The fact is, our car-dominant city is an aberration in terms of urban planning and what makes a healthy, vibrant and economically successful city. Walter Burley-Griffin's original plan for Canberra was one of a compact, walkable and public transport-friendly city. Sadly, this plan was hijacked by subsequent planners who saw the proliferation of the private motor vehicle as a good thing, not seeing the long-term harm that such a skewed transport paradigm creates.

People like Professor Newman, who study the science of how cities work, are the people we should be championing in order to correct the planning blunders of our past and create a liveable city of the future. They should not be the people we ridicule or dismiss. We also need to collectively get our heads out of the sand and recognise the way we get around in Canberra has to change, and light rail is an important step in that direction.

Robert Knight, Garran

Coal decision welcome Coal is the most damaging of all fossil fuels from a climate perspective. Thus, the Norwegian government's unanimous decision last week to divest the country's sovereign wealth fund from companies that get over 30percent of their income from coal was very welcome indeed. The decision will affect over $US8.8 billion of the fund's investments.

This is part of a worldwide divestment movement from coal that began over three years ago and now includes the Church of England, the French insurer AXA, Stanford University, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and Australia's Uniting Church. Soon after the Norwegian decision, a coalition of organisations that works with thousands of the world's most influential businesses and investors called on the G7 for complete decarbonisation of the economy well before the end of the century.

They want that to be a firm commitment at COP21 in Paris in December. Where is the Australian government on all this? Still pressing ahead with developing coal mines in the Galilee Basin in Queensland. Greenpeace estimates that if all the Galilee Basin mines are developed to their maximum potential, it will nearly double Australia's current annual emissions.

The government's recent Energy White Paper proudly proclaimed Australia as an energy superpower and by that it meant the export of coal, given that renewables barely rated a mention. It is totally at odds with the global movement to divest from coal. It is not enough that Australia will meet its feeble targets to reduce emissions; it must also recognise the damage that coal causes and desist from further development of mines.

Jenny Goldie, Michelago, NSW

If the breathtaking inefficiency of whoever is responsible for the "work" on Constitution Avenue is any indication, then one hates to imagine the shambles that would eventuate if the proposed (unmandated) light rail on Northbourne Avenue goes ahead.

Apart from destroying the pleasant entry into Canberra, I suspect motorists would be subjected to monumental disruptions.

Even more galling is the thought that if the proposed second phase of light rail towards Russell went ahead then the current Constitution Avenue changes would be dug up.

Don't the various parts of TAMS speak to one another?

It is about time that the incredible waste of money on pet projects of some members is stopped and funds redirected to fixing up all the other problems of Canberra's infrastructure.

Roger Allnutt, Deakin

When will the live animal export trade be banned? The latest macabre story ("Abattoir filmed mistreating animals", June 9, p5) is yet another example of how it is impossible to guarantee the welfare of animals sent to abattoirs overseas. The Israeli story is absolutely disgusting. Shame on them.

I'm sick and tired of excuses by Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and people in the export industry. Enough is enough. It must stop now. At the very least we could slaughter the animals here and then send the frozen meat overseas. Why is this idea so difficult for the export industry to get its head around? They need to wake up to themselves.

R. Moulis, Hackett

Unfortunately it seems Bob Tozer (Letters, June 7) has good reason to be concerned about neighbours of a Mr Fluffy demolition being exposed to asbestos fibres if ACT Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe's assurances are anything to go by.

Information regarding safe distances/exclusion zones around all forms of asbestos removal sites (not just Mr Fluffy) is scarce in the building industry.

As recently as three years ago I was told it was perfectly safe to work up to 10 metres from an active asbestos removal wearing no personal protective equipment whatsoever. But surely 10metres upwind of asbestos fibres is very different from 10metres downwind?

When I put this to Mr McCabe at a recent asbestos seminar not only did he appear to be unaware of any previous, existing or proposed future legislation on safe exclusion zones, he "assured" me that once these fine particles were taken by the wind they dissipated rapidly.

He went on to add that if he were to die suddenly an autopsy would reveal asbestos particles in his respiratory system as they are present throughout the atmosphere.

Not really the answer I'd hoped to hear from the man overseeing the "safe" demolition of over 1000 contaminated Canberra properties.

