill, Isaacs

WHY IS IT SO?

Those who are disposed to criticise Indonesia for expressing its concern about the Australian proposal to shift its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem need to start at the beginning and tell us why it is in Australia's national interest to do so.

Jeff Hart, Kingston

GET REAL, PM

Should Theresa May, instead of defiantly declaring, "I'm going nowhere," been more realistic and said, "I'm getting nowhere"?

Eric Hunter, Cook

OUR MASTER'S VOICE

Like many of us, Athol Morris (Letters, November 19) is unhappy that "a foreign country purports to dictate Australian foreign policy". But, Athol, I think you are a bit late in your reference to Indonesia; that job was outsourced to the United States some years ago.

Brian Smith, Conder'

NEW RENDER AGENDA

If people have apparently lost faith in democracy maybe it's because they no longer feel the need to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's ("The democracy blues", November 19, p4).

Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW

TERROR EXAMPLES, PLEASE

To the apologists for Islamic terrorism who regularly write to The Canberra Times, please provide examples of Christian terrorism in Australia where people were butchered in the name of Jesus Christ and where the perpetrators yelled, "God is great," while committing the act.

A. Pavelic, Queanbeyan

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).