Relying on importing ever more people to buy ever more expensive land to drive government revenue via stamp duty is not sustainable. The ACT is clearly far too reliant on housing construction.

An economically sustainable ACT would reduce its reliance on the population growth-fuelled housing industry. It would transfer much of this scarce economic investment capital into a more diverse economy with secure and sustainable jobs, including in high value manufacturing and information technology. A sustainable ACT would be better, not bigger.

William Bourke, Wollstonecraft, NSW

On July 21, the Rotary Club of Canberra and Circus Quirkus put on a wonderful show at Queanbeyan Bicentennial Hall, to an enthusiastic reception from the old and young, able and the less able, new arrivals and representatives of the First Inhabitants. The audience applauded, cheered and, without envy, revelled in the skills of the young, fit and healthy performers.

However, the best part is that all the seats were paid for by local businesses, including our sponsors, Truline Design and Redback Racepaint. Thanks for the wonderful support from our local business community for the most appreciative in our community. So forget about finding cheaper and, perhaps dodgy, deals online. Buy local and feel good about your dollars being shared with those in the larger community who really appreciate a bit of support.

M. Coulson, Gilmore

I'm reluctant to lecture a local cattleman ("By George, opportunities open up as lake fills", July 25, p1), but I suggest Luke Osborne might consider a Hereford mix in his herd. It's proven resilient to Wyoming ranchers like family friends the Scavdhals who irrigate 2 1/2 sections (square miles) of alfalfa off the Niobrara river on the Nebraska-Wyoming border each summer for supplementary cattle feed. Of course, they own 220 square miles of land.

But I digress. Luke Osborne may be more concerned by how the recent rains may cause his herd scours, a costly proposition.

Gerry Murphy, Braddon

Good on Graeme Barrow for advocating that Lake George be officially recognised by its Aboriginal name, Weereewa. It is an important part of us growing together as a reconciled nation that we embrace the culture and names that have been in our land for thousands of years. Let's hope the NSW Government gets behind the idea.

Another striking geographical landmark in the southern region is the Tollgate Islands that mark the entrance to Bateman's Bay. It is hard to believe that these dominant, almost haunting, geological features do not have a name(s) by which they are known in Aboriginal culture. My efforts have not yielded an answer, but it would be good if their Aboriginal name could be identified and used in common parlance and official documentation.

Closer to Canberra there is another challenge for us in recognising Aboriginal pre-ownership of the land. Canberra's northern suburban area is known by the name Gungahlin. That is appropriate and fitting. However the established pronunciation of that name seems not to resonate with the timbre and melody that is a feature of Aboriginal language.

Just as Graeme Barrow says that Weereewa, 'when it is pronounced correctly... has a real musical lilt to it', so also I suspect would the correct pronunciation of the name 'Gungahlin'. Rather than the long drawn out and flat 'ahh' vowel sound, that in effect becomes a second syllable, I suspect the correct Aboriginal pronunciation would likely put a rhythmical emphasis on the first syllable, 'Gunga', with a short second syllable 'lin'.

Hopefully someone can put us right on the pronunciation of "Gunga – lin" and the Aboriginal name(s) for the Tollgate Islands. And then, maybe, we might duly respect our Aboriginal heritage and take another small step towards an authentic identity.

Terry Fewtrell, Lyneham

Government handouts are bribes insulting to many of us ("Free buses for seniors: Barr", July 24, p9). Buses are relatively free already for seniors. As a relatively fit, able-bodied, and sufficiently-resourced senior, I don't need someone to collect my bulky waste for free; I can take it myself or pay someone to take it – contributing to keeping someone else employed.

I expect my government to deliver on commitments it's made already within promised service levels. ACT's record of "on-time" healthcare delivery is particularly appalling. I needed to "massage the system" numerous times to receive appropriately responsive care within an appropriate time, causing extra work for medical providers already over-subscribed.

I want freebies to go to people who have genuine needs, not to people who fit some broadbrushed demographic asserting entitlement. ACT's support for GIVIT is a step in the right direction.

I need a government operating with integrity, humanity, balance, and transparency. I need a government which treats ACT residents with the dignity and individuality that each deserves.

I fear the ACT election campaign will be replete with handouts and bribes hankering for votes by certain demographics.

I long for a campaign that appeals to our intelligence, not our self-interest!

Judy Bamberger, O'Connor

Let's not have a lawyer-enriching royal commission into the NT child detention system. The recommendations will be ignored. Instead let's use those millions of dollars for support services and job creation for Aboriginal families, to keep them out of detention. We can be guided by the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody. The issues are similar.

Meanwhile the young people who have been cruelly treated should be compensated by being provided with adequate housing, education and the psychological support that they will need to recover from years of torture and trauma, and to lead useful lives.

In addition, the government should increase its funding of the ABC without which these crimes would continue.

Rosemary Walters, Palmerston

Well, let's have a royal commission. It will of course take time (just like investigating the banks might take time), it will be bound by its terms of reference and everyone knows you can set those to make sure no one that matters gets their name up in lights. This time Malcolm Turnbull and his cronies actually need to do something. Not set up a legal process that will take years to arrive at a conclusion while children continue to be treated worse than live cattle exports — about which we can all summon lots of angry angst. Do something now to end this appalling abuse.

Gabriel Brown, Murrumbateman, NSW

I was horrified, tearful and angry after watching the Four Corners program about the current brutal, medieval treatment of some juvenile Aborigines in the Northern Territory detention/prison system.

