Civic's displays are running a bit short on Christmas joy

My wife and I visited Civic on Sunday to look at the displays in Garema Place and City Walk celebrating Christmas.

No tree. No displays. A few lights strung between the trees.

Someone had thrown paint around on all the brickwork in City Walk, supposedly to represent Christmas.

And, to rub salt into the wound, they had at Garema Place a sign telling us that all these pine trees displayed were a Christmas Forest.

No lights on the trees, trees in pots, half had blown over in the high winds and the other half were dying from the top down.

You would think that with all the money our MLAs had spent on fact-finding missions overseas they would have got some idea of the joy of Christmas, looking in our own backyard first, Sydney, Melbourne etc, then looking overseas, the VanDuesen Festival of Lights in Vancouver, British Columbia, or the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC, or even London or New York.

If this ACT ALP government can afford to spend over $800 million on a stupid tramway and is now looking to spend another $1.3 billion on stage two it can least afford to put some effort into a reasonable display to celebrate the Christian joy of Christmas.

Errol Good, Macgregor

Canberra city appears to be confused about what it is. After visiting the Canberra Centre with interstate guests on a day out to David Jones, Hugo Boss, Haigh Chocolate, Rodd and Gunn, outstanding coffee, high-end homeware shops and some of the finest dining in the ACT, I walk outside the centre to see childlike drawings on the pavement in garish colours, tacky flower boxes with half-dead flowers, tacky Christmas displays and two people dressed up as life savers blowing a whistle in my ear (all a part of the Civic Christmas festival).

Please Canberra, lets take some pride. Civic should aim to be an outstanding experience with shoppers and guests being clear about what Civic is and relishing in the ambience, but sadly Civic appears to be a confused and somewhat dowdy space. With the fabulous Braddon nearby that clearly knows what it is, let's get it right.

S. Bragg, Civic

It was predictable to hear that the appointment of the new governor-general was described as "safe" and "solid" (Scott Morrison picks former general David Hurley to be Australia's next governor-general, CT, December 16), and the Prime Minister's "first and only choice".

Hurley will be the 27th governor-general of Australia since Federation.

Only prime minister Kevin Rudd has opted for an an outrageous nomination: a woman, Quentin Bryce.

What was he thinking, how dare he break the mould?

She went on to distinguish herself in the role, lauded by all Australians.

I was hoping at the end of her term that she would be followed by another woman. After all, there were 24 male governors-general before her.

But of course, I forgot that the current Prime Minister must believe, like the Coalition preselection mantra, that the appointment must be on merit.

Unfortunately it seems that among almost 51 per cent of the Australian population the current Prime Minister cannot find someone of such merit. I hope that when we finally achieve an Australian Republic, that the first president is an Indigenous female.

There are already a few worthy candidates.

I'm sure that such an appointment would be warmly welcomed by Dame Quentin and be a celebration of a truly united nation with a history that goes back 60,000 years.

Gryff Jamieson-Ballard, Campbell

I am amazed and horrified to see that another man, Rtd. General David Hurley, has been named to be our next governor-general when Sir Peter Cosgrove's term ends in March next year.

When will our leaders, whatever their political colour, realise that Australians are no longer living in the first half of the 20th century?

We are now almost a fifth of the way through the 21st century and I, for one, would like our institutions to reflect that.

More women, more migrants and dare I say it, people of Aboriginal descent, need to be appointed to high offices.

Our default setting should not be white men from a military or legal background.

Dame Quentin Bryce demonstrated that the world did not end when a woman was appointed, in fact she was a wonderful and much respected governor-general.

How much longer do we have to wait to see the Australian population reflected in our leaders?

Gay von Ess, Aranda

What, no women capable nor any of merit that could be the next GG? Short memories, Quentin Bryce did a magnificent job.

ScoMo (that name always sounds like a rash cricketers get after playing too long in the heat), ever thought of looking in the fields of science, the arts, media, politics, sport?

