She is claiming that Ms Gallagher has a conflict of interest as former ACT health minister and chief minister.

No similar criticisms have ever been raised about Liberal party politicians.

Exhibit A: the very talented Kate Carnell concluded her term as chief minister and health minister in 2000, and in 2001 was appointed head of General Practice Education and Training by the federal health minister, Michael Wooldridge.

Exhibit B: Gary Humphries was appointed deputy president of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, having previously held positions of ACT senator, chief minister and attorney-general of the ACT.

Exhibit C: Bill Stefaniak who was also the ACT’s attorney-general who is now a member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and was previously a president in the ACT’s Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

My first reaction to the announcement of Ms Gallagher’s appointment was ‘‘smart work, Calvary’’: it is using the talents of one of Australia’s longest serving health ministers. What is Ms Gallagher to do? Sit at home and knit? She is a young woman who has much to offer our community and the health sector in particular.

She was ACT health minister more than three years ago. Surely that’s long enough for any conflict of interest, perceived or real, to have elapsed?

I am glad her skills and expertise are being used and call on all politicians to think carefully before casting aspersions. There needs to be some evenhandedness if this is a perceived conflict of interest but I haven’t heard any complaints about the three Liberal members.

Anne Cahill Lambert, Lyneham

Why have secondary and tertiary standards dropped dramatically since teachers took a B.Ed and not a full science, arts or economics degree plus end-on training?

A science teacher now comes to his or her students knowing only what he himself has done in his chosen teaching subjects at high school – a B.Ed is a stretched primary training course. A BSc graduate with a Dip. Ed on the other hand is equal to any other BSc graduate, including nuclear physicists that started out that way. Far better equipped to teach at secondary level.

Percival Vere, Dickson

The ACT government must decide whether to achieve its most important public transport commitment, or to convert another public transport route from rubber tyres to steel tyres.

In 2011, 7.8 per cent of Canberrans’ journeys to work were made by public transport. In 2012 the Chief Minister committed to achieving the Sustainable Transport Plan’s target of 16 per cent in 2026, and also to 10.5 per cent in 2016. Notwithstanding that commitment, the public transport share in 2016 was only 8.2 per cent.

At the North Canberra Community Council meeting on June 20, Transport Canberra was unable to say how much the newly announced bus network will contribute towards achieving the 2026 target.

Although the government determined in 2012 that stage 1 of bus rapid transit would provide almost all the benefits of stage 1 of light rail, at half the cost, it committed to light rail.

The impact of light rail on patronage will depend on the extent to which its advantages of greater amenity and shorter in-vehicle travel times outweigh its disadvantages of longer walks to fewer stops, less frequent services, and need for additional bus-tram transfers. Light rail stage 2 would cost almost twice as much as stage 1, and would increase Woden-Civic trip times from 16 minutes to 25 or more.

That delay would almost certainly reduce patronage, and further jeopardise the government’s patronage commitment.

Leon Arundell, Downer

I am concerned by the lack of science in policymaking by our politicians.

We are facing two major threats to Kosciusko National Park — Snowy 2 (‘‘Pushing ahead with Snowy 2 doesn’t make any kind of sense’’, Letters, June 20) and the recent NSW legislation that allows wild horse numbers to escalate out of control. Both of these initiatives will do untold damage to our precious alpine National Park and fly in the face of scientific studies that suggest different approaches.

Elizabeth Taverner, Turner

The Canberra Times (One of Canberra’s largest ever kangaroo culls has finished, canberratimes.com.au, June 21) has reported Daniel Iglesias’ account of this year’s kangaroo massacre, along with David Lindenmayer’s tired old assertions that killing kangaroos is somehow a good thing to do, but has given no opportunity to opponents of the slaughter to correct Mr Iglesias’ misrepresentation of our views.

Certainly part of our opposition to the slaughter is its extreme cruelty, a fact which has never been prevented, and never could be prevented by mere spot checks by a government vet. But, as Mr Iglesias knows perfectly well, an equally powerful reason we oppose this massacre is because it is indirectly exterminating so many other native animals.

