Christians around the country have been at the forefront of efforts to break down cultural and religious barriers within our population, and have also been active in seeking a more humane way of dealing with the refugees in the "care" of our government. The commands of Christ are clear, that we should love our neighbour (and that includes Muslims) as ourselves and we should seek justice for all.

The congregation of Tuggeranong Uniting Church stands with the congregation at Gosford Anglican Church.

Rev Anne Ryan and Catherine Rossiter, Wanniassa

Greg Weller of the Housing Industry Association opines on house design copyright ("It's not right to copy house plans", August 14, Allhomes supplement). It's hardly an issue at the level of most of his members' "designs". They're doubtless all derivative in some respect, even the floor plans.

When a popular vernacular style or design emerges and becomes established, it's obviously hard to pinpoint any subsequent copying, because the particular characteristics have become ubiquitous.

I recall a landmark house design copyright case was Petitt and Sevitt Homes with Michael Dysart architect v Hooker Homes, in the late '60s.

It was alleged Hooker had copied Dysart's designs very soon after they appeared. It was determined that a breach of copyright had occurred particularly because of the originality and distinctive artistic merit of Michael's designs (see examples at Wybalena Grove in Cook, and Urambi Village in Kambah).

He had created a "new" vernacular style which, in time, was widely "copied" by many, including designers here in Canberra, with apparent impunity. Most of the plans and designs by HIA members here would not qualify as original and artistically distinctive.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

The 50-year commemoration of the Battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam War gives the chance for those many "vile, excuses for Australians" to apologise to every Vietnam Veteran (and their families) for throwing blood (tomato sauce) over and spitting upon our valiant Diggers returning from Vietnam.

Not to mention those verbally – along with some actually physically – assaulting our Diggers with vile screams of "baby killers".

I ask of the aforementioned disgusting Australians (so many cocooned for life in taxpayer funded education, arts, and other public service careers), have you ever justified your actions to your own offspring?

My final question for the truly vile, blood throwers/spitters, etc: what of the 250,000 South Vietnamese military allies of our Vietnam Diggers who sacrificed their lives (along with over 500 Aussie Diggers') defending their country of South Vietnam?

How are these 250,000 South Vietnamese military fallen any less worthy than the South Korean military fallen (along with some 400 Aussie Diggers) who died giving today's 50 million South Koreans the same Western freedom, democracy and affluence as we, 24 million Australians, so enjoy?

Howard Hutchins, Chirnside Park, Victoria

In response to John Popplewell's vigorous defence of abortion clinic protests (Letters, August15), including his rather un-Christian diatribe against another correspondent's alleged anti-religion views, I can only recommend he practise the notable advice given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, that is, "whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also".

In addition, regarding Mr Popplewell's defence of the power of prayer (for the unborn fetuses, he says), it's the first time I've heard one must be on the site of alleged sins in order that prayers be heard.

I recommend Mr Popplewell might also ponder Christopher Hitchen's sharp insight about religious pleas. "The man who prays is the one who thinks that God has arranged matters all wrong, but who also thinks that he can instruct God how to putthem right," Hitchens wrote.

Eric Hunter, Cook

After year upon year of "efficiency dividends" inflicted on government departments and agencies, thousands and thousands of redundancies resulting in decimating the public service of most of its corporate knowledge and expertise, thereby justifying the outsourcing of as many as possible of the government's core functions to big business (IBM being just one of many), and with government department and agency heads beholden to incompetent ministers for holding onto their jobs and receiving their bonuses, thereby endangering the "frank and fearless advice" ethos that previously existed , we are now meant to be surprised that something that should be a "run of the mill" activity as conducting a census should be a catastrophic failure. And the irony of it!

The Prime Minister sheeting the blame home to one of his beloved multinationals that have been the beneficiary of the outsourcing.

Get used to it people, this is the new norm.

John Dunn, Gowrie

It really says something about themselves when politicians raise identity issues regarding the census; and this doesn't bear repeating in polite company. They can put what they like on the census form – they matter not a jot.

Rien Wiersma, Holt

Radio National's Science Show (Saturday 13 August 2016) broadcast a talk from Bob Beale about the lack of action on climate change and the destruction that it's causing to the ocean ecosystems around Australia. He has been an environmental journalist with the SMH for many years, and based on his experience asked what will it take for us to pay attention to the natural world around us?

As stated by Bob, in just the last 6 months alone, we have witnessed unprecedented changes to our oceans, and these changes have occurred much earlier than even the worst case of predictions. About 90 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef bleached over summer and perhaps 25 per cent has died, 10,000 hectares of mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria died, and large areas of kelp forest off the coast of WA disappeared. Bird life around our coast is drastically declining, numerous marine species are moving southwards, and millions of tons of plastic wash into our oceans every year.

Climate records are breaking all the time, sea surface temperatures are increasing, 2015 was another warmest year, atmospheric CO2 has increased above 400ppm, and climate change is impacting on us now!

Ecological sustainability and climate change was barely debated during the recent election. We just elected one less Green Senator, and instead elected four One Nation Senators who deny science and instead follow their own mystical opinions.

Stuart Walkley, Lyneham

As a contributor whose opinion I hold in high regard, Alan Cowan's appreciation of my religious "diatribe" is very flattering (Letters, August 12).

