The inflammatory language used in the editorial "Hanson author of her own misfortunes" (May 2, p.14) is not appropriate in a newspaper which prides itself on a balanced and fair hearing for all.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Using phrases such as "bilious and self serving attacks", "like many populist rabble rousers" and "the quickest way to recruit a mob" does not become your supposedly impartial editorials.
![Hanson wears a burqa to question time in 2017. Pictures: Alex Ellinghausen Hanson wears a burqa to question time in 2017. Pictures: Alex Ellinghausen](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc6wa3bo3guj71d5va9lzd.jpg/r0_51_3264_1886_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Born in Britain, do I also belong to "the racially and culturally homogeneous Anglo-Celtic society into which she [Hanson] was born"?
Please take your responsibilities more seriously. Inflammatory language begets hate.
Joan Milner, Bywong, NSW
Bus service good for some
The numbers have changed; the termini and stops have changed; the times have changed ... so while it was confusing, my first trip on Canberra's new bus service went okay.
My door-to-door trip times are about the same as before.
I live within an easy walk to a rapid line and a few-minutes walk to a non-rapid line, and most of my trips involve at most one non-rapid to a rapid to a non-rapid ... thus minimal changes for me.
I'm a wheel-and-spoke believer, especially in Canberra which has a wheel-and-spoke road system, so I don't mind changing buses if connections are timely and frequent.
We hear from many who've seen their trips expand from one bus to many; from 30 minutes to an hour-plus. How many of us are affected minimally? How many have seen their trips improve? I hope those who've seen improvements or experienced minimal impact provide feedback as well.
All new systems need analysis and improvement, including Canberra's transit system. I hope those responsible elicit and address inputs from those inconvenienced, and those not, and do so in a timely manner.
Judy Bamberger, O'Connor
Big improvement at the Grove
I have lived in Ngunnawal, near Casey, for the past four years and we've had no practical bus service for our community of some 230 people at The Grove Village.
Now we have the 25/26 buses providing an excellent service to link with the Civic Trams. At least it is on weekdays with 10 to 30 minutes between services. Some people are not happy but we certainly are.
G. Murray, Ngunnawal
Rapid routes fantastic
As a frequent bus passenger, I am terribly impressed with the new bus network. Yes, I do have to walk 500 metres to the bus stop. The old one was right across the street.
But the rapid routes are great! So fast and frequent. I use the bus a lot on weekends, and getting a bus on Sunday morning and evening is fantastic. Don't listen to the whingers, Transport Canberra. You are doing brilliantly.
John Mason, Latham
Transport figures mislead
Care should be taken when accepting figures on Canberra's public transport use.
The headline, "Record numbers on ACT public transport but students left behind" (canberratimes.com.au, May 2) seems to confuse passenger boardings with passenger numbers.
The ABC on the same day reported 90,000 passenger boardings. Given the new arrangements require far more people to change buses, or from light rail to bus, there are inevitably more passenger boardings.
The test of Canberra's public transport use is whether more people use the service. The requirement for more people to change almost always increases travel time and is a demonstrated disincentive to public transport use. Transport Canberra is well aware of this.
If there are 90,000 passenger boardings in a day, allowing for return journeys, only 45,000 people would have used public transport.
If half of those have to catch four vehicles a day, the realistic figure is nearer to 30,000 passengers.
Graham Downie, O'Connor
Children should be protected
ACT school children should have the right to travel to and from school safely, whatever their school and wherever they live in our city.
Despite this issue being raised months ago, when the new bus schedule was announced, there has been an inexplicable loss of direct routes for school children.
To have children navigating the public system and interchanges, rather than travelling directly to school on a dedicated bus service, is putting them at risk of serious harm.
Do we have to wait for a child to be run over, seriously lost, or be abducted before something is done?
It would be ideal if the government were to establish a dedicated unit that provides school bus services, like those in Canada and America.
Janet Bradly, Fadden
Scheduling mistakes mount
Well done Transport Canberra. You have left two government departments and two caravan parks with no access to bus services.
Well done Transport Canberra. You have left two government departments and two caravan parks with no access to bus services.
- Vanessa Stephenson, Symonston
Maybe you could consider bringing the tram down Narrabundah lane in Symonston so employees of the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Geoscience Australia, and residents of the long stay park and Sundowner village don't have to walk over two kilometres to the closest bus stop.
Vanessa Stephenson, Symonston
Bus service a disaster
I've voted Labor all my life but not at next ACT election. Greens either.
The Red Hill to Civic bus meanders around inner Canberra, then Defence, and takes 35 minutes (15 mins by car).
The Red Hill to Woden service is now non existent. I have to travel backwards to Narrabundah and change buses. That whole journey takes much longer than walking through bush tracks over the Hill and through Garran. Or 10 minutes by car.
I complained to Greens who told me, being over 70, I could use the community bus.
I am fit and healthy and treat this tax-payer expensive and ageist response with the scorn it deserves.
Lyn Bannerman, Red Hill
What is the problem?
