Senator Seselja has made it clear in recent times (same-sex marriage, ACT rights to legislate in respect of assisted dying, supporting an insurrection against an incumbent Prime Minister) that he is more interested in proffering his far-right, arch-conservative, faith-based views than representing the interests of the ACT, which was what he was elected to do.

The interests of the electors of the ACT are not well served by Senator Seselja continuing in his role as it is clear he is out of lockstep with those interests. If he fails to resign as he should, the odds are clearly be against him being re-elected at the next federal election, whenever it is held.

Don Sephton, Greenway

Your editorial (August 22) refers to the "all about them" behaviour as a pattern seen over the past decade.

Perhaps it is worse than a decade: selfish tactics around leadership in both major parties was first seen in my lifetime at least from John (Blackjack) McEwan of the then Country Party, who refused to serve under Bill McMahon, temporarily depriving McMahon of his historic chance to be a terrible prime minister, at least until McEwan died, when McMahon fulfilled his destiny.

Then Bob Hawke cheated on his witnessed promise to stand aside for Paul Keating. Then we saw a selfish Liberal backbench lazily leave John Howard in office too long, thinking he was their guarantee of continuance amongst the trappings of incumbency. After Howard inevitably lost his office and his seat in 2007, in 2009 Tony Abbott challenged Malcolm Turnbull to be Liberal leader and immediately reneged on the agreement between the ALP's PM Kevin Rudd and Coalition's Turnbull about an emissions trading scheme.

Then ALP PM Rudd did not stand in the 2010 ALP leadership ballot, allowing Julia Gillard to step up to be PM, an event opposition leader Abbott insisted on referring to as an assassination.

The longevity of this selfish shallow conduct from backbenchers is not cited as evidence it should be expected and forgiven. If anything it suggests that pre-selectors do a poor job, finding in both parties so many candidates who cannot or will not think beyond keeping their snouts in the trough.

Warwick Davis, Isaacs

Is Peter Dutton really the best person in the parliamentary Liberal party to lead the country?

The report "'Bad policy': economic platform rubbished" (August 23, p4) shows Dutton's policies could seriously damage Australia's economy. The removal of GST from power bills would reduce revenue by up to $32 billion in 10 years. Dutton wants to limit this concession to families, pensioners and self-funded retirees. However, such a discrimination is not possible under present laws.

Dutton wants to cut the immigration rate, but according to the "Bad policy" report, a reduction in immigrant intake from 190,000 to 162,000 would reduce tax revenue by more than $500 million this financial year. A 50,000 reduction in immigrant intake would cost the budget $1 billion a year and all but cancel out the $2.2billion surplus projected for 2019-20.

The childcare company owned by Dutton's family trust has received more than $5.6million in funding. This may make Dutton ineligible to sit in Parliament under Section 44 of the constitution.

Then we have the Australian Medical Association, labelling Dutton when he was health minister in the Abbott government as the "worst health minister in living memory".

Is Peter Dutton really the right man for the highest office in the land?

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

What can the Liberal party gain from Peter Dutton as leader? His only known policies exploit popular fears and imagined "threats", and crudely invoke racism and prejudice. He has overseen a failed immigration program, punished innocent asylum seekers at enormous undisclosed cost, and demonised alleged "terrorists" without findings from Australian courts. He offers no policies on the economy either for energy, taxes, or employment, yet consistently harms Australia's international reputation.

Trevor Wilson, Chifley

Tony Abbott did not cause the current political imbroglio.

Malcolm Turnbull has self-destructed, he has failed to address the main issues that concern Australians. The hoax of global warming and the resulting increase in power prices. The rate of immigration, and the social impact of political correctness.

A centre-right party cannot govern from the left, and it is time for someone like Peter Dutton to take control. Save the Liberal party from oblivion and the country from a Bill Shorten-led Labor disaster.

Owen Reid, Dunlop

After all the media hype about leadership the PM has triumphed in the leadership spill with a 48/35 split.

When Malcolm Turnbull defeated Tony Abbott there was only one vote in it so the Prime Minister has improved his standing.

