The bus way passed along the front of the new Belconnen Mall. A pedestrian land bridge was in place for shoppers and others to enter the mall from Lathlain Street and car park areas.

Along the length of the bus way, there was a median strip where many trees and shrubs were planted to separate the bus way and other general traffic.

A short time after the bus way was commissioned, two teenaged boys decided to cross the bus way in an attempt to climb the rock wall and access Lathlain Street.

Unfortunately, partly due to the trees and shrubs concealing them and reducing their vision and that of the bus driver, one teenager was struck and tragically killed by the oncoming bus. The bus driver was a shattered man for the remainder of his life.

As a result of this terrible accident a 2.2-metre-high chain-link fence was erected along both sides of the entire length of the bus way. No further accidents were recorded.

Now that we have experienced the first recorded accident involving a pedestrian and tram what physical measures will our fearless leaders put in place to prevent further pedestrian incidents such as this, or worse, those intent on self-harm?

It is one thing for our government to urge the public to be aware of their surroundings, it’s another for our government to physically reduce the possibility of further incidents.

Surely pedestrian barriers will need to be installed in and around high-pedestrian precincts such as Civic, Dickson Interchange, Showground and Gungahlin Town Centre tram stops.

What price public and employee safety?

Greg Zakharoff, Macgregor

I would like to express my support for the decision to ban the "Golliwog" balloon from flying this year.

The golliwog is a racist meme from a bygone era that somehow still persists. Events ACT was quite right to call it out.

What is more disturbing is the behaviour of the "volunteers" who took it upon themselves to contradict the decision by Events ACT. In doing so they exposed their own ignorance and lack of insight about this important issue.

Soft racism must be confronted.

I suggest that Events ACT thinks carefully about using volunteers in the future. Perhaps it would better to pay professionals.

Brian Stonebridge, Barton

David Pope’s cartoon of March 5 neatly summarises and satirises Scott Morrison’s new-found enthusiasm for renewable energy.

Only now, as seven of his ministers have elected to jump ship before the election, is the PM claiming that he’s all for renewable energy – even Mr Turnbull’s Snowy Hydro 2.

Many Australians will, like me, see Mr Morrison’s sudden change of heart as just another desperate attempt to shore up voter support before his ship of state sinks beneath an electoral tsunami.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

John L. Smith ("Confessional defended", Letters, March 4) seems to elevate Catholic doctrine above "any civil law" and suggests that the required reporting of knowledge of paedophilia will be a bad law because, he says, it will lead to exemptions.

What can be "bad" of a law requiring universal reporting of abhorrent criminal acts? Exemptions are not warranted.

But he is correct that – in its post-biblical, man-made codifying of the doctrine of secrecy of the confession – the church has claimed that it was "from the beginning".

But such a claim is without historical or objective foundation and has as much credibility as, and less biblical "authority" than, the ridiculous religious notions of seven-day creation and the incestuous descent of the human race from Adam and his divinely re-engineered rib.

The successors to those who asserted that historic falsehood are equally well able to now proclaim that "it is no longer so".

They should do so.

Mike Hutchinson, Reid

ACT Labor’s claim that its new vacant land tax legislation ended up with some unintended consequences is a crock.

It has been caught with its hand in the jar and now wants to make amends.

Here’s a thought Mr Barr. Why not extend the definition of "vacant" to include all properties/households in Canberra that have unoccupied bedrooms.

I’m sure you could come up with a simple formula to calculate the vacant portion of the house and apply land tax accordingly.

That should raise a few extra bucks. And, while you’re at it, why not redefine the definition of "land" to include not only the actual footprint/block of land occupied by multi-story dwellings but also the total area of each level.

You know, under a redefined definition a 10-storey building if laid flat would be occupying 10 times the original land size.

Just think how much land tax this would bring in.