The relevant Territory minister stated he had not seen all of the footage of the gross and illegal child abuse in the system. As if you can believe him. He was hopeless and could not defend the indefensible.

The relevant prison officers seem more like thugs than responsible, caring officers in charge of severely damaged juveniles. The system seems deeply flawed and demands urgent action to put in place more humane practices in the short term before there is a wider ranging and urgent inquiry into the system.

Geoff Clark, Narrabundah

Penelope Upward (Letters, July 26) claims that "Five hundred thousand is the number of Muslims allowed to settle in Australia", and that "We only hear criticism and never thank you". According to the most recent census, in 2011, there were 476,291 Muslims in Australia, and over a third were born in Australia. Perhaps she might try to get her facts right before her next letter. And as for never hearing thank you, perhaps she might hear these words if she spent more time listening.

(Dr) William Maley, Reid

Wayne Strudwick (Letters, July 25) didn't read J.J. Marr's recent letter very well. Marr, whom I know well, doesn't agree with Pauline Hanson and wasn't really talking about his own attitudes. He was talking about community attitudes and how he thinks the barriers between Muslims and the rest of us can be reduced.

I will illustrate what I think he is talking about from my experience. The flats where I live have a large transient population. People of various ethnic origins come and go and mostly get on perfectly well. Some years ago, there were a number of Muslims here.

One day, an issue arose which required me to talk to a Muslim family two doors down from me. I knocked on the door, which was opened by the wife. I said what I needed to say, she acknowledged it and I went on my way. A few days later, her husband and his mate bailed me up. They were both incensed. "You spoke to my wife," he said. "Yes," I replied. "We are Muslims," he said, fuming.

There were several things I could have said but I didn't. I calmed things down and moved away. The incident reflected a clash of cultures, between his, where men and women don't usually speak in those circumstances and mine, where it is the norm. He expected me to comply with his culture, I needed to bend to accommodate him. It didn't occur to him that he might bend to accommodate my culture. What Marr is saying is that there needs to be flexibility and not just from the general community and I agree with that.

Stan Marks, Hawker

Congratulations to Dr Sue Wareham on her thoughtful commentary about promotions for military weapons at Canberra Airport ("Lest we forget: weapons are not just a product", Comment, July 25, p15). I agree that advertising instruments of mass death is a most inappropriate way to welcome visitors to the national capital. This just adds to the obscenity of spending around $100 billion on unnecessary submarines of unproven design together with joint strike fighter planes, the prototypes of which seem to specialise in falling out of the sky. This gross unwarranted expenditure on aggressive military hardware comes at a time when our government has made record cuts to peace-promoting overseas development assistance. Dr Wareham is right – advertising and accumulating lethal military weaponry will never lead the world to peace, but will rather heighten the risks of regional or global conflicts.

Peter Maywald, Queanbeyan, NSW

You would hope that Australia makes its weapons purchases based on sound research and independent strategic evaluation.

But the continued presence of armament advertisements at Canberra Airport suggests there is money to be made persuading decision makers. We would not allow guns to be advertised there, given the deaths that follow.

So why do we still have these huge advertisements for items that will cause even more death and destruction? Making Christopher Pyne minister for defence industry reflects a shift to weaponry supporting our manufacturing policy. The defence budget is "decoupled" from austerity in other areas- heaven forbid it sparks a regional arms race. Major weapons purchases need careful thought, not advertising and undue influence.

Dr Margaret Beavis, president, Medical Association for Prevention of War

BEST MINUS KEVIN

Mike Reddy's sentiments (Letters, July 26) are understandable, but with a modicum of research he'll find that neither the Coalition nor Labor will be enthusiastic about Kevin 07 being nominated, let alone elected, to be UN Secretary-General. Not because the UN has proved itself to be ineffectual and lacking teeth, but as an added complication the UN and the world does not need.

A. Whiddett, Yarralumla

JOB SPECIFICATION

Will Andrew Barr provide ACT ratepayers a job specification for the position of Commission for International Engagement to actually show how Brendan Smyth's annual salary of $300,000 is justified?

Brendan Ryan, Mawson

MALE LINE-UP PHOTO

Julie Bishop can be applauded for organising a photo of the females in the Turnbull ministry, but can you imagine the squeals of complaint from certain sections of the media if Barnaby Joyce had coordinated a photo of the male equivalent?

Roger Dace, Reid

PROTECT LEGAL SYSTEM

I must have nodded off during the recent election campaign when the Government promised to scrap jail sentences for some criminals in Australian jails in favour of unlimited and indefinite detention instead.

One just hopes the states and territories will do the federal Attorney-General's job for him and protect at all costs the Australian legal system against such barbaric and un-Australian attacks.

John Clarke, Pearce

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

So, the British people, keen to spend their summer holidays on the Continent, are being made to queue for several hours before being allowed to cross the Channel ("Enhanced security leaves UK holiday makers stuck in traffic" July 25, p10).

But wasn't it just a few days ago when the majority of the British people declared that they are definitely not of Europe? Talk about wanting the best of both worlds.

Sam Nona, Burradoo, NSW

VITAL JOURNALISM

The ABC's Four Corners shocked the nation with Monday night's revelation of a cruel and unjust child penal system. This program often exposes the underbelly of Australian society through fearless investigations. If Four Corners was a building, it would be protected by the National Trust. If it was a person, it would be a designated national treasure. As it is, Four Corners depends on the Australian taxpayers for its continued viability. Long may it thrive.

Charles Noble, Dickson

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