Peter Dutton should now attend to his electorate from the backbench as it appear that even Queensland voters may have had enough of him and other conservative malcontents.

The Liberals need to put the "liberal" back into the party in Queensland.

Adrian Jackson, Middle Park, Vic

Approaching 27 years without a recession, Australia holds the record for the longest period of uninterrupted growth in world economic history.

With four prime ministers over the past eight years, one of them serving twice, the political instability at the top may have helped to keep the boom going.

Should Malcolm Turnbull fall on his sword to avoid a recession?

Dr John Doherty, Vienna, Austria

Note to [former] PM: It's hard to make a stand on anything when you don't have a spine.

S. Gerrard, Dunlop

Note to the leaders of our country; You are being paid to lead our country and work for the good of Australian people, not to fight amongst each other like a pack of rabid dogs.

Doug Steley, Heyfield, Vic

Why does Dutton's push remind me of the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland? With the antics of Abbott, Barnaby and the rest the Coalition looks like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. We should look across the Tasman and sub-contract Jacinda Ahern's government as caretaker until normal service resumes.

Ray Edmondson, Kambah

Are Canberrans fully aware of what is happening to our beautiful city? I don't think so. Take a drive around Parliament House for a close-up view of democracy. With a plethora of security fences the building, which once did not intimidate, looks like a gaol, constantly guarded by lurking AFP cars.

If you approach the Executive Wing from Melbourne Avenue you will be looked down on by security guards armed with automatic weapons. Inside, the politicians are impounded in what has become the Australian version of the court of Versailles.

We have to eat cake while shenanigans go on within and journalists on skates attempt to bring us the news. There is more: Take a walk around the undeveloped public space around West Basin, ripe for developers at great opportunity cost to this irreplaceable public realm.

Enjoy the beauty and think about what it could be, before it becomes a construction site for reclamation of the lake, concrete revetments and bike paths in front of water side apartments.

If you enjoy a "drive in the country" along Yarra Glen to the landmark Woden Town Centre, think apartments replacing the grasses and clumps of trees of the road reserves with apartment buildings to pay for the tram.

Community groups are joining with the Institute of Governance and Policy Analysis at a public meeting to discuss community involvement in Canberra's planning on September 10 at the Albert Hall commencing at 6pm.

Rosemarie Willett, Architect, Member of the Walter Burley Griffin Society, Canberra

I would like to make an extremely positive comment with regards to the Barn Dance of last Saturday.

What an absolutely fabulous time. This function was the brainchild of Mix 106.3 and was held at Thoroughbred Park from 3-8 pm.

It was a drought fundraiser via the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners.

Firstly, what sensible hours, which meant that families with young children could attend and have fun together.

And the more mature sector of the community weren't kept out way past their bed time.

From there, the cost of $20/adult was most reasonable, and as it was minimal, it meant that other purchases and donations were readily forthcoming.

The atmosphere was infectiously happy/fun/sharing/productive, helped along by the comperes, the wonderful bands, the amazing face painting, the fictitious characters, the dances learned (from the Barn Dance to Bollywood!), and fuelled by delicious food and drinks.

There should be so much more of this – good, old fashioned family entertainment, able to be enjoyed by all the family. It may have been a dance, but I had a ball! And I trust there was a good number of dollars raised for such a worthy cause which has been operational since 2014.

Merran Hunter, Fraser

There are some statistics that I think should be kept, if the unnecessary and surely unpopular P plate curfew comes into force, in the ACT.

Statistics like how many times, young-looking people are pulled over by the police while driving well, to see if they are breaking curfew.

"Driving while looking young" will be a reason for suspicion.

Then there should be statistics of young people who have come to harm in some way, while trying to negotiate their way around, when they could be carefully driving themselves with a zero blood alcohol. Either getting in a car with someone who may turn out not to be safe (drink-driving, sexual assault etc – this proposed legislation will especially disempower young women and force them to put their faith in others), or drinking to excess themselves, which is a risk factor, because they will not have to maintain a zero blood alcohol as they aren't driving.

