A self-sustaining city – is there such a thing on this planet? Cities might very well be the industrial and economic powerhouses of nations; but their footprints are exceedingly heavy on nearby and far-away landscapes. No ACT (and region) State of the Environment Report has, except for air quality, given a tick for improvement. From available scientific data, it's a likely future trend; in spite of commendable efforts by individual groups.

In terms of economics, environment, and social planning (i.e., town planning), it would be sensible not to encourage unavoidable growth (aka "come to Canberra"), but to plan a direction which enhances society's equality across its spectrum rather than a gated one; and prepare for challenges yet to come. There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, especially for growth which has no end. Railing for growth in population is sure to make us worse off (see Ross Gittins' article ("How growth can make us worse off", CT, July 6, p10).

Colin Samundsett, Farrer

Tony Trobe interviewed a University of Canberra academic this week ("Canberra is the capital of cool", allhomes, July 5, p25). Rodney Moss espoused "the simple idea of promoting ... diverse developments ... on the transport corridors.

Moss' idea would clog those corridors.

If Canberra's population increases at its present rate, it will need other specialised corridors, not a tramway. Our town council should be buying up and preserving such easements for a rail service if our current rate of population expansion and the current transport technologies are expected to continue.

The Commonwealth's removal of large sections of the bureaucracy from the region would seem to obviate at least one part of this expectation. The other part isn't exactly science fiction.

Gary J.Wilson, MacGregor

Decision made

As a Socialist, John Passant (Letters, Sunday CT, July 5) should know better than to obliterate the general with the specific in his defence of the individual Zaky Mallah.

He defends Mallah's one-off "free expression" when as a Marxist/Trotskyist, he should be opposing oppressive Islamism rather than accusing the government of Islamophobia. Regrettably, he is trying to be a Socialist and soft middle-class Canberra latte leftie at the same time.

He needs to get out of Canberra into a working class community and test his opinions there.

Peter Sesterka, Hawker

Point lost

M.R.Flint (CT July 5) from Can the Tram Inc has taken exception to my pointing out that money raised from land sales along the light rail route would pay for light rail many times over. It appears Can the Tram Inc has taken on the self-appointed task of stopping light rail no matter what the arguments. The cost of light rail will rise to $2billion over 20 years. The cost of credit will be at least $1.2billion but the cost of construction will remain at $800million. The cost of credit could go to the residents of Canberra as we are the ones guaranteeing it through our taxes. The increase in value created because of light rail over 20 years will be much more than $2billion.

We have to solve the problem of moving people between Civic and Gungahlin. The greatest total benefit is rarely the cheapest option. The cheapest option is not BRT but is to make Northbourne Avenue for pedestrians and bike riders only.

I made an unsolicited suggestion to the government on a way for the residents of Canberra to supply the credit to build light rail. The suggestion was rejected because Treasury said they could get cheaper money from outside Canberra.

However if Canberra residents supply the credit it would bring greater net benefit to Canberra residents even if it cost the Treasury more.

Cheapest is not always the best.

Kevin Cox, Ngunnawal

Looks like a rerun

It's like a replay of the tragic Royal Canberra Hospital destruction – the proposed profligate demolition of hundreds of wantonly neglected flats built as recently as the 1950s and '60s, along Northbourne Avenue, and Cooyong Street in central Canberra, and in older suburbs like Narrabundah. The aspirations of their planners and architects were high, and the buildings and their landscapes were carefully designed and delivered. Modernism was expressed, and form followed function. The replacements will be all about superficial facades and maximising density and height, all in the name of land-value profiteering, and "preventing urban sprawl" (which we don't have). Amenity, privacy, solar access, and population health will come second. Our heritage will be trashed. The configuration of the buildings inherently cries out for conversions with generous, more flexible, interesting accommodation with variety and character.

The buildings can be readily and economically renovated and adapted for new compatible re-uses. Instead we're likely to get flashy, formulaic, tight, skinny, noisy, dingy, mostly poorly built flats – repetitive quantity over quality.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Time to accountIt seems to me that if federal government ministers believe they have the right to change people's lives in all sorts of ways then presumably, in a democracy, they must be prepared to undergo forensic analysis of their decisions by competent journalists. If they have done their homework and their policy initiative is based on quality research, equity and fairness, presumably they have little to worry about.

Engineers, doctors, lawyers, public servants and teachers are all held to account for their professional decisions and behaviour. If they are found not to have done their homework and have failed in their professional duty of care, they are severely reprimanded. For Joe Hockey and/or any government minister to whinge about rigorous in-depth questioning is rather like the playground bully, who, when pushing other kids around and some child retaliates suddenly and punches the bully on the nose, the bully then complains to the school principal about his/her treatment.

Mike Flanagan, Farrer

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