Status quo a toxic policy

On the one hand, there are backers of coal such as Tony Abbott who seem to believe old technology will curb rising electricity prices when it can't – the replacement costs for old plant being way too high and with investment in new coal-fired generation being costly and in permanent decline. On the other hand, a pro-renewables policy negotiated between Labor and Abbott doesn't keep the lights on. There is an urgent need for more comprehensive and adept reforms to unlock investments in energy infrastructure and services tailored to the current century's needs. It is time to put aside political bickering, price carbon, and return certainty to the energy investment market as all of the major business groups, bar the mineral council, are urging. The "status quo" is actually the most toxic policy on the table! It hurts consumers, the vast majority of businesses, and future inhabitants of a warming world. Now that chief scientist Alan Finkel has delivered his findings, we sorely need a coherent policy response to deal with electricity emissions, prices and security as a package, and not in a fragmented, politically partisan, misinformed or outdated way.

Jim Allen, Hove, SA

The article by Georgina Connery (June17, page 14) titled "Paint makes fuel from just sun and thin air", if accurate, foreshadows a potential new avenue for producing clean energy from the sun.

I therefore find it disappointing in the extreme that the RMIT researchers felt it necessary to release their findings, rather than patent it, because of "the years it would take to go through commercialisation by ourselves". I'll bet other manufacturing nations won't be so generous.

What's wrong with our government? It can find billions to help other countries foul up our environment. Why isn't the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and his department right behind such research with the financial backing and local support it needs?

Garth Setchell, Mawson

I had great pleasure in reading Georgina Connery's article ("Investors back Canberra community solar project", June20, page7) on solar power generation by a group of people.

This is a positive action to lessen global warming and reduce pollution. Why can't we use our rooftops to create energy? Certainly, the power generating companies could hire the rooftops and pay rents to the owners who agree with the proposal?

Our politicians are talking a lot on this subject, travelling all over the world and joining talk fests, but we are still not taking a big step to address this problem of global warming.

Small could be beautiful.

S.K.Chatterjee, Evatt

I welcome our coalition governments's restrictions on the Australian LNG exports, in an attempt to control the rising domestic gas prices.

Australian are already suffering from unaffordable housing market and sky-rocketing living costs.

It makes perfect sense for the citizens of this country to benefit from its resources at an affordable cost.

We should always look at a long-term perspective of our manufacturing industry rather short-term financial gains.

Industrial strength is the biggest economic factor in the prosperity of any country.

Attia Tull Karim Mahmood, South Bowenfels, NSW

T.Puckett (Letters, June19) writes the obvious: "As usual it's the taxpayers ... who pay the mooted $70million-plus for settlement of the Manus Island class action."

I celebrated the court decision while mourning the horrors endured by those detained in my name. Time and again, it seems that only once something hits us Aussies in our pockets, we're no longer relaxed and comfortable; no longer able to ignore it.

And as long as we're relaxed and comfortable and mindfully ignorant – as we are about asylum seekers thanks to the policies, actions, and words of our parliamentarians – we endorse our current slate of parliamentarians and their court-determined, inhumane policies.

So bless the courts; bless them for imposing financial pain on us. It's time we cry out, "Enough is enough!" and expel the current mob of parliamentarians who seem to have checked their morals, ethics and hearts at the door somewhere.

J.Bamberger, O'Connor ACT

Bruce Taggart criticised the claim in "An advertisement by my federal MP, Dr Andrew Leigh (June19, page 3)" that "Canberra is not getting a fair go under Malcolm Turnbull's Liberals." (Letters, June21).

He referred to the per capita GST funding for the ACT, which is about 20per cent over the state and territory average.

This was a major egalitarian justification to foist self-government on the ACT against the electorate's will.

As has been detailed in articles I have read over the years, even this 20per cent is inadequate to finance the expenses arising from Canberra's showcase urban planning and special functions.

These include free municipal services to the Commonwealth and the diplomatic corps; dis-economies of scale for the supply of health, education and utilities; and a relatively non-existent tax base.

On this point, Dr Leigh is issuing an overdue challenge.

Mr Taggart's comparison is as invalid as comparing per capita CBD municipal expenditure with that in an outer suburb of any capital city.

Gary J.Wilson, Macgregor

Heather Henderson's letter (letters, May 23) on the decentralisation of government agencies reflects both wisdom and compassion that is sadly missing in the federal government.

Any casual observer of how most organisations operate (not just government departments) knows that seeing people face to face is much more informative and therefore productive than via a screen.

Just ask any parent of a "screenager" if it is better to have one on one communications or leave it to the umbilically attached laptop or iPhone.

It is also worth pointing out that public policy matters often require a multi-pronged approach; for example health outcomes impact on more than health and wellbeing. They have an impact on employment prospects, our justice system, housing options and transport, to name just a few.

Having all the necessary expertise in the same place at the fingertips of our elected officials is such an obvious advantage, the only conclusion for those trying to force decentralisation down our throats, is pure unadulterated politics.

Using taxpayers' funds to force agencies to relocate to a politician's electorate will garner votes, so the argument goes.

It is also incredibly arrogant and lacking compassion to tell people who like where they live, have kids, friends, relatives and genuine interests in staying where they are, to uproot their lives and move elsewhere so that someone like Barnaby Joyce can shore up his prospects of being re-elected.

Barnaby, your public servant employees are people, not your political playthings.

