Stupidity and the NBN

We signed up to the NBN in October. For a while it seemed to work well, then one by one the wheels fell off and I live to regret the decision.

Early in 2018, we started to get outages, every day, for lengthy periods. But who do we report this to?

The Telstra fault line goes direct to their off-shore call centre/s and we always get the same response: very sorry but don't you worry, we'll fix it for you. After hearing this 10, 15, 20 times, I started to get rather short with them.

I rang the Ombudsman's office to ask if there was an Australian number I could ring.

The office gave me one. The person who answered transferred me to a Telstra off-shore call centre.

I phoned Telstra sometimes four times a week. Same promise, same failure to deliver. When I refused to pay my Telstra bill until I got a reliable service, it started taking me seriously.

Telstra sent a technician to the house. That didn't help for long.

It gave us a replacement modem. No luck.

Telstra then said it would get an NBN technician to come to the house. At the fourth appointment a technician finally turned up. He did find a "nick" in a wire near the node and that fixed the problem. For a while.

These days we have even more outages than before, although they don't last as long. But it's enough that we can't use the internet, or the home phone, or any download services, without the fear of the line dropping out.

Who cares about internet speed if Telstra can't supply a stable connection?

Telstra can't seem to do anything and the NBN is impossible to contact unless we go through Telstra.

If stupidity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result, I must be the most stupid man in Canberra.

Rudi Schneider, Pearce

According to an article "Minister aims for all-digital delivery by 2025" (June 13, p10), we will "become one of the top three countries in the world for digital government".

If this will be accomplished utilising the managerial skills currently being demonstrated during the national rollout of the NBN, it's a worry.

Reading on, we learn that our "old ways" of doing business with government over the counter with real people is out and the brave new world will force us online for all government services.

With recent debacles at the Tax Office and Human Services fresh to mind, this is also not good news.

But wait, there's more.

Not to be confused with an Australian ID card by stealth, the government will allocate each of us a single myGovID digital identity to access all online government services. This digital identity will eventually be linked to our tax file number.

Do not be alarmed as a Trusted Digital Identity Framework will keep our data secure. Phew!

The digital transformation strategy will be implemented before a report from an independent review is delivered to Minister Michael Keenan.

He didn't want to wait for the report. Perhaps he already knows the report's conclusions and recommendations?

Mass APS job losses anyone?

Heather Stewart, Weston

Just who is Erin Clarke (Letters, June 13) representing when she says "ACT residents" are very keen to have commercial buildings on the CSIRO Ginninderra site?

There has to be a quality town plan for this 700-hectare experimental farm area alongside the Barton Highway in outer Belconnen. Biocide residues such as arsenic (see Peter Toscan, Letters, June 13) must be earmarked. Also, native flora and fauna and Aboriginal heritage should be identified and the corridor of Halls Creek, a tributary of Ginninderra Creek, should be preserved.

Independent planners (not just CSIRO administrators or scientists) have to take charge.

Dr Christopher Watson, Latham

The Australian National University and Sydney University are well within their rights to refuse the tempting multimillion-dollar cash infusion to promulgate cultural immersion in the Judaeo-Christian tradition proposed to be hosted by the Ramsay Centre.

Both already offer humanities degrees that offer broad-based and balanced exposure to philosophy, ethics, human history and the arts.

In order to remain credible as a host to critical appraisal and uncensored debate among impressionable youth, a degree conferred by a reputable university must avoid the stain of agenda-driven indoctrination, a prescient threat posed by the Ramsay Centre's aspiring to a favourable focus on "studies and discussions of Western civilisation".

The ANU and Sydney University risked corroding their high regard in Australia and world wide by lending their imprimatur and patronage to the Ramsay Centre.

Sydney University, at least, may have learnt from the fierce public backlash to China's interference in student affairs to defend that behemoth's interests, enabled through its decision to accommodate a Confucius Institute on site.

I remain proud of Australian universities' integrity and insistence on academic autonomy.

