Sitting in tiered seating listening to author Adam Lunney was not unlike attending a lecture theatre crammed with students as he educated us about the RAAF pilots who had flown Spitfires over Normandy in World War II. He acknowledged the presence of members of their families as he spoke with reverence of the men who had honoured him by sharing their stories in the hope that their publication might be of benefit to others.

"Our history is for all of us and hopefully that's what I've achieved here today," he said.

He had concluded, from what they had told him in interviews for Ready to Strike, that courage and bravery amounted to continuing to do your duty while trying to cope with the effects of mounting fear.

As the lights dimmed Spitfire: Inspiration of a Nation – a special presentation of the Veterans Film Festival – began to instruct us in the development and service history of the aircraft that they and other Commonwealth and European pilots had flown.

We learnt about its complexity, its many graces, its very few vices and its brutal lethality.

It seemed its evolution from seaplane to soaring assassin was matched to some extent by the transformation of its pilots from young pups to fighting bulldogs – if they survived, particularly when the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 initially flew rings around the Spit before it evolved again to snuff out this foe.

We heard the testimonies of elderly, dignified men remembering their youth spent at the controls of R. J. Mitchell's creation, arguably the deadliest fighting machine in the world, while doing a job that had to be done. The words of one still hang in the air: "The world needs a change from all this hostility and warfare".

V. R. Condon, Narrabundah

Climate change deniers in the Scott Morrison government should listen very carefully to the ordinary voters.

If it was all right for the now Prime Minister to hold up a lump of coal to the opposition crossbenches and sarcastically shout "look this is coal and it won't hurt you", would it be all right for the opposition spokespeople for primary industries, the environment and foreign affairs to hold up a half-starved lamb, a hand full of red scorched earth from a drought-decimated farm and a bucket of sea water that washed up for the first time ever onto the doorstep of a Kiribati family home and shout back "yes it does".

No they should not. That was appalling behaviour at the time by Scott Morrison at worst and poor theatre at best. Since then we have had the Wentworth byelection results with an almost 20 per cent swing against the Morrison government without very much help from Bill Shorten at all.

While acknowledging the electoral backlash, Morrison was fighting to hold Wentworth from the outset following the sacking of a very popular local member and former prime minister.

The potent cocktail of own goals by him and his colleagues during the byelection may be enough to ensure Kerryn Phelps retains it at next year's election.

The Wentworth byelection result sends a clear message to the Coalition's hard right conservatives that they must listen to the ordinary voters' messages, not the shock jocks and lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry.

Inaction on climate change and asylum seekers can only lead to defeat at the ballot box.

Phelps has shown the way.

G. Brady, Hughes

I am concerned that there are so many illiterate and/or anti-social people in Canberra, the capital of Australia.

Why, when there are so many signs declaring the Canberra Hospital site "smoke free", are there so many cigarette butts all over the ground?

If you are going to ignore a simple request to consider the health of others, even if you don't give a damn about your own, you could at least take your stinking rubbish with you.

Anne Rault, Deua River Valley, NSW

Canberra, you have an opportunity to become the Amsterdam of Australia by taking your bike tourism and bike culture to the next level.

Last month my family and I brought our bikes to Canberra and rode between all your amazing tourism attractions and cool food venues for three days.

It was so much fun. The kids loved the adventure but it feels like you have made a half-hearted effort to get people on bikes.

We navigated around Canberra by guess work as there were no maps and itineraries guiding tourists to all your major tourism spots and amazing cafes by bike.

Your city centre needs investment in visible bike-friendly infrastructure, including separated bike lanes and more pedestrian/bike/taxi only areas.

City centre infrastructure needs to link seamlessly and with priority to your existing bike path network.

You also need to organise cycle events that push everyday cycling not the "sport" of cycling.

This would make Canberra a vibrant bike friendly hub and a mecca for tourists in Australia.

Kate Prest, Camberwell, VIC

Now that the ACT government is going to release details of the non-demolished Mr Fluffy houses/homes, can it also include the locations of the former sheep dip sites that many of Canberra's suburbs are built over?

Whilst it's at it, the release of the soil sampling surveys in the 1990s would be helpful to see if the authorities were simply looking at arsenic levels or did the survey include the presence or otherwise of organophosphates and pyrethoids (known carcinogens) which were common chemicals associated with sheep-dips?Andrew Gordon, Tuross Head, NSW

Moves not so bright

The ACT government seems to be as dumb as a house brick. It has flagged big changes for the gaming sector.

Some years ago they decided that anyone playing a poker machine could not insert a $50 note. The highest denomination permitted was $20.

This made the clubs modify their machines.

They also had to install change machines that would break a $50 note.

Instead of inserting a $50 note a patron now inserts two $20 and one $10 note.

What has this achieved?

Phil Nicolls, Monash

Finally we have an official result for the Wentworth byelection. ("Phelps gets nod", November 5, p5).

N. Ellis, Bonython

On a recent visit to the War Memorial, the field of "knitted" poppies, overlooking the Bomber Command memorial site, was a salutary reminder of the sacrifice my family and other families have made in terms of peace and our freedoms.

I was born into a military family and, yes, I am "military brat"-educated at air force schools.

All my family members served in the three branches of the services, at the sharp end, and in harm's way. My father died in the service, and an uncle suffered a major facial disfigurement through enemy action.

In addition, a member of our family also served as a professional scientist/engineer and worked on developing cutting-edge defence systems which subsequently benefited us all, both military and civilians alike.

I wonder how they would respond to the expenditure of $500 million on the War Memorial?

I suspect they would not be happy. To suggest we need additional monuments, halls of remembrance and facilities to house Huey Helicopters at the cost of $500 million is very questionable.

