Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Priced out of seats

WITH LESS than a week until the Wallabies Test in Canberra, I would like to express my frustration and disappointment at the ticketing prices for what should have been one of the sporting highlights in Canberra in 2009.

Why does the Australian Rugby Union not offer concession tickets for pensioners, students or children in the match gold and platinum areas?

These seats make up more than 80 per cent of the stadium, leaving only the worst seats and some standing room left for those struggling to pay the $69 or $59 per ticket for the majority of seating.

This match should have been an opportunity for rugby to showcase its product to a region starved of international rugby.

Instead, the ARU is either trying to price gouge regional rugby fans or continuing to pander to its traditional elitist fan base. Which is it?

Matt Calder, Stirling

Works both ways

UNITED STATES President Barack Obama has drawn fire for appearing to pressure Israel over the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem settlements (''Democrats hit out at tough White House line on Israel'', June 5, p10).

Obama is the first American president to question previous US support for Israel. Such support in the past amounted to giving Israel a blank cheque for illegal expansion at the expense of Palestinians, and this was unjust. The Palestinians and other Arab states must accept that Israel has the right to exist, but Israel must accept their rights also, as the first step to learning to co-exist peacefully.

Robert Willson, Deakin

A cracker of a ban

REGULAR YEAR-ROUND concussive blasts damaging public and private property, terrified pets, and personal injuries all thanks to an increasing number of firework fools in the nation's capital. The initiative by John Hargreaves to ban the public sale of fireworks is sensible, courageous and well overdue.

Frank Bergersen, Kambah

UK Labour parallels

THE ONGOING implosion of the British Labour Party raises questions about our own Labor Government.

New Labour will almost certainly lose the next British election largely as a result of their abandonment of fundamental values and failure to confront cynicism about the nature of the political system. These long-term problems gradually eroded Labour's identity to the point where its front bench is stacked with political opportunists whose success largely stems from unbending loyalty to Tony Blair or Gordon Brown. There are clear comparisons to be made to the direction Kevin Rudd is taking the ALP. Like Blair in 1997, Rudd seems intent on wasting his political capital and the public sentiment for change by keeping most of the old Howard policies.

As it did for Blair, Rudd's obsession with spin and controlling the news cycle may be keeping poll ratings high, but it is at the long-term expense of the party's intellectual and activist base who grow increasingly cynical at the lack of ideals being projected by the party. New Labour's legacy will increasingly be seen in the context of wasted chances, lack of resolve and failure to commit to ideals. I see no evidence in Rudd's reign to suggest the legacy of his Government will be any different.

Simon Leeds, Nicholls

Turgid words

CONTINUING THE occasional, unofficial dictionary of Waterford words and other obscurities: tergiversation (Letters, June 5, p20) turgid statements of spin released in circumstances such as ongoing omissions in climate change policy or continued emissions by a rat in the ranks called Judas.

Peter Crossing, Curtin

Silence says it all

CAN I assume that because nobody has disagreed with my thoughts about the elderly in nursing homes and voluntary euthanasia (Letters, June 3, p18) I have a mandate to contact the Prime Minister, parliamentarians and church leaders to inform them that: we, the people of the ACT and surrounding districts, demand extra resources, support and accountability for nursing homes so that the elderly are well-cared for; we, the people, demand access to the means for a peaceful death for those who choose not to go into a nursing home.

Jacqueline O'Gorman, Nicholls Actions speak louder

BRETT ODGERS (Letters, June 3, p18) might like to consider the following solution to the opposition to the Immigration Bridge proposal.

There appears to be a problem with two bridges in Canberra: the Immigration Bridge, and its location, and the Tharwa Bridge restoration, and a lack of finance.

The obvious solution would be to use the Immigration Bridge concept (and finance) to restore the Tharwa bridge. Who could object to that?

And concerning the Green Square grass at the Kingston shops, instead of berating the Government why don't the critics form a committee (Canberra's favourite pastime), raise funds, get volunteers and have a go yourselves. There are too many vocal activists in Canberra and not enough actual activists.

Patrick Flynn, Page