The apology was beautifully worded and the Prime Minister's strong, dignified delivery was compelling. His deep and sincere grief over the terrible harm done to children in care was evident. As was the intensity of his anger at the institutional systems that turned a blind eye and allowed "the calculating destruction of lives".

I watched the emotional responses of our parliamentarians sombrely gathered in the House – visibly distressed, many in tears – as they listened to Scott Morrison apologise to the children, parents and whistleblowers who were not believed, and as he condemned the abuse, the obstruction and the cover-ups. The Prime Minister vowed that as a nation we would learn from these past horrors. He said we must ask ourselves the difficult questions: why the cries of the children and their parents were ignored; why other things were more important than the care of children.

It was all very moving, but I am left bewildered and want to ask of the Prime Minister: Why, then, do you and your government continue to be indifferent to the abuse of refugee children? Why are other things more important than the safety of these children? Why does your government continue to oversee a system of secrecy, obstruction and cover-up in the offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island?

Eileen O'Brien, Kambah

And the double standards on the Hill continue.

The rest of Australia has to put up with the annual war launched on us by magpies, but not the pollies — oh no, they have special measures in place to protect them (and their staff) from this annual event ("Fake hawks used to stop aggressive magpies in Parliament House", October 23, p9).

I can just imagine the grilling of some public servant at Senate Estimates, trying to run the line that money needed to be spent to protect ordinary public servants from magpie attacks.

I'm sure the attack on him/her would be not unlike the attacks the pollies are now protecting themselves from.

Gordon Fyfe, Kambah

I think perhaps that Bruce Wright (Letters, October 22) is trying to have "two bob each way" in his criticism of the Bureau of Meteorology.

While showing off his knowledge of how the BOM forecasting system works, he is quick to criticise it for getting the rainfall figures for last Wednesday so wrong. If he is so clever as to understand the forecasting system, he should have been smart enough to check the BOM radar website, which clearly showed very large weather cells passing within 20 kilometres to both the east and west of Canberra, and which were streaming down from the north-west for most of the day.

Any one of these cells could easily have passed over Canberra and delivered the forecast rainfall in a flash.

The BOM does a magnificent job in providing very accurate seven-day weather forecasts. No doubt if the bureau had only forecast the 0.5mm that fell in Bruce's rain gauge and it so happened that 20mm fell, he and his ilk would still be criticising the bureau for not giving an advance warning.

Jeff Day, Greenway

The front page article ("Govt told to ditch Barton team link", October 23, p1) stating the ACT government's intention to use the Barton route for its stage 2 section would leave many of us shaking our heads.

Taking a logical view the idea of replacing a good bus service that takes approximately 15 minutes to travel from Woden interchange to Civic with an already outdated tram that will take 40 minutes is economic and financial irrationality.

Our bus network already covers Barton and, in fact, all of Canberra very efficiently.

New transport systems being developed in China can move people more efficiently than trams and at half the cost.

The Barr government was advised about them when it first floated the idea of light rail for Canberra. Infrastructure Australia advised it against light rail for Canberra.

Unbelievably the government has pursued light rail in a lemming-like rush to jump over an economic cliff.

If you drive into Civic from either north or south you will be getting a taste of what lies ahead.

The increasing centralisation of Civic even without light rail is leading to gridlock.

With light rail and its priority over cars at 10 sets of traffic lights on the way in and the same 10 sets on the way out will be the final straw that snaps the patience of people who have Civic as a destination.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

As the ACT government is reconsidering the route of the light rail extension to Woden ("Govt told to ditch Barton team link", October 23, p1) in response to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories report, it should also reconsider the appropriateness of the project.

The government has failed to demonstrate the project is superior to busway and "trackless" tram alternatives, both of which would be considerably cheaper and likely to provide similar urban renewal benefits.

It also needs to assess whether the funds being allocated would be more effective in reducing car dependency, and associated greenhouse emissions, than extending the frequency and coverage of the bus network and providing policies to bus use and encourage employment at locations that support the bus network.

