Pending the resolution of the underlying causes, maybe readers, who have not already done so, could give some thought to addressing the actual pollution itself.

For example, my wife regularly patrols a section of parkland with a bag and tongs, and collects rubbish that she finds there.

Also, when we stop during a trip somewhere, she will wander off somewhere (with or without gloves) and return with a bag packed with rubbish she has collected.

So, while the issue of rubbish pollution is a difficult one to fix (basically because people are selfish and lazy), maybe more of us could try to minimise the impact by collecting rubbish when we can.

And while I'm on the topic of rubbish, I continue to be perplexed by the fact people attending public outdoor concerts seem to have permission to litter at will, whereas the rest of the time, littering is an offence.

Surely, it would be better to enforce littering laws at public outdoor events, than throw huge resources at a massive clean-up after the event.

Not allowing littering at a public outdoor event would also reduce the stray rubbish blown away between the end of the event and the commencement of the clean-up.

Encouraging people to take their litter home with them would surely increase the "feel-good" nature of the event – imagine if they held a "Skyfire" event (for example) and no one left any rubbish behind.

It's easy if you try.

Gordon Fyfe, Kambah

I note the debate over the power and title of Queen Elizabeth II still continues.

Philip Benwell (Letters, July 17) and Frank Marris (Letters, July 18) are but two recent examples.

I note that Part 5 paragraph 59 of the Constitution states "The Queen may disallow any law within one year of the Governor-Generals assent etc." Does this not give the Queen ultimate power?

Pending some authoritative advice on the matter, I will rely on my coins to suggest an answer.

C. J. Johnston, Duffy

Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks says that the Fairfax Charter of Editorial Independence will be retained after the merger with Fairfax Media ("A new media frontier to be created through tie-up", July 27, p4 and p5).

Both Mr Marks and Fairfax Media chief executive officer Greg Hywood assure us that the journalistic independence of Fairfax's media outlets (which include The Canberra Times) will continue if and when Nine's takeover of Fairfax is approved by the federal government and the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

If Mr Marks and Mr Hywood are as good as their word, media outlets now controlled by Fairfax will not be influenced by outside commercial interests.

That is all very well, but I am concerned that the merger could signal a swing to the political Right in what I, and I'm sure many others, regard as the fair and balanced reporting and opinion seen until now in the Fairfax media.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Minister Darren Chester is correct (Letters, July 26).

We should honour our brave but under-resourced soldiers (no winter clothing in the beginning) who fought in Korea.

When the three years of fighting was over the opposing forces' battle lines were back to where they started from.

The North Korean communists were fanatical.

But the government in the south was led by a fascist who had 100,000 political prisoners taken out of prison and murdered.

They were communist, socialist, nationalist or just people who opposed President Syngman Rhee's government (1948-1960).

South Korea was then ruled after the armistice for a few decades by civilian fascists or military dictators.

It is now democratic after the arrest of the former president for corruption.

(Who incidentally is the daughter of one of the civilian fascist dictators).

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

Michael Moore seeks a needle and syringe program in the Alexander Maconochie Centre ("Prison guards should not set policy", July 25, p6).

He is reported as saying "while there had been breakthroughs in anti-viral medicines, prevention was better – and cheaper in this case – than a cure."

The problem is that a needle program is not preventative because it allows the practice to continue in the form of "exchange".

A closer examination of the matter allows the community not to approve such a move.

Surely it is against social order and justice to reward in our jail what are regarded in the community as law-breaking actions, because they keep happening.

Otherwise, on this basis an argument can be raised for removing impediments or otherwise rewarding those driving habitually above the blood alcohol limit of 0.05.

Or breaking our speeding laws.

In our jail it is the corrective services officers whose health and safety are at risk – not the community – so it's acceptable that they have the casting vote.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Section 116 of the Constitution requires the separation of church and state.

Malcolm Turnbull has called on the Pope to sack Philip Wilson, the Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide. This is certainly Mr Turnbull's prerogative as an individual, particularly as one who professes adherence to that denomination. That Archbishop Wilson has been convicted of a criminal offence by a NSW court is indeed something that should be troubling his conscience and that of Pope Francis.

However, this lapsed Presbyterian is not surprised diplomatic representations from the Australian Government by our ambassador to the Holy See to have Archbishop Wilson removed have failed. Nor are ex cathedra pronouncements to the same end by Prime Minister Turnbull likely to prove more effective: the Pope and the church authorities are likely to regard such actions as interference overstepping the line separating church and state.

In fact, they could be justified in finding them eerily reminiscent of the controls that the Communist Party has attempted to impose on the Catholic Church in the People's Republic of China.

Nigel Thompson, Queanbeyan East, NSW

Imagine the outcry if the Pope wrote to, or phoned Malcolm to demand the acceptance of the refugees imprisoned on Manus for the past few years.

But Malcolm has no qualms at providing stern instruction to the Pope on issues of the church. Must be an election in the offing.

W. Book, Hackett

Signs are not going to stop people hitting kangaroos. Tailgating is the issue.

If someone brakes to avoid hitting a roo it is not unlikely that they will be rammed. We live out of town and although the road allows people to go 90 most people travel between 70-80 after dark when the roos appear.

This speed allows a reasonable chance of avoiding the local kangaroos that graze next to roads. Over the decades I have hit several kangaroos. I have even stopped and had one break a leg running into my ute, scaring the daylights out of the border collies sitting in the back.

Occasional collisions with the local wildlife are an unfortunate reality even at low speeds as we have created an ideal environment for the eastern greys and the only predator left seems to be the automobile.

They will jump out from behind a car coming in the opposite direction or from behind a bush or tree next to the road and $600-$800 goes to the insurance company and you don't have your car for two weeks.

The only winners are the panel beaters.