Kangaroos are a keystone species. When their numbers are artificially controlled, many other native species have no hope of survival. Mr Iglesias’ and Professor Lindenmayer’s nonsense that killing kangaroos prevents overgrazing has, after all, been dismissed by the CSIRO Plant Industry’s report on the ACT government’s own data.

Frankie Seymour, Queanbeyan, NSW

How appropriate that your two leading letters in Wednesday’s edition (June 20) outlined grave concerns with the NBN and ‘‘Snowy 2’’. The former is an unmitigated disaster — financially, technologically and logistically (as evidenced by the almost-daily tales of frustration and anger).

The latter is firmly on track to become an unnecessary economic and, more importantly, ecological catastrophe – university research already points to this.

Both, of course, have been spruiked, approved and celebrated by the same person. In other ‘‘clever’’ countries such buffoonery would be rewarded by immediate demotion, or worse. In Australia, well, you know, he’s the Prime Minister.

J. Barrett, Ainslie

Surely those who put Donald Trump in power must be finally questioning what have they created.

When separating children from their parents at the Mexican border surely those voted for Trump must be regretting having created the monster they are now seeing.

One can only hope sanity will finally prevail and this madman is forced to stand down.

D. J. Fraser, Currumbin, QLD

I read that a Sri Lankan cricketer playing in a Test match against the West Indies was recently suspended for one Test match for ball tampering (‘‘Tampering gets Chandimal one-Test ban’’, Canberra Times, June 21, p43).

One match? In comparison with the bans recently handed out to our Messrs Warner, Bancroft and Smith, following the diabolical tour of South Africa, the Sri Lankan player should consider himself leniently treated.

Feeling a bit down following Australia’s lacklustre performance, so far, in the present ODI competition in the UK, I recently sat up late to watch a replay of the first cricket Test between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, played earlier this month.

The umpires generally did a good job, and were adequately supported by the third umpire Decision Review System (DRS). The interaction and mutual understanding and support between the umpires, in respect to close and potentially debatable situations, was excellent. I do, however, recall at least two incidents during the match, in which a batsman appeared to have been given out off a potential (but uncalled) front-foot no ball.

Additionally, a Sri Lankan batsman was given out caught behind where there was some considerable dispute whether the ball had actually touched the bat. The third umpire would have had no problem resolving the issue in the latter case. The batsman however was unable to refer the matter to the third umpire, as his team had used up its quota of appeals. The role of the DRS and the third umpire is to prevent situations like these from occurring.

Surely with the plethora of highly technical gadgetry presently available under the DRS, situations like these can be largely eradicated. If this implies employing someone whose sole responsibility was to watch the bowler’s front foot at every delivery from ‘‘go to whoa’’, then so be it. If it reduces mistakes or the potential for mistakes to occur then it should be considered for adoption particularly before the Indian team arrive here this summer.

Andrew Rowe, Florey

The government did not take into account two factors when contemplating culling these beautiful birds (Proposed peacock cull cancelled after ‘overwhelming’ community outcry, June 19).

I work in the area and have seen the aftermath of peacock chicks attacked by foxes. They cannot fly and sleep in ground nests so are vulnerable, with many attacked by predators. The other factor is human interference. I have been told some people if they find nests smash the eggs. The propaganda rationalised for them spreading is unfounded. It is a wonder there are any at all.

Judy Guest, Bungendore

With massive tram-driven private redevelopment along Northbourne Avenue, we need a balancing master plan for major new public civic facilities, including a new city square.

It should express the ‘‘arrival’’ characteristic of that avenue, by being axially located between London Circuit and the northern segment of Vernon Circle.

Broadly, it would be bounded to the west by the courts, and symmetrically to the east near the museum and art gallery. It would subsume Northbourne Avenue between London Circuit and Vernon Circle, eliminating the east-west pedestrian divide there.

Through-traffic would use London Circuit (its northern sector widened), its Constitution-Avenue connection to Vernon Circle (made two-way), and the planned Edinburgh-Avenue one, as well as the London Circuit-Commonwealth Avenue connections.

