The ACT government's kangaroo cull is unnecessary ad protentially counterproductive

Over the last 10 years we have been subjected to ongoing misinformation and lies about the ACT kangaroo problem. At one stage the ACT Parks and Conservation director reckoned kangaroos should be shot because they might starve in the future. Go figure that one!

The government then used the excuse that kangaroos are eating so much grass, they must be killed off because they are endangering threatened species - even though these different species and roos have coexisted for a very long time.

Having killed of the majority of kangaroos in the Canberra nature park, and with the grass growing under their feet, the government has resorted to cattle grazing, slashing, and mowing, as well as wide scale back burning, to reduce the risk of bushfire. And I think we can all guess what activity causes more harm to the environment.

The ACT government claims its actions are 'evidence-based' and yet it steadfastly refuses to acknowledge the opinion of other experts, including CSIRO, who suggest the culling of kangaroo in the ACT nature parks and other grassland areas may be unnecessary at the current level, and actually be counterproductive. If the adaptive management research had been done over the last 10 years, as agreed in 2009, the ACT government would know this anyway.

If we don't look after our flora and fauna in a more sensible manner, future generations will be asking, "why did you do that?".

Car drivers get a little tick from Cycling Study ("Canberra drivers keeping their distance from bikes - mostly", May 7, p7) for keeping their distance from cyclists but, why is the onus seemingly all on the driver? Why is it not compulsory for cyclists to wear High Viz? Why is it not compulsory for bikes to have flashing rear lights?

Why do many cyclists use roundabouts as if they are in a motor vehicle? If there is a cycle path, why do they use the road?

Is it legal for cyclists do centre road turns as if they are a vehicle?

Statistically, if there is an accident, is the motorist always in the wrong?

If cyclists are to use the road they should be registered and have insurance, the bikes should have turning indicators, headlights and tail lights. They should have a written set of regulations which addresses such issues as riding two-abreast, riding in groups, centre road turns, roundabouts etc.

Give the motorist a fair go!

Come on Canberrans, please turn your lights on.

I drive a school bus full of your precious children.

On any given morning I am straining to see you. Predawn and there are any number of cars without their headlights on - dark cars on dark roads in dark conditions, please turn your lights on.

Predawn and a pea soup fog. Same applies, can barely see you, turn your lights on!...Please.

Predawn, pea soup fog, my mirrors fog, my windows fog, dark road, dark car, merging lanes, I can't see you, please don't make me guess!!

Sunny morning, things get worse, climbing a hill, directly into the rising sun, you can see me plain as day, I'm half blinded, you're in the shadow of the hill I'm climbing. Can't see you...lights?

A simple request from your friendly bus driver.

It seems that some education in required here in Canberra regarding the electoral process. The latest display of misunderstanding, from Brian Wenn (Letters, May 4), suggests that Senator Seselja should not represent the ACT because he does not have "the support of an overwhelming majority of Canberra residents". Even a cursory understanding of the way in which the senators are elected would make it clear that, if that were the requirement, there would probably be no senators elected anywhere in Australia. Senate elections are based on proportional representation - not a requirement for an absolute majority, and certainly not "an overwhelming majority.

Labor and Green climate and energy policies not only ignore critical facts, but important social and moral factors too.

Experience world-wide is that the more wind and solar energy in a power system, the higher the costs to consumers. Ignoring this fact and refusing to consider other flow-on cost factors will not make the facts and extra costs go away.

Low income people like pensioners - who are already suffering from high power costs - will suffer even more from Labor and Green policies. But do Labor and the Greens care? Apparently not. It seems they believe saving the world is more important than providing affordable power for poorer folk and pensioners. Or they simply don't care. Whatever the answer, their claims to the moral high ground are clearly nonsense.

Instead of voters backing the wrong horse in the supposedly nice guy Scott Morrison, let's hope that Labor cleans out the stables on May 18. Just ask Michael Towke, the preselected Lebanese Australian Liberal candidate for the seat of Cook in 2007 (rolled by Morrison) and Malcolm Turnbull, if Scott, "He's my leader!" Morrison is really a nice guy.