You would have found suitably qualified women there, in fact they're everywhere. There's even one in your own party relegated to the backbench.

What if a good man like David Hurley recognised this appointment was divisive and sent a message to the Australian public that the position is now looking like a statement that upholds the values of the boys' club who yearn to go back to the values of the 1950s and declined it?

Personally, if we had to go military again, I would have preferred Catherine McGregor who surely is far more representative of 21st century Australia.

L. P. Doyle, Bonner

The PM has nominated, via the Queen I hope, General Hurley as the new governor-general next year.

Hurley is currently Governor of NSW. A good choice but it apparently has been done without consulting other leaders in Parliament to get cross-party agreement, which is the usual custom.

Some may say it is a Sydney-centric appointment too. On a TV panel show on Sunday one panellist stated that the new governor-general is not a woman but it important to remember that these people are the Queen's representative.

Our head of state, or sovereign, has been a woman for half of our modern history since 1788 with Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and Queen Elizabeth (1952-current).

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

I find it hard to believe that David Hurley was the only choice for governor-general. Surely there were some other white, male, retired army generals available?

John Howarth, Weston

Re: "Last drinks loom for Wig and Pen after 24 years" (December 14, p14). The John Kirby scholarships were launched at the Wig & Pen in Civic by the ANU vice-chancellor Ian Chubb in 2003.

This was to be a legacy of John's work heading the ANU finance and investment committee, and his foundation of the Canberra-Versailles Association in 1988.

Within a year the first of the annual scholarships had been presented to an ANU undergraduate to further their studies in France.

The money was raised through a series of Sunday concerts by students of the School of Music at the Wig & Pen thanks to the generosity of its owner, Lochie McOmish, who not only provided a warm and welcoming venue, but ensured all his guests were fed and given their choice of his celebrated selection of craft beers.

This unstinting hospitality ensured that all monies went into the scholarships, and has since been extended to the John Wallis fellowships to include graduates of the University of Canberra, and the CIT.

When last advised by the ANU the John Kirby scholarship account had accumulated to $116,000, and on behalf of a generation of student winners and participants we would like to recognise the unflagging support of Lochie McOmish and the Wig & Pen, and Janie McOmish as secretary of the Canberra/Versailles Association.

David Dickson, Canberra/Versailles Association, Kaleen

Mario Stivala (Move on Turnbull, Letters, December 11) attributes vindictiveness to Malcolm Turnbull. We must guess to which Turnbull action or words this applies, but for example criticising Scott Morrison's interference with preselection to protect Craig Kelly is not vindictive.

Kelly is an embarrassment and his rescue by Morrison denies party members a role in preselection. Tony Abbott and Jim Molan (later Senator Molan), supported by Turnbull, made a big effort to amend party rules to give members a role in preselection.

This effort followed reports on the ABC 7.30 program criticising the lack of democracy within preselection processes, and an arbitrary power to suspend members after criticising the branch or party.

Morrison has cut across all this to meet the blackmail threat made by Kelly, who intimated he would go to the crossbench if not given preselection.

It is Morrison who has been vindictive towards the local branch, which has had Kelly imposed on it, against their wishes. Kelly will make more threats and charge more each time for promises of loyalty.

Fortunately the local members will get busy behind another candidate to ensure Kelly is not elected.

Morrison should have remembered strong governments do not cave into bullying, especially from their own. Kelly's threats are no different. If there was something else from Turnbull I have missed it.

Warwick Davis, Isaacs

The idea of privatising visa applications smells to high heavens. ("Government looks to privatise visa system", canberratimes.com.au, December 8)

I cannot understand how anyone could even think of handing such an important area to private enterprise.

The mere idea of handing the process to companies looking forward to making enormous profits from it is outrageous. Public servants who can have no pecuniary interest in who is or is not granted a visa are the logical people to be trusted with the job.

Your journalist hastens to assure us that there is no suggestion of "wrongdoing or political interference" in the idea, but I think that s/he must also believe in Santa Claus.

