If this is true, and it would appear so by the comments in Andrew Brown's article, I believe the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Meegan Fitzharris, should immediately clarify the situation and assure those people who may depend on the hospital at weekends that the situation has now been rectified.

The statement by Calvary Bruce CEO Barbara Reid that processes were in place to treat patients at times, such as weekends, when there were fewer staff members, does not fit well with the fact that an investigation undertaken by the Health Services Commission found that staff failed to call for medical teams.

I believe we need the Minister's assurance that the appalling "cultural behaviour" of the hospital's staff has been properly addressed.

Murray Upton, Belconnen

Gary J. Wilson should have checked his details before pressing the send button (Letters, June 10). Breton Woods in England does not exist. Bretton Woods is in New Hampshire, USA.

RI Boxall, Hawker

I wish Cristina San Martin all the best in pursuing a career as a full-time psychic (Canberra Times online, June 13).

I presume she will be able to tell us many things about our future on a global scale, rather than just predicting what was for dinner as she claimed she was able to do as a child.

For example, she should be able to tell us exactly what will happen if we continue to ignore the effects of climate change, or if the new found friendship between Trump and Kim will lead to anything concrete.

Or maybe even who will win the next federal election.

If she can, then she will very rich – and good luck to her. On the other hand ...

Eric Hunter, Cook

There have been a number of reports of the dangers of too much online gaming with concerns ranging from sore thumbs to poor school results although now the emphasis is on mental health.

The WHO (World Health Organisation) has now included it as a disorder in the draft version of the 2018 International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

The idea that it is a medical issue seems difficult to comprehend for those over 30.

The older citizens have their own "time wasters" – crosswords, card games, sudoko, and these are not talked of as being addictive although another example, the poker machine, is a different matter altogether.

There seems to be many young people who spend much of their time online on Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. A medically defined online addiction needs to be treated in the way of most addictions, including recognising the problem, stopping the action, finding the underlying cause and repairing relationships with family and friends.

This is far more difficult than just switching off the device.

There needs to be an emphasis on a better use of time – study, sport and volunteering would be better options. There also needs to be some control over the inclusion of game components designed to get young people playing and keeping them playing.

Turn off, go outside and get some sunlight – it's actually nice.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill, Vic

Having already been granted a licence to extract 4550 megalitres of groundwater a year, Adani now seeks approval to use up to 12.5 gigalitres of water a year by pipeline from the nearby Suttor River in its Carmichael mining operation ("Adani shuns water trigger", Canberra Times, June 13, p9).

To make matters worse, Adani claims that the water it wants to use "is not part of the extraction process".

This is despite its own statement that "water is a major component" in the extraction of coal. The main uses of water in an open-cut coal mine are in washing down the coal and watering the access roads to remove or damp down hazardous coal dust, and in reducing the risk of fire in the coal.

Local graziers are rightly angry about the Queensland government's approval and the federal government's potential approval of Adani's water-use plans because many of them are totally reliant on groundwater for their stock.

Given that this part of the state is in its fifth year of drought, graziers are also concerned about the removal of so much water from the Suttor River.

It's time to say a firm "no" to Adani.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Wardsmen are an invaluable part of the health system workforce.

I have admired their work since the mid 1970s when we police attended Canberra hospitals for various reasons.

And as a patient I have seen first hand their gentle and strong and common sense capabilities.

Senior bureaucrats in the Health Directorate are overpaid and poorly worked. That is, taking our money for work which does not deliver health services.

One example I am aware of is the destruction of a career of a junior front line worker by senior management failing to grasp what was being required of the junior staffer.

Sack a few "management" and pay wardsmen (and all actual health care delivery workers) properly.

At very least, require of all "management" that they spend time at the sharp end every week (including the night shifts).

Christopher Ryan, Watson

At the beginning of refugee week we hear of yet another death by suicide of a detainee in Nauru, following soon after a death in Manus Island. This is the 12th death in offshore detention. Meanwhile, a man dying of lung cancer on Nauru has not been allowed to come to Australia for palliative care although the medical care in Nauru is unable to give him a dignified and painless death.

How much more suffering and how many avoidable deaths of innocent people are we prepared to ignore?

If this were happening to animals there would be a national outcry. We are paying millions of dollars to support this inhumane policy which is damaging Australia's reputation around the world.

We must bring these refugees to Australia before there is another death, and end the suffering we are inflicting on innocent people.

Clare Conway, Ainslie