My money, bank greed
THE NAB has been my bank for a quarter century, ever since they gave my wife and me our first home loan.
Never thought of them as a pack of thieves until a little, piddling matter of $1.75 came up.
That's all, not even the price of a decent cup of coffee.
Checking my latest credit card statement I saw they had charged me that amount to move cash (not credit) from that account over to our savings account.
I did it on our computer in a flash: take money out of credit card account and put it in our savings.
I know the interest on savings is almost zilch but it's a tad above nothing.
Seemed a bit odd to be charged for being sensible.
The credit card was still in my favour.
That is, I owed them nothing.
They still had my money in that account on which they were paying no interest.
I phoned them, my family bank, the one that wants to sell me insurance, superannuation, loans etc.
I got a lecture along the lines of read the fine print buddy and how lucky I was not to have been charged a whole lot more.
A whole lot more to move my own money around in my own time on my computer.
They've got to be joking.
Any bank wants to contact me with a better deal I'll move all our savings and superannuation to them in a flash.
Hugh Selby, Lyneham
Odd role models
THE SEEMINGLY daily additions to the litany of misdeeds by football players continues.
A large part of the community's consternation with the situation has to do with the fact that these people are apparently regarded as role models by younger people in the community.
Why does that have to be the case?
Surely, parents can explain to their children that, while the skills and abilities of these people on the field can be admired and even emulated, the players are not necessarily the best examples of how to behave off the field.
There are many shining examples within the community of people who behave well and treat others with respect and courtesy, and are people to whom we can direct the attention of our children.
If footy players are perceived to be role models only in respect of their footy skills, a portion of the community's angst would be assuaged.
However, this would require parents actually taking the time to have some conversations with our children, and would therefore require a commitment from parents.
Gordon Fyfe, Kambah
Public lose out
SO, THE Brumbies got $720,000 (''Brumbies bank new $720,000 hand-out'', May 21, p1) because one of their many sponsors let them down.
When Deakin Swimming's landlord let them down through inadequate maintenance and the pool was closed, not a penny was provided.
Obviously community rugby matters not so lucky are the junior, senior, elite, recreational and community swimmers!
J. Hall, Forrest
Timely reporting
THE PUBLICATION of drivers convicted of drink-driving would be a refreshing reinvention of the wheel.
In decades past court lists and court convictions were standard features in the press.
How many young cubs (reporters) cut their teeth on the court rounds?
Gary J. Wilson, Hackett
Fake grass is greener
IN ADDITION to the proposals for government-funded and business-funded grass for Green Square, there is a third option which has the benefit of avoiding the $9000-plus annual upkeep costs: I have seen several quite realistic-looking artificial grass products, sold through ACT distributors, which would seem to be ideal.
The Government and the Green Square traders could split the initial cost, which might not be a bad investment, given that these products come with a guarantee as to their durability in outdoor conditions.
Perhaps not as environmentally correct as we would like, but, under the circumstances, a reasonable compromise.
Karina Morris, Weetangera
Time for gay fight
NOW I think I understood most of Crispin Hull's excellent editorial explaining the ACT Government gay marriage man/woman Federal Government fiasco (''Feds tread over ACT voters with the new threat on same-sex unions'', May23, Forum p15).
So it seems that we, as a territory born through the act of Federation, are powerless to deny the Feds from interfering in our affairs.
Maybe it is time for a different look at this.
Since we can't deny the Feds from meddling in our affairs maybe the ACT Government should take the Feds to the High Court and constitutionally force them to enact their bizarre homophobic view of marriage upon the states.
Maybe then, the Feds can be forced to back down and we can get on with governing ourselves without selective interference.
Joe Murphy, Bonython
What's in a name?
WHY STOP at streets and boulevards, Michael Cart-wright? (Letters, May 22)
Entire Canberra suburbs and locations could be re-named in honour of Australian music idols.
Residents of Downer and Latham must be longing for such a change, indeed any change.
Melba and (Missy) Higgins already exist.
O'Malley becomes O'Keefe, Tharwa becomes Thorpie while Garran is changed to Garrett.
The suburb mid-way between Red Hill and Symonston would become Red Symons.
The Gungahlin Drive extension is renamed Men At Work (at times) or Australian Crawl.
East Row is changed to Normie Rowe.
Swinger Hill should be retained.
Peter Crossing, Curtin
Party's babe parade
THE LIBERAL Party's online claim to have the hottest girls in Australian politics appears to be aligning their party with the ethics of some of the sexism and abuse we have so recently witnessed unveiled in rugby league.
Graeme Wallace, Weston
Banking on it
HISTORY tells us that it is rare for a government to survive such a severe recession, but come the next election my car bumper sticker will read ''Malcolm Turnbull is a Banker''. It would be interesting to see how the Liberal Party will squirm out of that one.
Luke Mansillo, Sydney, NSW
A bridge in time
THE PEOPLE of Tharwa should pray that the contractor for the refurbishment of their bridge is not the same organisation that has turned the three-week job over the Molongolo at Oaks Estate into the as yet unfinished saga of six months.
John Trinder, Queanbeyan, NSW
No defence for Defence
YOUR ARTICLE on Defence moving into Anzac Park West (''Defence to claim Anzac offices'', May 23, p8) because they are short of office space says it all really.
Defence have over 12,500 staff in Canberra mainly polishing office seats, but are sending front-line diggers on almost back-to-back tours of war zones because of a lack of numbers, plus being quite unable to man our submarines.
The priorities seem somewhat out of whack to me.
Vic Adams, Reid
Email a friend