Students face a vague slop

Students need to be presented with classes that will challenge them and spark an interest in a specialised field, rather than being subjected to the standardised and vague slop offered by the national curriculum.

Pat Bacon, Carwoola, NSW

Steve Ellis's response to Rosemary Follett's glowing article about the ACT's College system ("ACT offers a school system second to none", December 14, p21) should be carefully read by those interested in education as there are many unstated points of considerable importance.

Currently employed teachers are no longer allowed to voice an opinion about educational matters as they did before the Follett government's appointee, Max Sawatzki, as enforcer, ensured that teachers were only to be functionaries under the minister for education. As a result parents are not aware of the profound adverse changes to the college system that have occurred over a long period of time.

The crippling of the curriculum offerings, the changes to the number of minor courses allowed and the restrictions in breadth and quality imposed by the current government's acceptance of the national curriculum being only a few.

The present college system is not at all like that which was set up by the four courageous founding principals. The wide curriculum offerings written and taught by enthusiastic teachers endorsed by a forward looking Accreditation Agency keen to support the college system and the full range of student interests were some of the defining aspects.

The BSSS and the ACT government should review the history of the college system and take the gag off teachers in order for parents to be made aware of their concerns, rather than the silence from educational leaders in the department who do not seem to have a deep-commitment to the college system.

Steve Thomas, Yarralumla

Congratulations to the three students who received a score of 99.95 in the ATAR results for 2016 ("Top ACT students planning the next course of action", December 14, p2-3) . They are truly remarkable students and we can only wish them a success in their future studies.

All three students attended state colleges and yet that was almost not mentioned. If they had been to private colleges I am sure the CT would have sort comments from the various principals, so why not from the state colleges?

One of the students was from Melbe Copland, which for many years has been the subject of very unfair criticism. So congratulations Melba Copland.

It was also a bit disappointing to see that there was no mention of teachers. As Doug Hodgson (Letters, December 15) points out everyone is quick to blame teachers when things seemingly don't go to plan, so why aren't they given a bit of recognition when things do go to plan?

So to all the teachers ... You should be very proud of the part you played in your students' achievements.

Geoff Barker, Flynn

Is it not enough that Civic and Northbourne Avenue are already covered by 10 special planning precincts ("New precinct aims for urban renewal", December 16, p4)?

The City Centre, Northbourne Avenue and Inner North have had special planning precincts since 2008. By 2012 the ACT Government had set up additional special precincts, each covering a section of Northbourne Avenue, for Braddon, Lyneham and Dickson.

Without informing the Legislative Assembly, the Government used a Technical Amendment to cover sections of Northbourne Avenue with more special planning precincts for Acton, O'Connor, and Downer, and to create a special Central Canberra planning precinct that covers all of these areas. If this trend continues, each building on Northbourne Avenue will soon have its own special planning precinct.

Leon Arundell, Downer

According to your editorial "Reassurance needed on Northbourne" (December 16, p18) "Mr Barr's reference to the 'successful' developments of Southbank in Brisbane and East Perth does not augur well ... But Labor's propensity for putting commercial considerations first is long-standing ... Only by outlining fair and impartial planning rules will Mr Barr reassure those who fear his vision for Northbourne has dollar signs in front of it."

One sees little hope of such rules being outlined, far less enacted and adhered to.

Gary J Wilson , Macgregor

The "Cut cyclists speed pleads bereft owner", December 5, pp 6-7, article combines persistent pet related non-news with what seems to be an attempt to engender animosity towards cyclists.

The story notes, conveniently ignored by subsequent letter writers, the dog actually strayed into the path of the cyclist.

A more accurate title would be "Cyclist avoids a fall after collision with uncontrolled dog".

An impact involving a bicycle will almost certainly be painful and potentially expensive for all concerned, including cyclists.

This point was diplomatically made by your correspondent (John Rogers, Letters, December 8) who tells us of a friend who died as a result of a fall caused by a dog.

The advice from the JACS spokesperson at the end of the article should have been given more prominence, but the CT went for excessive sentiment and uninformed speculation about physics.

Pedestrians need to keep left, to walk dogs on a lead on the left hand side and to control them, and parents similarly manage their children.

Scott Thompson, Curtin

Another day, another senior ALP factional leader sent to prison ("Obeid starts life as a prisoner", December 16, p8). Eddie Obeid through his faction effectively ran the NSW branch of the ALP for as long as a decade.

Eddie is where he deserves to be. The question that remains is how many of the members of the NSW and Federal Labor Caucus who own their preselection and subsequent election to deals done with Obeid and his mates deserve to be where they are. And what, if anything, has changed?

Jon Stanhope, Bruce

Well, well, well. While it's the long overdue clink for Obeid, the question this happy event raises is just who and how many past and current Labor luminaries will follow given the difficulties garnering evidence to convict (and we know how bad the past 10 years in NSW has been).

Kate McClymont's diligence as an investigative journalist for Fairfax Media sets a benchmark (which should be the norm) to aspiring newshounds everywhere. Go, Kate.