Brent J. Woodward, Richardson

Asbestos-contaminated rubble from 1021+ homes is to be dumped slap-bang in the middle of a proposed new West Belconnen suburb; where is the extremely toxic and dangerous "Mr Fluffy" carcinogenic, asbestos dust to be dumped?

We are concerned and have not forgotten about the shamefully non-monitored, toxic, carcinogenic chemical fire in Mitchell!

P.R. Temple, Macquarie

Successive Australian governments have betrayed hundreds of thousands of Australia-born workers. Everywhere I go there are large numbers of workers who were born in other countries; I know this from their accents. This is not just happening for nurses, and for other graduates ("Thousands of nurse graduates miss out on jobs to migrants", June 8, p3); it is happening at all levels of the job market from workers at Costco, Woolworths and Coles, to government agency staff, to dentists, to vets, to doctors, to IT workers, to lawyers. It is not the fact of it but the quantum of it that is the issue.

Arguably the most destructive and damaging event in a person's life is unemployment. The official general unemployment rate is something like 6.5percent, and the official youth unemployment rate is around 15percent.

Yet, due to corrupt, incompetent and uncaring government and business practices hundreds of thousands of Australia-born workers have been displaced by overseas-born workers. This is a national tragedy, a disgrace and an outrage.

Where are the unions? Where is what used to be the Labor Party? Where are the media? I urge all Australians to protest about this important issue in whatever manner possible. It is only through sufficient numbers that change can be affected.

Peter Nielsen, Calwell

Graduate nurses are not missing out to "migrants" as bean-counting corporates merrily rort 457 visas lurks, using their lobbying power to maintaining the subterfuge that skills they import are not available in Australia.

The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association – a union by another name – perpetuates the falsehood that 25percent of new entrants to the nation's workforce occupy "specialist roles". This attitude is reflective of all corporates, and conniving politicians conspire to maintain the status quo.

Employers are free-loading by stealing trained, experienced nurses from other countries which have invested in their education and formation, while evading their responsibility to contribute to Australia's social capital by employing graduates.

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

How much more ridiculous can our politicians (past and present), women liberationists and the media get than they have done in the last couple of weeks. Who, other than those mentioned, could care less about a leak from a cabinet meeting? The only person it affects is the perpetrator, who will carry forever the dishonour of his/her action.

Who could care less whether there is a GST on tampons? The annual cost to individual women is negligible in the context of cost of living. Who could care less whether Islamic extremists go overseas to fight for an ideal that is not recognised by ordinary Australians or ordinary followers of Islam? Surely the answer is not one of depriving them of citizenship but rather one of denying them access to Australia's misplaced social services. Why should ordinary Australians be paying to support their extreme views whether at home or abroad? The media, having no social conscience, just belittle their own industry by the hours or hundreds of column centimetres devoted to their reporting of the above items.

Baden Williams, Lyneham

June marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the "Great Charter" that established the rule of law for the English-speaking world. It is the foundation of our freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot (or executive) – that is, "freedom under law of the land".

The Magna Carta conceives rights as guarantees against state coercion: No one can put you in prison or seize your property or mistreat you other than by due process. This vital concept of freedom is worth clinging to in an age that likes to redefine rights as entitlements – the right to affordable healthcare, the right to be forgotten and so on.

We must continue to stand up for our freedom from despots and ensure that the executive (eg, an immigration minister) is not able to take away your freedom (eg, citizenship) without due process via the courts with a right of appeal.

John Widdup, Lyneham

What better way to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta than by paying a visit to Magna Carta Place? Situated adjacent to the Senate Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House, it is a little treasure that few seem to know of.

Nea Storey, Wanniassa

It is not outside the bounds of possibility that the "cabinet leakage" was orchestrated by Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton as a strategy to bolster their standing with the backbench, as Dutton explains has happened ("Leaks strengthened PM's hand: Dutton", June 8, p2).

It appears that they are prepared to do anything to hold onto their positions, including verballing the Human Rights Commissioner in ongoing attempts at undermining her credibility and that of Senator Sarah Hanson Young ("Minister should get his facts straight before attacking", June 6, p4]. But we are widely aware across the nation that this government has structured itself on a foundation of secrets and lies from the beginning whereas individuals such as Professor Triggs and Senator Hanson Young have demonstrated nothing less than honesty and integrity in their criticisms and warnings. No one should be vilified for speaking the truth.