We have gone from moving a government authority to Armidale (and thereby uprooting the staff and their families) to get the National Party a few brownie points with their supporters (who would vote for a wombat anyway), to visas for au pairs coming to work for another politician's mates, to $440 million being given to an obscure charity that no one except the PM's wife has ever heard of.

Now we are being asked to hand over an important government function so that another politician's mate can milk it for all he is worth.

However, there is an upside to the idea. Those of us interested in getting the poor devils of refugees off Nauru could start a crowd-funding site to buy them the necessary papers.

Barbara Fisher, Cook

How irresponsible is the Coalition government? How stupid does it now take the Australian public to be?

Battered by bush fires and now flooding storms all along the Australian eastern seaboard, the best the Morrison/Frydenberg government can come up with in response to the devastation is a public statement on the Australian embassy shift to Jerusalem.

Is this an invidious distraction to the hardening realities of climate change or the shocking result of a government in dangerous denial of the problems and causes of climate change?

Australia can no longer continue to trade coal around the world, in all responsibility, regardless of where its embassy is in Israel. Shame on Frydenberg. Shame on ScoMo.

Laurelle Atkinson, St Helens, Tasmania

Peter Sherman "cannot fathom why the ACT government is so obsessed with proceeding with Stage 2 of Light Rail..." (Letters, December 15).

I suggest the old question "cui bono?" (to whom the benefit?) gives the answer.

The responsibility probably lies with those having something to gain.

Clearly, these are (1) the CFMMEU and its members because of the lucrative continuing jobs it would provide, (2) the construction industry and (3) the Labor/Green government, which would not be stuck with the manifest absurdity of a forlorn orphaned Stage 1.

The citizens are not included, though required to pay for it. As Mr Sherman notes, "electric buses are far more efficient and versatile and much cheaper". Self-interest would trump common sense once again.

H. Dakin, Griffith

WEASEL WORDS

Is anybody else as disillusioned about responses from service providers, big business, government et al, to major expensive or privacy mistakes? All we hear is weasel words: "We apologise. Our customers are our most important resource..." No personal accountability, no sackings, aren't people responsible for anything any more?

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

ENJOY A WAR MEMORIAL?

I was sad to read that K. MacMillan (Letters, December 14) enjoys the War Memorial. There is nothing enjoyable about war, but unfortunately this seems to be how the War Memorial portrays it now. I've no doubt our leaders are pleased.

Felicity Chivas, Scullin

REAL EXPERTS IGNORED

The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage has invited nominations for advisory panels on how to manage the brumby problem.

The KNP (Kosciuszko National Park) Plan of 2016 was rejected .

Makes you wonder who else is better qualified than the KNP to know the full extent of this beautiful park and its unique wildlife.

C. Brown, Cooma

SURPRISING TRUMP NEWS

It must come as a surprise to learn from former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen that the President knew paying hush money was wrong. The President has always come across as someone incapable of distinguishing between what's right and what's wrong.

His siding with the Saudi regime in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi provides a good illustration of that.

Rajend Naidu, Glenfield

WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

PM Scott Morrison doesn't want his proposed National Integrity Commission to question politicians or public servants in public. When politicians don't want open and public scrutiny you can bet it's because they have something to hide.

Roger Dace, Reid

HALF-BAKED CONCEPT

The proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission is half-hearted, half-baked and fully political. If sunlight is the best disinfectant the CIC would be a candle in a cave.

A. Whiddett, Forrest

WHAT'S OUR POLICY NOW?

What is our policy on Jerusalem? I'm confused.

N. Ellis, Belconnen

JULIA GILLARD FOR G-G

I am sure David Hurley will make a fine governor-general, but he certainly wasn't the only potential replacement for Peter Cosgrove. Julia Gillard would have been an excellent choice. She also is intelligent and very much in touch with the Australian community.

Fred Barnes, Watson

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