Of course, shockingly inadequate government funding affects the quality of care in nursing homes, as John Brummell (Letters, February 8) wrote.
However, the recent heartbreaking news of the sanctioning of the Ginninderra Gardens nursing home demonstrates that Anglicare Canberra-Goulburn has not learned from its previous malpractice.
In July 2000 both Brindabella Gardens and Ginninderra Gardens nursing homes failed to meet accreditation standards, and a new director of care was appointed to ensure that in future standards would be met.
In March 2006 Ginninderra Gardens failed accreditation, and failed once more in 2009. In 2010 Ginninderra Gardens was sanctioned, and now, two years later, it's happening again.
In your article ''Nursing home a 'risk' to residents'' (January 30, p1) Anglicare chief executive Peter Sandeman said, ''I came to Canberra to sort out Ginninderra Gardens two years ago.'' Has he done his job? No. Over the past 12 years has Anglicare or its predecessor Anglican Retirement Community Services demonstrated an ability to successfully operate nursing homes? No.
The community has the ability to make a difference following this dreadful record. Back in 2000, then-bishop George Browning said there was a need for a cultural change beyond nursing home staff and management. He was right. If the country as a whole valued its elders, governments would be compelled to fund this area adequately.
Carolyn Fielden, Griffith
I was unimpressed by the apologist headline, ''Don't rush to lay blame on facilities caring for the elderly'' (Letters, February 8). One might blame the poor wages. One might blame the self-regulation introduced into the Aged Care Act in 1997.
However, an immediate industry reduction in registered nurse hours upon the introduction of self-regulation is documented.
A confidential observer reports that the class of vehicle seen in staff (management) car parks has improved since that introduction. This suggests corporate and management greed could be a factor.
The bottom line remains: Anglicare's Ginninderra Gardens is being closely monitored, one might almost say managed, by ACSA because of ongoing lack of due care.
Aged and Community Services Australia is a national body of more than 1400 stakeholders funded by the industry and government.
No doubt improved finance, regulation and enforcement to follow up the Productivity Commission's report of last August, Caring for Older Australians, would improve services.
But that does not absolve Anglicare from consistent dereliction of duty.
Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor
ASIO MONSTROSITY
At first I was amused by David Fricker's self-serving and unqualified opinion that the new Stasi, sorry ASIO, building dominating both Parkes Way and Constitution Avenue is ''harmonious'' and appropriate to the site (''New ASIO site on time, on budget'', February 4, p5). Until I realised he was serious.
Unfortunately, it actually reeks in both size and intent of Albert Speer's plans for Germania, the proposed hubristic, super-sized rebuilding of a bulldozed Berlin intended to be the capital of the Third Reich.
Fricker should be aware that the original plans for Constitution Avenue, as its name suggests, were for benign civic and cultural institutions to line a proposed wide boulevard.
Instead, we have this monstrosity, staring across the landscape like some malevolent, unblinking Eye of Sauron, mocking the democratic institutions across the lake it purports to protect. As William Pitt the Younger wrote more than 200 years ago, ''Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.''
David Jenkins, Turner
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