Phillip Hoysted, Hobart, Tas

Comments that were reportedly made by the Chief Minister during the Legislative Assembly's Estimates Hearings on 19 June ("Treasury ruled out market value for rates", June 20, p.1) convey the impression that the government he leads is fighting the good fight in pursuit of fairness and social equity by heavily taxing the territory's wealthiest residents in order to help the most disadvantaged.

Unfortunately, however, that impression seems completely at odds with the government's land development policies, which seem to have been formulated so as to ensure that the territory's biggest and wealthiest property developers can make windfall profits.

Last Saturday's article by Kirsten Lawson ("Canberra farmers making millions", CT, June 17) provides a convenient, recent example. The Corkhill family was apparently able to make a gross profit of $3.3 million on an initial outlay of $1.2million over approximately 14 years when it sold the Ginninderry site to the government last year.

Arguably, the Corkhill family's profit on the sale of Ginninderry would have been significantly boosted by the government's decision in March 2004 to grant the family a 99-year lease, at a time when the site had already been identified for future residential development.

Bruce Taggart, Aranda

Everyone wants Canberra eateries to be "cool". Or do they?

The trendy areas of New Action, Kingston Foreshore and Lonsdale Street are where the beautiful people rub shoulders, and are the only ones who get a review. What about the rest of us?

I long to spend time in a restaurant where the staff don't look like extras for Home and Away. Where the waiters have such good vision, they can see people over 50. Where there is easy parking and the salad doesn't look as if it was harvested with a Whipper Snipper. Where nothing on the menu is "smashed" and a mature eater can recognise most of the ingredients.

In a world of prize-winning baristas, where, please, please, there is someone who knows how to make a decent cup of tea.

And, while we are at it: a thought for these simple little venues. Because you are not trendy, you may not be too busy on weekdays.

How about setting aside a big table for "coffee and conversation"; inviting all those who avoid eating out alone to come along and meet some new people.

Maxine Edmonds, Ngunnawal

My recent viewings of The Bowls Show on television led me to the conclusion that more young people partake in the sport than I had thought. Then I had another thought: many young people live in Gungahlin, which has no bowling clubs.

No doubt, some community-minded organisation such as, for example, the Ainslie Football Club group, possibly with government assistance, will soon rectify this startling anomaly.

Ainslie Football Club did, after all, rescue the faltering Canberra City Bowling Club some years ago and promised to support bowls at their Gungahlin Lakes site.

However, the said football club did overspend somewhat on their recent renovations, so the bean counters may be loath to spend more money, no matter how valuable to the community the result might be.

A meeting of Canberra City Bowling Club members to be held this Sunday may hear some good news from the AFC; let us hope so.

While they're at it, Gungahlin could also do with some croquet and bocce courts.

J. Howard, Cook

Re-reading one of my old history texts I came across the following observation, written by David Thomson, the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, in 1959.

"Violence may be defined as the abuse of power: and the abuse of power can be defined only in relation to its proper use for promoting prosperity, welfare, security, freedom and justice."

He was referring to the "age of violence" from 1898 to 1945.

Why is that so few historians talk about big ideas such as this nowadays? In our preoccupation with who did what to whom we have lost sight of why we need to do the right thing.

M. Moore, Bonython

The ACT government is finding that it needs to replace many broken footpaths. Many would not need replacing if they were made a little thicker and reinforced with strong mesh, used stronger concrete, and used key joints. Cheap construction always costs more.

John Skurr, Deakin

PAY CLAIM LAUGHABLE

Public Service Commissioner John Lloyd's claim (letters, June 19) that "the reason for a low annual remuneration increase for some staff is that the CPSU has opposed pay offers" suggests Mr Lloyd vastly underestimates the knowledge and intelligence of his audience.

J. Stirzaker, Latham

WHY ARE WE WAITING?

Can someone please take a poll on internet users? From what I hear it's widely thumbs down for a variety of reasons and no NBN exaggeration can blow enough smoke to conceal the reality that services are way below par because of poor planning, with little or no relief in sight. Over-capacity exchanges are thought to be central to the problem.

John Lawrence, Belconnen

DUTTON PEDDLES ON

Even after the Australian government has had to fork out $70 million in out-of-court compensation to settle the class action by 1905 detainees on Manus Island, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton continues to bombastically peddle "alternative facts " regarding the unlawful, cruel and inhumane detention of refugees and asylum seekers.

Rajend Naidu, Glenfield, NSW

FUNDING MYSTERY

That Canberra in the City loses funding raises more questions than answers. Why was it funded in the first place? How were staff selected and paid? Questions not answered when the CEO was interviewed on radio. The interviewer commented on $10,000 per rubbish bin only to be told they were "works of art". Where did the rest of the $1.8 million go?

John Coochey, Chisholm

KEDI NOT SO CUTE

Just been to see the G-rated movie Kedi, expecting to see a cute movie about cats. What I found was a movie that depicted actual violence. Examples include one cat using violence to claim a territory and a mother cat defending her kittens. Even the most violent R-rated movies do not show actual violence, only simulated violence.

Robert Hawes, Page

COLLISION AT SEA

Rod Matthews (letters, June 20) can rest assured certainties arise from any deliberation over a collision at sea between a US warship and another vessel. A board of inquiry takes its task seriously. The captain, executive officer and most officers in the wardroom can consider their careers terminated in disgrace for good reason.

Gerry Murphy, Braddon

UNIFIED APPROACH

Why can't the whole world simply adopt Christianity? The Church of England version, natch.

C. J. Mountifield, Greenway

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