Do blame drugs

Over 35 years in the drug policy area I have heard innumerable times the argument that we shouldn't blame drugs or recreational users for our drug scourge – with the blame supposedly falling on our prohibiting laws and our police who uphold them. What nonsense.

Our border control authorities and police seize approximately 32 tonnes of illegal drugs annually, preventing about 15 million street hits from reaching our kids, thus saving untold lives. External and internal drug traffickers and other criminal groups operate within Australia and keep it as a prime target because they see our drug policy as the metaphorical frog in hot water.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

A belief bandied around now is that denser housing is more ecologically sound than single houses on blocks. I challenge that view and suggest that but for the very best dense housing developments, of which Canberra has few, urban sprawl can be environmentally better.

Granted, when Canberra was established as a few buildings on the dusty Molonglo plains 100 years ago, the current population, cost, pollution and land pressures evident now were not envisaged. However, a drive up any of the surrounding hills will show how the area has been transformed into a "garden city" largely through growth of suburban gardens, not just parks and street trees.

Promoting dense housing over suburban blocks ignores the environmental sustainability potential of suburban living.

Used thoughtfully, suburban blocks contribute to, rather than detract from, the health of neighbourhoods. Dense plantings work to stabilise outside temperatures, while composting (difficult in dense housing complexes) reduces waste. Solar energy and rainwater collection mitigate use of commercial energy and town water.

Large gardens provide an environment for small marsupials, birds, insects and amphibians while giving children an accessible place to play outdoors. I believe that we need to be careful that we do not develop canyons of concrete while devaluing something that benefits our city.

Margaret Atcherley, Forrest

Housing is unaffordable because house prices are too high, or because people do not have enough income to purchase a home. There is a third reason, and that is the cost of funding a home purchase is too high.

We can reduce the cost of funding a home by eliminating the cost of interest. For most homes, interest doubles the cost of a home. We can remove interest costs and still give investors a high return by extending the period over which borrowers repay their loans. Lenders and borrowers create a fixed agreement when the loan starts. The borrower says they will pay double the amount if they can pay for the house over 60 years. A lender says they will lend their money if they get back double the amount in 20 years. It is impossible with a single borrower and lender but a co-op of many borrowers and many lenders all with different time frames makes it possible.

It happens because the co-op ensures that each year repayments equal the amount returned to lenders.

Using this approach leaves the existing system intact with high prices, negative gearing and capital gains. However, it provides a competitive, affordable alternative to bank loan funding. With this approach, anyone who can afford to pay rent can afford to buy a home.

Kevin Cox, Ngunnawal

So Terry Snow, the owner of Canberra Airport, is now Canberra's wealthiest man and our only billionaire (Meet the Snow man, airport owner now worth $1 billion, CT, May 26).

How unfortunate it is that our wealthiest man still accepts money from war profiteers and their promotions at our airport.

Is it really beyond Canberra Airport's capacity to replace weapons advertising with promotion of our beautiful city? Or to wonder what the advertised weaponry actually does to people and to communities when it's used?

The Snow Foundation's philanthropy of $18.4 million over 25 years is commendable. The promotion of those who profit from the utter destruction and cruelty of warfare is not.

Sue Wareham, Cook

In process of wealth accretion, "great" Australians avail freely of infrastructure and social institutions created, supported and funded by "ordinary" taxpayers, yet they themselves are loath to contribute, while demanding fanfare accompaniment to pet project "donations" (Meet the Snow man, airport owner now worth $1 billion, CT, May 26, p2).

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan

The editorial in The Canberra Times on May 25 very reasonably made the point that Monis alone was to blame for the deaths of two hostages.

Like the editorial, I would not blame the police for trying to outwait Monis. What I would blame them for is the incompetent follow-up. The lack of communication with Monis and the lack of good intelligence about Monis.

Above all I would blame them for sending in a squad of police with high-powered rifles firing volleys of shots.

The fact that only one hostage was killed is a minor miracle. At the range they were shooting using rubber bullets or pump action shotguns firing medium shot would have been just as effective and far safer.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

I woke one morning to find a parking ticket on my car which my son had left on the street as the clicker to our complex broke.

I wrote to ACT Rego asking for a waiver as the clicker was broken and did need replacing.

As I was not the driver at the time of parking, I had to write another application to waiver the fine.

ACT Rego then waived my fine and put it in my son's name.

He now has to apply to get the fine waived.

Honestly – what a waste of time. Is this how they justify staying busy all day; making the real workers frustrated with their bureaucracy.

Louise Heather, Kingston

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