There are urgent education, health, housing and disability services issues facing the territory and concerns about the levels of rates.

A competent and independent reassessment of the project would help restore the community's confidence in the government.

If the reassessment indicates the project is a poor use of public funds, kudos would be obtained by the government abandoning the project. The Barr government needs to be particularly responsible given the ineffectiveness of the conservative Liberal opposition.

Mike Quirk, Garran

If I was a cartoonist I would draw a picture of Scott Morrison sitting on a pile a rubbish in a desolate landscape.

"Well, at least we lowered electricity prices!" would be the caption.

Gary Frances, Bexley, NSW

Why would refugees, who have been so badly treated by Australia, ever want to leave NZ to come here? Why is this country fearful, when most in previous generations have come here in a similar way? We are not as unfortunate as the First Australians.

Sandra von Sneidern, Mongarlowe, NSW

The 23 years the ALP spent in federal opposition between 1949 and 1972 was brought about partly because the party was embroiled in infighting between its factions. The Liberal Party of 2018 looks like replicating that.

For the past three years, Tony Abbott and his lieutenants have devoted most of their energy to dragging down Malcolm Turnbull, leaving little time for fighting Labor and no willingness to listen to the concerns of the wider electorate.

They have failed to appreciate that the electorate's attitude to climate change, gay marriage, and asylum seekers has changed. It was this tin ear to the concerns of the Wentworth voters that contributed to the byelection rout.

Unfortunately, the hard right in the Libs give no sign of learning from their mistakes. Most of the lifelong Liberal voters that voted for Kerryn Phelps mentioned inaction on climate change and asylum seekers for their decision to switch. But the right-wingers (and the Murdoch press) are blaming Malcolm Turnbull's absence for the Wentworth defeat rather than listening to what exit polls could tell them. Instead of trying to flush out any vestiges of progressive thought that persists in their party, Mr Abbott and the rest should listen to the concerns of ordinary Australians and adopt policies that are appropriate to 21stcentury realities.

Mike Reddy, Curtin

It might serve as a motherhood statement to wrap yourself in the cloak of the so-called sensible centre of the right or left variety as our current leaders do. However, whether such a posture is fit for the purpose of dealing with the 21st-century challenges and opportunities facing Australia and the world is another matter.

The politics, policies and culture of the sensible centre have dominated local and global electoral politics for decades and look where that has got us. Intensifying inequalities and unacceptable levels of poverty blight our economy. Climate change remains out of control. Terrorism and the increasing threat of war are the new normal.

At best the sensible centre adopts policies that are too little too late to effectively deal with any of the issues, small, medium or large that we face. We are faced with a unique trifecta of changes and challenges and more of the sensible centre is doomed to fail.

Capitalism-induced climate change is real and does pose an existential threat to planetary sustainability and survival. Frankly, relying on the narrow ambit of policies deemed to be "sensible" is delusional and dangerous. Nero fiddled while Rome burned; this time it's the planet that's at stake.

Stewart Sweeney, North Adelaide, SA

I have just been listening to Fran Kelly on Radio National interviewing, among others, a Maningrida father whose three children were all suffering from rheumatic fever.

It was claimed the incidence of the illness among Indigenes is 55 times that among non-Indigenes and a major factor is overcrowding, with up to 15 people in a two-bedroom house. When Fran asked what was being done, there was much talk of how the seriousness of the problem was recognised and mention of a "road map" but no concrete, useful measures were discussed.

Is it beyond the wit and initiative of our Indigenous leaders, celebrities, activists etc to ease up on reminding us of murders that occurred a 100 or more years ago and usefully direct their endeavours to hound the federal government for the immediate issuing of tents to Aboriginal communities likely to have high levels of rheumatic fever? Nauru's unsolicited migrants seem to be existing comfortably in theirs.

Bill Deane, Chapman

Why is there a man wearing an Australian military uniform attending a meeting of farmers, being referred to as a drought co-ordinator? (ABC 7.30, October 18, 2018). Australia is a civilian society and the military has no role in the political management of the nation.