If the Green Minister Shane Rattenbury truly believes that this legislation is necessary, then he should campaign on it at the next election. This would remove the suspicion that some people might have, that this is in fact, could be a bit of attempted social engineering forced on young people.

Young people have it hard enough. Less permanent work, HEC's fees, rising rents, dwindling chances of owning their own home, while they can see older generations negatively gearing multiple houses, a pitiful New Start allowance etc. Let us not make their life harder, put more obstacles in their way, and ban good young drivers from the almost empty Canberra streets at night too.

Judith Deland-Morton, Spence

Rod Olsen is right (Letters, August 20).

There is no place for the military in civil policing operations. A vital hallmark of true democracy and rule of law is that the military must be absolutely apolitical.

Proposals to ease call-out requirements by right-wing politicians will inevitably draw our military into politically motivated activities as has happened in the USA. A very dangerous proposition.

Rod Keefe, Wing Commander (retired), Eli Waters, Qld

I urge those who use the excellent ACT Library Service to take part in the current Government Inquiry into Library Services, shown on their website.

Following on from the transport consultation which, it seems, was missed by many, I would be very sorry to see this ACT Library consultation lead to a poorer service.

Unfortunately, having to participate via a submission may put people off. But then, this government doesn't seem to be listening very well to what people really want.

Judith Ballard, Kaleen

I just received my rates notice, an increase of 23 per cent; more than 10 times the increase in the consumer price index.

There ought to be a law against it.

Bruce A. Peterson, Kambah

Surely so much data is in that it is impossible to have an opinion on climate change. Having an opinion on climate change would be like having an opinion on whether the Earth is flat, or round like a ball.

Harry Davis, Campbell

ALL SELF-PRESERVATION

Pundits say that in a two-horse race you always back self interest, so the Federal Liberal Party leadership farce is understandable.

Forget national interest, it's all about preserving individuals' access to the perks of being in government in the vain hope of either retaining existing or being elevated to ministerial office.

Graeme Rankin, Holder

CALL A GENERAL ELECTION

Malcolm please, put us all out of our misery while you still can and advise the Governor General to call a general election.

Peter Hyland, Swinger Hill

TERRIBLE TRILOGY

Who or what can possibly save us from the terrible trilogy of the ultra right wing Trump, Dutton and Seselja? At this stage we still have the ballot box.

John Davenport, Farrer

'D-DAY' A POOR CHOICE

The use 0f "D-Day" for a headline (August 23, p.1) was very poor. There is no similarity at all to the events of June 6, 1944, and the tawdry behaviour of our politicians.

Tom Middlemiss, Deakin

DUTTON WON'T CHANGE

"The Likeable Mr Peter" would be a rather amusing and entertaining stunt by Dutton's PR team to boost his new leadership bid, if it wasn't an insult to intelligence. No leopard has ever changed its spots.

Luca Biason, Latham

STRETCH OF IMAGINATION

Peter Dutton chose to absent himself from the Parliament on the day of the apology to the Stolen Generation. By what stretch of the imagination do he, and his parliamentary supporters, believe he would make a suitable Prime Minister?

Peter Crossing, Glengowrie, SA

TIME TO CLAIM PERKS

Peter Dutton might only be Prime Minister for six months if he's successful but he'll be yet another "former prime minister" getting a host of perks and entitlements for the rest of his life courtesy of the rest of us. Call the election, Malcolm, and don't give him the chance.

S. De Luca, Bywong, NSW

FAITH IN PUNDITS

Those who crave for Cleaver Greene to enter politics remind me to observe that former politicians often become media commentators, and do not always make any better a job of it than they did as elected representatives. (Letters, August 23).

Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW

HISTORY REPEATS

On August 18 Peter Dutton tweeted his support to Mr Turnbull. On August 21 he challenged him. Mr Dutton is as bad as Mr Kevin, Ms Julia, Mr Abbott and Mr Turnbull.

Mokhles K Sidden, South Strathfield, NSW

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