I apologise if my contempt for all flavours of theistic prevarication was obscured by my seething anger at George Pell, the Australian Christian Lobby and the state of the euthanasia debate at present.

I expect that many would disagree with my opinions, and some might even offend me by telling me I was stupid for expressing them, but I wouldn't want to live in a society where I couldn't be criticised for things I say and do in public.

Just as blasphemy laws around the world have nurtured religious zealotry, without criticism and the occasional offensive rebuke my opinions might have grown unchecked into something quite extreme. Or worse, I might never have embraced secularism as a teenager and remained Catholic! I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Cowan however, as I don't support the repeal of 18C. The type of criticism proscribed by 18C isn't constructive and its use can't be described as the exchange of ideas.

It is racism, and there is no place for it in a modern, civilised society like Australia. Rather than making a case for repealing the law, Andrew Bolt's crude attack on his victims' cultural identity actually demonstrated why we need it.

James Allan, Narrabundah

The editorial (August 12) expressed reservations about the funding, effectiveness and even the originality of the ACT Liberals' recently announced Canberra Hospital plans.

Much as it "marks a welcome shift to positive campaigning", and financial considerations aside for the moment, there are several items on the agenda about which the electorate needs to hear some commitment.

First of these is the tram. Does the opposition steadfastly commit to no tram even if the suggested contract redirection is not viable? If so, what is its alternative transport plan?

What is the Liberal's stance on Manuka, especially now that the MOCCA creche is promised continuing tenure? What is its response to the City to the Lake proposal and how does it regard the Murrumbidgee corridor?

Gary J. Wilson, MacGregor

Firstly the article "Seeking Shelter" (CT August 6) was timely. However, the focus on Safe Shelter took attention away from the main cause of homelessness in Canberra.

In 20 years the median price of housing and rents has doubled in Canberra. The affordable housing scheme proposed by Mr Stanhope in 2005 has had lip service but no real drive. That, primarily, is the main reason for homelessness.

Public housing has dropped from over 13,000 in 1995 to around 10,500 in 2016 and still falling. Our ACT Labor government has been in power for most of the last 20 years and they must take responsibility. Youth suicide has been increasing steadily much in line with homelessness over those years. Community Services estimate 1800 people are technically homeless in Canberra. This is the second highest rate for a capital city in Australia and is a disgraceful statistic for the capital of Australia. Most of the spin put forward by our present government before the election will, as far as housing is concerned, be big on predictions of how well they will do and ignore how badly they have performed.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Kirsten Lawson is wrong in referring to "The Labor Party owned Labor Club" ("Labor Club apartments get go ahead", Aug 8, p.9). Nobody "owns" the Labor Clubs. The Canberra Labor Club Ltd is a company limited by guarantee. It has no shareholders.

Stephen Brown, Forrest

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims is apparently modifying his earlier-expressed opposition to privatisation (Canberra Times, July 27, page 27 July, page 27). He now says (Canberra Times, August 11, page 17) "commercial enterprises are better off in the private sector", and the community benefits from that if "( the enterprise) is being sold into a competitive market", or if it's a monopoly "there's appropriate regulation in place". As a former Deputy Chairman of the ACCC, I agree. The Commonwealth Government has adopted that philosophy in its privatisation endeavours; e.g. the Commonwealth Bank, Qantas and Telstra are obviously in competitive markets — and the amounts capital city airports (which in one sense are monopolies) charge for use of their facilities are, as far as I know, subject to ACCC approval.

R. S. Gilbert, Braddon

PM'S LOVE IS LIMITED ...

During the election season I noted several shots of the Prime Minister with his grandchildren. He obviously loves and dotes upon them. A pity he does not display the same emotion for the children interned, for life it seems, upon the island of Nauru!

C. J. Johnston, Duffy

... AND EMPATHY ABSENT

The Prime Minister has expressed anger at the census fiasco. But shrugged his shoulders at the abuse on Nauru.

David Clark, Scullin

MATTERS OF OPINION

It is not simply a matter of James Allan having reason, while I have my Christian belief (albeit misrepresented by him) (Letters, August 11).

We all have beliefs, but not all disclose their beliefs.

An independent newspaper will air different beliefs, particularly those which have contributed significantly to Australian society.

Arthur Connor, Weston

WARMISM DEBATE

Ken McPhan (Letters, August 10) is being churlish about hydro power.

Quite simply, water goes down then up.

I am thrilled that warmism now extends to the Holy Grail of mechanics, the perpetual motion machine.

Brian Hatch, Berrima, NSW

CENSUS SOLUTION

The crashing of ABS census data collection demonstrates that we need a stronger NBN.

I am urging the PM to scrap FTTN [fibre to the node] and switch over to FTTH [fibre to the home] please.

Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt

DATA IS PLURAL

Call me a pedant if you like, but it worries me that every ABS spokesperson I've heard seems to thing that the word "data" is singular.

Ed Highley, Kambah

MEDAL MYSTERY

Congratulations to Michael Phelps on becoming the oldest human to win an individual Olympic swimming gold medal.

Just wondering – what were the others?

Jane Craig, Holt

TRICK QUESTION?

Are we ready for the next federal election online?

Jim Jones, Charnwood

PARKING ILLS

There is a glaring omission from the Canberra Hospital photospread ("$395m hospital pledge", August 10) — a second multi-storey parking station. It is needed today and the need will increase tomorrow and every day thereafter.

Paul E. Bowler, Holder

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