We are forgoing expenditures of practical support for our veterans and their families.

I would suggest we should consider much more practical ways to support all those in the community who are suffering trauma as a result of serving our country.

Why not set up a "$500 million futures fund" to support all those who have suffered physical and mental trauma and who need ongoing support.

We should not necessarily separate our military from others within the community.

We all serve our community in different ways, eg federal police, ambulance, medical, fire services etc.

Our support for those in need should be inclusive.

The poppy is a holistic symbol. It is a reminder modern conflicts do not differentiate between military and civilian lives. The end result is that we are all involved. The current poppy display seems to me to already reflect and "represent the soul of our nation" rather than a new building.

I'm not sure we should spend $500 million when a simple flower is such a salutary and inclusive reminder of our history.

Mike Flanagan, Farrer

Half a billion dollars pledged towards the construction of an edifice commemorating the follies of conservative politicians.

I'd rather see that money spent repairing children and their families who have suffered at the hands of the Australian government.

That would, of course, cost a mere fraction of the total offered to the War Memorial for its upgrade.

Then another few dollars could be spent on a new monument for the south end of Anzac Parade as a counter to the iconic War Memorial. It would be one sculpture, larger than life, remembering those innocent civilians – often referred to as "collateral damage" – killed, maimed and displaced in far greater numbers than any losses experienced by armed forces in combat roles around the world.

Perhaps a sculpture of the Vietnamese child, Kim Phuc, running in agonising terror after being hit in a napalm attack would be truly memorable. The rest can be spent where it is needed most: education, health and social services.

W. Book, Hackett

There is much to ponder in the article by Jack Waterford on the proposed future development of the AWM ("Enough War Memorials", Forum, November 3, p1).

It might also be instructive to recall Sir Winston Churchill's views on the rebuilding of the House of Commons which had been badly bombed during World War II: "We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us."

Churchill was steadfastly against building a different or much larger House of Commons as many wanted. His view prevailed on the basis that the original House of Commons mix of the people working inside and the building itself provided the perfect combination for the purpose of the House of Commons.

He did not want this changed.

Anzac Hall has now become an integral part of the War Memorial landscape and is superbly sympathetic with the overall purpose of the War Memorial.

The Hall engenders feelings of awe, admiration and respect.

May I suggest we could live with what we have and remind ourselves that bigger is not necessarily better, that spaces have memory and designing space, not for its maximum capacity, but for its optimum density is an important balance to strike.

Perhaps we have achieved that almost perfect balance with the existing size, structure and purpose of the War Memorial.

Paul Tys, Turner

Right-wing governments worldwide have always promoted and celebrated militarism, so it's no surprise that ours has allocated half a billion dollars to expand the Australian War Memorial while other public institutions languish for want of funding.

There's a story that Churchill's advisers during WWII advised him to redirect arts and culture funding to the war effort.

"Then what would we be fighting for?" he's reputed to have replied.

The story's apocryphal, but it encapsulates deep truths.

Fred Pilcher, Kaleen

Any number of first-year architecture students could come up with a much better design for the War Memorial's expansion that preserves the beautiful, award-winning, virtually brand new Anzac Hall, slated for very expensive demolition in the institution's boringly prosaic plans.

This is not good enough for the national capital and the Diggers, Dr Nelson.

J. Kershaw, Kambah

Memorialising those who have made the ultimate sacrifice should manifest in an equitable society where everyone has a place to call home, employment paying a decent wage and society's less fortunate are no longer criminalised.

A. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

SLINGSHOT ANYONE?

I fail to see the problem faced by the residents of Bonython regarding "delivery drones". Even as a six-year-old I knew how to make my own Shanghai. I say "hasta la vista Baby — make my day".

Jeff Day, Greenway

POWER GAMES

The only fair dinkum power Scott Morrison understands is the power he snatched a couple of months ago.

Neil Wilson, Turner

GENIUS AT WORK?

If Darwin or Einstein had been applying for an Australian Research Council Grant today, then on Minister Birmingham's interpretation of the research criteria their work would be considered to have no practical application and not be "in the national interest".

Lee Welling, Nicholls

HISTORY REPEATS

Question: How long did it take to build the Pyramids?

Answer: As long as the Coppins Crossing and William Hovell intersection roadworks.

Chris Kimlin, Macgregor

A WORD OF ADVICE

G. Wilson (Letters, November 3) invokes the advice of Spartan mothers that their sons return "with your shield, or upon it". Archilocus of Paros offered far better advice: "Some lucky Thracian has my noble shield. I had to run, I dropped it in a wood. But I got clear away, thank God! So hang the shield. I'll get another, just as good".

M. Barry, Torrens

SPORT OUT OF REACH

It seems that, in regard to cricket at least, the label "elite sport" now refers to the elite who can afford a pay TV subscription, not to the skill level of the players.

John Smith, Holt

NO CURE FOR FIRES

Bushfires are devastating. According to some investigators the fire retardants with which they are bombed only marginally less so.

G. Wilson, Macgregor

TRUTH BE TOLD

There is an unpleasant resonance between Trump's "When I can, I tell the truth" and Morrison's "fair dinkum" power prices.

Mike Quirk, Garran

OUTSOURCING WOES

Perhaps one day soon, Telstra will realise that outsourcing their customer service problems to overseas call centres is no way to solve their problems. It is only making matters worse.

Mike McGettrick, Reid

GENUINE OFFER

The offer of first on the plane and a cheer hardly reflects the efforts of service people. Perhaps free flights, even just for those over 65, would be a more genuine token of appreciation.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill, Vic

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