Joseph Ting, Carina

John Warhurst, Emeritus Professor at ANU, writes: "Staff and student unions are not terribly influential on big university decisions although they are formally consulted." ("Controversy over Ramsay Centre promises to be high stakes affair for Australia's unis", June 14, p24).

Nonsense, John. I'm sure you will be aware of the number of times in Australia and overseas when student, and sometimes staff, hostility to some visiting celebrity's opinions have resulted in violence, or threats of violence, if planned talks or lectures they were going to give were not abandoned.

Vice-chancellors' sanctimonious insistence on their independence and autonomy go out the window at the prospect of riots on campus.

Bill Deane, Chapman

I write in response to the letter in Saturday's Canberra Times under the headline, "Richardson's history over China raises other security questions".

At no time in my over 48 years in the public service did I take six weeks personal leave, let alone personally negotiate the Huawei sponsorship deal for the Canberra Raiders, as claimed by Mr Lynch.

Huawei sponsors numerous sporting teams around the world, including in the US, New Zealand, the UK and Europe, and the Gold Coast Suns in the AFL.

As a director of the Canberra Raiders I certainly participated in the decision to link up with Huawei and that was one of the best decisions we have made. Huawei has stuck with us through thick and thin and we are proud of the association.

As for national security, paranoia and conspiracy theories are not good starting points.

Dennis Richardson, Griffith

Thanks to all at Woden Library for providing some much-needed winter warmth and cheer.

The other day, as I entered the library, I saw a clothes rack offering warm winter coats — take one, leave one.

Intrigued, I approached the rack just as an elderly gentleman picked a sportscoat off it. He was quite taken with it but, in the absence of a mirror, somewhat concerned about its appearance on his physique.

Recalling my satisfaction when being fitted for my first sportscoat many, many years ago, I believe I acted in the best traditions of Mr Humphries and Mr Grainger in gently helping him into the jacket, casting an eye over the fit on the shoulders, the length of the coat and the fall of the lapels and then gently tugging on the top button to see if there was room to accommodate a decent three-course meal in the tum without compromising the line and form.

Even Captain Peacock might have been impressed by my diligence in seeing that a fellow library patron was satisfactorily served.

"It is so you," I found myself saying. "And it tones so well with the shirt and trousers you are wearing. Lovely twill too. Would you mind turning around? I'll check how it looks from behind. Hmmmm, you could have been born in it as it fits so well!"

"I'll take it," he said, shaking my hand, "and I'll bring in a replacement. It's made my day."

"Your delight has made my day," I said as we shook and I was pleased to see the sleeve rode up very nicely on the wrist with very little puckering at the elbow.

Next time I visit the library I might well be carrying a tape measure in my pocket as I set out to discover where they keep the fashion books.

V. R. Condon, Narrabundah

Re: "Wind farm study a $500,000 fizzer", (June 12, p4). Of course it was a dud.

The Coalition government desperately wanted the wind farm study to fail.

Why? The Coalition's top priority is not to save the planet from carbon emissions.

The Coalition's top priority is to win the next election. It will cost them millions.

To win the next election, the Coalition needs donations.

From where? From big business and mega-rich coal, oil and gas companies.

The first Industrial Revolution replaced wind (at sea) and horses on land.

In their place came coal-fired ships (at sea) and in factories on land.

The second industrial revolution will replace coal, oil and gas.

What with? With wind, solar, hydro, geo-thermal and nuclear power.

Change won't happen overnight.

To avoid distress, it could take decades.

The Coalition will run a scare campaign about losing coal, oil and gas jobs.

Labor MPs should provide data about renewable-energy jobs in their electorates.

Back to wind farms: My motor-mower has a 75dBA noise rating.

The rating meets the Australian standard. It's a certified product.

New wind farms need to comply with an Australian noise rating.

Who does the rating? Anybody except the Coalition.

Graham Macafee, Latham

It's fashionable, if not obligatory, nowadays that a prime minister apologises publicly for failures and abuses inflicted over the decades on the vulnerable by one of our previously respected public or private institutions.