The election is almost here and there are some candidates who endeavour to identify what it is that is important to those in their electorates. I have not, as yet, had the chance to meet those who seek to represent me. If I was to have the opportunity, I would mention the following.

There are many policy announcements which relate to the maintenance of our way of life in economic terms, i.e. increases in company profits and returns to shareholders, continual improvement in business efficiency, and market expansion. But what about the micro side of our life ...how do you feel when you pass a person begging on the street? He or she, may or may not be, homeless ... but that's beside the point.

When a candidate for the federal parliament seeks to represent us, how is it that Commonwealth and territory jurisdictions interact in relation to local issues? Will the candidate seeking our vote feel any responsibility for the person begging?

If so, will they see the remedy in terms of improved company profits or will they ensure that the next government, of which they may be a part, will guarantee that any Australian who finds themselves having to beg in the street, will not be not abandoned because of gaps between federal and territory government responsibilities?

Will Clive Palmer pay $4.9m for the Bali Peace Park? Before the vote. Will any candidate? The cost of a few prime time TV ads. Trivial for them but a priceless gift for survivors and bereaved families. How patriotic are they really?

The language we see in our media around house prices as a younger person is interesting to me - it is always negative, like in your headline on May 4 ("Steepest falls in north", p1). My friends and I are mostly professionals in our early thirties but are still forced to live in mouldy sharehouses, move every year at the whims of landlords, or functionally homeless on a parents' couch saving for a deposit.

When we see news of lowering house prices it's a cause for rejoicing- maybe we can enjoy the living conditions of the previous generations sooner rather than never!

Liberal election hopeful, Mina Zaki says that it's not fair that she has to provide evidence to prove that she's not a dual citizen, because she's a migrant (" 'Not fair': Mina Zaki on citizenship questions", May 7, p6).

Two comments: one, it's precisely because she was born overseas that she has to prove that she is not a dual citizen (unless, of course, she thinks that the Constitution should not apply to her); and two, if she expects people to be fair to her, she should steer clear of politics.

I would like to congratulate the ACT government on building the light rail to Gungahlin. I took my three-year-old grandson on it yesterday. He was delighted as I was, as we whizzed along Northbourne Avenue.

I couldn't get over the amount of high rise dwellings along the corridor. These residents and the residents of Gungahlin will find the rail a great improvement to their lives.

Paul Keating is right, Scott Morrison is "a fossil in a baseball hat". Morrison and his chief climate change denying Jurassics, Abbott, Dutton and Kelly are a greater danger to our country than the Labor Party. They need to be consigned to the fossil record.

Hugh Smith (Letters, May 7) asks what the figure of 90,000 bus and tram boardings in a single day actually tells us. I think it tells us that our town councillors have no idea of how to analyse public transport usage statistics.

Canberra's cyclists have gained an unexpected benefit from light rail. They can avoid red traffic signals by matching the average speed of an adjacent "LRV."

The trams coming south in morning peak hours are already full when getting to Northbourne Ave. So how do the existing residents and perhaps thousands of new residents from the densification of Northbourne Ave get to the city.

In urging us not to vote against Zed to ensure we have a balanced voice in the Parliament (Letters, May 2) is Mr Cornwell suggesting that Robert Gunning, No.2 on the Liberal Senate ticket, won't provide a balanced voice?

David Pope's depiction of Zed the "cuckoo in the nest" (Comment, May 7) is nothing short of brilliant.

Can someone explain why people are allowed to vote a week before Labor launched its campaign?

Re: "Meghan and Harry over the moon'' (canberratimes.com.au, May 6). About 353,000 babies were born on May 6, and I am sure we wish all of them well. As a community who have, hopefully, outgrown fairytales, why is this particular birth of any specific interest to us?

Adrift on lifeboat Earth, our leader chants "I stopped the boats! It's Labor's fault! I'll use more coal!" Would that he were Ulysses: "Some work of noble note, may yet be done... 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world... To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

Israel Folau has not vilified anyone. He quoted the Bible, mentioning no names. End of story and nothing to do with sport. When is the real church going to speak up for the real truth and stop being bullied into craven silence?

"A pumpkin twice the size of the grower" (May 6, p9) needed 200 liters per day. What a waste. Enjoy your prize Terry Kiernan. The environment is so proud.

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