Your Business Editor John Thistleton describes rising house prices as ''positive'' and ''healthy'' (''Narrabundah home's magic million tag'', June 15, p1).
They aren't they're negative, and sick. Australia is already notorious as having by far the least affordable housing in any advanced country, despite a modest improvement recently in housing affordability (relatively cheaper housing).
However, if the trend noted by Thistleton continues, this modest improvement will soon disappear.
Unaffordable housing is bad for the more than 30 per cent of households who rent, who are condemned to housing insecurity, and in particular for young families who put off having children because of housing insecurity. (It's also bad for the parents of these young people, even if the parents are owners).
Unaffordable housing is socially destructive.
High house prices don't, in reality, benefit most owners because they are not going to cash in on the higher values.
The unearned increase in wealth caused by rising house prices mainly leads to greater wealth in a minority, without much effort, generating a ''magic pudding'' mentality among some better-off people.
The best thing for Australia would be a gradual reduction in house prices, as has been happening recently but might be ending soon.
Thistleton should see what's really going on in our society, rather than promoting the interests of real-estate salespeople.
Paul Pollard, O'Connor
Flaws of Lyons site
John Hindmarsh's arguments in favour of rezoning to permit a high-density tower development in suburban Lyons are spurious (''Brighter vision at Lyons site'', June 11, p18).
His motive is clearly personal profit. Interestingly, signage on the proposed high-rise site shows a senior holding a skateboard. A depiction of the actual proposal is singularly absent.
Hindmarsh's proposed joint venture with the ACT Government in Lyons is the thin edge of the wedge. Medium-density areas near town centres across Canberra can now expect rezoning applications for high-density ''Sky Plaza''-type tower developments overshadowing existing homes, enormously increasing traffic volume in suburban streets and destroying local amenity.
Patricia Saunders, Chapman
John Hindmarsh's article about the proposed high-rise structures in Lyons is quiet about its major flaws.
Sunlight will be curtailed in the dwellings that will be in the shadows of the proposed north-eastern and eastern high-rise dwellings. It is almost inconceivable that the proponents of the plan would have raised such a proposal if the other residences were already in place and occupied.
It would appear they are already building and selling these units, to buyers who might be ignorant of the 10-storey wall to their north. Someone will also need to ensure that the 12 to 15 units being promised for community housing don't turn out to be the ones in the shadows. Many of those ending up in the shadows would be retirees.
It is unfortunate that the construction has already started before the proposed variation has been passed by government. That puts added pressure on it to rule in favour of the proposal.
Hindmarsh says the total number of units will be the same as before. It is more reasonable that the total floor space be nearly the same as, or a bit more, than before.
That could have been achieved by ecologically well-designed three-storey blocks.
Harmander Singh, Lyons
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