Mr Crossing appears to query the wisdom of the latter situation, in the context of the culture of Australian cricket.

Lehman indicated at the time that he was "ultimately responsible for the culture of the team". Of course he was, as the officially appointed team coach. But does it automatically follow that he was aware, at the time, of the mischievous intentions of a couple of the players.

Moreover, had he been aware of the situation prior to the scandal breaking, would he have simply chosen to ignore it? Methinks not.

Lehmann's ability and potential to nurture and develop young up and coming cricketers is not to be doubted.

He has represented Australia in several facets of the game, including Test and limited over matches.

His son has had success in the limited overs competition.

Why, therefore, should Lehmann be denied the opportunity to continue to work with younger players? After all many of these lads may well, someday, be Test players in their own right.

Andrew Rowe, Florey

By not banning live sheep export, Malcolm Turnbull and David Littleproud are equally guilty of the sickening cruelty that exporters will continue to routinely inflict on animals. They have squandered a perfect opportunity to champion the end of a dark and appalling chapter in our nation's history, choosing instead to ignore the science, the Australian Veterinary Association, and the economic benefits of expanding our boxed/chilled meat trade, and give a green light to a desperate and evil trade in its death throes.

Australians are not "shocked" or "gutted" by their shameful betrayal, we are outraged — and we will neither forgive nor forget.

Cheryl Forrest-Smith, Mona Vale, NSW

Stan Marks thinks that I and several others got it wrong; Katy Gallaher, he believes, is a "stock standard politician", implying nothing special (Letters, May 17).

Not withstanding his view, and I respect his right to express it, he clearly missed the thrust of my letter that was about the ways in which she was evicted as a legitimate senator, and its aftermath, because of the downright unfair comments (some offensive) about her, and of the legal processes involved.

I understand we must abide by our constitution, but it is grossly out of date with respect to section 44.

Also, it only applies to federal politics, and not to the ACT (or any other state or territory).

It is a pity that Stan chose to highlight what he saw as Ms Gallagher's deficiencies in her political career, unbalanced by her strengths and achievements. Of course, only the grumblers write such letters to The Canberra Times; Peter Moran (Letters, May 18) is another. We know all politicians are apt to change their minds on certain matters to ensure their re-election.

This is especially true of our prime state and federal leaders, not just backbenchers and ministers.

However I would remind Stan that Ms Gallagher was voted in through her popularity among the voting citizens and also ALP members, for the chief minister and federal senator positions.

A balance of the good and the perceived self-centred political behaviour can be found through Googling Ms Gallagher; her pre political career is worth noting.

Greg Jackson, Kambah

On Friday May 4, the Commonwealth Bank Mawson Branch closes.

At 9am on Friday, May 11, the Commonwealth Bank ATM in Mawson is "out of service".

Brilliant.

I though the advert said the "Commonwealth Bank Can" but obviously it "Can't".

Peter Claughton, Farrer

The fact that no more than 100 millimetres of rain over several hours — increasingly unremarkable by the new standards of climate-change downpours — was enough to flood Hobart significantly, ruining major infrastructure, underlines a scandalous situation that has only just recently been pointed out.

Not only are so many contemporary Australian buildings substandard in their design and build, as we well know, even against routine traditional weather, but greatly increased urban densification and its effects on drainage have not been accompanied by due planning in relation to weather events. As usual we can apply Gough Whitlam's dictum on how business is conducted in Australia.

Unfettered profits accrue to developers, while the public and individual private purses clean up — literally — the mess that engineering-and town planning- unreviewed and unrestricted urban development permits create.

Alex Mattea, Kingston

So Vicki Dunne could not attend hearings of the ACT Parliamentary inquiry on recent rate rises, as "Mrs Dunne admitted she had been away for three weeks, on a combination of leave and official business with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, of which she is treasurer". ("Rates inquiry extended as committee fails to meet", May 11, p10).

Perhaps Mrs Dunne, in her capacity as chairwoman of the ACT Legislative Assembly's Public Accounts Committee, could use The Canberra Times' pages to explain exactly what benefit ACT ratepayers get from her participation in this entirely irrelevant but very nicely located body.

While I can understand that London and other international destinations make a refreshing break from London Circuit, I do wonder what the ACT has to learn from parliamentary practices in places such as Cameroon and Bangladesh, fine democracies as they no doubt are.

The money spent in participating in this frivolous junket could be better spent elsewhere, as could the efforts of our elected representatives.

There is no doubt that airline customers "lose out" (Editorial, May 17).

We had our flight cancelled by Qantas and were rebooked by Qantas on the next available flight, which was three flights later and according to Qantas that is a "minimal wait time".

With insufficient time, as advised by Qantas lounge staff, to make our international connection we purchased two "last minute" economy tickets with Virgin from Canberra to Sydney for an eye-watering sum of $1116 to make our connection.

We thought that our travel insurance would cover most of the cost.

How wrong can you be? Our insurer, incidentally also Qantas' travel insurer, have said they are "unable to make any payment for" our claim as they do not cover "cancellation or delay of travel arrangements due to mechanical breakdown of transportation or failure of the carrier to operate the service" unless "any individual leg of your trip is delayed for at least six hours for reason outside your control".

Travellers beware, read the policy. There is only cover for "missed connection" up to $2000 for specific special events.

Dennis Chapman, Nicholls, ACT

I find it more than a little puzzling that, given what has happened with Adani's Carmichael mine proposal, that Clive Palmer would seriously expect to be successful in opening up another coal mine twice the size of Carmichael ("Palmer in bid to get nod for Queensland monster mine", May 18, p8).

Mr Palmer apparently expects that Waratah Coal's Alpha North mine proposal can hitch a ride on the work done on the environmental cases for other Galilee Basin coal mine proposals.