While this upbeat mood of political contrition continues, may I suggest our PM sharpen his pencil to fashion a long overdue apology for the well documented abuses of the vulnerable elderly in our nursing homes.

If you do not apologise now, PM, you, or your successor, will regret the omission as the abuses mount day by day to constitute a scandal and a future royal commission.

It is a scandal yet to be fully revealed — a slick, smooth commercial enterprise in the pursuit of profits to exploit our aged.

The vulnerable are our parents and, ultimately, ourselves as we devolve from being visible to invisible in this materialistic, self-absorbed society.

A Whiddett, Forrest

Italy's Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, apparently admires Australia's present hardline "stop the boats" policy, at least partly because he doesn't want Italy to be "overrun by migrants" ("Australia an inspiration for boat halt", June 14, p21).

Mr Salvini has this attitude despite the fact that, according to the article, the just over 4million migrants, mostly from Africa, now make up 8.5 per cent of Italy's population but produce almost 9 per cent of its GDP.

These migrants are also reportedly "crucial" to Italy's welfare system, and make up for its low birth rate.

However, perhaps unsurprisingly, migrants reportedly compete with the poorest Italians for housing.

Italy has apparently "done little for the refugees on (their) arrival".

Some undocumented migrants are recruited as drug pushers and some who work as farm labourers are "treated no better than slaves".

Italy has tried, without success, to resettle some of these migrants in other countries.

However, it has not emulated the Australian practice of locking refugees away in indefinite detention and cruel conditions on remote islands such as Manus and Nauru. Australia appears to be alone in that inhumane practice.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

The Singapore meeting of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and US President Donald Trump must go on record as the most expensive photo opportunity so far in the 21st century.

It was trumped by the G7 photo of Chancellor Merkel standing over President Trump: you can almost hear her saying "what do you mean the dog ate your homework?"

Geof Murray, Ngunnawal

LIGHT RAIL OFF TRACK

When, where and if a new football stadium is constructed is a product of government priority setting. The postponing of the extension of light rail to Woden until it is justified (the bus system currently provides a fast and efficient service) would free up funds for infrastructure. A benefit cost appraisal of alternatives is needed to determine the projects that best meet the community's needs. The extension of light rail is unlikely to rate highly.

Mike Quirk, Garran

GRAVE CONCEPT

Sounds like this could be a huge undertaking with grave consequences ("Private partner sought for cemetery", June 15, p1).

Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW

THINK BEFORE SPEAKING

I trust all the snow flakes, do gooders and headline journos commenting on and lambasting the alleged atrocities of our serving and served troops in Afghanistan take the time to read the reply of Lt-Col Derek Gough (Ret) in Tuesday's Canberra Times letters pages. They should wake up to themselves and thank the Lord they are not in those troops' collective boots.

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

BURSTON WITH PRIDE

One Nation, Gone Nation or Lucky Nation? A great day for Australia to see Pauline lose balance of power in the Senate. God bless Senator Brian Burston.

M. K. Sidden, South Strathfield, NSW

STICK TO YOUR GUNS

Just because hyperventilating conservatives in the form of former and current politicians, a businessman, radio and newspaper commentators want the Ramsay Centre to exert influence on a prestigious university doesn't mean it will or should happen automatically. Our universities are self governing entities who make their own decisions around course and content.

Graeme Rankin, Holder

RAMSAY IN THE WRONG

Two of the founding tenets of Western culture are freedom of intellectual inquiry and academic autonomy. Spokesmen for the Ramsay Centre don't understand this. How can you support something you don't understand?

A Moore, Melba

THE FINAL STRAW

Drug related crime is on the rise across Canberra. Graffiti is on every available surface. Our Legislative Assembly is worried about drinking straws. It's the kind of thing Utopia episodes are made of.

J. Coleman, Chisholm

A REALLY DUMB MOVE

Somebody threatened an SAS soldier for giving evidence? You'd have to be pretty dumb.

That could come back to bite you really badly.

I. Nott, Gundaro

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