Russell Tibballs, Carwoola, NSW

I reply to Brendan Forde (Letters, July 26) and make the following comments.

The current constitutional arrangements have served Australia well, at very little cost. We don't pay for the upkeep of Buckingham Palace, occasionally we pay a few million in security costs when a royal visits Australia. That's about it.

To become a republic would essentially require a complete rewrite of our constitution, given the Governor-General has extensive powers, but by convention, never uses them ... John Kerr excepted.

Imagine if these powers were available to an elected president – a sporting star, an entertainment star, or God forbid, a politician. Remember this – any prime minister is elected by his or her party room, maybe 60-70 votes.

How would they cope against a president elected by 8-9 million voters ?

We currently have an excellent Governor-General, General Peter Cosgrove.

The only [recently] controversial GG would have to be Peter Hollingworth, but even he did the right thing and resigned.

Could you imagine an elected GG resigning? To me, it's a cost-benefit issue. If we had an elected president, would the grass grow greener?

Would the rain fall across Australia as required?

Would the Wallabies beat the All Blacks?

It would cost hundreds of millions of dollars in referendums, and remember, there have been 44 referendums, and only eight have got up. All of the successful ones met the following test – total support across the political spectrum – just a minimal change to the status quo – no increase to government power (in his case, required to reduce the power of the GG).

I rest my case.

John Burns, Hall

Owen Reid (Letters, July 25) repeats the tired old canard about a perceived lack of "conservative presenters" on the ABC.

First, ABC staff are expected to refrain from displaying any political "allegiances" during their reporting or interviewing.

Expert guests (on political or other matters, can express whatever views they wish – that's what they are there for) and, overall, the ABC does its best to give differing views a fair hearing.

Second, if Mr Reid wants ABC staff to openly display a personal political slant in their reporting, it would mean tossing out the whole idea of journalistic impartiality (and not just for the ABC).

Besides, how would Mr Reid judge who is a "conservative" presenter (or otherwise), given the wide diversity of opinions within political parties, let alone between them?

In my experience, I have found such judgments usually depend on the intensity of the viewer's own political views. And, of course, viewers themselves have the luxury of being as biased as they wish – as they so often demonstrate.

Eric Hunter, Cook

In reply to Lucille Roger's letter (Letters, July 24), I think I need to clarify what type of bias the ABC shows.

The Australia Broadcasting Corporation is a taxpayer-funded organisation that is meant to reflect the views of the general population. The sports show Offsiders used to be a very good, informative show that covered a variety of sports in half an hour.

Now it resembles something more similar to the ABC's Q&A;, where most weeks a conservative guest gets howled down by a bunch of left wingers.

Many more people than myself seem to agree with this and even ex-ABC employees state that the ABC has gone way too far to the left.

Another prime example of this was on the weekend's Offsiders show where all the guests agreed that it was great for Australian basketballer Liz Cambage to speak her mind and that it should be encouraged.

Yet the very same show the week before harshly criticised Australian tennis legend Margaret Court for doing exactly the same thing – speaking her mind. If that is not biased I don't know what is. Please.

Ian Pilsner, Weston

Owen Reid (Letters, July 25) asked if I can name any conservative presenter on an ABC current affairs program.

I listen to Radio National where Amanda Vanstone on Counterpoint regularly whacks the Labor Party, Tom Switzer, ex IPA, has a program Between The Lines and Patricia Karvelas, a journalist from The Australian, presents RN drive during the week.

On ABC Radio Melbourne, Jon Faine on his morning program has a regular weekly segment with Greg Sheridan, journalist for The Australian, and on Friday Faine has a regular weekly segment which has featured IPA member Tim Wilson, until he became a Liberal MP and was replaced by Georgina Downer from the IPA.

She recently has left to contest the seat of Mayo in SA for the Liberals.

On the ABC TV political programs Q&A;, The Drum and Insiders, there is always a balanced panel, and Q&A; always ensures it has a balanced audience.

Also my letter was in response to a letter decrying the bias on the ABC sports program Offsiders where the writer expressed his disagreements with the panellists' views.

Having differing views is not bias. In fact I believe it is a sign of a healthy, confident society.

Lucille Rogers, Kingston

Before John F. Simmons wastes any more logic or reason on Colliss Parrett (Letters, July 26), he should know that breaking any law is simply wrong. Why might any particular activity be wrong? Because it is illegal of course. It's so simple one might say it's like black and white, in keeping with the rest of the world.

James Allan, Narrabundah

STAFF PAY PRICE

At least Labor's Emma Husar isn't guilty of the Martha Stewart habit of making demoralised staffers stand – sometimes for hours – in line for sales in New York's garment district. Is there a Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Political Staffers (SPCPS)? Perhaps there should be.

Christina Faulk, Swinger Hill

POLICE THIS PROBLEM

For the second time a letter writer (Misplaced Priorities, Letters, July 27) has wrongly attributed the lyrics "we show them we're the bold gendarmes" to Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance. The Gendarmes' Duet comes from the operetta Genevieve de Brabant by Offenbach. The policemen in the Pirates were anything but bold, however the Policeman's Song contains the line "A policeman's lot is not a happy one", a sentiment with which I heartily agree.

Neil Stevenson, Calwell

FLYING THE FLAG

July 26 and I see the first blowfly of the season. Is this a record?

Ric Innes, Weetangera

SOMETHING IN COMMON

P. Machin (Letters, July 26) says 'roo numbers aren't a problem; the animals are OK; there are places they can go; and with commonsense we could live with them easily and cheaply. I feel the same about the refugees. Tony Abbott feels that way about global warming.

S. W. Davey, Torrens

CHANGING THE GUARD

So Albo won't challenge Bill regardless of the Super Saturday result. Definitely nothing to worry about then.

M. Moore, Bonython

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