No one disputes that some cyanobacteria are toxic. However, the closure of Lake Burley Griffin to boaters because of concerns about inhaling cyanobacteria verges on the ridiculous. I have been unable to find a single real-world example of a human or animal being harmed by inhaling cyanobacteria. Not anywhere, ever.
To demonstrate a toxic effect by inhalation, researchers force mice to inhale aerosols of purified microcystin toxin. In one recent example, breathing the toxin for a minimum of an hour per day for seven days was needed to cause damage. It simply isn't possible for sailors, rowers or kayakers to approach comparable levels of exposure through recreational activities on the lake.
Indeed, a few white caps slamming into the lake wall is a much more effective way of generating aerosols than anything a boater can achieve so, if the National Capital Authority really believes its own rhetoric, it should close the parks around the lake and advise the evacuation of Civic every time a strong southerly whips up the waves. How long it will take the NCA's recently announced scientific review to come up with the obvious conclusion?
Stephen Trowell, Oxley
Rhyming disdain
A month ago, as a self-represented claimant in the Small Claims Court, I asked its replacement Tribunal (ACAT) and, impudently, the Attorney-General about the obvious defects in ACAT in delivering me quick, fair and no cost decisions. No one has acknowledged or replied to me.
Rhyme softens the discourtesy of being ignored,
Diverts the disappointment and beats being bored.
My queries probably spiked or staved, unanswered, shafted, discourtesy the knave!
Or most like, John Brown's body, lie wasted, a' mouldering or rotting in the grave.
The lights may be on but surely no one is home.
T. N. Amialca, Macquarie
Price worth paying
Margaret Rowe (Letters, May 29) may be frightened by a lot of zeros but what's really frightening is that she and the Federal Opposition seem to think that policies like those tried by former United States president Herbert Hoover (1928-32) are appropriate in the face of the greatest international economic dowturn since the Great Depression.
The Hoover approach was to try to balance the budget while the economy was going bad. This involved massive spending cuts and made a bad situation far worse.
Unfortunately it seems that some people have learnt nothing from the past and want to try the same thing again.
Fortunately though, we have a Government that is prepared to risk some political cheap shots to take action to protect the economy by injecting a strong stimulus now.
Already there has been evidence that this is working. Retail sales are holding up and job losses have been less severe than many expected.
Australia can't avoid the global recession but the Government can soften the blow. If that means having a temporary debt that is forecast to be paid off by 2022 that's a price well worth paying.
Chris Sant, Nicholls
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