Resultantly traffic-calmed Vernon Circle would allow safe pedestrian access from the new square to the currently isolated hilltop park. The grand sunny square would contain landscaping, fountains, shelters, sculptures, cafes, etc; and would be for recreation, displays, concerts, films, gatherings, and so on.

It would open up the facades of the historic Melbourne and Sydney buildings. Reflecting their symmetry, would be the two planned hotels at the east and west extremities of the square.

Under it could be out-of-the-weather, sky-lit shops, cafes, restaurants, and the City bus station; and below all that, multi-level car parking. There could be improved pedestrian access to the new square from Petrie Plaza, Hobart Place, and lower Northbourne Avenue.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Gregory O’Kelly, acting Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Adelaide, has said that the church would not break the ‘‘seal of confession’’ if the South Australian government passes a law requiring priests to report confessions of child abuse.

In March this year, Malcolm Turnbull said he could not work with ACTU chief Sally McManus because, he said, she believed unions were above the law.

If Mr Turnbull cannot work with Sally McManus because he says she believes the unions are above the law, how will he work with the Catholic Church?

So it seems that if he cannot work with the unions and the churches Mr Turnbull will have to continue to work only with the ‘‘top end of town’’.

Roger Terry, Kingston

I presume Fr Peter Day (Letters, June 20) is prepared for that ‘‘one in 10 thousand’’ event when a penitent reports his non-reporting of confessed sins/crimes to the Queanbeyan police.

If the penitent does not report him then who will? Will our esteemed legislators covertly install cameras and microphones in confessionals?

Will priests appear before Pilate, scourged and handed over to their accusers?

Geoff Mongan, Campbell

There is a movement to ban plastic bags because of the pollution caused by the type used by supermarkets. Their ‘‘solution?’’ is to replace single-use bags with more durable plastic bags, which is already proving to be no solution but is providing extra profit for traders who no longer provide bags free.

What is the objection to using bags that comply with AS5810-ABAP 20001, the Australian Home Composting Standard? Unlike other ‘‘composting’’ plastic bags, these do not require special conditions to decompose back to organic material and should not cause a pollution problem. Alternatively, why not return to pre-plastic and use brown paper bags again?

Alan Blake, Duffy

I would tend to agree with Don Sephton’s opinion (Letters, June 21), ‘‘It is high time (Professor) Laurie Brown (‘‘Fury over scrapping of club fine’’, June 20, p4) took personal responsibility for her gambling problem and the more than $225,000 she lost [at] the Raiders Club’’, were it not for one thing.

That is the machine which stood beside the reception desk at the Kippax club, her regular venue, which was operated by the receptionist for eftpos withdrawals in order to bypass the limitations on the ATMs, situated on the other side of the reception desk, for the legal protection of people such as herself.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

TENT EMBASSY HOME

With the light rail stage 2 looking set to transform the immediate appearance of the roadway passing the old Parliament House, perhaps now is also a good time for the government to also find a new permanent home for what’s on the other side of the tracks, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy?

Dane Emberly, Coombs

NATIVE GRASS

So the territory sanctioned slaughter of our kangaroos has finished for another year.

The authorities that harassed peaceful animal activists at the reserves can now go back to do what it is they do.

In the meantime to ‘‘protect’’ the native grass environment, it will be left to introduced livestock, unchecked weeds and back burning.

Chris Doyle, Gordon

SPACE TRAVEL

Nicholas Stuart (‘‘Put a rocket under space travel naysayers’’, Canberra Times, June 20, p21) decries the lack of interest in space travel by young people. Perhaps because the moon landing, the ‘‘giant leap for mankind’’, was such a fizzer, few kids would know or care about it. Perhaps space travel will happen in 100 or 200 years, but I won’t be around to care.

Richard Keys, Ainslie

GIVE TRUMP A FAIR GO

It is amazing to see the opprobrium poured on President Trump over these immigrants’ children when the Obama and Bush administrations did exactly the same thing i.e. put them in wire cages. The Obama administration wrapped them in foil; this administration at least has them in Red Cross blankets. Give the man a fair go.

J. Halgren, Latham

Email: letters.editor@canberratimes. com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attached file. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.

Keep your letter to 250 or fewer words. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).