Apparently, some students will have to walk seven minutes to a bus stop and the school principal is needed to escort them. The new bus comes earlier, so they have to leave school 15 minutes early to avoid having to wait for a bus. And some students now have to get on a crowded bus.
Why a seven minute walk, waiting for a bus, or getting on a crowded bus might be problems isn't explained.
It's just as likely that the real story is about whining parents who don't send their children to local schools but expect Transport Canberra to ship them from one end of town to the other, no matter how inefficient or costly that may be.
Greg Pinder, Charnwood
What about disabled users?
I sustained an injury recently that means I have to use a walking stick to walk and cannot stand for long periods of time.
Since the launch of the new network the morning and evening trams are so packed nobody can move.
I struggle to get on at my stop at Ipima St, and have to lean against the carriage doors to take pressure from my knee.
My injury is only minor.
Think of the experience of someone with a more serious injury/disability attempting to access the system.
There is no way that a person in a wheelchair would be able to use the tram at that time.
Samantha Lemon, Braddon
Bus defence is implausible
In trying to justify the revised bus timetable the ACT government continues its habit of using well-crafted sound bites (for example, the Transport Minister's reported comment that 'this is the design that's worked around the country and around the world'), rather than publishing analysis and data to justify the revised system.
The government is setting the scene for delaying a comprehensive assessment of patronage of both the revised bus system and the Tram Stage 1 until after the October 2020 ACT Election by indicating that a full analysis of patronage will be done in one year.
Very convenient from the government's (political) perspective. However from the perspective of at least this ratepayer, who agrees that current transport patterns would lead to gridlock as Canberra grows, data on patronage needs to be published much more quickly.
The apparent unwillingness by the ACT Government to publish timely data on public transport patronage appears to be about avoiding political embarrassment and accountability.
Bruce Paine, Red Hill
Church was misrepresented
I must protest against the assertion in the advertising feature "Dying with Dignity" (April 24, p.33) about "the Catholic observance that suffering must occur so that the dying person can come to Christ". Hogwash. Why is it that the Church is in the forefront of Palliative Care Services? It is to alleviate human suffering.
H. Baker, Scullin
VOTE FROM A TO ZED
No matter what your political persuasion is, performance in the ACT senate should be rewarded. Vote A (No. 1) numbering all the way down to Z(ed).
Pat Kelly, Monash
AGEISM MR HAAS? REALLY?
Damien Haas ("Hits and misses in transport revamp", April 30, p.16) uses the term 'fridge magnet generation'. I have not heard this before, am not sure to whom it applies. Can you enlighten me Damien? Is this the newest addition to the list of ageist words?
Wendy Limbrick, Monash
WHO IS LEAST WRONG?
Damien Haas (Comment, April 30), says "only 10 per cent of Canberrans use public transport now". Minister Meegan Fitzharris says, in the same edition, it's only eight per cent. Are they both just plucking figures out of the air?
M. Moore, Bonython
HANSON PROTESTS TOO MUCH
Who needs Shakespeare when we have Hanson? Tears and regrets and another of Pauline's groundhog day moments. The lady doth protest too much me thinks.
Linus Cole, Palmerston
HUMANITY IS ANYTHING BUT
"Weaponising" innocent animals, as appears to be the case of the harnessed Beluga whale found in Norway, is confirmation humanity is an abusive species, deserving of what our wretched, comparatively short history presages: self- inflicted oblivion.
A Whiddett, Forrest
WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR?
Transport Canberra is saying 64,000 trips were taken on the light rail network during the first free five days of operation. I challenge them to provide the figures for the corresponding five days next year.
Michael Lucas, Conder
CANADA WON'T GO BACK
Until 1965 the Canadian flag included a Union Jack as ours does. Their flag was changed amidst great angst to what is now one of the world's most recognisable flags. I doubt any Canadian would wish to go back to their old flag.
John Williams, Golden Square
WINTER IS COMING
It is 8 pm on a big, cold, footy night. All the heaters, air-conditioners and televisions are drawing power. Suddenly it is half time. The jugs are switched on. Not one amp of electricity is coming from wind/solar plants. What will keep the lights on?
Viv Forbes, Washpool, Queensland
MORE SOCIAL HOUSING
The ACT government needs to postpone light rail 2, and invest in more public housing. Increased supply along the tram route isn't reducing prices.
Jack Kershaw, Kambah
WE'LL ALL BE RUINED
So, David Hicks (Letters, May 2) is convinced the end is nigh and the economy is in a "parlous state". I assume he must be one of those fortunate Australians under 30 who has never experienced a recession.
John Davidson, Moncrieff
DON'T TAKE US FOR GRANTED
Zed thinks he has a job for life, that no matter what he does he will always pick up the second ACT Senate seat. Yet his views are way out of kilter with the vast majority of Canberrans. Let's get rid of him. Vote below the line and put Zed last.
Brian Wenn, Garran
Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attachment. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
Keep your letter to 250 or fewer words. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).
To send a letter via the online form, click here.