Peter Toscan, Amaroo

The pleas for leaders and governments to act on climate change so that our grandkids are conferred improved prospects of inheriting a habitable world ignores Mother Nature not caring one jot whether our progeny survive or not, in comfort or suffering fiery climes.

The pillage and savagery humanity has inflicted upon Earth is ameliorated by fewer of us being brought into the world.

The most effective way to reduce ecological damage is to choose to not have (or fewer) kids, while we agitate for renewable energy and eco-sustainable social policy.

I have yet to see a correspondent express regret that wounding the Earth and its other habitants is a morally reprehensible act by itself.

The clarion call to act now should be divorced from the self-interest inherent in leaving a better world for our children.

Joseph Ting, Carina, Qld

Can I ask, why is the federal government diverting $1.44billion of taxpayers’ monies to rehouse 57 dangerous (adverse character) asylum seekers when they must be sent back to their country of origin?

Why are we becoming a charity for the world’s problems? We don’t want these types anywhere near our country. Let their own authorities deal with them and at their cost.

Lib/Labor/Greens – take note. If you want to keep your jobs look after us rather than those charged with murder, child sexual assault, drug trafficking and terror activity.

Russ Morison, Theodore

Warwick Bradly (Letters, March 5) asks some pertinent questions

Why do we allow the Catholic Church to continue to operate schools?

The simple answer is that we allow all religions to operate, without discrimination. Sadly, even Scientology was permitted, after it declared itself a religion.

However, his second question about government funding of Catholic schools, "Worse still why is it showered in ever greater levels of government funding? Is this some kind of sick joke?" is extremely relevant in light of the recent revelations of sexual abuse of minors.

As a secular society, where government funding of religions is expressly forbidden by the constitution, there is no reason to subsidise religious indoctrination of any kind, whether it be Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, Orthodox, Christian, or some other version.

Non-government schools operated quite successfully before federal government money was introduced through the "back door" of tied grants in the 1960s. Since then they seem to have become addicted to government money, with the wealthier private schools receiving the greater largesse.

Some claim that government-funded state schools would not cope if all independent schools closed due to withdrawal of illegal government funding.

This is a red herring, as only truly "poor" schools would close. As the Catholic Church is one of the the richest institutions in the world, this could not possibly apply to its schools.

Anyone arguing for government funding for religious and independent schools based on the furphy of "choice" should be quite happy for their taxes to pay for my car, on the basis that I "choose" to use it rather than public transport.

Any shortfall in funding for government schools would be more than compensated by the reassignment of the funds from private schools, as government subsidies to them now often exceed funding per student of state schools.

Robert McKenzie, Dunlop

Perhaps the High Court should reconsider its 2011 decision to permit the ACT government’s annual $30 million water abstraction charge, given the money is not committed to the capture and supply of water. ("Water surcharge worth $30million a year not spent on water projects" canberratimes.com.au).

The Queanbeyan Council’s challenge to the charge in the High Court in 2011 was unsuccessful, essentially because the court accepted the money raised was being spent on the capture and supply of water. In October 2003, the ACT Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission warned the government the water abstraction charge should not be used simply to raise revenue. Australia’s constitution prohibits states or territories from charging excises.

In its October 2003 report to the ACT government, the commission said advice to the commission was that the constitutional question did not exist where the charge recovered definable costs associated with the capture and supply of water.

But it should not be levied for revenue-raising purposes.

Now, the government says it collected nearly $60 million from the charge over the previous two financial years, but spent only $15.6 million in 2016-17 on water projects.

Meanwhile, the ACT Environment Commissioner’s office points to major threats to the Cotter catchment, from feral animals, invasive weeds and burned out cars.

This catchment is rightly the envy of most Australian jurisdictions and must be properly managed.

But, as with other infrastructure, such as walking and cycle paths, is being allowed to degrade by a smug government, more intent on raising money for needless projects such as the light rail.

The water abstraction charge should be used for the purpose for which it is collected, or reduced to reflect the government’s lack of concern for Canberra’s major water catchment.