Our military defends us against external threats. This nonsense follows a military person holding Scott Morrison's hand as he pursued his war on refugees.

It was always likely to get out of hand and it did very quickly with military excuses for not telling the voter what was being done in their name: "on-water security"; "operational matters". Pure nonsense! How was the press blindsided? How did a civilian operation collect such arrogant management?

We knew more about America's military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan than about our civil servants' operations against boats probably carrying refugees.

Australia has drought experts within agricultural departments and they should be allowed to apply their expertise.

Warwick Davis, Isaacs

As we celebrate National Bird Week (October 22-28) please spare a thought for the millions of Australian birds who never get to enjoy – even glimpse – the beautiful world in which they live.

They are never permitted to feel the warmth of the sun on their backs or breathe fresh air.

Their lives are short and painful and their deaths are brutal and terrifying.

I'm referring, of course, to the millions of birds reared in Australia each year for their flesh and eggs.

The million "broiler" chickens, the 9 million "battery" hens and the 12 million "useless" male chicks who are minced up alive on day one of their lives.

Each year, worldwide, more than 50 billion chickens are condemned to this life of severe deprivation inside grim, cramped sheds, turning into a joke our expression "as free as a bird'.

Jenny Moxham, Monbulk, VIC

The article "Govt told to ditch Barton tram link" (October 23, p1) shows that the second stage of the light rail is still alive.

Would it not be prudent to delay a decision on the Woden route until passenger usage of the Gungahlin line has been recorded for an appropriate time to allow for any new toy, novelty bounce, and holidays such as Christmas and New Year holidays, to be taken into consideration, along with any detrimental effects on other forms of public transport.

The issue of the Woden route running through totally different demographic areas without kilometres of apartments along its route to boost numbers is totally beyond my capabilities.

Paul O'Connor, Hawker

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

It's ever so comforting to hear the Wentworth wipeout was solely due to Malcolm Turnbull and there are no implications whatsoever for the Coalition vote in the general election, voters still believe climate change is a hoax, people don't care about illegals on Nauru, pigs fly and the tooth fairy appears outside the GPO at midnight.

Thos Puckett, Ashgrove

MALCOLM IN THE MAIL

The Liberals won't know whether they have any chance of scraping across the line in Wentworth until after Malcolm's postal vote is counted. Ironic, isn't it?

Nigel Thompson, Queanbeyan, NSW

NON SEQUITUR

An expression by voters of protest against the Liberals is all very well; the bugger is that it doesn't follow that there's acceptance of Labor.

M. F. Horton, Adelaide, SA

EAT TEETH, REPUBLICANS!

That grinding noise, interspersed with muffled choking, is the sound of anguished republicans watching Australia's favourite royals, Meghan and Harry, on their triumphant Invictus Down Under visit!

Christina Faulk, Swinger Hill

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

If the government and opposition agree to ban refugees from Nauru and Manus who settle in New Zealand from ever entering Australia, we have another example of the overreach of our policies. According to official websites, it takes five years' residency before you can be granted NZ citizenship, so it will already be a long time before any refugee can come to Australia. Surely that is enough.

David Purnell, Florey

ET TU, DAVID

David Teather (Letters, October 23) recalls the performance of Julius Caesar earlier last week. Perhaps no coincidence his letter was published on the anniversary of the suicide of the leader of the plot to assassinate the said Caesar in 42BC!

Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook NSW

BLACK AND WHITE

Australia's most aggressive magpies are surely in Wentworth, not Parliament.

Dr John Doherty, Vienna, Austria

GROWTH CORRIDOR

Those dastardly Canberra tram constructors have planted healthy and appropriate eucalypts along Northbourne Avenue and other parts (where they weren't) of the light rail route. They've also planted native grasses and laid mulch where once was just plain old weeds and dodgy scrub. Must rattle the tram NIMBYs who reckoned the world would end when the old, inappropriate, unhealthy trees came down.

James Mahoney, McKellar

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