Recent attention to the ''temporary deficit'' leads to a recognition that the surplus was temporary too. These things come and go; surpluses wax, deficits ''wayne''.

Peter Baskett, Murrumbateman, NSW

PLEASE PAY MY SHARE

I invite the animal liberationists who can't allow one kangaroo to be culled to pay my insurance excess.

Karl Schaffarczyk, Rivett

ROO SHOOTING ON RESERVE

Are all those buyers at the recent land sale at Forde, where the blocks ''back onto beautiful Mulligan's Flat Nature Reserve'', aware that according to the ACT draft kangaroo management plan there will be kangaroo shooting on the nature reserve? Do you really want your children to see that?

Naomi Henry, Bungendore, NSW

SUPPORT PENSION RISE, LIBS

If the Liberals even think about blocking the pension rise in the Senate then a poddy calf would have a better chance of winning an election (as long as it's not affiliated with the Liberals).

John Moulis, Pearce

UNSUSTAINABLE LOGGING

Does Anne Prendergast (Letters, May 13) really believe that logging anything other than plantation timber is sustainable? What are the red gums being logged for, anyway? For fencing, sleepers, decking and other ''pretty wooden bits'' to spice up our McMansions in order to keep alive an unsustainable industry despite their claims that only 1 per cent of the forests are harvested annually. Yeah, right!

Warren Feakes, Wanniassa

BUDGET OFFERS HOPE

For well-off Australians, what the budget offers is a big deficit. For Australians with no assets or job, the budget offers hope hope of getting a job and maybe even a small house. And to provide that hope, the Government is budgeting on a big deficit. It will be reduced by letting well-off Australians pay more taxes. That's what Australians do help each other. Unless they're mean skinflints. Or selfish beyond measure.

Graham Macafee, Latham

POOR DECISION ON LIBRARY

Murray Upton (Letters, May 15) has hit the nail on the head. A library in the narrow shop vacated by the Essential Ingredient cannot possibly match the facilities of other Canberra libraries. The Griffith library, now promised to M16, should have been reopened as southside residents wanted.

Sonia Hathaway, Griffith