Graham Downie, O’Connor

As Shakespeare put it: "The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven." News just in reports that the infant son of British-born Islamic State captive Shamima Begum, has died in a Kurdish-run refugee camp in Syria.

Begum ran away to join IS with two other Muslim schoolgirls at the age of 15. The report says she had previously given birth to two other children who are also dead.

The 19-year-old has been stripped of her citizenship by the British government despite her wish to return.

Her case has similarities to that of Melbourne-born terrorist Neil Prakash, currently in prison in Turkey. Prakash was stripped of his Australian citizenship last year by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton who claimed that he was actually a Fijian.

This falsehood angered the Fijian government to such an extent that a hasty conciliatory visit by Scott Morrison was arranged to smooth the ruffled feathers.

Both cases highlight an ongoing dilemma for governments faced with the problem of what to do with these unwanted prisoners. While there is understandably little sympathy for them back in their home countries, it is manifestly unfair to the Kurds to be lumbered with them.

After all, it was they who shouldered most of the burden in bringing about the military defeat of the IS.

Personally I would favour returning them promptly to their countries of origin.

Ms Begum, in particular, whose adolescent foolishness has surely brought more pain and heartbreak upon herself than any 19-year-old should have to endure, should be shown the sort of mercy that the Islamic State would never dream of extending to its enemies.

Such an act of compassion would serve as a clear example of the fundamental difference between a civilised response, as guided by the values of the Enlightenment, and those of a regression to the dark ages of religious barbarism.

Peter Ellett, Scullin

I could hear the noise of Project Wing’s "quieter" drones being tested for the public from inside my home five kilometres away.

Robyn McIntyre, Bonython

PM, MAKE IT RAIN

Our enthusiastic, gee whiz prime minister, ScoMo, is now providing instant solutions to increase the number of Liberal female representatives in Federal Parliament and has given Snowy Hydro 2 the thumbs up. Perhaps he could flick the rain switch to provide relief to our major river systems, including the Murray-Darling, and to the parched natural environment.

Judy Kelly, Aranda

PM, BUILD A WALL

Perhaps ScoMo should build a wall in the Indian Ocean?

Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Vic

TURNBULL’S DEMISE

If Malcolm Turnbull’s hilarious interview with Andrew Neil was not so sad one could have concluded that he was auditioning for Live at The Apollo. If Bill Shorten is still wondering why Malcolm was sacked, I suggest he view the YouTube footage of the conversation.

Mark Sproat, Lyons

PROMISES, PROMISES

Never before in the history of Australian politics has so much been promised by so many for so few likely outcomes.

C. Williams, Forrest

NON-STOP DRONES

A quick method to asses the suitability of the use of drones for deliveries within the ACT is to arrange for multiple drone deliveries to be made to the neighbours of all members of the ACT Assembly day and night including weekends for a month.

Robert Knight, Bungendore, NSW

NUMBERS GAME

An economy dependent upon a significant increase in population to keep it going, will eventually have a very big problem.

Steve Thomas, Yarralumla

MAKE AN EFFORT

Could someone, anyone, especially Andrew Barr, explain to me why there is a drone delivery trial occurring in the ACT? Is it so hard for people to get off their backsides and actually go to the shops for their coffee/muffin/wrap or, heaven forbid, make their own?

Graeme Rankin, Holder

ABBOTT’S ANTICS

So Abbott says circumstances have changed and we should not pull out of the Paris climate treaty. This isn’t a non-core circumstance change, is it?

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove

PARIS BACKFLIP

Yes Tony, "circumstances have changed" . You are under threat of losing your seat to an independent, hence the backflip on Paris.

Phyllis Vespucci, Reservoir, Vic

IT’S ALL ABOUT ME

Forget "Me Too" — with an election looming, it’s painfully clear that our so-called "Honourable" Coalition politicians are only interested in "Me First".

Martin Klavins, Crafers West, SA

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