The main problem for Mr Palmer, aside from obtaining financial backing (with which Adani has had so much trouble), is that his proposed open-cut mine is so huge, covering about three times the area of the proposed Carmichael mine.

That, of course, means that its environmental impacts will also be much larger. For example, the mine would be perilously close to several natural springs, meaning that it is also close to the region's water table.

The 80 million tonnes of coal per year that Mr Palmer hopes to extract will have to be taken to Abbot Point for loading. This process will mean that more large amounts of water would have to be used to wash down the coal to minimise the amount of dangerous coal dust.

This contaminated water could find its way into parts of the Great Barrier Reef, presenting yet another threat to its health and survival.

I would be amazed and horrified if, taking all of the above into account, the Alpha North proposal were approved by Mr Frydenberg's Department of Energy and Environment.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

As an Ahmadi Muslim, I am disgusted at the attack on the churches in Surabaya, Indonesia. This is yet another unsuccessful attempt to create religious cleavage – unsuccessful because Prophet Muhammad's letter to the StCatherine's Monastery at Sinai stands in testimony against such despicable crimes. The letter reads: "Christians are my citizens and I hold fast against all that displeases them. Muslims must fight to defend Christians" before warning that "No one of the nation of (Muslims) is to disobey this covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)."

Ata Ul Hadi, Berwick, Vic

Here in Queensland, Clive Palmer has just spent about $100,000 on billboards which display himself in jovial mode, next to the slogan, "Make Australia Great".

He forgets that we have already had our own sloganeering, Trump-style leader who forgot nothing and learnt nothing, in the form of Tony Abbott.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Unless, of course, Clive Palmer, too, wants his own country to become an international bull in a china shop, wants us to join the US in annoying as many other nations as possible. In that case, he certainly would make Australia grate.

G. T. W. Agnew, Coopers Plains, Qld

Large corporate entities are like self-perpetuating, self-replicating, life forms. Mutation into more benevolent, law abiding, less feral entities is possible, but their natural reaction to attack is to develop antibodies protecting existing functions. In corporate terms that means finding new loopholes to keep on doing the same sorts of things.

They are difficult to change. They outlive humans and even nations.

The danger that current actions against corporate crime could deplete the pool of senior executives available to the finance industry and industry in general, so forcing executive replacement to recruit offshore, as foreseen by Stephen Bartholomeusz, only rationalises corporate non-compliance ("Board cull could leave big holes that can't be filled", May 17, p27).

Offshore is a huge pool of middle executive cleanskins, nevertheless well versed in the perfidies we are attempting to eradicate.

If lasting changes to our large corporate entities are to be achieved, deterrent sentences will need to be supported by serious adjustments to the various categories of temporary work visas.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

This dissimulative obfuscation from the live sheep trade review does absolutely nothing to address brutality at their destination ("New rules for live sheep trade", May 17, p4).

What would one expect from governments operating concentration camps and justifying Israel's military sharp-shooting protesters?

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

World War II ended in 1945; the Cold War 1991. Yet there are still 30 odd US bases in Germany with 30,000-40,000 US troops.

Is Germany a sovereign nation or a military colony? A nation or a satrapy? Is Germany a man or a mouse?

Germany has to use any lever it has to defeat US dollar imperialism.

The 1996 "Blocking Statute" is not enough.

Siemens has already foreshadowed closing trade with Iran. No, Germany has to hit the US where is hurts – militarily.

Germany should let the US know that they will withdraw from NATO, close US bases (especially Ramstein ), close US satellite stations, close US missile sites, ban US military flights in German airspace.

Who does John Bolton think he is telling German companies they can't do business with Iran?

Kenneth Griffiths, O'Connor

COLD COMFORT

The real reason crowds are down at Brumbies games is the performance of the team. The stadium may be outdated but fans will go if their team is winning. Then there is the exorbitant cost of food/drinks and $10 to park. Why would you take the family to a game on a cold winter night? Next home game should be played at Viking park – 5000 fans will be a full house.

Wayne Allen, Canberra

SLOW GOING

With massive wait times for case reviews and expensive lawyers being deployed to fight claimants the NDIS is looking like another NBN.

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove, Qld

COOK'S TOUR

Richard Johnston (Letters, May 17) bemoans multibillionaires spending money on going into space. His arguments have been said before. However: "There is your ship. You are going to see the stars from a place so far away you might as well be going to the ends of the universe. Here is your commission, Captain Cook."

Roy Bray, Flynn

DISTRUST JUSTIFIED

Kim Jong-un justifiably can't trust the US after what happened to Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi, or with the general US aim of installing democracy.

Rod Matthews, Melbourne,Vic

STOP COMPLAINING

Those people who think that section 44 of the constitution should not be changed need not complain about the narrow range of people in the Federal Parliament. That a very large proportion of the citizens of Australia are ineligible to stand is a warping of what democracy is meant to be.

Steve Thomas, Yarralumla

LIGHT FUSE, STAND CLEAR

I've heard that one of the first tasks allotted the new Australian Space Agency by the Coalition government is to investigate the feasibility of a coal-fired launch vehicle. Not sure if it's true, but definitely a radical idea.

Ed Highley, Kambah

COME CLEAN ON PLANS

Could the Chief Minister please let the people of Canberra know of his plans for the development along Northbourne Avenue. How many apartments are planned and what is the height restriction? The development proprosals are not transparent. What about community consultation?

Wendy Cook, Monash

WE HAVE THE PEOPLE

Defence has a workforce of well-educated, disciplined and fit people, including engineers. We should give them responsibility for monitoring climate disruption and building physical responses.

Richard Horobin, Curtin

CROWN AND GOWN

So who's up for the next royal wedding? Is Sophie Monk a contender?

N. Ellis, Belconnen

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