William Gray, Bungendore, NSW

Australian artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers have a right to receive fair payment for their work. The sweeping changes to Australian copyright laws being pushed by Peter Martin ("End copyright racket", December 15, p20), the Productivity Commission and big tech companies will see these protections taken away.

Mr Martin claims universities can't get ahead because of Australia's copyright framework. And yet, our world-leading copyright licences allow schools and universities to copy and share everything published in the world for less than the cost of a book for every student.

This supports a higher education system that last month reported that international students, knocking down the door to get into Aussie universities, generated a record $20.3 billion in income just this year. To say that copyright is holding them back is, frankly, bizarre.

Adam Suckling, CEO, Copyright Agency

I was most impressed with Toni Hassan's article on giving the gift of time to loved ones this Christmas ("Looking for a last-minute Christmas present? Why not give the gift of quality time to your loved ones", December 15, pp20-21).

I hope it makes some families reflect on the way in which the electronic media may destroy or erode their relationships. It is also very relevant to the debate on falling educational standards.

While computers and tablets may be useful educational tools in the classroom they can clearly destroy conversation and reading and the discipline of learning by heart such elements of our culture as poetry.

One of the great ironies of life is that computer search engines such as Google have opened the door to limitless information for all, but the standard of general knowledge remains poor.

Data does not necessarily lead to knowledge, much less wisdom.

Robert Willson, Deakin

Noel Towell's reference to the Australian Public Service's leadership development programs as "hosting luxury overnight get-togethers" ("Quest to assess the public service best", December 9, pp8-9) misrepresents the nature of the programs.

The Public Service Commission provides leadership development programs to build the leadership skills of APS employees. These service-wide programs include a number of workshops complemented by on-the-job learning. In 2015-16 we held 29 leadership programs for 526 employees from across the Australian Public Service.

Of the 29 programs, five programs for Senior Executive Service employees contained residential components as part of their overall design. This is consistent with the approach taken by many private-sector organisations and reflects contemporary practice.

The Commission selects venues for residential workshops that are close to Canberra but far enough away to allow for uninterrupted participation in the training. Programs run during the day and into the evening and there is no time allocated to participate in any leisure activities associated with these venues.

Value for money is the key consideration in the selection of residential venues. Typically, training venue, accommodation and catering costs for the programs are $340-$370 per day per person.

Other non-residential programs are sometimes held at external venues when the Commission's training centre in Woden is unavailable, or when we run programs outside Canberra, for example in Melbourne.

Value for money remains the key consideration in selecting suitable venues. Typical costs for training room hire and catering range from $60 to $80 per day per person, depending on the venue and facilities.

John Lloyd, commissioner, Australian Public Service Commission

The latest scandal to hit Defence spending ("Defence's missing $200m", December 15, p1) only highlights an increasing dysfunction across many areas of government, especially in IT management areas. In the past few months alone we've had the Census fiasco, Centrelink breakdowns and lost data in the Tax Office.

All compounded by the recent resignation in despair of Malcolm Turnbull's IT guru. So much for the government's much-vaunted policy of "more efficient outsourcing".

And the response from Defence to the National Audit Office's scathing report? If quoted correctly, it's a rambling piece of indecipherable bureaucratic nonsense. Sir Humphrey would have at least made it sound plausible.

Eric Hunter, Cook

I have several friends in the US who rely on food stamps. One couple, for example, have a two-year-old child; he works full time and she has a part-time job, yet without food stamps they wouldn't be able to afford to live.

I understand more than 50 per cent of full-time WalMart employees receive food stamps. This is the direction that our federal government is taking us down in their headlong rush to Americanise our economy.

Fred Pilcher, Kaleen

LACK OF JUDGMENT

Surely a judge should know whether he has jurisdiction or not to issue a warrant ("Police surveillance warrants bungled", December 16, p1). Why imply the police are at fault?

M. Davis, Charnwood

BANK WON'T STUMBLE

If my bank manager walked into my place of business and stubbed his or her toe, I'd be liable. Somehow a major bank is not.

Michael F. Buggy, Torrens

RESPONSIBLE DISPLAY

The Hudson displayed at Canberra airport should remind the naive, ill-informed and ignorant of the federal government's responsibilities to safeguard the Australian nation. I hope other airports will follow with displays of former RAAF craft.

Christopher Ryan, Watson

OPTIONS FOR DEBATE

Two recommendations for republic debate and people's vote. 1. Include fully costed business case for each option. 2. Include option for aboriginal elders to elect head of state, for life, similar to electing the Pope; ending with smoking ceremony when they decide.

Jim Thornton, Conder

STARTLED CYCLISTS

I guess those that insist on cyclists ringing bells have not experienced the "startled rabbit" reaction where the pedestrian automatically jumps to the other side of the path.

George Kozakos, Barton

WHAT A LOBSTER

For most of the day Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull looks to me as though he is unsure of what selection of sauce to order for the lobster. But by late afternoon a confidence appears – he has opted for the garlic bearnaise rather than the hollandaise or tartar.

Matt Ford, Crookwell, NSW

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