W. Book, Hackett

Joe Hockey says "just get a good job, with good pay and security", and you can all buy a home. Pity his government has destroyed many good jobs, job security, and made thousands unemployed. Good pay? Many young people can find only part-time or contract jobs.

His second advice: "Build, build, build", is also deficient. We are already losing arable land to housing, commuting times are getting longer and roads getting more crowded.

Obviously, Joe has never heard the Cree Indian prophesy: "When the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten and the last stream poisoned, you will realise that you cannot eat money."

M. Pietersen, Kambah

The worst trade deficit in Australia's history ("$A falls sharply on 'disastrous' April trade data", BusinessDay, June 5, p13) is testament to the incomprehension of both sides of federal politics about how wealth is generated in the modern world. Unlike most of our Asian neighbours, both the Coalition and Labor have neglected science and technology, the key drivers of prosperity, committing us to the mercy of commodity booms and busts, offshoring our jobs and exposing Australian companies to foreign takeovers.

They shy away from fair taxation of corporates, transnationals and the super-rich, preferring to run ungovernable deficits and to hammer the working poor and middle income sectors. Both are now committed to a policy of endless war and foreign military adventures, without the democratic sanction of voters.

Both sides appear to uphold the abuse and internment of asylum-seeking children, contrary to the wishes of most Australians. They oppose majority sentiment in favour of medically assisted dying and equal rights in marriage. They are engaged in a highly secretive trade negotiation which leaks indicate will be to the benefit of US and transnational companies, and not ordinary Australians. None of the main political parties values the Australian environment, including agriculture, and will support frackers, coal miners, gas drillers, shippers and other, usually foreign-owned, interests in the mindless destruction of national treasures such as the Great Barrier Reef.

All of these things bespeak a political system which flouts Australian democracy in favour of a globalised model of pillage and plunder that disregards the future. Unless we, the people, remove these venal incompetents and replace their undemocratic politics with some rationality and fairness, Australia is on track to become a developing autocracy run by a handful of mega-rich.

Julian Cribb, Franklin

HOCKEY'S SOLUTION

Now that Joe Hockey has found the solution to the difficulties facing young people trying to enter the Sydney housing market ("get a good job that pays good money"), I hope he will use his legendary abilities to find a cure for cancer and bring about world peace (in his own lunchtime).

A. Rowell, Ainslie

Joe Hockey's advice to young, aspiring Sydney house-buyers borders on the farcical. Joe married a clever woman and owns several houses. Given his shaky grasp of economic and fiscal policy, I suspect that, had he not married well, he'd still be a renter.

Peter Moran, Watson

So that's where I was going wrong! I need to go out and get myself a good, highly-paid job so I can buy a house. Silly me. How can we not play the man when it is the man that keeps coming out with such stupid statements. The man is a fool.

Sue Gerrard, Dunlop

WEAPONS CLAIM

Based on scant evidence, I see Mathias Cormann and Julie Bishop have already linked Islamic State with chemical weapons. Not the mistakes of Iraq all over again! Prepare for a dog-whistling national security khaki election. Get those fridge magnets out!

Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW

CLIMATE CONFUSION

"One swallow does not a summer make," and a run of hard frosts in the first week of June tells us damn all about climate change. If Sheila Duke (Letters, June 8) wants to learn more about climate change, Tony Eggleton's excellent book is in the ACT Library.

David Teather, Reid

Perhaps, Sheila Duke was being tongue in cheek. But just in case she wasn't, the issue is not "global warming" but "climate change" which infers increased climate variability with an overall warming trend. She can, therefore, expect more colder days and some stinkers too.

Dan Buchler, Waramanga

"I say Cholmondeley just look at those frosts. That'll knock those climate change chappies into a cocked hat!" So said the blind man who had an elephant by the tail and assumed it looked like a snake.

Peter Edsor, Bungendore, NSW

OUT OF ORDER

Nobody receives an Order of Australia, as Lee Gaskin wrote that Lauren Jackson did in your list of recipients of Queen's Birthday Honours (Lift-out, Times2, June 8, p2). Jackson was made an officer of the order.

Michael Travis, Bruce

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