Attempts by the acting chairman of the National Capital Authority, Professor Don Aitkin, (Letters, June 23) to placate concerned citizens over the siting and design of the new ASIO complex on ''Consternation'' Avenue, are typically paternalistic, and misleading.
Contrary to his claims, the NCA is not required to follow any formal development application process, and what process it has carried out in no way resembles the detail and due diligence contained even in ACTPLA's related processes.
The main problem with the ASIO building, apart from its massive scale and impact on residential Campbell, is the precedent it will set for an interstitial open-space land grab.
That's because, under the NCA's Griffin Legacy plan, the building's footprint has been allowed to creep virtually all the way to arcing Parkes Way a ''parkway'', i.e., a free-standing road through parkland.
Constitution Avenue, not the parkway, is the base of the National Triangle. So for the triangle's geometric integrity, the southern edges of buildings along the south side of the avenue need to be reasonably adjacent and parallel to it.
The ASIO scheme needs to be stopped and its siting, planning and design comprehensively revisited.
Jack Kershaw, Kambah
In taking issue with a report in your paper, Professor Don Aitkin (Letters, June 23) refrains from identifying the building on Constitution Avenue as the new ASIO headquarters.
However, he contrives to say that the project has been assessed in the same way as any development application.
His assertion is untrue and misleading. His ''public consultation'' was merely the opportunity, too late in the day, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Notice was given only on the department's website, allowing just 10 working days for comment. The ''formal review'' resulted in the delegate of the Environment Minister concluding that the building would have no significant heritage or environmental impacts.
This outcome is surprising for the largest and most costly building in Canberra since the new Parliament House, sited within the National Triangle, close to Anzac Parade and across the lake from Commonwealth Place.
Unlike any other similar development application, the ASIO building was exempted from scrutiny by the Parliamentary Public Works Committee.
Most significantly of all, and again contrary to Professor Aitkin, the design and siting of the building is inconsistent with the National Capital Plan, in particular with the Griffin Legacy Amendments regarding street frontage, building footprint and campus-style layout.
Brett Odgers, chair, Canberra Chapter, Walter Burley Griffin Society
Weighing evidence
No doubt the public and its colleagues will judge Mr Turnbull's competence and credibility. I comment as a fellow lawyer.
To found a case on hearsay evidence of a document, if such is the case, and of a witness about whom he knew very little, if such is the case, would be quite extraordinary.
The outcome shows the wisdom of the rules of evidence. It is a fundamental tenet of administrative law that if an allegation is made about a person, the person is entitled to know the maker of the allegation and the evidence supporting it to enable a proper response including, if appropriate, any history between the parties, any reason for animosity or bias, and any other matters that go to the witness' credibility.
It is not a question of revealing sources, as big a red herring as I have ever seen.
Peter Benson, Kambah
How cute of the Opposition to bleat about their concern for the integrity of the public service and their ''right'' to access information and to talk to public servants on anything and everything.
When in government this same moribund and ethically bereft Opposition made it quite plain to ''its'' public servants that they were not to talk to the media or the ''other side'' without permission from the relevant minister's office, which was often refused or loaded with caveats to make the interchange meaningless.
How quickly they forget.
Graeme Rankin, Holder
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